FR Gary Donegan said he was ‘genuinely moved’ after a community youth group in Ardoyne sent him ‘get well soon’ messages online, just hours after he underwent a third surgery on his eye.
The Fermanagh cleric was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, on Wednesday in a bid to secure the sight in his right eye.
Before Christmas, Fr Donegan lost sight in his right eye after a bleed caused extensive damage to his vision. Despite undergoing numerous surgeries, his vision has not been restored.
After confirming that he had to go under the knife again last week, the members of the Ardoyne Youth Club sent heartfelt messages to their much-loved ‘Father G’.
Throughout his ministry in Belfast, Fr Donegan faced conflict on a daily basis. He, alongside Fr Aidan Troy, was central in bringing around peace following the Holy Cross school dispute in the early 2000s.
The Newtownbutler priest, who’s won numerous awards for his work in peace and reconciliation in Belfast, previously told the Herald he was pleased to be able to help the people in need.
“I have came here to Ardoyne not to be popular, but to lead,” said Fr Donegan in a previous interview with this newspaper.
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