The death has taken place in Carrigoran Nursing Home, Newmarket on Fergus of former Clonlara parish priest, Fr Brendan Cleary.
Born on October 18, 1931, Fr Brendan was a native of Milltown Malbay and was a priest of the Diocese of Killaloe for 65 years.
A past pupil of St Flannan’s College, he studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Carlow where he was ordained on June 5, 1955.
His first appointment was on temporary Mission to the Diocese of Brentwood, UK and on his return in 1960 he was appointed curate in Killanena. He moved to Clonlara as curate in 1963.
Fr Brendan was appointed curate in Killaloe Parish in 1980, living in Bridgetown from 1982 onwards. He was appointed adminstrator of the parish of Bridgetown/O’Briensbridge in 1987 and two years later he was appointed Parish Priest of Clonlara where he served until his retirement as PP in 2007.
He then served as A.P in Clonlara until 2016 when he retired to Carrigoran Nursing Home.
Bishop of Killale, Fintan Monaghan will be the chief celebrant of his funeral mass in St. Joseph’s Church, Miltown Malbay this Friday at 12 noon. Burial will take place in the church grounds afterwards.
In accordance with Government and HSE directives relating to public gatherings, Fr. Brendan’s funeral mass and burial will be for family members and close friends only.
The funeral mass can be viewed on miltownmalbayparish.ie website.
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.