Francis Gleeson (priest), Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetFrancis Gleeson (priest)
British army military chaplain
Date of Birth: 28-May-1884
Place of Birth: Templemore, Munster, Ireland
Date of Death: 26-Jun-1959
Profession: military chaplain
Zodiac Sign: Gemini 
About Francis Gleeson (priest)
- Father Francis Gleeson (28 May 1884 – 26 June 1959) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest who served as a British Army chaplain during Ireland's involvement in the First World War.
- Educated at seminaries near Dublin, Gleeson was ordained in 1910 and worked at a home for the blind before volunteering for service upon the outbreak of war.
- Commissioned into the Army Chaplains' Department and attached to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers he served with them at the First Battle of Ypres.
- During this battle Gleeson is said to have taken command of the battalion after all the officers were incapacitated by the enemy.
- He was highly regarded by his men for tending to the wounded under fire, visiting the frontline trenches, and bringing gifts. On 8 May 1915, on the eve of the Battle of Aubers Ridge, Gleeson addressed the assembled battalion at a roadside shrine and gave the general absolution.
- The battalion suffered heavily in the battle and when paraded again afterwards only 200 men were assembled.
- Gleeson's absolution was the subject of a painting by Fortunino Matania that was made at the request of the widow of the battalion's commanding officer.
- At the end of his year's service in 1915 Gleeson returned to Dublin and became a curate but rejoined the army as a chaplain in 1917 and remained for a further two years.
- After the war he returned once more to Ireland, becoming a priest at churches near to Dublin and being elected canon of the Metropolitan Chapter of the Archdiocese of Dublin before his death on 26 June 1959.
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