Michael J. Curran

Michael J. Curran was an Irish priest who served as Rector of the Pontifical Irish College, Rome. Curran studied for the priesthood at Clonliffe College, Dublin before going to the Irish College in Rome, where he served as Vice Rector from 1919 before being appointed Rector serving from 1930 until 1939. He returned to the Dublin Diocese. Fr. Curran served as secretary to Archbishop William Walsh of Dublin during the 1913 Lockout and 1916 Easter Rising, prior to taking up his post in Rome. During his time in Clonliffe he would have correspondence and dealings with many significant figures at the time, including helping hide Eamon De Valera on the college grounds in 1919.

Monsignor Michael Curran was elected President of the Oliver Plunkett Union in 1955. His brother was Constantine Peter Curran the Lawyer, socialite and writer, and friend of Tom Kettle and James Joyce (who names him once in Ulysses).

Papers from Monsignor Curran are held in the archive of the Irish College Rome, some in Clonliffe College from his time as Diocesan Secretary and some in the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin from his statements on the Rising and war of Independence.

He died 9 February 1960