Mayo and Florida mourns well-known Monsignor

THE death has taken place of Msgr John Delaney, late of Farmhill, Claremorris, and formerly the Diocese of Miami, Florida, and All Hallows College, Grace Park Road, Drumcondra, Dublin. He passed away peacefully in his 86th year on Monday, June 30, in the tender care of the staff at Sacred Heart Residence, Raheny, Dublin. He had been in declining health for some time.
Msgr John, as he was known to so many, spent almost all his years in the ministry in Florida, the vast bulk in Fort Lauderdale, as well as a period of 15 years in Miami and a three-year term in Palm Beach.
He retained strong and abiding bonds of friendship with his home region through his amazing dedication to supporting Mayo and Garrymore. He made several trips across the Atlantic over the last three decades to support Mayo in Croke Park and his last visit to the Stadium was earlier on St Patrick’s Day to see St Colman’s College, Claremorris, in action against St Patrick’s College, Maghera (Derry) in the All-Ireland Hogan Cup Final.
Back in 2017, Msgr John was honoured in Claremorris with a Mayo Cherishing the Irish Diaspora Award that he greatly appreciated at the time.
Some months later, Msgr John was in the news when he scooped €500,000 in the Christmas Euro Millions draw. Speaking to him at the time, he said: “News somehow slipped out about a Mayo born priest home from Florida who was the lucky winner of the half million prize. The media seemed to have a fascination about this and I was on the way back up from Claremorris when a journalist rang me to see if I was the winner of the lotto.
“Between one thing and another, a story appeared in The Irish Times and it seems they sourced a lot of information from the many stories you have written about me in The Mayo News and other Mayo papers over the years!.”

READ MORE: Mayo community in mourning after sudden weekend passing

Msgr John was the youngest of a family born to Patrick and Catherine and was the last surviving member of his generation of the Delaney family, having been predeceased by his brothers and sisters, Eileen (King), Teresa (Tunney), Peter, Timothy, PJ, Brenda (O’Brien), Edward and James.
Reposing will take place at Stafford’s Funeral Home, Portmarnock, on Friday evening (July 4) from 3pm to 5pm. A Memorial service will be held at the Chapel in All Hallows College on Saturday morning at 10am followed by his final journey to Claremorris. Further reposing will take place at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Crossboyne, from 5pm to 7pm. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Sunday morning at 11.30am and will be followed by interment in Crossboyne Cemetery.
Msgr John will be sadly missed by his nieces and nephews and his many friends in Ireland and America as well as the All Hallows Alumni and colleagues.