WILLIE WALSH, the former Bishop of the Killaloe Diocese has died unexpectedly.
He died at his home in Ennis late on Wednesday night, a month after celebrating his ninetieth birthday.
A native of Roscrea in Tipperary, he was the youngest of six children, Willie spent his entire priesthood ministering in Ennis, Co Clare, in St Flannan’s College, in the Cathedral Parish, as Bishop of the Diocese of Killaloe from 1994 to 2010 and in retirement in recent years.
Walsh studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College Maynooth and the Pontifical Irish College in Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome on the 21st February 1959 by Cardinal Luigi Traglia. After ordination, Bishop Walsh returned to the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome for further studies where he was awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law.
He had a long association with St Flannan’s College in Ennis, where he attended as a boarder in the 1950s. He was appointed to the staff in 1963 and taught Maths, Science, Physics and Religion for 25 years until his appointment as curate at the Cathedral in Ennis in 1988. In 1990, he was appointed as Administrator of the Cathedral and held that position until he was appointed as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese on the 21st June 1994.
Bishop Willie’s Episcopal motto was Cinéaltas Chríost (The Gentleness of Christ) and his ministry radiated that in his care for the poor, survivors of abuse, anyone who was in trouble and people struggling in life.
Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan said, “There is profound sadness in the diocese of Killaloe with the news of the death of Bishop Emeritus Willie Walsh”. He added, “He was dearly loved by the many whose lives he touched in his extraordinary pastoral ministry.
A deep love for hurling was evident throughout his life, this marked by his involovement with teams in St Flannan’s College and Clare. Indeed as recently as last Saturday, he attended the Croke Cup quarter-final where St Flannan’s were defeated by Presentation Athenry in Gort.
Bishop Walsh was one of the founder members of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, (later to become ACCORD) in the Diocese of Killaloe.
During his time as Bishop he worked tirelessly to promote reconciliation and healing and gained world- wide attention for his Pilgrimage of Reconciliation during Advent 1999, when he undertook to walk across the Diocese from Loop Head to Kinnity as a sign of solidarity and repentance to all who had been hurt.
His time as Bishop encountered challenges and he previously spoke of the difficulties he faced over the involvement of several Catholic Church priests in child sexual abuse. He undertook a walk across all parishes of the diocese at the turn of the millennium seeking forgiveness for the actions of the church in relation to child sexual abuse.
Bishop Walsh was described by Parish Priest of Tulla and Communications Officer with the Diocese of Killaloe, Fr Brendan Quinlivan, as the most gentle of men and a steady and consoling presence for the people of the diocese, particularly those experiencing any kind of struggle or sadness.
