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1886July 13 - HIS BIRTH
Ruins of the Flanagan homestead in Leabeg, Ballymoe, Ireland
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1886
Baptized St. Croans
Parish, Ballymoe
Edward J. Flanagan was one of 11 children of John and Nora Flanagan, a hard working farm family. Perhaps due to illness at birth, he was frail and struggled with illness throughout his entire life.
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1904
Completed secondary
school at summerhill
college, county sligo. -
1904
arrives in america
In 1904, he arrived in New York City and in 1907 moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with his brother, Fr. P.A. Flanagan, so his sister Nellie could nurse her younger brother back to health. In 1912, when he was well enough to finish his seminary studies, Fr. Flanagan was ordained in Innsbruck, Austria.
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1906-1907
Graduation & Move to Omaha
1906 – Graduated Mount St. Mary’s College with an A.B. degree
1907 – Arrived in Omaha, Nebraska
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1912ordination
July 26, 1912 – Ordained in the Brixon Diocese, in Saint Ignatius Church Innsbruck, Austria. First Mass, St. Ignatius Church in Innsbruck.
August 25, 1912 – Celebrates first Solemn High Mass at Holy Angels, Omaha, Nebraska
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1913
First Parish
March 15, 1913 – First Parish Assignment, St. Patrick’s Church, O’Neill, Nebraska
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1916
Established Workingman’s Hotel, Omaha
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1917first home for boys
in omaha, nebraskaOn December 12, 1917, Servant of God Edward J. Flanagan moved five boys, ages eight to ten, into his first home for boys in Omaha, Nebraska, where he would spend much of the rest of the 31 years of his life. In 1938 the film Boys Town premiered and “Fr. Flanagan” became a household name and his mission grew.
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1921
Overlook Farm
October 17, 1921 – Moved to Overlook Farm, Present day Boys Town, NE
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1938
The Film "Boys Town"
September 7,1938 – The film, Boys Town premieres; In 1939, Spencer Tracy wins academy award (Oscar) for Best Actor playing Father Flanagan.
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1946RETURN TO
IRELANDHe visited his beloved Ireland for the last time, touring prisons, industrial schools for youth, and youth care facilities operated by government and religious orders. He condemned them as a “disgrace to the nation,” and offered a solution only to be ridiculed by the government and some religious.
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1947
April 19, 1947 – Arrives in Philippines
April 24, 1947 – Arrives in Japan
May 29, 1947 – Arrives in Korea
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1948
HIS DEATH
Flanagan wished to return to Ireland to help reform youth care facilities. However, he passed away two years later on May 15, 1948 in Berlin, Germany.
