Cardinal Cathal Daly - A long life of faith, peace

THE 92 years of Cardinal Cathal Daly’s life touched both extremes of the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

When he was ordained in 1941 its position was unchallenged and all pervasive. At his death it is greatly reduced and considerably marginalised.

Though Cardinal Daly is one of the generations of Irish churchmen who will always be associated with the institutionalised collusion to protect paedophiles, he must be remembered for so much more.

Though profoundly conservative on social matters he was unrelenting in his opposition to political violence and was one of the central figures in the process that eventually established peace in the North.

His life epitomised a commitment to the empowering possibilities of education and ecumenism.