Obituary: Patrick Brennan remembered as Catholic education’s ‘greatest champion’

They took a year before they found the right man for the job.

Set to be amalgamated in 1969, the Hamilton Separate School Board and seven boards from Wentworth looked at many candidates to become its first education director, following a 1966 provincial edict that all large separate boards get one.

In 1968, the new Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Separate School Board hired Patrick Brennan, a former math teacher and lover of theatre and music, who also taught the children of shepherds, farmers and miners in his homeland of Ireland before he came to Canada in 1957.

Brennan stayed 23 years, and in 1990 trustees were reluctant to let him go when he announced he was retiring to spend more time with family and pursue other interests.

Brennan - who died Nov. 4 in Dundas at age 91 - was a tireless crusader for the expansion of Catholic education and was in the trenches lobbying the government of former premier Bill Davis to extend full funding to the system. Davis did so in 1984.

Brennan was also known for promoting the arts and ensuring the system integrated students with challenges and special needs, aided by Jim Hansen, a superintendent who coined the phrase Each Belongs.'

Board chair Rev. Kyran Kennedy said at the time of Brennan's departure he displayed exceptional leadership and that he was the strongest voice for Catholic education across the province."

Brennan's death comes after his successor, Jerry Ponikvar, died last year. Ponikvar was education director from 1990-1995. He died Feb. 14 at 79.

Flags at Hamilton Catholic schools and administration buildings were lowered to half mast last week to mark Brennan's passing. His Nov. 9 funeral at St Luke's Catholic Church was attended by a capacity crowd, given COVID-19 restrictions, including Bishop Anthony Tonnos, former head of the Diocese of Hamilton.

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board said in a statement it had lost its greatest champion."

The impact of Patrick Brennan's years of service for this school board has left an indelible mark on the past, present and future of Catholic education in Hamilton-Wentworth," said education director David Hansen.

His commitment to family, to his faith and to service in Catholic education is a model for all of us to emulate. He has been a true gift for our school board."

Board chair Pat Daly had known Brennan since he was 10 when his father was a trustee. He came on the board in his own right as Ward 7 trustee in 1985.

Daly said Brennan was a man of tremendous faith and great vision" who sought fairness for Catholic education and its students." He also said he had a great sense of humour and had a memory and mind like few people I have met."

Daly said Brennan would often come into the board office for a visit before the pandemic and they would chat about his days in Ireland, early days in Ontario and his early days working for the board.

I was really thrilled every time he came in," said Daly.

Brennan was one of five sons born to John and Christina Brennan. He was born into the working-class family in Limerick on March 7, 1930. He told The Spectator in 1990 he was born into a family that was cause-orientated."

Brennan attended University College in Dublin and his first job when he came to Canada was teaching math with the Sandwich West Separate School Board in Windsor.

In 1964, he went to work for the province as the liaison between the government and separate boards in midwestern Ontario. In many rural areas, there were no Catholic boards. He told The Spectator he set up dummy boards to allow Catholic ratepayers to direct taxes to Catholic education, and buy services from neighbouring boards which had schools. Later, he put the dummy boards together to build schools. This created some controversy, but Brennan noted the province had no problem with it.

He was working with the Galt separate board before he came to Hamilton.

Brennan is survived by his wife Maire, children Mairin, John, Eithne, Enda, Patrick, Claire, Helen and Monica, and 12 grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers Bernard, Frank and Michael. He was predeceased by his brother Sean.

Daniel Nolan can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com