Death of St Vincent de Paul’s Prof John Monaghan (73)

Former St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) stalwart and vice-president Prof John Monaghan (73) has died at Our Lady's Hospice in Dublin's Harold's Cross following a long illness.

A retired professor of mechanical engineering at Trinity College Dublin, he first became involved with the SVP in 1985 in Leixlip, Co Dublin, and from then to 2010 remained an active member locally where he was also twice appointed treasurer and president.

In 1998 he set up and chaired the SVP’s national social policy group and soon afterwards was the society’s national vice-president – a position he held until 2012. In the role he was also a strong advocate for changes to early childhood care and education and highlighted issues around child poverty, energy poverty and rent supplement. This was “part of our mission statement and isn’t optional for the society, it is mandatory”, he said.

‘Compassionate’

SVP national president Kieran Stafford said last night: "John was a compassionate, non-judgmental and caring person who has influenced and inspired many SVP members."

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Prof Monaghan grew up in Drimnagh in Dublin and at 14 began work as a mechanic at a local garage. He attended Bolton Street College to study part-time as an apprentice mechanic and in 1967 he was appointed part-time lecturer in the engineering science department there and was soon on the full-time staff.