Northern Cardinal

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Lore & Background

Charles Brendan Daly was born in Ballybraddin, Loughguile, a village near Ballymoney in County Antrim, the third child of seven born to Charles Daly and Susan Connolly. His father was a primary school teacher originally from Keadue, County Roscommon, and his mother a native of Antrim. He was educated at St. Patrick's National School in Loughguile, and then as a boarder in St. Malachy's College, Belfast, in 1930. The writer Brian Moore was a near contemporary. Daly studied Classics at Queen's University in Belfast, earning his BA with Honours and also the Henry Medal in Latin Studies in 1937, completing his MA the following year. He entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth and was ordained to the priesthood on 22 June 1941. He continued studies in theology in Maynooth, from where he obtained a doctorate in divinity (DD) in 1944.

In Their Own Story

Daly was a peritus, or theological expert, at the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) to Bishop William Philbin during the first session of the Council and to William Cardinal Conway for the rest of the council. He dedicated himself to scholarship for 30 years, and published several books seeking to bring about understanding between the warring factions in Northern Ireland. On 6 November 1990, Daly was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and, as such, Primate of All Ireland. His age made him an unexpected occupant of the post. Despite this it was requested that he stay in the role for three years before usual age of episcopal retirement at 75. Cardinal Daly took a notably harder line against the Irish Republican Army (IRA) than his predecessor, Tomás Cardinal Ó Fiaich. He was heckled by the audience on live television during a broadcast of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One on the topic of paedophilia in the 1990s. After his retirement in 1996 he made no public statement on the issue.

Reader's Guide

Daly retired as Archbishop of Armagh on his 79th birthday, 1 October 1996, and subsequently suffered ill health. Although it was announced that he would attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II, he stayed home on the advice of his doctors. His age made him ineligible to participate in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. His death in 2009 brought to an end a two-year period during which Ireland had, for the first time in its history, three living Cardinals. Cardinal Daly was admitted to the coronary unit of Belfast City Hospital on 28 December 2009. His health had already been declining, leading to prayers being ordered for him. Dr Daly died in hospital in Belfast on 31 December 2009, aged 92. His family were at his bedside at the time. In tributes, both Taoiseach Brian Cowen and former UK prime minister Tony Blair stressed Cardinal Daly's contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland. The deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, the Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness, said it was no secret that Republicans and Cardinal Daly had never enjoyed a close relationship during The Troubles, but that relations had warmed since then. Daly's funeral was held on 5 January 2010, attended by the president Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Cardinal Daly was buried in the grounds of St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Armagh next to his three predecessors in the see, Cardinals Ó Fiaich, Conway and D'Alton.

Did You Know?

• Daly was the oldest man to take up the role of Archbishop of Armagh for nearly 200 years.
• He was created a Cardinal-Priest of S. Patrizio by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 28 June 1991.
• Daly converted his forename Charles into Cahal ahead of his episcopal consecration in 1967.
• He donated his entire set of writings to the Political Collection of the Linen Hall Library in 2001, including 500 sermons, essays, addresses and press statements.
• His death in 2009 ended a two-year period during which Ireland had, for the first time in its history, three living Cardinals.