B

By Sean Moriarty

Tributes have been paid to Fr Colm ‘Chris’ Connolly OFM, a popular member of the local Franciscan order, who died on Monday of this week.

Fr Connolly served the people of Killarney for the last 26 years and was described by colleagues as “a beloved institution in the town”.

He was born Colm in Violet Hill, Drumconrath County Meath, but was affectionately known as Fr Chris on the streets of Killarney.
Retired teacher Maureen O’Reilly from St Anne’s Road has a life-long connection with the Franciscan Order in Killarney. Her late brother David was a member of the order and she was a close friend of Fr Chris.
“As a young man in his 70s he walked around town, calling on and praying with the sick and housebound,” she said.
“He visited the hospitals when not on duty in the Friary. Fr Chris was always happy and smiling even though he was going through much personal pain and illness himself. He loved jokes.
“Fr Chris was a deeply spiritual man. Killarney will be the poorer for his passing. Beannacht Dé go raibh a anam.”

Chris joined the Franciscans in 1955, made his First Profession in 1956 and was ordained a priest in 1963.
He served in the Irish Franciscan Mission in Zimbabwe for many years.
Returning to Ireland in 1984, he ministered first in Waterford, and moved to the local friary in Killarney in 1993.
He will missed by his Confreres in the Franciscan Friary, his brother PJ, sister-in-law Nora, nieces Eithne, Maeve, Aoife, Sinead and Fiona, grand-nephews, cousins and his many friends.

Requiem Mass will be celebrated at noon today (Friday), followed by burial in the Friary graveyard.