It’s just a pity it did not go to court. I would have loved to see them being made to answer the questions under oath: Do you know why Pinkman was dismissed from the order? Do you know why Valmaggia was dismissed and sent back to Italy? Did you warn the diocese and parish that […]

I was never a great diarist at Mirfield. In 3 years I completed about 6 entries with no dates. Only ever kept one page. A boring day really yet it engraved itself on my mind, just for that reason. Here it is :- ‘I was tired this morning. The bell went and I didn’t move. […]

  I have been asked if anyone using the blog has  information about Michael Joseph Gilhooly’s  time at Mirfield. Apparently, Michael started at the Mirfield  Comboni Seminary   in 1970 or 1971 and was  more than likely  only a pupil at Mirfield  for a very short time. He spent a short period in the armed forces before returning […]

Just been reading this blog, having been informed by a friend of the article in the Observer Magazine on 19th October, 2014 and seen Tony Smith and Bede Mullen on “Look North” the local BBC News Bulletin a week or so ago. This has stirred up all kinds of memories for me, happy, sad, confused, […]

Comboni Missionaries Exposed Yesterday the Obsever Newspaper published an article exposing the culture of abuse at the seminary in Mifield owned by the Comboni Missionaries (ex-Verona Fathers). Read it here – http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/19/sins-of-the-fathers-sexual-abuse-catholic-order

To all ‘Mirfield Old Boys’ and to anyone else who may be interested, There are comments on the blog that indicate that people want the blog to continue. For my part it has served a big purpose and i thank many people for their contributions and their support. Many lads who were at Mirfield in […]

I am married to an ex Mirfield student called Tom Wharton. He attended the seminary from 1962-1964 and is saddened and shocked at the revelations on your site as he had a largely good experience there. His memories are happy ones although some of the routines seemed a little harsh – morning runs in all […]

Ben writes: I was chatting with a couple of the guys from Mirfield and we were discussing footballers who had come to visit Mirfield. The names we have come up with so far are: · Willie Bell (Leeds United & Scottish International) · Johnny Quigley (Huddersfield Town) · Mike O’Grady (Leeds United & Huddersfield) · […]

Hello, When I wrote on the  Mirfield Blog  just after it began,  in August 2011 I did not want readers to know my name.  When I posted or commented on the blog, I wanted to be  known as A Mirfield Boy – a safe name that could apply to dozens of seminarians from Mirfield. However, […]

Thanks Gerry. Click on the link below – four years before my time, but sill very interesting. Mark Here are the names of the team: The Verona Fathers team 1965, which played at Roe Head. Pictured are Michael Moroney (from Wallasey), Peter Hall (from Bolton), John Brown (from Belfast), Eddie Roberts (Stockton), Gerry McLaughlin (Greenock […]