Fr. Brendan Ahern Fitzgerald is one of four sons born to Esther and Denis Fitzgerald, both natives of County Kerry, Ireland. Growing up, Fr. Brendan attended high school in Ireland and spent his summers in the Rockaways, NY. After completing his secondary education at St. Brendan’s
College, Killarney, Fr. Fitzgerald entered St Patrick’s Seminary, Maynooth, in County Kildare,Ireland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and then spent a pastoral year working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta. Fr. Fitzgerald went on to continue his academic formation in Rome, where he graduated with a Master’s in Theology. He continued his studies at Fordham University, where he earned a Master’s and an A.P.D. in Education. In 2000, Fr. Fitzgerald was ordained a priest at St. John’s Cathedral, Limerick, Ireland. He spent his first year of priesthood in Meelick, County Clare, and was then appointed a Diocesan Advisor for Education for the Diocese of Limerick. Fr. Fitzgerald held this position for five years
before returning to New York to work as a Parochial Vicar in Saint Barnabas Parish the Bronx, from 2006 to 2009.

He then spent a brief period as Parochial Vicar at St. Margaret of Cortona, Riverdale, before being appointed priest secretary to His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan. In 2012, Fr. Fitzgerald was appointed Pastor of Regina Coeli, Hyde Park, NY, and in 2016, Pastor of Saint Barnabas in the Bronx. Fr Brendan Fitzgerald is Chaplain to, the FDNY Emerald Society, as well as the FDNY Holy Name Society, FDNY G.A.A, United Emerald Societies, AOH Division 5, the New York GAA, as well as Chaplain of the NY Kerry. Association. Since 2018, Fr. Fitzgerald annually celebrates a mass in Gaelic and it has become a national AOH event. In 2022, Fr. Fitzgerald was honored with the ‘The Sprit of 1916’ Award by Bronx County AOH.