The death has taken place in the Beacon Hospital of retired parish priest of Birr, Fr Tony Cahir. In his mid 70s, Fr Cahir was a priest of the Diocese of Killaloe for 52 years.
A native of Ennis, Fr Cahir was educated at St Flannan’s College, Ennis and the Pontifical Irish College in Rome where he was ordained in March 1963. After ordination, he remained in Rome attending the Second Vatican Council until December.
In January 1964 he was appointed to the Diocese of Dromore as Spiritual Director in St Colman’s College, Newry and two years later he returned to the Diocese of Killaloe and was appointed to St Flannan’s College.
In 1967 he was appointed to teach in England, teaching for two years in secondary schools in London and Middlesex. He also took a one year course in Catechetics at Corpus Christi College, London returning to the Diocese of Killaloe in June 1970 whereupon he was appointed full time Chaplain to Roscrea Vocational School, Co Tipperary.
In July 1980 he was appointed Curate in Roscrea and in September 1983 he volunteered for the first Killaloe Mission to Zimbabwe. He returned in 1987 to become curate in Nenagh and in July 1994 he was appointed parish priest of Crusheen where he remained for five years before moving to Birr. In August 2010 he retired as parish priest, continuing to serve as Assistant Priest.
Fr Cahir’s remains will repose in St Brendan’s Church, Birr on Saturday from 4pm to 7.15pm. His funeral mass on Sunday at 3pm will be followed by burial in the church grounds.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.