Tributes have been paid to Fr Kevin McNamara of Glenflesk parish who passed away on Tuesday of this week.

The popular priest was appointed to the Glenflesk Parish in July after previously serving in Killarney, Rathmore and Kenmare. The County Clare native had been in Moyvane for six years before taking over at St Agatha’s Church.

"There is widespread shock and sadness at the sudden death of Fr. Kevin,” Bishop Ray Browne said in a statement,

“Fr. Kevin was in hospital for a number of days, when Tuesday morning he suddenly took ill and died. Fr Kevin was a man of huge energy and colour. We all regret his passing. Rest in peace, Fr. Kevin.

He has been described by friends and colleagues as a larger than life character.

Fr Kevin was very active in his short time in Glenflesk and as recently as last October ran a concert in the Gleneagle Hotel to raise funds to re-furbish Barraduff Church.

“We are numbed by the suddenness and shock of it all,” Fr Kieran told the Killarney Advertiser. “He was an active man, and a man in active ministry until he was hospitalised quite recently. He served in Killarney too and is well known in the community. He was full of enthusiasm for doing up Barraduff church. He was a very active priest and achieved an awful lot in his short time in Glenflesk.”

Mayor of Killarney Marie Moloney said she was greatly saddened to hear the news.

“It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of Fr Kevin McNamara, a larger than life character who would always leave you with a smile on your face,” she said, “ Fr Kevin was very popular among his parishioners and indeed in the far broader community, He was always engaging with the people and made a lot of people feel very special. His presence among the people will be greatly missed.”

TD Danny Healy Rae added: I am very saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Fr. Kevin McNamara.He was a very close and dear friend to all my family, we will forever miss him, he was a very special friend of my late Father and he officiated at his funeral Mass and as late as last week at his Anniversary Mass in Killcummin. He was a larger than life person, he did great work for individuals and communities and was so kind and straight with everyone, he is a huge loss to the Community and the County of Kerry."

Fr. Kevin will be reposing in St. Agatha's Church, Glenflesk on Sunday December 26from 10.00am to 12 noon and in the Church of the Assumption, Moyvane on Sunday evening from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm.

FUNERAL DETAILS 

Requiem Mass will take place on Monday, 27th December in St. Senan's Church, Cooraclare, County Clare at 2.00 pm, and will be live streamed on the Cooraclare/Cree parish facebook page, burial afterwards in Dromelihy Cemetery, Cooraclare.

In accordance with Government and health guidelines, it will be necessary to have a strict limit on the number who can attend the Funeral Mass in Cooraclare