Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Killaloe, Willie Walsh has died at the age of 90. It is understood he died late yesterday at his residence in Ennis.
Bishop Walsh had been in relatively good health, and as recently as last Thursday attended the Clare Haven 30th anniversary celebration at the Old Ground hotel in Ennis.
He was Parish Priest in Ennis for a number of years before being appointed Bishop of Killaloe in 1994 where he served until 2010.
Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan said there is a “profound sadness” in the diocese at the news of his passing, and he was dearly loved by the many whose lives he touched in his extraordinary ministry.
“His Episcopal motto was Cinéalta Chríost (the gentleness of Christ), and his ministry radiated that in his care for the poor, pastoral support to survivors of abuse, anyone who was in trouble and anyone struggling in life,” he said.
From Roscrea, county Tipperary originally, he first came to St Flannan’s College and Ennis in 1947 where he was a boarder before entering the priesthood. After studying for the priesthood at Maynooth, he was on the teaching staff at the school for 25 years where he taught science and maths. He was actively involved with hurling coaching at the school, and was instrumental in the success of many Harty Cup, Éire Óg, and county Clare teams.
Bishop Walsh will be remembered for his Pilgrimage of Conciliation in 1999 where he undertook a three-week walk across the diocese as a gesture of solidarity to abuse survivors wronged and hurt by the Catholic Church.
Upon retirement, the emeritus bishop decided to remain on in Ennis and lived in a house directly across the gate from St Flannan’s College where he kept an interest in and was very much part of the school community.
According to Bishop Monahan speaking on Clare FM this morning, Bishop Walsh was playing 18 holes of golf up to last year without a golf buggy, and often played Lahinch. He liked to keep fit and used to walk to daily Mass which was part of his exercise routine. He was also in the habit of walking down the town of Ennis with his sticks where he greeted and met people. He had a great capacity for friendship, and was a great conversationalist often dispensing his wisdom. As a retired man, he was also part of the Young at Heart Choir.
He recalled him celebrating his 90th birthday just last month and enjoying several parties around that. One of those parties included a gathering in Ennis where around 30 members of family attended, and there was another gathering with his Éire Óg friends, which meant a lot to him.
Bishop Monahan revealed Bishop Walsh was planning a holiday to Italy which he had booked online, and said he was certainly living his life to the fullest right up to the last.
Sharon Dolan D’Arcy covers West Clare news. After completing a masters in journalism at University of Galway, Sharon worked as a court reporter at the Sligo Weekender. She was also editor of the Athenry News and Views.