MOURNERS FROM the city and archdiocese of Armagh filed past the open coffin of the late Cardinal Cahal Daly last night after a day of ceremony in both Belfast and the ecclesiastical capital.
Up to 2,000 had gathered in St Patrick’s cathedral in Armagh for Mass marking the reception of the remains of the former primate of All-Ireland who died on New Year’s Eve aged 92.
The cortege, escorted by motorcyclists from the PSNI, arrived in Armagh from Belfast as many hundreds of people lined the streets leading to the cathedral.
His coffin was carried up the steps to the door of St Patrick’s by captains drawn from senior GAA teams from Armagh city and handed to six priests of the Archdiocese of Armagh who brought the coffin to the bier.
Fr John Burns from Coalisland, Co Tyrone; Fr Aidan Dunne from Dungannon, Co Tyrone; Fr Liam McKinney from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh; Fr Brian White from Portadown, Co Armagh, Fr Mark O’Hagan from Dundalk, Co Louth, and Fr Malachy Murphy from Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, laid the coffin before the altar for Mass.
The chief celebrant was Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Gerard Clifford, who also gave the homily.
Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Seán Brady was present along with Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor, Auxiliary Bishops Anthony Farquhar and Donal McKeown and Bishop Emeritus Dr Patrick Walsh.
Also on the altar was Fr Brian Daly, the late cardinal’s nephew.
The main concelebrants were Dean Colum Curry, Msgr Liam McEntegart, Fr Eugene Sweeney, the administrator of the cathedral and Dr Daly’s secretary when he was archbishop of Armagh.
Fr Eddie O’Donnell, who was secretary to Dr Daly when he was bishop of Down and Connor, also concelebrated the Mass.
Two deacons, seminarians at Maynooth, Stephen Kelly and Conleth Meehan, assisted.
In his homily, Bishop Clifford said Cardinal Daly’s ministry as bishop could be summed up under the four broad headings of the Second Vatican Council, the Troubles, ecumenism and child protection.
Bishop Clifford said Cardinal Daly was first appointed a bishop, to Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, after returning from the Vatican Council “enthused by the insights of the council and the call for spiritual renewal that was the hallmark of the council”.
It was an event that marked Cardinal Daly for the rest of his life, he said.
Cardinal Daly moved to Down and Connor, which includes Belfast, in 1982 to face “the challenges of peacemaking, ecumenical outreach and of building bridges of friendship and support”.
Regarding the Troubles, Bishop Clifford said the late cardinal “was unfaltering in his challenge to the men of violence to turn away from violence and to take the way of peace and reconciliation”.
He said this call was “as urgent as it was demanding”, adding that “it took some years, many years, before people began to listen”.
Bishop Clifford also praised Cardinal Daly’s contribution to ecumenism throughout Ireland. “With leaders from the Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian churches he spearheaded a process of renewal and commitment within the churches addressing social problems in society and addressing the sources and causes of violence with a mind of working together as churches for peace, justice and reconciliation,” he said.
Referring to child protection in the wake of clerical abuse scandals, Bishop Clifford said the cases of abuse were “without doubt one of the great trials of Cardinal Daly’s ministry”.
He detailed the frameworks put in place by Cardinal Daly by way of response to abuse, adding: “At all times throughout his life his own intuition and scholarship made him aware of the road to follow.”
Earlier, prayers were offered over his coffin in St Peter’s cathedral, Belfast, where Cardinal Daly served between 1982 and his appointment to Armagh in 1990.
His successors in Down and Connor were present to lead a service of Divine Office which included more than 30 priests from the diocese including Fr Eugene and Fr Martin O’Hagan who sang Psalms 69, 84 and 85.
The final commendation was taken from the Duruflé Mass, which was offered to mark Cardinal Daly’s long association with Paris.
As with the congregation in Armagh, St Peter’s cathedral was filled with local people who had come to pay their respects. Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún was in attendance, as was SDLP Assembly member Declan O’Loan and former police ombudsman Dame Nuala O’Loan, now a member of the House of Lords.
Many locally elected representatives were present when Cardinal Daly’s remains were first brought to St Peter’s, where he died following a short illness last week.
The cardinal’s remains continued to lie in state last night as hundreds filed past his open coffin. Lying in state continues today, beginning at 9am. Mass will be celebrated in St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, at 10am and the Office of the Dead will be celebrated this evening at 6pm.
Bishop Clifford called on the people of Armagh to turn out for the funeral Mass, which will be celebrated tomorrow at noon.
Dignitaries from across the political spectrum are expected to attend the ceremony, which will also be broadcast live on radio by BBC Radio Ulster and RTÉ.
Cardinal Daly’s grave has been prepared alongside those of his three direct predecessors, cardinals D’Alton, Conway and Ó Fiach.