“A REMARKABLE man and human being” is how Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy described the late Fr Jim Noonan whose death occurred after a short illness on Tuesday.
Brother of Finance Minister Michael Noonan, he was based in the parish of Shanagolden/ Foynes for the past six years after serving as a missionary priest in Africa for almost half a century.
A native of Loughill in County Limerick, Fr Jim died at the Kiltegan Missionary Society Care Centre in County Wicklow. He is survived by his brothers Michael and Tom and sisters Madeline, Joan and Mary.
A member of St Patrick’s Missionary Society, the Limerick priest was remembered by Bishop Leahy this week as a “great missionary”.
“He really was a remarkable man, a man who did quite remarkable work on the missions in Nigeria and in a very harsh environment there for all of 47 years.”
“We have heard many stories of his incredible spirit of giving and Christianity. He was a true missionary and many, many people have spoken about how heroic he was in his work in Nigeria. He lived and worked in very difficult circumstances – in terms of climate, geographical and social conditions but he never relented.”
Fr Noonan’s Funeral Mass will take place in Kiltegan this Thursday at 12 noon, with burial afterwards in the local parish cemetery. For local mourners in Limerick, there will also be an opportunity to pay their respects later at his Month’s Mind Mass, which will be held in Foynes Church on a date to be selected.
