17 Facts About Val Noone

Val Noone is a recognised authority on Irish emigration to Australia, especially Victoria, since the time of the great Irish Famine.

Val Noone is an Honorary Fellow of the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Val Noone was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia in June 2009.

In 1955, aged 15, Val Noone was specially chosen to represent Victoria in the Sun Advertiser Youth Travel Group, dubbed "Australia's Schoolboy Ambassadors" which involved an educational journey to parts of the Middle East, Europe, and Great Britain.

In 1957, at the age of almost seventeen, Val Noone began his seminary studies for the Catholic priesthood at Corpus Christi College at Werribee, a suburb on the southern outskirts of Melbourne.

Val Noone spent eight years at this college and experienced the last years of a unique and dedicated way of life and training regimen.

Val Noone was required to participate in a program of cooperative manual labor somewhat akin to the ancient monastic Rule of St Benedict.

In May 1968, Val Noone was assistant priest in the parish of Frankston.

Val Noone's shocked reaction to the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae and his disagreement with his archbishop, James Knox, was leading to a personal crisis.

Shortly after, Val Noone requested leave from the priesthood and after several months returned to life as a private citizen and anti-war activist.

On leaving the catholic ministry, Val Noone became involved with a group of dynamic and idealistic young Catholics who, in the inner city Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, informally practised community living, voluntary poverty, and open house hospitality including the provision of caring accommodation for homeless men.

In late 1970, Val Noone closely assisted in the organisation of the Australian tour of the New York-based catholic social reformer and peace radical, Dorothy Day, organised by Roger Pryke.

Val Noone assisted in the organising of the Sydney Town Hall meeting of Vietnam Moratorium Supporters convened by Dr Jim Cairns and featuring discourses by Dorothy Day and her companion Eileen Egan.

From 1970, Val Noone earned his living as a driver, builder's labourer, and later a proof-reader at the Melbourne Age.

Val Noone wrote extensively on Australian religious and political issues particularly as convenor of the Melbourne Irish Famine Commemoration committee and as founding editor of Tain, a magazine of Australian Irish affairs, which ceased publication in 2007 and was succeeded by Tintean, published by the Australian Irish Heritage Network.

Val Noone has published many books, articles and reviews, and has been a co-contributor to historical articles in Irish published by the Irish journal Feasta.

Val Noone is a member of the Irish Language Association of Australia.