Fr Des Hillery, a native of Miltown Malbay, has been elected as Administrator of the Diocese of Killaloe.
This follows the installation of Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on Sunday last, when the Diocese of Killaloe officially became vacant.
At a meeting of the College of Consultors of the Diocese Fr Hillery, who is parish priest in Nenagh, was elected to his new post. A diocesan administrator has responsibility for administering the day-to-day affairs of the diocese while a new bishop is awaited.
On Wednesday evening, Fr Hillery, a member of a well-known West Clare family, said, “I am privileged to accept this new role and hope to continue the good work of Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly and Bishop Willie Walsh in encouraging us to respond to the challenges of the Gospel. I hope to do all that I can to facilitate the continued implementation of the Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Killaloe, which recognises our shared mission as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. I respectfully ask that the people of the diocese would keep me in their prayers as we await the appointment of a new bishop.”
Fr Hillery was educated at St Flannan’s College, Ennis and St Patrick’s College Maynooth. He was ordained in 1984. He continued Post Graduate Studies in Maynooth in 1984-85, receiving the STL and he completed the Higher Diploma in Education in UCC, while teaching in St Finbarr’s College, Farranferris.
He returned to the diocese in 1986 and taught in St Flannan’s College Ennis until 1994, when he was appointed to the formation staff of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. While there he also took a one year Diploma in Spirituality and Counselling in St Louis University, Missouri, USA. Hecompleted his appointment in Maynooth in 2005 and took a course in Mission Studies in Dalgan Park, Navan, County Meath as an associate priest with the Columban missionaries.
In 2006 he volunteered to work with the ColumbanMissionaries in Lima, Peru. He returned to the diocese in 2012 and since that time has been serving as parish priest of Nenagh.
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.