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Father Noel O'Neill, advocate for disabled in Korea, dies at 93
Father Noel O'Neill / Courtesy of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju
By Park Ung
Father Noel O’Neill, an Irish Catholic priest who transformed care for people with intellectual disabilities in Korea by establishing the country’s first community-based living facilities, has died. He was 93.
According to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju, O’Neill died of blood cancer Sunday in his home country of Ireland. He had returned there last July after concluding 67 years of pastoral and volunteer service in Korea.
After studying theology in Ireland and being ordained, O’Neill came to Korea in 1957, dedicating himself to missionary and social welfare work.
He began his pastoral service in 1958 as an assistant priest at Jangseong Parish in South Jeolla Province, later serving as parish priest in several regions, including Seoul, Jeju and Gwangju.
O’Neill was one of the first to introduce the concept of community-based living facilities in Korea, laying the foundation for people with intellectual disabilities to live independently within their communities rather than in institutions. The first group home began in 1981 in Gwangju, where he lived with one woman with an intellectual disability and two volunteers. This later became a model for independent living for people with disabilities in Korea.
His contributions were widely recognized. In 1991, he was named the first honorary citizen of Gwangju and in 2016, the Ministry of Justice granted him Korean citizenship in recognition of his special merits.
Last July, due to age and health concerns, he returned to Ireland, where he spent his final days.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju set up a memorial altar at its main cathedral and welcomed mourners, with memorial Masses held Monday and Tuesday. While the funeral Mass will take place in Ireland, a separate service will be held in Korea in accordance with O’Neill’s final wishes, after part of his ashes are brought back.