
It is with regret that we inform you of the death on the 6th day of August, 2022 in Wexford General Hospital, Ireland aged 86, of
Father Bartholomew (Bart) Daly
Mill Hill Missionary
May he rest in peace
Fr. Bart, as we knew him affectionately in Mill Hill circles, was born on the 16th of April, 1936 in Limerick, Ireland. His parents were Patrick Daly and Hannah Daly, nee Fitzgerald and were farmers. They had four sons, Bart being the eldest.
Bart attended his local parochial schools until he felt called to be a missionary priest with the Mill Hill Missionary Society. He then attended St. Joseph’s College Freshford from 1951 until 1956 for his Secondary School education. He followed his studies for the missionary priesthood in the Netherlands at the Mill Hill College in Roosendaal, and at St. Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London, England. In the final stages of his studies, Bart took the Perpetual Oath to be a lifelong member of the Mill Hill Missionaries in the College Chapel on the 16th of April, 1961 and was ordained deacon on 4th May 1961. Just over a year later, on the 8th of July, 1962, Bart was ordained a Mill Hill priest by Cardinal Godfrey of Westminster, in the College Chapel.
Bart’s first Missionary appointment was to Slingerlands, New York. From here, he was appointed to work in the Diocese of Kisumu, Kenya, from 1964 until 1970. With another experience of mission under his belt, Bart was re-appointed to the USA to work in New York City. In 1974, he was appointed Rector of the Mill Hill community in the Bronx. January 1977 saw Bart appointed a Consultor to the Regional Representative in the North American Region.
After almost 20 years in ministry, Bart had the opportunity of following a sabbatical course at Marianella in Dublin. He then found himself appointed to Albany, New York State. By December 1982 he was elected Regional Representative in North America. In 1988 he represented the Mill Hill Community at the General Chapter in London. He returned from the General Chapter to take up a new appointment as Pastor of Saint Francis Xavier Parish in the East Bronx, New York City. After four very happy and fruitful years in the Bronx, Bart was for a short time involved in Pastoral Work in Saint Mary’s Parish, Poughkeepsie. Within a year, on the 1st of July, 1993, he was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish on Manhattan Island, New York City. He was also appointed by the Cardinal to be Vicar for religious in the Archdiocese of New York. In 2001 Bart was elected Vice-Regional for Mill Hill in America. Then in 2007, 2010 and 2013 appointed Regional/ Society Representative in America. By October 2015 Bart moved to our Mill Hill House in Hartsdale. Bart was twice appointed Bursar of the North American Area. Bart was first to volunteer any assistance he could give to the Pastoral Team when Mill Hill agreed to staff a parish in White Plains, NY, in spite of his advanced age! Such a gesture typifies the generous character that Bart Daly was. Bart returned to celebrate his 60th Jubilee in his native Ireland where he fell ill and was hospitalised on the 30th July. On the 4th of August, he received the Sacrament of the Sick, before dying peacefully on Saturday night.
As Bart celebrated his Golden Jubilee of priesthood in 2012 the General Council wrote, “In your dealings with others you have shown patience, understanding, and a rare form of compassion that is rooted in genuine humility.” Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. His funeral mass will be held on Wednesday 10th August at 12.00pm in St. Joseph’s Parish, Terenure followed by burial at Bohernabreena Cemetery.