Bishop Edward Daly: '˜Derry will miss Bishop Daly'

Massgoers at St. Eugene’s Cathedral spoke of their shock and sadness at the death of the 82-year-old; some visibly upset by the news.

Among those who expressed their sympathy was Sister Margaret Tracey who said: “It’s a very sad day. I knew him from when he was a curate in the parish. He was a very spiritual man; a man of great spirituality.”

Martha Graham said: “It’s very sad. Everyone could identify with him on a human level. Derry will miss Bishop Daly.”

Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown, said they hoped to release funeral details shortly.

“Everyone knew he wasn’t well, so we let people know at 10am mass, and the media too, because we knew there would be a big response trying to reflect on his legacy and trying to find a way to celebrate his funeral later on in the week. We are waiting for his remains to be released from the hospital and we are working with his family”

Bishop McKeown added: “It’s a sad day in that a good man has died, but it’s also a time when we’ll hear lots of stories of people who were grateful for his ministries.

“He was a man who lived a long and completely dedicated life; a man of great integrity and prayerfulness, and gracefulness, and I think people will have been blessed to have remembered him rather than just tragically shocked at his death.

“He survived a lot having retired 23 years ago on the grounds of ill health and he knows he has been blessed to get this far. I think it will be a day of memories rather than terrible tragedy because a good man has gone to the Lord.”