Fr. Joe and his twin brother, Jim, were born in Cork in 1947. After his secondary education with the Christian Brothers, Youghal, Fr. Joe worked in the National Bank, Kilkenny. About four years later he entered St. Patrick’s Seminary, Carlow. Following his ordination in 1975 he came to the Archdiocese of Southwark to begin his priestly ministry at St. Thomas of Canterbury parish, Wandsworth. From there he went to St. Francis, Maidstone and St. Cecilia’s, North Cheam before being appointed Parish Priest at St. Gertrude’s, South Bermondsey in 1989.

June 1995, saw him pack his bags again as he left for South America to work with the St. James Missionary Society, where he had seven years working in hot, sticky, humid conditions in the shanty towns of Duran and Guasmo, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, among the really poor and marginalised.

Returning to Southwark he was privileged to spend some time at Holy Innocents’ parish in Orpington before coming to Addiscombe.

Fr. Joe enjoys shopping, visits to the theatre, music, walking, swimming and dancing, especially old time and ceili. He has recently been introduced to Line Dancing but has not taken his first steps yet!