Canon John O'Farrell

CANON JOHN O'Farrell, former parish priest of St Mary's, Lochee, Dundee, died recently in the city's Ninewells Hospital. He was 69. Canon O'Farrell, who retired last year, was educatedin Dublin and Limerick before coming to Scotland tostudy for the priesthood at St Andrew's College, Drygrange. One of his classmates there was Bishop Vincent, and the pairwere ordained on the same day in 1964. Another good friend at college was Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who presided at the Requiem Mass for Canon O'Farrell in St Andrew's Cathedral. Mgr Peter O'Farrell concelebrated theMass for his brother. His sisters together with their families made the journey fromtheir homes in Ireland for the Mass. When the young Father O'Farrell arrived in the Diocese of Dunkeld, Bishop William Andrew Hart sent him to Wellburn Home as a temporary appointment. Canon O'Farrell would often recount how he quickly learned one particular aspect of a priest's ministry for he conducted 38 funerals in the few weeks he was there. He was curate at St Mary's Forebank for 12 years untilappointed parish priest of St Anne's Carnoustie in 1976. After five years there he was appointed to Our Lady of Sorrows in Fintry, Dundee, before moving to Lochee in 1989.

Canon O'Farrell was chaplain to the Royal Naval Reserve for many years and received the Reserve Decoration Medal in 1984 and an OBE four years later. He was also chaplain to St Mary's Primary School, Lochee, and was a keen golfer and racegoer. Paying tribute to Canon O'Farrell, Bishop Vincent said, "I knew John for almost 50 years. "He was a dedicated priest, who served the people of our diocese loyally for 44 years. I am grateful to him for his years of service to the church and to me personally as bishop. "Although he had retired, he willingly continued work as a supply priest. He will be greatly missed by all of us, priests and people."

In his homily at the Requiem Mass, Bishop Vincent said, "Our faith in Jesus Christ as the living bread, prompts us to have a Eucharist when we mark the death of someone. It helps us to focus on the promise of Jesus that anyone who eats this bread will live forever.

"It is our faith which prompts us to come together now in the Requeim Mass for Canon John O'Farrell. It is faith which he and his brother and sisters received from their parents. It is a faith which was nurtured in Ireland and at St Andrew's College, Drygrange.

"Canon John, and his brother Mgr Peter, were inspired by their uncle, Canon Boland, to become priests for Scottish dioceses.

"Canon John served this diocese as priest for over 40 years, and public life, as a Justice of the Peace and chaplain to the Royal Naval Reserve, with commitment and generosity of spirit and for all of this we give thanks to God. "May he rest in peace."

Paying tribute to his lifelong friend Cardinal O'Brien said, "John was a wonderful character, a humorous man, who was very good company. "He was a most hospitable priest who really loved his work and it showed in the way he lived his life. He will be greatly missed."

Among those paying their respects to Canon O'Farrell at his funeral were figures from civic life, including the leader of Dundee City Council administration Cllr Kevin Keenan and former councillors Chic Farquhar and Jill Shimi, who had both worked closely with the Canon in Lochee. Said Mr Farquhar, "He was such a good man, liked by everyone in the community, not just in Lochee. He had a great rapport with people and became a personal friend many years ago.

"John was a terrific person, he liked a joke and you never heard a bad word said about him. He will be sadly missed in the community by all denominations."

Mrs Shimi said, "He was a man full of goodness, very unassuming, who worked so hard for his parish. "He was a good friend and we would meet regularly to discuss the issues of the day in Lochee. "He made a great impact and there was a tremendous sense of shock at the news of his death. He will be very, very greatly missed by the community." After the Mass, representatives of Tay Division RNR, led by Commander Nick Dorman, formed a guard of honour.

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