Remembering the Seven

A new documentary, 'Remembering the Seven', telling the story of seven Columban Fathers who were killed at the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, has been made by a grand niece of martyr, Fr Anthony Collier.

The film is the work of Emma O'Brien, who is not only a film maker and grand niece of Fr Tony Collier but also a niece of Columban Missionary Fr Ray Collier, who currently is working in Britain. The documentary is 25 minutes long.

The story of the killing of the seven priests is wrapped around the personal story of Emma's grand uncle, Fr Tony Collier.

The death of the seven Columbans is set in the context of an extraordinary time in history: the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1940s; the entry of the Japan into WWII with the bombing of Pearl Harbour; the defeat and withdrawal of the Japan following Hiroshima and the full invasion of South Korea on 25th June 1950 by the North Korean Red Army.

Throughout this time, the Columbans Fathers remained steadfast and stayed in their parishes with their people in South Korea.

Earlier this year, to commemorate the deaths of the seven Columban priests, the Irish Ambassador to South Korea, Michele Winthrop, issued an invitation to the relatives of these heroic missionaries to her residence in Seoul on 22nd May 2025.

Emma, her mother Rachel Collier, and other relatives took up the invitation and travelled to South Korea. Over the course of the trip Emma had the opportunity to hear the stories not only of her grand uncle but also the stories of the other priests and Columban missionaries who suffered during the war.

As a film maker she wanted to retell the story in a new way in this 25 minute documentary.

'Remembering the Seven' was shown by the Korean Embassy in Ireland at Korea Day, Farmleigh House, Dublin and at the recent gathering of the families of Columban Martyrs in Dalgan Park to unveil the new memorial to them.

The seven priests who were killed in Korea in 1950 were:

Fr James Maginn (38) Newcastle, Co Down
Fr Tommie Cusack (39) Ballycotton, Co Clare
Fr Paddy Reilly (34) Drumraney, Co Westmeath
Fr Frank Canavan (35) Headford, Co Galway
Fr Jack O'Brien (31) Donamon, Co Roscommon
Mgr Patrick Brennan (49) Chicago, USA
Fr Anthony Collier (37) Clogherhead, Co Louth

Watch the documentary in English or Korean sub-titled versions here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwNt48k5UJ0