Tributes paid to extraordinary Offaly born priest

THE funeral of Fr Noel Daly took place last Thursday, June 27, in Dalgan, County Meath. Fr Daly, who died on June 25, was a native of Clonminch in Tullamore.

He was born on December 25, 1940 and educated in the Mercy Convent, CBS and St Finian's College in Mullingar.

He went to Dalgan in September 1958 and was ordained a priest on December 21, 1964. Afterwards he was assigned to Korea and served there for 19 years.

According to the Columban Missionaries Ireland website.

''After language studies he spent the following ten years in various parishes in the Diocese of Wonju. He was elected Vice-Director of the Korean Region and served in that capacity from 1977 to 1983. He also served as Education Officer, Korea, from 1978 to 1980,and was director of the Overseas Training Programme from 1978 to 1983.

"In 1983 Noel was appointed Central Education Coordinator with an office in Dalgan. Over the following eleven years he visited all the seminaries, and supervised the various Overseas Training Programmes in the mission countries.

A"fter the 1982 Chapter the Society decided to accept candidates from what were previously our ‘mission countries’, and Noel was much involved in planning local formation programmes.

"In 1994 he was appointed as manager of the Far East offices in Dalgan. He always had an excellent relationship with the staff, and found a way to correct, modify and even repair the most complicated machines in the office. He spent almost thirty years in that position.

"He had planned his retirement some six years ago, but his hoped-for successor was elected Regional Director. Noel had to soldier on, working impossible hours, long after the rest of the staff had gone home.

"All of this effort took its toll and he suffered a massive stroke in September 2022.

"Noel was a most obliging person, always ready to help any colleague with computer, TV cell-phone, or other problems. The rest of us were in open admiration at his refusal to be defeated by any machine, his helpfulness and his cheerful good humour.
The stroke deprived him of his capacity to speak or to walk and yet he somehow managed to smile whenever one met him in the Nursing Home. He died quietly and suddenly on 25th June 2024.''

"Fr Noel was predeceased by his parents Patrick and Mary and sisters Eithne and Roisin. Very deeply regretted by his sisters Marie and Breda, brother Padraic, sister-in-law Eileen, Brother-in-law John, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, extended family, Columban Community and friends.

Following requim mass he was buried in the community cemetery in Dalgan Park.