“At a time when the Church needs more good priests on the pitch, it feels as if God scored an own goal last Wednesday evening. John was not just a good priest, he was a great one, as tributes of recent days vouch.”

Bishop Nulty said that his thoughts and prayers are with Fr John’s mother, brothers and sister, his priest colleagues in Kildare and Leighlin, his team in Faith Development Services and ACCORD, Carlow and his many parishioners in Abbeyleix.