Slán Abhaile Father Joe

BY LLOYD GORMAN

ONCE WHEN I WAS INTERVIEWING FR. JOSEPH “JOE” WALSH AT ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR A STORY FOR THE SUBIACO POST I ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIM INSIDE THE CHURCH.

Photo courtesy Post Newspapers

It was a weekday and we were the only people in the church. He thought a picture with an empty church in the background would reinforce a negative media bias about the numbers of church goers so we shot him inside a section of the church that had been recently renovated under his watch. The church in Salvado Road where he was parish priest for 16 years was the opposite of empty on the morning of Thursday February 10 for his funeral. Arriving early for the 10am Thanksgiving mass was no guarantee of a seat or even a standing spot inside so that many mourners found themselves outside listening in. The service – which was recorded and live streamed on the Bowra O’Dea website for people in Ireland, Australia and beyond – was watched on the day and afterwards – an incredible 4,000 thousand times. There were a large number of condolences messages published in the West Australian and even hundreds of messages posted on the website of Midwest Radio in Mayo, after it published details of his death and the funeral service. Clearly Fr Joe inspired intense loyalty, love, trust and friendship in very many people. But there are others – including within the church and Irish communities – who held a very different opinion about him, even before the allegations and investigations about the alleged theft of parish funds of up to $500,000 – an affair that was eventually settled out of court – that marred most of his final years alive and as a priest. The painful episode was mentioned by those who knew him best but was not allowed to overshadow happier and fonder thoughts about him. Amongst the many stories and memories shared about him at the service his Irish heritage shone through. The Irish tricolour and the Australian flag (carried by Lee McKay and Rick Ferdinands respectively) led his coffin in and out of the church but there was so much more. Shortly after the opening prayers the second reading near the start of the mass was a reading of the poem ‘Beannacht’ (Blessing), by Irish poet John O’Donohue. “Fr Joe Walsh was fond of poetry, as is evidenced by the reading of that poem we just had,” his close friend Fr. Peter Black said. “There was another poem he liked so much in fact I remember that he had every verse framed and placed upon the wall in St. Joseph’s presbytery...The Lake of Isle of Innishfree by William Butler Yeats. Why this poem?,” he said. “Because it

is set in his beloved country of birth, the words peace dropping slow must have struck a chord with Joe especially during the hard times of the recent years and in those years he continued to hear something in his own deep hearts call.” Over lunch one day he met Fr. Joe to discuss the arrangements for the mass including that his friend was to be the main celebrant and homilist. “He said: “Now don’t focus on all this rubbish that has recently overtaken my life remember its a homily, focus on the gospel and what really matters and keep it short,” Fr Black smiled. “So loyal to the instructions I dare not disobey them I will not dwell on but rather simply to have to acknowledge the great anguish that Joe endured these last few years...Joe was happy and proud to be Irish, to be Australian and to be a Catholic Priest he would be very happy to see some of his fellow priests here including emeritus archbishop Hickey...the number of lives Joe touched and changed as a caring priest cannot be calculated...he brought a special warmth, a practical help a loyalty to each encounter, be it at All Hallows in Ireland or here at St. Jospeh’s Subiaco.” The eulogy was delivered by Eoin Byrne, who was supported on the alter by his brother Donnie and sister Deirdre. “Failte, welcome everybody,” he began. Joe Walsh was born on 21 January 1952 in Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo – which he used to like to say was the best place in Ireland. “Fr Joe was blessed with a close knit family one of seven parents of our grandparents John Joe and Mary Walsh. Joe grew up in the picturesque village of Kiltimagh, where his family owned the bustling general store and a progressive agri business. In 1960s Ireland before TV and social media the family store was the social heart of the village, it was where you went to hear what was going on around the town and surrounding areas it was where he went to buy groceries, hardware for a chat and for many it was their only social outlet and in true Irish spirit the Walsh home was always warm and welcoming, the door was always open the kettle was always on and there was always room at the table, we would say Joe embraced these values in his life as a priest.” He shared a story about how even from a young age Fr Joe demonstrated his well known abilities as a ‘connector of people’ and entrepreneurial spirit. “Back in 1963 Joe couldn’t contain his excitement when he heard one of the most influential couples on the planet were coming to a local town of Knock, a town known for its devotion to the Catholic Church. At 10 years old Joe was disappointed that he didn’t secure an invite with his parents to this exclusive event not content with this outcome Joe took it upon himself to contact the pair directly. He went to our grandparents shop in Knock and with his pocket money bought two pairs of rosary beads and sent them with a handwritten letter to America. Several weeks later he arrived home from school and was surprised to see his family sitting around with an unopened letter addressed to him from the white house a personalised letter from the desk of John F Kennedy the sitting president of the United states of America. This letter is framed and now hangs on my wall in Perth.”

