Sunday, February 23rd, 2025

Today, we are going to feature the Very Rev. Patrick Dollard (1 March 1804-12 Feb. 1868) a native of Rochestown, Glenmore. Patrick was the younger brother of John Dollard (1801-1888) who was featured last week as the man who named Glenmore, Wisconsin. Fr. Patrick Dollard built St. Mary’s Cathedral of Kingston, Ontario, Canada and became its first rector. The painting to the left of Fr. Dollard hangs in the Cathedral’s Rectory and was graciously sent to us by Angela Gambin, the Office Manager of St. Mary’s.

Unfortunately, the Arch-Diocese of Kingston closed its archives in 2023 as a new building to house the collection was planned. When we queried when the archives will re-open we were informed that the new building has not yet commenced. Undoubtedly at some point in the future we will update this post and share whatever other information we can find regarding Fr. Dollard. Until then we have relied heavily on newspaper searches that revealed a detailed obituary and interesting description of his funeral.

Early Life

According to his obituary, Fr. Dollard was born in Glaumore (sic) County Kilkenny, Ireland, in March 1804. Over the years Glenmore has been spelled in a variety ways, but Glaumore is most unusual. Fr. Dollard was educated at an ecclesiastical seminary in Waterford. We believe that Fr. Dollard probably attended St. John’s Seminary in Waterford City. St. John’s was established c. 1807 for the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore. Per Danny’s notes St. John’s was established from the merger of a classical school and an academy. St. John’s was originally on Manor Hill and in 1868 relocated to John’s Hill. In the 1830’s, St. John’s established a mission to Newfoundland, Canada.

Emigration to Canada

After “finishing his collegiate course” Fr. Dollard sailed to Canada. “having from an early period of his life devoted himself to the Church, began and completed his theological studies at Montreal.” Fr. Dollard was ordained by Bishop Lartique, on the Feast of the Ascension, 1836. Fr. Dollard was appointed to the Diocese of Kingston. Montreal is about 800 miles southwest of Newfoundland. Kingston is about 280 miles further west and almost half way between Montreal and Toronto (The Weekly British Whig, Thu. 20 Feb. 1868, p. 1). It is not clear why Fr. Dollard went further west than Newfoundland if he was sent by the seminary in Waterford.

At Kingston Fr. Dollard cared for his brother John’s young family when they emigrated around 1850. John Dollard left his wife and children in Kingston while he crossed into the United States and travelled west to Wisconsin where he obtained land and cleared the wilderness to establish a farm. See our post of 17 February 2025 for further details of John Dollard’s trip and life in Wisconsin.

Although a great distance separated the Dollard brothers, we were able to ascertain that they kept in contact. In fact, Fr. Dollard, in September 1863 was the Vicar General of Kingston. It was reported that he was in Brown County, Wisconsin “visiting relatives.” He celebrated the last Mass at St. Ignatius. A week or so later the church was destroyed by fire. See, Mary Kay & Dan Milquet (2006) De Pere of Yesteryear, vol. 1, Zander Press, Brillion (Wisconsin) p. 43.

Priest of the People

According to contemporary newspaper accounts Fr. Dollard often rolled up his sleeves to help care for the sick and dying particularly during epidemics that swept through Canada in the 19^th century. “He was instrumental in caring for typhus victims when they arrived after the Famine,” (Angela Gambin, email of 18 Feb. 2025). Fr. Dollard served in Kingston for 32 years and is credited with building St. Mary’s Cathedral , being its first rector, becoming the Vicar General and working tirelessly on improving education.

The Kingston Whig-Standard (Mon. 10 Feb. 1868, p. 3) reported two days before his death, “We regret to say that the Very Revd. Mr. Dollard, so long Vicar General and Parish Priest of Kingston, is very ill, and may probably be no more when this sees the eye of the reader. Father Dollard is truly a good man.” For a concise biography of Fr. Patrick Dollard see, B. J. Price, “DOLLARD, PATRICK,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed February 15, 2025.       .

The Weekly British Whig (Thu. 20 Feb. 1868, p. 1) published the following editorial after his death.

Kingston has lost in the death of Very Rev. Father Dollard one of the best men that ever lived in it. For a long time (upwards of thirty years) he was Parish Priest, and in the performance of that arduous duty gained the love and good will of all his many Parishioners. On two occasions he administered the affairs of the Diocese when the See became vacant, to the great satisfaction of his superiors, and it was at the time greatly regretted that he had not been promoted to the vacancy. He was in every sense of the word an exemplary priest.

However, it is from his obituary that we found the most details regarding Fr. Dollard’s work. The Weekly British Whig (Thu. 20 Feb. 1868, p. 1) published a lengthy detailed obituary that was republished in the Weekly Register & Catholic Standard (London) (Sat. 14 March 1868, p. 5). The obituary is below and the sub-headings are not part of the original obituary.

Obituary of the Very Rev. Patrick Dollard (1804-1868)

It is with profound regret we record the death of the Very Rev. P. Dollard, V.G., at the Bishop’s residence, after a severe illness of four weeks. He was a truly good and pious Priest, and dies deeply lamented by all classes of the community.

