Death of highly popular priest

The death has taken place of a highly popular priest who ministered in Nenagh over a span of two decades.

Fr Michael Sheedy was only 33-years-old when he has posted to Nenagh in 1972. Quiet spoken, he nonetheless became quickly popular, especially with the youth of the parish.

He was involved in several sports clubs and dedicated much of his time to enhancing the lives and Catholic faith of young people, many of whom maintained links with him right into adulthood after he left Nenagh to return to his native Clare in 1989.

Fr Sheedy’s weekly “pioneer” discos in the Scouts Hall were a big hit with the youth in Nenagh in the 1980s. The bonds he formed with the teenagers of the day were strong and many subsequently asked him to officiate at their wedding ceremonies years later.

A native of Cooraclare parish, Fr Sheedy was born on September 16 1939. He was a priest of the Diocese of Killaloe for 56 years.

He studied in Saint Patricks College, Maynooth, and was ordained in Cooraclare on Trinity Sunday, June 13 1965.

His first appointment was to the temporary mission in the diocese of Dromore. In July 1968 he was appointed to the emigrant apostolate in Birmingham, England.

In 1971 he completed a course in youth ministry and in July 1972 was appointed as curate in Nenagh and as Assistant Director of Youth Work in the diocese.

Many people in Nenagh were sad to see him leave when he was he was appointed curate in Kilrush in 1989.

He ultimately became Parish Priest of Kilrush and Vicar General of the Diocese of Killaloe in January 1995.

His final appointment took place in July 2019 when he became Assistant Priest in the Inis Cathaigh Pastoral Area in County Clare.

Fr Sheedy died suddenly on November 3 last in University Hospital Limerick. His funeral Mass was in Saint Senan’s Church, Kilrush, on Saturday last. Burial took place afterwards in Kilmacduane cemetery. May he rest in peace.