Fr John Smyth was born at Straide, Foxford, Co Mayo on 15th September 1938. He was educated at Straide N.S. and St Gerald’s College, Castlebar. He came to St Columban’s, Navan in September 1956 and was ordained priest on 21st December 1962.
John was appointed to Korea and after initial language studies, he served as assistant successively in Wonju, Mukho and Kangneung. Having completed further language studies, he was appointed in 1968 to Pyeongchang, Kangwando.
There followed appointments to Sokho City, Hong Ceon, and from 1976-1980 to Mokdong, Seoul. He then served in Dobong-dong from 1985.
Over this time he suffered from some health problems and was appointed to the US in 1991. John spent the following twenty-three years serving the Korean Community in Chicago. Then, in 2014 he was appointed to care for Koreans in Los Angeles and served there until he returned to Ireland in August 2022.
He was already in poor health and he died in Castlebar University Hospital on 10th December 2022. He was buried in the grounds of St Peter and Paul’s Church, Straide, Co Mayo.
John was always close to his people with a quiet personality and a warm heart. He served them with total dedication, in Korea and in the US, in spite of serious health problems during his final years.
May he rest in peace.