Posted online: Aug 24th, 2010

The was a large turn out for the funeral on Saturday last of Fr. Joseph Quigley. He was 84 and recently celebrated 60 years in the priest.

Fr. Quigley, who died the previous Wednesday, had become well-known and popular in the Buncrana area where he had lived for the past 10 years after falling ill.

Born in Durham in England, he became a close friend of Joe Logue, from Glasgow (whose father John was from Inch) while studying for the priesthood at Millhill College. Through their friendship, Fr. Logue became a regular visitor to Inishowen, staying with Elizabeth Doherty in Fahan and later with Josie McLaughlin and her family in Trillick, with whom he was staying at the time of his death.

 Following his ordination in 1925 as a missionary of St. Joseph’s Society, he taught at a college in Freshford in Kilkenny for  six years before carrying out missionary work in Africa.

However, after 14 years he developed chronic malaria and came back to Ireland to be treated at the tropical disease hospital in Drogheda.

Following his recovery, he returned to England to help with the  recruitment to the priesthood and minister as rector in Burnhall, Sheffield as well as spending a number of years in Doncaster.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2000, he returned to Trillick in Buncrana to be cared for by his close friend, Josie McLaughlin.

Despite his illness, he helped out in the Buncrana parish on numerous occasions, visiting the local schools on regular occasions and for a number of years celebrating Mass in the Convent of Mercy (Scoil Mhuire). He also celebrated Mass in Buncrana Nursing Unit every Saturday.

Speaking to the Inish Times, Josie described Fr. Quigley as “a saint.”

She added: “He was the most gentle and holiness man I have ever known. I just could not say enough about him. He was so nice. Just ask anyone in the town. He was very kind, a saint. He helped out in the parish whenever he could and had a great rapport with the young people, regularly visiting the schools.”

St. Mary’s Oratory in Buncrana was packed for his Requiem Mass on Saturday. A total of 24 priests where in attendance. Concelebrants included Bishop of Hallam (Doncaster), Most Rev. Dr. John Rothsorne and the Vicar General of Millhill College, Rev. Bernard Fox.

Following Requiem Mass, Fr. Quigley, who would have been 85 on September 4 next, was laid to rest in Cockhill cemetery.