Tony Flannery (born 1947) is a member of the 
Redemptorist congregation, a native of Attymon, 
near Athenry in County Galway, Ireland. 
He is the youngest of five children,
 the eldest of whom died at three years of age. 
His mother, Maisie, who died in 1995, 
was a teacher in her early life, and 
after marriage she worked as a seamstress. 
His father, Paddy, worked in the local Bord na Mona bog, 
and they also worked a small farm. 
Tony joined the Redemptorists at the age of seventeen
 in 1964, and was ordained a priest ten years later, 
in 1974. He spent his priestly life as a 
preacher of missions, novenas and retreats, mostly 
around Ireland. He has written a number of books, and 
numerous articles in a variety of publications, both 
religious and secular. For about fourteen years he 
contributed a regular column for the Redemptorist 
magazine, 
Reality. Three years ago Tony was part of the group
that 
founded the Association of Catholic Priests, and 
he continues to act as one of the Leadership Team.
In 2012 it was brought to his attention that the 
Vatican objected to some of his articles in Reality 
magazine.
 He was summoned to Rome by the Superior 
General of the Redemptorists, and this began 
a long process which 
culminated in him being forbidden to minister as a
 priest, a situation that continues to this day.  
He has written a full account of his dealings with the 
Vatican in his latest book, A Question of Conscience.
He is under instruction from his religious authorities to 
remain silent, but in early 2013 he decided to ignore
 that stricture and go public.  Since then he has been
 active in the reform movement around the world, 
and is currently giving a series of talks around the
 country entitled Repairing a Damaged Church.