Priest dies

Oldest priest in Tuam Archdiocese dies

Michael Commins

CANON Willie Walsh, Roundfort, the most senior member of the clergy in the Archdiocese of Tuam, has died on the eve of his 97th birthday. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1938, a year before the outbreak of the Second World War.
He celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination some days ago in Hollymount Nursing Home where he was joined by family and friends. Mass was celebrated to mark the occasion and Archbishop Michael Neary was in attendance.
A native of Altore, Granlahan, Co Roscommon, he was born in 1911, the eldest of a family of eight. As a young boy, he attended the Franciscan Monastery Boys’ National School in Granlahan, along with 160 other pupils. He was a noted handballer and also played Gaelic football.
After five years boarding in St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, he spent seven years studying for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth where he was was ordained in 1938. His first assignment was to St Jarlath’s College for two years in charge of study supervision.
In 1940, at the age of 29, he was assigned to Finney and in 1947 he was transferred as curate to Castlebar. He spent the next eleven years in Castlebar before being transferred to nearby Belcarra in 1958 where he ministered for the next 12 years. Much of his energy was directed at the building of St Anne’s Church during that time. He celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination in 1963.
In 1970, Fr Willie was appointed to Irishtown. He was now 60 years of age. Again, he was associated with the building of the Holy Family and St Oliver Plunkett Church in Irishtown, a very modern venture for its time.
Seven years later, in 1977, he was assigned as Parish Priest to Roundfort and Carras. The last three decades of his long life was to be spent in this region of south Mayo, a community that welcomed him with great warmth and hospitality. He was elevated to the rank of Canon in 1985 and retired as Parish Priest in 1989. He continued to serve the community until his retirement in 2005.
He was a deeply spiritual man who read his breviary daily up to the end. He was renowned for his devotion to the prayer life and was of tremendous assistance to many hundreds of families during his long life in the ministry. People had a natural affection for Canon Willie and it came from all age groups.
He will be greatly missed by his many close friends in the Roundfort, Hollymount and Carras region who held him in such great regard. He was a learned man whose wisdom spanned the ages and who was a real blessing to every community in which he served during his seven decades in the priesthood.
Removal took place yesterday (Monday) evening from Roundfort Community Funeral Home to the local church and burial will take place today (Tuesday) in the church grounds following the funeral Mass at 2pm.
He is survived by his sisters Angela Loftus (Ballina) and Tessie (Granlahan), brother Christopher (London), nephews, nieces, relatives, his devoted house-keeper Rita, the clergy of the diocese and the people of Roundfort and Carras, and many friends.