Former flock would welcome Casey back, survey finds

BISHOP Eamonn Casey’s former parishioners in the Diocese of Galway would welcome him back, according to a new survey.

The research shows that 10 years on from the revelations that he had a secret lover and son and had spent diocesan funds on them, more than half his former flock don’t even want an explanation from him about his past behaviour.

The same survey found a majority of adults in the diocese were in favour of Catholic priests being allowed to marry and a similar number favoured women being admitted to the priesthood.