DUBLIN (IRELAND)
Irish Times
Nov. 18, 2019
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed his support for Co Cavan priest Fr Oliver O’Reilly for “offering moral leadership in a difficult time” after it emerged that Seán Quinn complained about him to the Vatican.
In a homily in September, Fr O’Reilly, who is based in Ballyconnell, condemned the attack on Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney.
Fr O’Reilly denounced the “barbaric and horrific” assault, as well as condemning “the paymaster or paymasters” responsible for the attack.
In a letter to the Vatican, which was first reported in the Sunday Independent, Mr Quinn again denied any affiliation to the attack.
“I and my family have also been frightened and intimidated by my being falsely accused of complicity in the attack from the altar in public, by my own local priest,” the letter said.
In a statement on Monday evening, the Taoiseach said that Fr O’Reilly’s homily “spoke from the heart and the head”, adding that he “offered leadership to a distressed community”.
“He offered moral guidance to his community, he condemned the savagery of the kidnapping and the ongoing campaign of intimidation, and called on everyone to cooperate with the authorities,” Mr Varadkar said.
“I believe that Fr O’Reilly showed considerable courage in giving this homily and I commend him for doing so.”
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