Liam O’Connell SJ

Liam O’Connell was born in Dublin in 1943, and grew up with two brothers and two sisters, in Limerick and in Dublin. He attended Crescent College SJ and Belvedere College SJ. In 1961 Liam joined the Jesuit Novitiate, as one of a group of 29 novices. As part of the usual formation he taught as a scholastic in Mungret College and then in Clongowes, and he was ordained in Milltown Park in 1973.

After ordination Liam studied catechetics for a year in Paris, and then worked in Gardiner Street parish, and also at both Clongowes Wood College and Crescent College. He later served as Headmaster of both of these schools. In the schools he taught Religion, Mathematics and Computer Science. He also coached rugby, produced plays, moderated debating societies, acted as Form Tutor, organised class trips and designed and maintained a school website. In general he was kept young and honest by the students he worked with. Since 2012 Liam has been Socius (companion/assistant) to the Irish Provincial.

For recreation Liam enjoys hill walking, golf, photography, and supporting the Munster rugby and Limerick hurling teams. One of Liam’s favourite quotations from scripture is where Jacob wakes up from a dream and says ‘”The LORD is truly here, even when I didn’t realize it.” (Genesis 25).