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St.M
I think it is good idea that he is included on the grave search on this site. On the dalbeth site visit, I recall one of our learned contributors stating that he was treating poverty stricken typhoid victims free of charge. Something unheard of in those times. The possibility that this contributed to his early death, in his thirties, with continued exposure to disease, was also mentioned. No mention of this on the wiki. Maybe an update required

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A Truly Great Man whose importance to the Founding and Establishment of Celtic and to the people of The East End of Glasgow has been to a certain extent undervalued in the various writings on Celtic's History.

As St.Mungo's Bhoy (had to be said :)) and then St.Aloysius he managed to get to study medicine at Glasgow University when not many RC's could get in - He qualified and went on to study to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons - He forewent practicing Surgery and the riches,privileges and wealth it could bring him to work as a Community Doctor in The East End - Bear in mind The East End was rife with poverty and disease on an unimaginable scale and was one of the the most impoverished places in Europe.

John Conway was a leading member of the Irish Community in Glasgow and was heavily involved in Celtic's Foundation especially as was the situation with Brother Walfrid and Brother Dorotheus as regards Celtic's Charitable Foundations - He was the man who addressed Hibs at their 1887 Scottish Cup Party in St.Mary's Hall in the Calton - He was there and involved when Celtic was officially launched - He was Celtic's First Honorary President - He kicked the very first ball at the first Celtic Park.


Sadly John was deposed at the 1891 AGM as the business side of Celtic began to kick in and they were advocating wages for Celtic Officials which would take away funding from The Poor Children's Tables - John stood against it and was deposed. - Dr.Conway was almost completely ostracised from there on in until his early death a few years later - Very sad - The situation got worse the folowing year when Brother Walfrid* was transferred to London.

John Conway died a young man at 35 years of age - the cause of death on his Death Certificate is given as "apoplexy" which is an old medical term for a cerebral haemorrage usually inducing a stroke - Dr.Conway's obituary says it was due to a weak heart - I can't help feeling it may in part have been brought on by the stress of working in amongst the terrible disease and poverty and that he may have fallen ill and sadly passed away quite lterally giving his life for the Poor of the East End.

"A Great Celtic Man" but also "A Great Man".


*Something to think about - For anybody that visits Dr.John Conway's Resting Place in Dalbeth given that Brother Walfrid and Dr.Conway had the same beliefs as regards helping the people of the East End and the funding of The Poor Children's Table it is very likely that Brother Walfrid would have attended John Conway's Funeral and in all likelihood you be paying your respects on the very same ground that Brother Walfrid stood paying his respects to his Great Friend almost 120 years ago.

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Very true words. The great thing about this is that not only can we commemorate our Legends but we can discover more about their lives.

As was said the other night unfortunately it's the winners who write history but as Celtic fans we're all winners so the whole truth and not just the convenient line at the time can be told about our greats and the remarkable part they played in Celtic's story.

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Brother Dorotheus is someone else who is very important and very rarely is he given the credit he merits in the Celtic History books.

weeshamrock is keen to try and establish relations with The Marists - Sadly Brother Cyril the Marist Brother that I knew to be well up on the history and who I know would have helped passed away not so long ago.

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Death notice in Glasgow Observer on August 12 1899:

"Patrick Conway, beloved son of the late John Conway, aged 28 years."


Another tragic early death in the Conway family :'(

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Some details from Dr. John Conway's obituary in the Glasgow Observer on 27th January 1894:


Died the previous Wednesday, at his residence at Morris Place, Monteith Row
Born 38 years ago
His father, John, was the first Catholic on a Parochial Board in Glasgow
Studied at St Mungo's, St Aloysius then Glasgow University. Received the degree of MB.
Admitted, after 9 months study, to the Royal College of Surgeons, London.
After a short time, he returned to the East End in 1882.
Built up his own practice then won the degree of MD.

Honorary member of SVDP Society
One of the principal promoters of the Observer newspaper

"It was greatly owing to his exertions that the Celtic Football Club was started, and in acknowledgement of his efforts in that direction, the members appointed him Honorary President for three years. Of a very charitable disposition, no one applied to him for help in vain, while his contributions to the Catholic charities were both numerous and substantial."

He died suddenly. At the beginning of January he had a severe cold:
"The consequent prostration affected his heart, which hitherto had been very weak . . . "

"In his death the Catholic Church in Glasgow loses an exemplary member and the Catholic poor a friend whose high professional skill was ever gratuitously and ostentatiously placed at their service."

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The John Conway story is particularly touching WS, if i remember correctly from the tour you gave me on Saturday his brothers also died young which may suggest a family hereditary or genetic heart problem from that info you have posted...

....did this affect his decision to become a medic and work so selflessly for the poor I wonder??

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I knew i'd seen it somewhere and hunted through all my history books to no avail.

Managed to avoid looking in the most obvious place until last nite.

The Celtic History DVD Part 1!

;D

He looks a bit older than 35 which he was when he died though?

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PS i reckon it originally came from one of the newspapers of the day as they used pencil drawings all the time.

Archbishop Eyre was in the Observer.