This article is from page 10 of the 2011-06-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
THERE was a large turnout in St Joseph’s Church in Whitegate on Friday as family and many friends gathered for Mass to remember a local priest and sportsman who died recently.
Canon Jim Mulvihill, a native of Capanthrane, Whitgate, passed away earlier this month aged 90. He is sadly missed by family members in Whitegate and Scariff and fondly remembered by those who shared his huge sporting enthusiasm.
He was the son of the late Johanna and Partick Mulvilhill and was one of five children – Anna, Maggie May, Tommie and Mikey.
He went to school at Lakyle National School and later attended St Flannan’s in Ennis.
Noted for his talent on the hurling field, Canon Mulvihill won several tophies when he played with the Ennis hurling nursery and he was part of the team which won the Canon O’Kennedy Shield against holders, St Finbarr’s of Farranferris. He also played for his native Whitegate.
When he wasn’t on the hurling field, Canon Jim was often to be found induging his other great sporting passion, fishing on Lough Derg.
He studied for the priesthood in St Patrick’s in Carlow and was ordained on June 3, 1945.
He was sent first to serve in the diocese of Tuscan in Arizona and then returned to Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.
He was incardinated into the archdiocese of Cardiff in 1963 and was appointed as parish priest to Bromyard in Herefordshire in 1967. In 1997 he was appointed parish priest of St Basil and St Gwladys. He retired from that appointment in 2002 but continued to say daily Mass in the parish.
In 2005 he celebrated sixty years in the priesthood.
Canon Mulvihill was in constant contact with his native Clare and regularly welcomed visitors from the county.
He passed away in the care of the sisters and staff of Nazareth House, where he had lived since 2007.
Archbishop Georg Stack of Cardiff was the chief celebrant at Canon Mulvihill’s funeral Mass.
He is survived by his nephews and nieces: the Mulvihills in Whitegate, Marie, Pat, Jim Tom and Den; and im Scariff, the McMahon’s Paddy, Seanie, Noel, Michael and Mary; as well as many friends, both lay and clergy.