He added: “Fr Joe started his journey of faith in 1970 by attending All Hallows College Dublin during his six years there he embraced every opportunity he was given, including a four month position in Rome. His love of travel knew no bounds and in 1973 he was given a scholarship to travel to Perth by the Australian ambassador to Ireland his excellency

JFK in Galway (photos from JFK Memorial Library)

Vincent Gair. This scholarship did not include any money so with his infectious zeal and enthusiasm that we have come to know and love Joe got a job as a sandblaster in Kinwana – could you imagine Fr Joe with high viz and workboots on?,” he laughed. The young Walsh returned to Dublin that year to finish his studies with the intention of returning to Perth after his ordination, both of which happened in 1976. In 1984 he was called back to Ireland to take up the role of director of development at All Hallows College in Dublin for the next six years.. “His mission there was to reinvigorate and renovate the campus, expand the staff and realign the ethos of the college,” said Mr Byrne. This included travel to seminaries around the world to learn and implement best practices and a development course in Boston. “This is where his talent and acumen for fundraising really excelled he even set up two offices for All Hallows (one in Virginia) near Washington DC and another in San Diego. By the time he left All Hallows in 1990 the grounds were fully refurbished, dining rooms upgraded and the campus completely renewed and the student base grew from 60 to over 500 students. Everything Joe did he did it with pride, and he gave it 200%.” He said that amongst the other things he did Fr Joe also established a successful Irish mission – St. Killian – where he had a church built and even learned German so that he could give a mass there. “He was fortunate enough to meet Mother Theresa in the 70s who inspired him to collect and send unused medicines from Irish pharmacies to a mission in India,” added his nephew. “The project was so successful that the Irish Red Cross Invited Joe to the Mission in Mombai to see the impact of his work.”

The restoration and renovation of the presbytery and the beautiful heritage renovation church made it a safe haven physically and spiritually for people today and generations to come he added. As well as Subiaco Fr. Joe also served at parishes in Osborne Park, Leederville, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Northam, Gingin-Chittering and Nollamara/Yokine. “He was a rare diamond, he dared to be different. Joe’s world unravelled in 2018 when the institution he served so loyally turned on him in an unimaginable way that no one should ever experience,” Mr Byrne added. “The next few years would take a huge toll on Joe as he fought a gallant and brave battle to prove his innocence. During this period his health deteriorated from open heart surgery to major gastric operations followed by rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, he faced these huge challenges with great stoicism...he never uttered a word of complaint.” He finished the eulogy with the traditional Irish blessing: “May the road rise up to meet you/May the wind be always at your back/ May the sun shine warm upon your face/the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.” Next to take the pulpit was Denis Glennon – the father of the late Ciara Glennon – to bid his friend goodbye.

“Joe and I first met 25 years ago in the weeks before our daughter Ciara’s body was found when one evening Joe and a parishioner arrived at our home bringing words of sympathy, prayer and a cooked meal,” said Mr Glennon. “Prior to that I did not know him, he saw a family in strife he extended his compassion and friendship… we are from the same county in Ireland in the west of Ireland, Mayo, and since then his friendship has warmed and brightened my life. It was a friendship in which we understood and accepted each other as we were without mask or pretension...we trusted and helped each other….our friendship was important to each of us.” He said Joe was “born to be a priest” and lived his life with kindness. “As a friend, a good friend, I found him to be patient and kind, never rude or selfish, humorous and a perpetual twinkle in his eye and always always optimistic.” In the last few years the two men spoke or met each other every day. “While he recently navigated the turbulent waters of judicial proceedings our friendship deepened,” Mr Glennon added. “We spent a great deal of time together in those three or so years. Two of Joe’s great loves the Church and his priesthood were severely tested then, nothing can hurt as deeply as a breach by what we hold dearest. This period tested every facet of my friends profound affection for the church, his deep love of the priesthood, his spirit and his courage. His sense of belonging had been fractured, his life would never be the same again...I witnessed the blade of abandonment cut deeply... his spirit was challenged but never broken….several times he said to me no matter what we have to endure we will hold our chin up and walk with the grace and dignity, we are Mayo men!”. “I believe Joe emerged emotionally and spiritually stronger from his crucible of suffering his absolute love for the church and priesthood remained resolute and steadfast by then his body was broken, his work here was done...I am honoured Joe was my friend my good friend he is gone but it is only until we meet again”. Mr Glennon rounded off with a short blessing (Beannacht) ‘as Gaeilge’. The presentation of gifts – including a wooden harp – was accompanied by a forceful rendition of the ‘Fields of Athenry’. At the end of the mass Fr. Blake read the traditional Irish blessing “May the road rise to meet you...” once more. As his coffin was being taken out of the church the large congregation of masked but not very socially distanced mourners started clapping enthusiastically as a one final act of appreciation. His remains were taken for a private cremation after the mass. A sizeable crowd who came to pay their respects waited outside the front of the church on what was a beautiful summers day. Amongst them was a woman with a distinct Dublin accent who captured the mood of the mass of mourners in a few words when she said: “We love you Fr. Joe. Slán abhaile.” ☘