A Community Mass will be held this afternoon in St. Mary’s Church, Castlefin for much loved Diocese of Derry Priest Fr. Oliver Crilly, who passed away, aged 84.
Fr Crilly, a native of Derry, passed away at Letterkenny University Hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Just last week, he celebrated his 60th anniversary in the priesthood. While he could not celebrate the achievement in the Parish, he proudly marked the occasion in hospital.
The late Rev. Oliver Crilly Priest-in-residence of Castlefin
Fr. Crilly spent the last ten years of what should have been his retirement actively serving as Priest in Residence in the Parish of Urney and Castlefin, which covers the Border Parish region of Castlefin, Doneyloop in Donegal and the Tyrone village of Clady. He retired as Parish Priest of Greenlough in Derry at the mandatory retirement age of 75 but continued to minister in Donegal, supporting parish administrator Fr Ciarán Hegarty.
Fr. Crilly is described as a most kind, intelligent man, extremely witty with a hearty laugh and smile and was a great lover of the Irish Language and local history. He helped translate Scripture into Irish and wrote several books.
“Fr Oliver will be missed in all parts of our parish but especially, it should be acknowledged, by the congregation of St Mary’s Church and the people of Castlefinn who had such great affection and admiration for him and of whom he was so immensely fond,” said a tribute from Fr Hegarty of the Parish of Urney and Castlefinn.
He was an “extremely dedicated priest and a very wise, kind and intelligent man of God” said another tribute from the Stranorlar Parish.
Fr Crilly spent several years of his early Priesthood in Dublin as Catholic Communications Director and worked with Veritas Publications.
He then spent 17 years ministering in Strabane before moving to Ardmore Parish on the outskirts of Derry City before his final Parish Priest appointment in Greenlough in Derry from 2007 – 2015.
Father Crilly’s remains were returned to St Mary’s Church, Castlefin, yesterday evening at 7 p.m.
Such was the high regard for Father Crilly that parishioners maintained an all-night vigil at the church.
A farewell Mass will be held at St Mary’s Church this afternoon at 4 p.m. before his remains go to the Church of St. Oliver Plunkett, Greenlough to repose overnight for Requiem Mass tomorrow, Tuesday, at 12 o’clock. Fr. Crilly will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Churchyard, Lavey, Derry.
