Noted biblical scholar Fr Wilfred left formidable legacy behind

Noted biblical scholar, Fr Wilfrid Harrington, OP, died in St Mary’s Priory in Tallaght last week.

Fr Harrington was assigned to St Mary’s in 1957 to teach Scripture, and Tallaght remained his home and his centre for the rest of his life. He died at the age of 98 with more than 40 books to his name.

The son of a farmer and a schoolteacher, he was born as Jack Harrington in Eyeries, Co Cork, in 1927, and received the name Wilfrid on entering the Dominican Order in 1947.

Fr Harrington received his primary education in Eyeries and for secondary school went as a boarder to Newbridge College, Co Kildare, back when “the journey each way took two days, and required an overnight stay in Cork,” according to  his death notice issued by Bernard Treacy, O.P.

He then pursued studies in philosophy and theology at St Mary’s, Tallaght, and at the Angelicum in Rome, being ordained priest in Rome in 1953. Post-graduate studies in theology were followed by specialist biblical study at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem and again in Rome, being awarded the Biblical Commission’s Licence in Sacred Scripture (LSS).

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).

According to his death notice, Sinéad O’Connor was “so impressed by auditing a course on the prophets he taught in the academic year 2003-2004 that she dedicated her album ‘Theology’ to him.”

Fr Harrington brought his knowledge overseas too as he was “for decades, starting in 1964, a key figure in the summer school at St Mary’s College, Vermont (US).”

In addition to his commitment to 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 textbook in many college and seminary courses.

Fr Harrington is survived by his Dominican Brothers and Sisters, by his sister-in-law, Mrs Kitty Harrington of Castletownbeare, and by five nephews and three nieces, and their families.

“He had a great life and lived to the full,” commented parish priest of St Aengus’ and Castletymon, Father Ben Moran.