Tributes have been paid to Bishop Liam MacDaid, the former Bishop of Clogher, who passed away this week.
Bishop MacDaid, a native of Bundoran, died suddenly on Tuesday while on holiday in France. He was aged 78.
Among the tributes was Bishop of Clogher, Bishop Larry Duffy, who described him as a “compassionate pastor who brought the love of Christ to all the people he ministered to.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin said: “I always felt that as a bishop, Liam was a gentle shepherd with a wealth of wisdom and pastoral experience and motivated by a warm concern for others.”
Bishop Liam MacDaid was ordained a priest on 15 June 1969 at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
He joined the teaching staff of St Macartan’s College, Monaghan, in 1970 and was President of the college from 1981 until 1989.
Later, he ministered in the parishes of Brookeboro-Fivemiletown and Tyholland and was Diocesan Secretary and Diocesan Chancellor from 1993 until 2010.
He was Bishop of Clogher from July 2010 until October 2016 when his retirement was accepted by Pope Francis on the grounds of ill-health.
Bishop MacDaid was a lifelong member of the GAA and played with the now-former St Joseph’s club (Bundoran and Ballyshannon) with which he won several Donegal Senior Football Championship titles and an All-Ireland club title (then an unofficial competition) in 1968. He also won an Ulster Under 21 Championship medal with Donegal in 1966.
He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2019.
Predeceased by his parents William and Mary Ellen, Bishop-Emeritus MacDaid will be sadly missed by his brother Christopher, Bishop Larry Duffy, Bishop Emeritus Joseph Duffy and the Priests, Deacons, Religious and the people of Clogher Diocese.
Funeral arrangements to be confirmed.
