THE late Fr Wilfrid Harrington, who was a noted Irish biblical scholar and grew up in Eyeries, has been remembered as an ‘outstanding teacher’ who was also ‘kind and encouraging.’
The 98-year-old, who was named Jack before he entered the Dominican Order to take the name Wilfrid, passed away on April 16th with more than 40 books to his name at the time of his death.
Born in Eyeries in 1927, he was the eldest of three children and was educated in the local primary school, which was followed by his entry as a boarder to Newbridge College, Kildare, for his secondary school education.
He entered the Dominican novitiate in Cork in 1946 and Brother Wilfrid made his first profession as a member of the Order in 1947.
He then pursued studies in philosophy and theology at St Mary’s Tallaght and at the Angelicum in Rome, before being ordained a priest in 1953.
Then, the priest Fr Harrington undertook postgraduate studies in theology, as well as specialist biblical study at the École Biblique in Jerusalem and again in Rome.
He was later awarded the Biblical Commission’s Licence in Sacred Scripture (LSS), and assigned to St Mary’s Priory in Tallaght to teach scripture in 1957.
Tallaght remained his home and his centre for the rest of his life.
Fr Harrington taught Scripture not only in the Dominican house of studies at Tallaght, but also in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, the Milltown Institute, UCD and the Church of Ireland Theological College (now Institute).
The late Sinéad O’Connor attended a course he taught on the prophets in the academic year 2003/04, and was so impressed by him that she dedicated her album Theology to him.
In addition to his commitment to his teaching, Fr Harrington was noted as the author of more than 40 books, many translated into French, Spanish and Polish.
His three-volume Key to the Bible became a standard text-book in many colleges and seminary courses.
One former student, in offering his condolences, said on rip.ie that Fr Harrington was affectionately known as ‘Wilfie’, and said his lectures were better than many a sermon.
‘I still quote him in my sermons 20 years later.’
Fr Pat Rogers said Wilfrid ‘was such a lovely human being, so kind and encouraging.’
‘I owe him a great deal for his various suggestions on what new books I should read and indeed, getting me to write homily outlines for publication in scripture in church. He has left behind an admirable memory as a Christian, a scholar and a warm human being.’
Fr Wilfrid is survived by his sister-in-law, Ms Kitty Harrington in Castletownbere as well as five nephews and three nieces and their families.
He was buried in the Community Cemetery in Tallaght on Monday April 21st, following requiem mass at St Mary’s Priory Church in Tallaght in Dublin.
