Northern Ireland

Cahal Daly remembered for his role in peace-making

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher speaking about the late Cardinal Cahal Daly in Queen's University, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher speaking about the late Cardinal Cahal Daly in Queen's University, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher speaking about the late Cardinal Cahal Daly in Queen's University, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill

ONE of the Vatican's most senior officials was in Belfast last night to help mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Cahal Daly.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher was speaking on 'Go the Extra Mile: Cahal B. Daly - Reflections on the Practice of Dialogue'.

The Liverpool-born archbishop is Secretary for Relations with States in the Holy See's Secretariat of State, a role which essentially makes him the Vatican's foreign minister.

Archbishop Gallagher told an audience at Queen's University Belfast - where Cahal Daly lectured before he went on to become Bishop of Down and Connor and Archbishop of Armagh - that the cardinal had made an "important contribution to the peace process".

"One of Cahal Daly's most important and courageous contributions to the peace process was his insistence on the need to recognise and respect the two traditions, unionist and nationalist, in Northern Ireland and their respective civil and political rights and aspirations," he said.

Cardinal Daly was born on October 1 1917 in Loughguile, Co Antrim. He died on December 31 2009.

Faith matters on Thursday October 12 will feature Archbishop Gallagher's address.