As Supreme Warden of the Knights of Saint Columbanus, Michael is the custodian and controller of the Order’s property as prescribed in its Constitution and Laws. He also maintains a register of the numbers present, excused or absent from all Supreme, COD and Stated Annual Meetings. He is also the main scrutineer of the membership credentials of all those seeking admission to those meetings.
Michael, a native of Gorey, Co. Wexford, was received into the Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus on the 27th April 2003 as a member of Council CK123 (Duhallow) in Cork.
Since then, he has served the Order in various elected roles at both Primary and Provincial Council level before being elected to Supreme Warden’s office in 2017. He is a director of KSC Trust No. 5 and is a trustee for property and investments owned by or used in connection with Provincial Area No. 5 on behalf of the Order.
Michael, a former senior member of An Garda Síochána and a UN veteran, has life long experience in public administration and is a member of the Order’s IT Advisory Group supporting a remote workforce that is now mandatory in almost every organisation. He is also an NBSCCCI accredited safeguarding trainer and a member of the Order’s Safeguarding Committee.
With a large interest in history and parish life, Michael has been involved in Mourneabbey Parish Community for more than 40 years. He chaired the Board of Management of Burnfort National School and coordinated the weekly parish envelope collection. He is currently honorary secretary of the Mourneabbey Heritage Association and has contributed to the publication of two recent books on the area’s vast historical landscape. Michael is married to Mary, and they have two grown-up children, Donna and Michael.