The late Bishop Emeritus Willie Walsh has been remembered as a man with a great capacity for friendship and a voice for those on the margins of life.
The former Bishop of Killaloe, Teacher at St.Flannan’s College and incumbent President of Clare GAA has passed away peacefully at the age of 90.
Bishop Walsh coached St. Flannan’s College to five Harty and Croke Cups, before guiding his adopted Eire Óg to county championship glory in 1990.
His love of gaelic games never faded and as recently as Saturday he was in attendance in Gort to see his beloved St. Flannan’s College compete in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final.
A man of many talents, the incumbent President of Clare GAA, was also teacher of Maths, Science, Physics and Religion at St.Flannan’s for 25 years.
Former student and Clare GAA Chair, Kieran Keating says he will be fondly missed by all who knew him.
As a clergyman, Bishop Walsh spent most of his priestly life in Ennis after being ordained in 1959, he held several prominent roles in the diocese before succeeding the late Bishop Michael A Harty as Bishop of Killaloe in 1994.
He served as head of the diocese for 16 years until his retirement in 2010, but continued to say mass, even jointly celebrating the Ennis Gaelscoil’s Confirmation last Friday.
While Bishop, his Episcopal motto was Cinéaltas Chríost meaning the gentleness of Christ.
This is something, Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monaghan says he embodied, pointing to actions such as opening up the gates of the Bishop’s residence at Westbourne to traveller families unable to secure accommodation.
Emeritus Bishop Walsh also gained international acclaim in 1999 for completing a three-week pilgrimage to each church in his diocese from Loop Head to Kinnity in Offaly to apologise for child sexual abuse scandals within the Church.
He also refuted claims by the Vatican that the marriage equality referendum was a ‘defeat’ and called for priests to be allowed to marry.
Bishop Monaghan says he was a constant voice for those on the margins of life.
