A career of duty, marred by controversy

Desmond Connell never sought an easy life, reports Caroline O'Doherty.

IT is hard to know if it is a sign of love or hate when the boss keeps you on three years past retirement age. At least Cardinal Desmond Connell will have more time to consider that conundrum now that he has belatedly handed responsibility for running the Archdiocese of Dublin on to his successor.

Up until yesterday, his schedule did not allow for such frivolous musings. Even for such a notoriously early riser, his day had few free moments. The time he didn't spend as administrative and spiritual director of a one-million strong congregation, or wasn't taken up trying to extricate himself and his archdiocese from child abuse controversies, was given over to intense periods of prayer, reading and contemplation.