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Thousands pay respects to Cardinal Cahal Daly

Monday, 4 January 2010

A nun prays at the open casket of Cardinal Cahal Daly at St Peter's Cathedral in west Belfast

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Thousands of people turned out to pay their last respects to Cardinal Cahal Daly as his remains were taken from St Peter's Cathedral in west Belfast to his final resting place of Armagh.

The body of His Eminence Cardinal Daly, former Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, lay in state at St Peter's over the weekend where mourners came from far and away to reflect by his coffin and pay a final tribute.

They joined Cardinal Daly's relatives, including his brother and sister, friends and fellow clergy as a moving service was held to mark his removal from the cathedral before his coffin was taken to St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, where he will lie until Requiem Mass is held tomorrow.

The retired cleric, born in Loughguile, Co Antrim, had a history of heart trouble and was rushed to Belfast City Hospital where he died on Thursday evening surrounded by family and friends.

A procession of more than 60 clergy including priests, canons, bishops and cardinals, flanked the highly respected cardinal's coffin as it left St Peter's yesterday, following a serene service which was bathed in stain-glass light and colour emanating around the altar.

The main celebrant was Dr Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor, who blessed the coffin with holy water and incense. His auxiliaries were Bishop Anthony Farquhar, and Bishop Donal McKeown. Also in attendance was Bishop Emeritus Patrick Walsh, and Cardinal Desmond Connell, from the Dublin Archdiocese.

Rev Houston McKelvey from the Church of Ireland was also there and gave the scripture reading during the ceremony for the 92-year-old.

The psalms, Schola Cantorum, were sung by brothers Rev Fr Eugene and Martin O'Hagan, also known as two thirds of The Singing Priests. One of the last things Cardinal Daly did before he fell ill was to have his photograph taken with the recording sensations.

A homily was delivered by Very Rev Edward O'Donnell, a former secretary to the Cardinal who is now a parish priest at St Anne's Parish, Belfast.

In his address, Rev O'Donnell said Cardinal Daly "lived with the profound realisation that his witness as a Christian, and his ministry as a bishop, would be hopelessly inadequate if he did not understand the call to holiness as a deeply personal call to live in the friendship of Christ Jesus".

One of the coffin bearers was Rev Fr Brian Daly, a nephew of the cardinal and parish priest in Cushendall and Cushendun.

Members of the public who gathered in the cathedral for the service spoke of his significance in their own lives.

Attracta Clarke, a music teacher from St Patrick's Primary School, Crossmaglen, said: "I was first introduced to Cardinal Daly when he came to confirm the children 20 years ago, I always had great respect for him."

Another woman parishioner at St Peter's, who did not wish to be named, said: "I respect him, he did try to help during the Troubles and was very friendly and helpful, he never turned anyone away, he helped everyone behind the scenes."

Another woman, from Ardkeen Parish, Kircubbin, said: "I think he was a great man, with great integrity and during the Troubles he was very positive about any decisions that he had to make. He was a very firm man dedicated to his faith."

Husband and wife, Sean and Alice Carolan, from Ardee, Co Louth, said: "We came here to pay respects. We never met him personally. We were in Belfast and we decided to come up here. He was a man of peace he did a lot of work quietly and was always against violence, he was a hard worker and always seemed to be speaking out."

On Saturday, Pope Benedict sent a telegram to Cardinal Brady, expressing his sorrow at the death of Cardinal Daly.

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There's nothing morbid and disturbing about a deceased person, if one has faith, then joy ought to transpose such thoughts to know that death is not the end of life, but the beginning of a new life now lived with God! We so easily make sacracine sweet the reality of life, (death being a daily part of life's cycle) and fail to be insensed by the violence which is so common place (daily) in the media in all aspects. Why cannot we marvel with the aged sister in repose at the work of God through this great and former leader of the Church in Ireland and quietly, too give thanks!

