Father Paddy O’Kane ‘will not be absent from people’s hearts’ - Derry Colrs.

Offering her condolences and those of her party to family and friends of the well-known Derry priest, Sinn Féin Councillor Duffy described Father Paddy as “a massive character”.

“I myself have known Father Paddy for the guts of 30 years. My mother is a housekeeper in the Holy Family Parish so I have known him really well. I have shared really good laughs with him but I have also been there at times when he has sought my help to help others in terms of parishioners who have found themselves in hardship, found themselves homeless or found themselves in difficult situations and I have to say Father Paddy was one of those people who always wanted to help and find solutions. 

“He will be greatly missed. His singing, his anecdotes and of course his infamous long leather coat that he wore walking around the church at times. He will be really missed but he will not be absent from people’s hearts and memories.”

“He was a source of solace and a great faith to me and my family on a number of occasions when he went above and beyond his duty as a priest to go out of his way to help and support families in need.”

Offering his condolences on behalf of his party and himself SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney added: “People in all parishes were Father Paddy served knew they had someone at the heart of their parish they could go to if they had to seek out help and something Father Paddy, his family and the Catholic Church can be really proud of is the impact Father Paddy has had on the many lives of the many different people across the parishes in this Diocese he served in.”

Elected members from other parties also extended their condolences to Father Paddy O’Kane’s family and friends.

Local Democracy Reporter