Death of pastor, educator, and historian, Fr Gerry Rice

The death has occurred of the retired parish priest of Kilcloon, Batterstown and Little Chapel, Fr Gerry Rice, a former teacher and principal in the diocese, and a man with a keen interest in local history.

He passed away in Moyglare Nursing Home in Maynooth early this afternoon.

Born in 1937, he entered St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, in 1954. On 18 June 1961 he was ordained to the priesthood in St Patrick’s College by His Eminence, Gregory Peter Cardinal Agagianian, Papal Legate to the Patrician Congress held to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of the death of St Patrick. The next day at 7.30am. Fr Rice offered his First Mass in St Peter’s Church in Drogheda.

The first seven years of his priesthood were spent in the Diocese of Ossory, first as chaplain to the De La Salle Monastery in Castletown (Portlaoise) and then as a curate in St Patrick’s Parish, (Kilkenny) where he is still remembered by the parishioners as ‘pleasant to old and young.’

In 1968 he was appointed to the staff of St Patrick’s Classical School (Navan) where he taught English and History until 1986 when he was appointed Principal of St Mary’s Diocesan School (Drogheda), a position ‘Br Rice’ would hold for the next eight years.

As editor (1972-1993) of the records of the Meath Archaeological & Historical Society, Ríocht na Midhe, he made a singular contribution to all who sought cultural and historical orientation. He also published a study of his parish in 'Norman Kilcloon'. He is a past president of the society.

A sabbatical year in 1994 took Fr Rice to the Sichuan Province of China where he taught Anglo-Irish Literature.

Upon his return to Ireland the following year, he was appointed Parish Priest of Kilcloon, Batterstown and the Little Chapel.

As Fr Rice has died in Kildare, which is still under Covid-19 restriction on movements, it is expected his funeral will be a minimal affair.