Father Dollard was born in Glaumore (sic) County Kilkenny, Ireland, March 1804, and was therefore in his 64^th year. He was educated at an ecclesiastical seminary in Waterford. After finishing his collegiate course he came to this country [Canada], and having from an early period of his life devoted himself to the Church, began and completed his theological studies at Montreal, where he was ordained Priest by the late Bishop Lartique, on the Feast of the Ascension, 1836, and appointed to the Diocese of Kingston, where he has been in active duty for the past 32 years.

Zealous Priest

How many varied acts of kindness he performed in that long period are known only to those for whom they were done. During the trying scenes of the Rebellion—the epidemics of cholera and typhus fever, he laboured unceasingly for the benefit of the people, and nobly performed the part of zealous priest, a loyal subject, and a good and charitable citizen. In alluding to his conduct during the dread ship fever, Mr. Maguire, in his recent book on “The Irish in America,” pays the following tribute to him:

‘Father Dollard, an Irish Clergyman, had to bear the chief share of the priestly duty, and from the first moment that the fever broke out, until the earth was beaten down on top of the grave mound, he was in the midst of the danger.’

Building of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

He was entrusted with the entire management of the building of the Cathedral, a task, it is needless to say, he performed with singular prudence and economy. He also laboured strenuously in the struggle of Roman Catholics of Upper Canada for their educational rights begun in 1841. He took the liveliest interest in the working of the schools, and for the last year and several years previous was chairman of the Catholic School Board.

By the amiability of his character, but above all, by the purity of his life, he won the esteem and admiration of his fellow citizens of all denominations—and they particularly the old ones, will regret the departure from amongst them of one, whoa after so long a residence, leaves a record unsullied by the slightest suspicion. To almost every Catholic family he was endeared by the strongest ties, and they regarded him with most filial affection. His loss leaves a large blank in their ranks, and one very difficult to fill.

Death

His death was befitting his character—calm and tranquil—and his last days on earth were made as pleasing as possible by the unvaried kindness of the Bishop and the unceasing attention of his many friends (The Weekly British Whig, Thu. 20 Feb. 1868, p. 1).

Funeral Services

The following interesting article describes in detail the funeral services for Fr. Dollard (The Kingston-Whig Standard, Mon 17 Feb. 1868, p. 2).

On Saturday morning the last rights of the Catholic Church were accorded to the remains of the late Father Dollard. St. Mary’s Cathedral was tastefully draped, the altars, pulpit, ornaments, windows, pillars, etc. being covered with black, festoons and draperies falling from the roof.  

The chancel window was hidden by a black curtain, bearing on it a large white cross. The whole Church bore a sombre appearance. The body was laying on a platform erected within the rails of the Sanctuary while the ceremony was being performed. A Grand Requiem Mass was sung by the Right Rev. Bishop Horan, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Rooney, of Toronto, as Archdeacon, with the Rev. Mr. Brown, of Napanee, as Deacon, and the Rev. Mr. O’Kean, of Port Hope, as Sub-deacon, the Rev. Mr. Gothier, of Regiopolis College officiating as Master of Ceremonies.

The funeral sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Dr. Farrell, Bishop of Hamilton, who from the time of his ordination as a Priest until his elevation to the Bishoprie (sic), served under the direction of Father Dollard. During the Mass the Choir, mostly composed of male voices, sung the solemn music incident to the service in a very fine style.

After Mass a procession was formed, headed by the crucifix and censor bearers, composed of the students of Regiopolis College, wearing surplices and soutanes, and all the clergy present, each person carrying in his hand a lighted candle and being bare-headed, preceding the body, which was borne on the shoulders of Messrs. James Harty, Michael Flanagan, Michal Macnamara, James Bermingham, Maurice Dinn and Wm. Hartey, four aged Priests acting as pall bearers.

The procession proceeded from the Sanctuary out of the Cathredral, and passed around to the side of the building, where it entered the passage leading to the vault underneath. Here the ceremony was brought to a close by a reading of prayers for the dead and sprinkling the coffin with Holy Water and incensing it. The vault is built immediately under the grand altar, and directly opposite that contains the remains of the late Bishops McDonell, Goulin and Phalin.

To say that the Cathedral was crowded throughout the ceremony would give no adequate idea of the numbers present, and the many tears shed by both Priests and people, as they followed his remains to their last resting place, spoke most eloquently of the worth of the late Father Dollard. He is gone from among us, and it is much to be hoped that whoever succeeds him as a Parish Priest of Kingston, will exhibit that same spirit of religious toleration and uprightness of character that have won for him the high esteem of all good men. [The article ends with a long list of priests who attended the funeral.]

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The photo of Fr. Dollard’s tomb was provided by Angela Gambin. For further photos of the tomb and nearby tombs in the crypt see Find a Grave. The photos on Find a Grave were taken by Callan Murphy.

Please send any corrections or further information to glenmore.history@gmail.com .

Special thanks to Angela Gambin, the Office Manager of St. Mary’s Cathedral of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, for sharing a photo of Fr. Dollard’s portrait, the photo of his tomb and other information.

The photos of St. Mary’s Cathedral exterior and interior are from old post cards.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh