THE funeral mass has taken place of a well-known Lurgan priest who died in hospital.
The Very Reverend Dean Arthur Byrne (95) passed away in Craigavon Area Hospital on Sunday where he had received surgery after a fall.
Canon Liam Stevenson led a service on Wednesday in St Peter’s Church, Lurgan, where Monsignor Byrne was baptised and eventually served as parish priest between 1992-2002.
Ordained in 1952 in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, he had ministered in Shrewsbury, England, for three years before returning to Dromore where he was appointed Dean of St Colman’s College.
Thereafter, he served in the parishes of Burren, Newry, Kilbroney and St Peter’s Parish until his retirement in 2002.
A family notice said he was the son of the late Thomas and Barbara Byrne and brother to Moya, Edith and the late Edna.
During his homily, Canon Stevenson said he had greatly enjoyed gardening well into his retirement.
“Last summer he told me, on one of my visits, (it) would be his last working in his garden. He was disappointed to admit this, but with his usual pragmatic self he faced reality.
“In the past few months on my weekly visits to him with Holy Communion, I did notice at times how tired he had become. I also noticed his ability to walk freely had become impaired.
“We were all sorry when we learned he had fallen and required surgery in the Trauma Unit in Craigavon Area Hospital, where he died on Sunday morning past.”
At St Colman’s, he said Monsignor Byrne had taught Irish “and did his best to instill a love of Ireland and the language in all his students.”
Monsignor Byrne had also been a former club president of Burren GAA, who shared a photo of him making “history” for the club by switching on floodlights at the grounds for the first time in April 1975.
