Gunn, Fr Timothy
August 14, 20131938-2013
REV FR TIMOTHY (Thady) Gunne, Lyre, Lisselton, Co Kerry, retired Parish Priest, Our Lady of the Rosary, Davyhuime, Manchester, England, was called to his eternal reward on Sunday, July 21. Fr Tim died in Limerick Regional Hospital, having celebrated his 75th birthday in May and was in the 50th year of his Sacred Priesthood.
Born on May 13,1938, Tim was the youngest of three brothers, Joe and John, to parents Jeremiah Gunn and Lena Walsh.
Tim grew up on the slopes of Cnoc an Oir on a dairy farm where hard work was the norm of the day. He attended Lisselton NS and the Presentation College, Cork, for a number of years before spending a year in St Brendan's College, Killamey.
Fr Tim was accepted as an Ecclesiastical student for the Diocese of Salford in November, 1957 and remained at St Patrick's College, Carlow. He was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by the Rt Rev Thomas Keogh, Bishop of Kildare, in Carlow Cathedral on June 6,1964.
After Ordination he served as priest in the Salford Diocese for 42 years. He ministered in the parishes of St Anne's, Accrington, September 1964; St Mary's, Blackbum, August 1965; St Hubert's, Great Harwood, September 1972;
St Joseph's, Darwen, January 1978; Our Lady and St Patrick's, Oldham, February 1978.
Finally he was to serve as Parish Priest in Our Lady of the Rosary, Davyhuime, Manchester, from August, 1983 to his retirement in 2005.
As Parish Priest and with the help of a very loyal and very supportive parish community, Fr Tim raised funds and built a very beautiful church in the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary. In this Parish he felt most at home and was very content and fulfilled in his ministry. In his younger days he took up the sport of boxing under the guidance of Mick Finucane. In Mick's kitchen a number of young lads gathered for sparring sessions with Mick being both the referee and coach in some very lively sessions.
Fr Tim was a member of the St Brendan's College team who defeated St Michael's College, Listowel, to win the O'Sullivan Cup in 1957. After several replays this game became known as "the long game."
As a footballer he played Kerry junior in 1961, was part of the Shannon Rangers minor team and the Ballydonoghue senior
team that won the North Kerry Championship of 1959.
As a golfer, like in life itself, he dedicated himself to achieving perfection, playing off a handicap of three for many years.
Fr Tim was pre-deceased by his sister Nora.
His remains reposed at his residence in Lisselton on Tuesday, July 23, followed by removal to St Theresa's Church, Ballydonoghue. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Wednesday at 11 o'clock, followed by interment in Lisselton cemetery.
Fr Tim will be sadly missed by his brothers Joe and John, sisters-in-law Kathleen and Catherine, nephews and nieces, grandnieces, fellow Priests of the Diocese of Salford and Kerry and large circle of friends, both on and off the golf course.
May he rest in peace.
Courtesy of The Kerryman Tweet
