Rev. Michael Dermody Biography


	This biography appears on page 1541 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	REV. MICHAEL DERMODY is one of the able and honored 
representatives of the priesthood of the holy Roman Catholic church in 
South Dakota, being pastor of the parish of St. Simon and Jude, at 
Flandreau, Moody county. Father Dermody was born in Waterford, Ireland, 
on the 10th of September, 1860, and is a son of John and Catherine 
(Kennedy) Dermody, both of whom were likewise born and reared in 
Waterford, coming of staunch old Irish stock and being folk of 
intelligence and sterling character, the father of the subject having 
devoted the major portion of his life to teaching as a vocation. He 
whose name initiates this sketch received his preliminary educational 
discipline in the parochial schools of his native place and then 
continued his studies in the monastery of Mount Sion, in the same town, 
availing himself fully of the excellent advantages of this old and noble 
institution. In 1878 Father Dermody came to America and completed his 
preparation for the priesthood in St. Viator's College, at Kankakee, 
Illinois, where he was ordained to the priesthood by Rt. Rev. Bishop 
O'Gorman, bishop of the diocese of Sioux Falls. After holding various 
pastoral incumbencies he came to South Dakota and since 1898 he has been 
pastor of the church at Flandreau, where he has given himself with all 
the devotion and fervent zeal to his sacerdotal and pastoral duties, 
vitalizing the work of the parish and gaining the earnest co-operation 
and affectionate regard of his parishioners. His congregation now 
numbers about one hundred families, and the parish is in a prosperous 
condition.