Peter Finlay was born at Bessbrook, Bakers Bridge, County Cavan on 15 February 1851, third son of William and Maria Magan. He is brother of Fr Thomas A Finlay S.J. Peter entered Jesuit College Milltown Park on 18 March 1866. After a two year novitiate there he studied in France, England (Stonyhurst) and Germany before becoming a teacher at Crescent College Limerick (1872-1874) and at Clongowes Wood (1874-1878). In 1878 he began the study of theology in France and completed it in Spain (Tortosa) where he was ordained in 1881.

From 1881 to 1885 he taught philosophy at Milltown Park, and in North Wales from 1885 to 1887. Teaching was a vocation for him and he was in constant demand for lectures and retreats. He was rector of Milltown College from 1905 to 1910, was three times elected to represent the Irish provinces at general congregations in Rome. He lectured in Catholic theology from 1912 until 1922 in University College Dublin and he was noted for his clarity, fluidity of presentation and exact Latin which was the medium of the time. He gave his last lecture in Milltown Park on 2 October 1929 and died in St Vincent’s Hospital on 21 October 1929.

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