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Reconciliation is a religious imperative: Cardinal Cahal Daly remembered

A New Ireland, a collection of writings curated by former judge Gemma Loughran, is a timely reminder of Cardinal Cahal Daly's insight, prophetic words and legacy, writes Tom Kelly

Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann
Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann

"Ireland, as distinct from her people, is nothing to me; and the one who is bubbling with love and enthusiasm for 'Ireland' and yet can pass unmoved through our streets and witness all the wrong and the suffering, the shame and degradation, brought upon the people of Ireland – aye, brought about by Irish upon Irish – without a burning to end it, is in my opinion a fraud and a liar in his heart."

I am reviewing a book about the recollections and reflections of a prince of the Church, a cardinal and Catholic scholar and theologian, and yet the words above are those of 1916 hero, Labour champion and campaigner for social justice, James Connolly, in The Workers' Republic in 1900.

And yet, it was Connolly's words which were chosen by the late Cahal B Daly, future cardinal and Primate of All Ireland, for a conference in Latin America on poverty in 1979.

Daly claimed those words were fully in line with the teaching of the gospels, with much of Catholic social teaching and paralleled in the words of popes.

He quotes John Paul II as part of his argument: "We can no longer tolerate a world in which there live side by side the immensely rich and the miserably poor – those living in poverty can wait no longer: they need help now."

Cahal B Daly was born on October 1 1917. It was an auspicious month. Within weeks of his birth in rural Antrim was the first bloody battle of Passchendaele and the October Revolution ushering in the Bolsheviks.

It was a time of great savagery and inhumanity. In Ireland it was the month in which WB Yeats, author of Easter 1916 and the immortal words "A terrible beauty is born" got married.

Perhaps an older Cahal Daly would reflect on the fact that he was born in the month of the 'Miracle of the Sun' at Fatima.

The book A New Ireland – Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly is well titled. It is a timely reminder that the late cardinal was not only an indefatigable opponent of violence but he was also a thoughtful and farsighted thinker on global themes such as the environment, peace, ecumenism and poverty.

This book is not a biography – he wrote his own, called Steps On My Pilgrim Journey – but it is an insight into his thoughts.

Reading A New Ireland, though, one could be forgiven for thinking that this bookish academic would have been better suited to the hallowed halls of academe, perhaps at Queen's University or as a Vatican don. But that would be wrong.

Cardinal Cahal Daly, who died in 2009, pictured in the Linen Hall Library. Picture by Hugh Russell
Cardinal Cahal Daly, who died in 2009, pictured in the Linen Hall Library. Picture by Hugh Russell Cardinal Cahal Daly, who died in 2009, pictured in the Linen Hall Library. Picture by Hugh Russell

Cahal Daly was first and foremost a pastor. In just seven years, as Bishop of Down and Connor he attended funerals of no fewer than 41 victims of sectarian violence. At times, he admitted he had no words left to give bereaved families – just his presence, his prayers and his tears.

Little wonder, Cardinal Daly – he was created cardinal by John Paul II in June 1991 – was one of the earliest supporters of the process which led to the Good Friday Agreement. The late John Hume praised Cahal Daly for his crucial support in the early days of the Hume/Adams dialogue.

The editor of the book is Gemma Loughran, a retired county court judge. She has described this work as one of her "greatest privileges". To her credit, she has done more than justice to the late Cardinal Daly by cramming his voluminous writings into a mere 167 pages; quite a remarkable achievement.

Daly described his own childhood as one of 'make do and mend'. He carried that throughout his life.

One of his last books, published in 2004, was The Minding of Planet Earth. This was a full 11 years before Pope Francis's powerful environmental encyclical Laudato Si in 2015.

Daly reminded readers they are "stewards of our common and only fragile beautiful home". At 88 years of age, he perhaps made for an unusual eco warrior – but then again David Attenborough is still going at 97...

Maire Daly, Frances Doran, Gemma Loughran, Rev Dr Ruth Patterson, Barbara Daly and Canon Eddie O'Donnell at the St Malachy's College launch of A New Ireland – Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann
Maire Daly, Frances Doran, Gemma Loughran, Rev Dr Ruth Patterson, Barbara Daly and Canon Eddie O'Donnell at the St Malachy's College launch of A New Ireland – Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann Maire Daly, Frances Doran, Gemma Loughran, Rev Dr Ruth Patterson, Barbara Daly and Canon Eddie O'Donnell at the St Malachy's College launch of A New Ireland – Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann

This book is timely, not least because it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In Daly's own words, "Reconciliation is a religious imperative."

At the Dublin launch of the book, former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said: "Cardinal Daly was a moral voice in the wilderness of community polarisation."

Dr Ruth Patterson, a Presbyterian minister who gave the book its launch in Belfast this week, summed up this remarkable man well when she said Daly had "a prophetic voice".

A New Ireland – Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly is edited by Gemma Loughran and published by Veritas

Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann
Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann Gemma Loughran at the launch at St Malachy's College of A New Ireland Memories and Reflections of Cardinal Cahal B Daly. Picture by Mal McCann