50th anniversary of Fr. Edward Daly’s ordination as the Bishop of Derry

At just 40 the Ballyshannon-native was the youngest Bishop in Ireland at the time, a distinction he shared with his predecessor, the Most Rev. Dr. Neil Farren, who was only 46 when he became Bishop of Derry in 1939.

The Derry Journal covered the occasion on the front page of its Tuesday edition on April 2, under the headline, 'Derry Rejoices As New Bishop is Enthroned'.

The paper reported on a ‘memorable ceremony’ and recorded how 'Right Rev. Daly was ordained the sixteenth post-Reformation Bishop of Derry on Sunday'.

The pastoral care provided by the ‘People’s Priest’ on Bloody Sunday was poignantly noted:

"Church and State, priests and people, joined in joyful celebration in St. Eugene's Cathedral as the young priest, who on an earlier Sunday so heroically shared his people's tribulations, became the latest occupant of the historic See of St. Eugene'."

The Archbishop of Armagh William Cardinal Conway, Papal Nuncio Most Rev. Gaetano Alibrandi, and Most Rev. Dr. Farren, were ordaining prelates.

Seventeen other bishops and 200 priests attended with the Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Cuthbert Peacocke among them.

"Nearly 1,500 laity, representative of the whole diocese crowded the cathedral for the impressive ceremony, which lasted two hours," the 'Journal' reported.

The Mayor of Derry Raymond McClean, Mayor of Coleraine AN Clarke and members of the Dáil and Northern Ireland Assembly were in attendance.

The St. Eugene's Cathedral Choir (choirmaster Clement Haan), Foyle Singers (choirmaster Michael Mason), and Colmcille Ladies' Choir (choirmaster Patrick Carlin) provided ‘wonderful music’.

"Surely St. Columba looked down with pride upon his children," this paper declared.

The cathedral grounds and adjoining streets were decorated and 'the Bogside was a mass of colour with Papal flags and bunting'.

Bishop Edward Daly ‘lit a candle in the darkness’

Two hundred Boy Scouts lined the avenues alongside a number of Girl Guides.

"Hundreds of people for whom there was no accommodation in the cathedral stood in the grounds as the long procession of clergy entered by the main door of the cathedral.

"Prior to this there had been organ music played by Mr. CJ Haan, cathedral organist...the organ music played by Mr. Haan was Prelude and Fugue in B Flat (JS Bach), Organ Trio (Jos. Heinberger), Andante from 3rd Organ Sonata (Mendelssohn) and Meditation, composed by Mr. Haan himself."

As the procession moved through the church the Foyle Singers sang 'Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, the cathedral choir sang 'Sacerdos Et Pontiflex' and Colmcille Ladies' Choir sang 'O Praise Ye the Lord'.

A homily was delivered by the Rev. Bernard Kielt, of Faughanvale, who noted that Fr. Daly was being asked to ‘take over a city and a diocese which are so disturbed and distressed by the tragic events of the recent years’.

After Fr. Kielt’s sermon Cardinal Conway conducted the Rite of Ordination.

After a traditional homily, Fr. Daly was examined on his resolve to keep the faith. The Litany of the Saints was followed by the laying of hands and Prayer of Consecration.

Bloody Sunday 50: It cast a long and enduring shadow: Bishop Edward Daly

"The Cardinal put on the linen gremial, took the holy chrism and anointed the head of Fr. Daly, who knelt before him...now Father Daly was Most Rev. Bishop of Derry, and the Cardinal gave to him the Book of Gospels saying: 'Receive the Gospel and preach the work of God, always teaching with the greatest patience.'"

Bishop Daly then received his ring and pastoral staff before the Foyle Singers sang 'Exultate Deo' as he occupied his Episcopal Seat.

Next evening, at Mass in St. Eugene’s, he used his first homily to ‘deplore the use of violence by anyone’.

"Too many people have been bereaved, too many have been imprisoned. Surely it must be clear to everyone by now that violence creates far more problems than it ever hopes to solve,” he said.

Referring to his ordination as Bishop he said he felt at ‘home again’.

“It's nice to be among one's own people. I served in this parish for more than eleven years and have come to know and respect you. You know me, perhaps better than any other group of parishioners in the diocese.

Bishop Edward Daly dies

"It is a great parish in which to work as a priest. At times, it can be very difficult and demanding, but a priest here can realise the width and depth of his vocation in the variety of pastoral duties he is called upon to perform. I don't think there could be a better novitiate for any bishop,” he said.

The Bishop inevitably turned to the conflict raging on the streets of Derry in the early 1970s.

"Derry has become known worldwide for other reasons. To serve as a priest in Derry in the last five years has meant many things. There were many occasions when difficult decisions had to be made quickly. One event followed another with alarming and sometimes horrifying rapidity."

Bishop Daly spoke of how priests and bishops were often called to comment on the conflict around them.

"Sometimes one has heard the words 'political sermon' bandied around. But, surely, to preach and to stress the Word of God is not political. Who first proclaimed the Commandments?" he asked the congregation.

Bishop Edward Daly was a ‘remarkable pastor’

He continued: "After any event in the North of Ireland in recent years, the media has often approached bishops and others for an 'instant comment' or condemnation.

"It is a pity that condemnation has to be predominant. How much more positive a bishop would feel if he could, in most, statements, compliment people on Christian actions, rather than condemn actions that are alien to Christian beliefs and practice.”

On the day of his ordination he received a gift of a new bishop’s crozier from his classmates at the Irish College in Rome. He was also presented with a motor car by the priests of the Derry diocese.

Cross-community healing service in Bogside in honour of Bishop Daly