From Kilmeedy to Lebanon: ‘Utmost admiration’ for late Limerick priest

WHEN a teenage Willie Walsh in Kilmeedy answered God’s call to be a priest he probably didn’t think he would be saying Mass in Damascus, driving a United Nations jeep in Wadis in South Lebanon and be one of the first westerners in Liberia after the Civil War.

He also served the people of Limerick during his time in parishes in the county and city. Fr Willie performed countless quiet acts of kindness as director of  Limerick Social Services. A gifted sportsman, he won a county football title with Croom, hurled with Kilmeedy, played rugby with Galbally and he was a noted shot stopper when playing soccer. 

Fr Willie, as he was fondly known, passed away in Carrigoran House, Newmarket-on-Fergus on Sunday and was laid to rest this Thursday, May 2.

Fr Tom Carroll, of Ballingarry-Granagh parish, said Fr Willie was very highly regarded and held in high esteem by his fellow priests.  

“He was a good friend. He was an exemplary priest, very conscientious and a very caring man. He was running the social services for a good few years and was very concerned for people who were in bad circumstances,” said Fr Carroll, who spoke of Fr Willie’s sporting prowess in his youth.

“He won a county senior football championship with Croom. He played centre field. Playing hurling with Kilmeedy he was centre back and he was a great soccer goalkeeper. He was an all-rounder,” said Fr Carroll.

Fr Willie’s height and strength meant he was at home in the second row when lining out with Galbally RFC.

Fr Carroll said Fr Willie’s first parish was Croom, before the St Patrick's-St Brigid's Parish and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in the city, and Rockhill & Bruree.

“He was also a chaplain to the Irish Army in Sarsfield Barracks,” said Fr Carroll.

A man who knew him very well during that time is retired commandant, Brian Ryan. He describes the late priest as a very devout, unassuming, reserved and quiet man.

“Father Willie was our chaplain from 1992 to 2005. I served overseas with Fr Willie. He was chaplain to the 74th Infantry Battalion from October 1993 to April 1994 in South Lebanon. And he was also chaplain to the 77th Infantry Battalion from May 1995 to October 1995 in South Lebanon,” said Mr Ryan.

Fr Willie was deployed to West Africa and he served as part of the United Nations mission in Liberia in 2003. 

“That was the first mission that went in after the Civil War so that was a very difficult mission in difficult conditions,” said Mr Ryan, who spoke of the esteem Fr Willie was held in within the Irish Army.

“From all ranks, from the top to the bottom, they had the utmost admiration for Fr Willie. He was very much into sports and hurling and got on great with the soldiers.

"When he would go out to the various outposts in South Lebanon, for example, saying Mass in Damascus he had his own transport. He would travel in a United Nations white vehicle and blue flag down the wadis and up the wadis,” recalled Mr Ryan.

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Fr Willie would also bring the post to the various outposts. 

“This was back in the 90s when you didn't have WhatsApp or texts so Fr Willie was a very welcome figure in the outposts with his bag of post from home,” said Mr Ryan, who also spoke of Fr Willie’s work with Limerick Social Services.

“It is a very vibrant, strong organisation as a result of the work that Fr Willie and Canon John O’Shea did. I think that's his legacy to the people of Limerick,” concluded Mr Ryan.

The large crowds at his removal on Wednesday evening, funeral Mass in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Ennis Road and burial in Relig Mhuire Cemetery, Croom, this Thursday reflect the esteem he was held.

There have been countless messages of condolence on rip.ie. One read: “He was a kind and gentle person with a deep spiritual core.”

Another wrote: “His never-failing good humour, positivity and even-handed manner in engaging with his comrade soldiers and with the local population were quite remarkable. Fr Willie was one of the finest yet most humble people I have ever had the good fortune to meet.”

Fr Willie is sadly missed by his loving brothers Pat, Tom and John, his sisters Breda (Carroll) and Kay, sisters-in-law Breda, Laura and Marie, brothers-in-law Kevin and Donal, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, Bishop Brendan Leahy, priests of the diocese, extended family and friends.

May he rest in peace.