Posted by Fr Graeme Malone SSS | 05.01.10, 01:49 GMT

The cycles of life birth and death.
What we do in betweeen is what counts. the photo reflects te cardinal's passing.

Posted by Gusty | 04.01.10, 23:54 GMT

My grandmother told me as a very young child never to fear the dead.... only the living... How very true... As an evangelical Protestant, I offer sympathy to this mans family and followers... He was a good man who bravely condemned violence from every quarter..

Posted by Butch | 04.01.10, 23:22 GMT

Perhaps Liam scented an underlying whiff of opportunistic bigotry behind those snide comments

Posted by Blootered | 04.01.10, 21:13 GMT

Taking photos of a dead body is a bit creepy. Do we really need to see this? If we wanted to see his body we would have gone down to St Pats Cathedral in West Belfast.

Posted by paula | 04.01.10, 20:13 GMT

I think the word I used was disturbing NOT disgusting! And thank you 'Centaur' - I am entitled to my opinion. I do not have to justify why I find the image disturbing, viewing a dead body is one thing, but to take pictures?

Posted by Mel | 04.01.10, 20:08 GMT

I see no reason for people to be offended by this photo it has always been the way in Ireland, please lets not go the way of the rest of the UK with closed coffins. Children must get used to this, it is the way of the world, by trying to hide things from them only makes matters worse.

Posted by trickthevic593 | 04.01.10, 20:03 GMT

Approximately 3000 citizens killed in violence in the past 30 years and some of you people are blabbering about a picture of a nun respectfully praying at the casket of Cardinal Daley. Liam, thank-you for your educated comment on the purpose of "lying in state".

The rest of you, give the Belfast Telegraph a break and go get some professional counselling!

Posted by Edward | 04.01.10, 19:23 GMT

it's inside the paper not the front - and I'm with those who didnt like it. Dont understand why it has to be printed.

Posted by Regina | 04.01.10, 18:54 GMT

Sure, don't the Irish love a bit of morbidity, and the Catholic Irish seem to revel in it...Mind you , when you see the Spanish processions at easter, it must be a world~wide Catholic thing...Try and go to a wake and you will see what I mean.

Posted by john g. | 04.01.10, 16:20 GMT

I'm a bit torn on this one, I can see how the image might be frightening to younger children but at the same time I think they probably wouldn't quite click on to what it is, and if they did and had it explained to them properly it might actually be quite a positive opportunity to present and explain death to them. It's a 'nice' picture, he does look quite peaceful and, let's face it, death does happen and there is no 'easy' way to explain it. From that point of view I think a picture like this can actually be quite constructive. Also, any child who would be deeply disturbed by this image I think would have to be of an particularly sensitive nature, and if so, it might actually be helpful to have it brought to the attention of their parents so that they could cultivate and look after that sensitivity properly. Remember, many children's first experience of death is seeing their grandparents in a coffin, which is a lot more traumatic than this. This might help prepare them for it.

Posted by Graham Smyth | 04.01.10, 15:56 GMT

In the interests of good taste i am not at ease with this photo on the website!

Posted by alypetr | 04.01.10, 15:33 GMT

As I'm an online user, I'm not clear if this picture is displayed on the front cover of the actual newspaper. If it is, then I would agree that it is not in good taste. It may be offensive or frightening to some readers. I would be happy if it were on view on an inside page.

Posted by ET | 04.01.10, 15:01 GMT

Liam, I think Malachy and Mel are just as entitled to express their opinions as you are!

Posted by Centaur | 04.01.10, 14:41 GMT

Malachy and Mel - Have you never seen a dead body in a coffin? The body was lying in state which means it's viewing is open to the public, this usually happens to high profiled people who die. There's nothing morbid or disgusting about it. Why did you click on the article and leave a comment when you knew from the smaller picture on the homepage what to expect??
Stop moaning and get a life!!

Posted by Liam | 04.01.10, 14:09 GMT