A former priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury has died suddenly at his home in Northern Ireland five years after his retirement.
Father Danny Canning (pictured), who served in parishes in Wirral, Stockport and Cheshire for more than 40 years, died in Derry on December 17.
His funeral was held four days later at St Mary’s in Creggan, Derry, the church where the priest, who was 75, celebrated his first Mass after his ordination in 1960.
The Requiem Mass was attended by Shrewsbury priests Canon Ted Harrington, Father Terry Boylan and Father Peter Sharrocks, who gave the homily.
Father Canning was a popular priest, said Father Sharrocks, and he always made himself available to people in need.
“Danny has been there for so many people in the parishes he served and in the people he met in different situations,” said Father Sharrocks, the parish priest of St Peter’s, Hazel Grove, Stockport.
He said: “Who will forget the galaxy of stars from Coronation Street who turned up for his 40th anniversary celebrations? Danny had this incredible gift for making enduring friendships.”
Father Sharrocks told the congregation that Father Canning “like many earlier generations of Irish priests he had come to our Diocese of Shrewsbury to preach the gospel, celebrate the sacraments and to be a shepherd of the flock”.
He ended his homily by thanking the “good people of Derry and Ireland for sending us good priests like Danny who despite the obstacles have served our dioceses faithfully and lovingly and enriched our lives”.
“I thank you today for sharing your kinsman Danny with us,” he said.
Danny Canning was born in Derry on 15 July 1936 and studied for the priesthood at St Kieran’s Seminary, Kilkenny.
He was ordained in Kilkenny Cathedral on 5 June 1960 and his first appointments were as assistant priest at Our Lady and the Apostles, Stockport (1960-1964) and to Sacred Heart, Moreton (1964-1970).
In 1970 he served for a number of years on the Missions in Ecuador (1970-1973) before spending a year in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas (1973-1974).
He then decided to return to his home Diocese of Derry where he helped in parishes (1974-1980).
In1980 he returned to the Diocese of Shrewsbury and after a year as an assistant priest in St Gregory’s, Bollington (1980-81), was appointed as parish priest to St Bernard’s, Ellesmere Port (1981-85) and then St Mary’s, Dukinfield (1985-92).
He was appointed to St Mary’s, Madeley 1992 but fell ill after only a couple of months and then spent a year convalescing at St Vincent’s, Altrincham.
Then in 1993 Father Canning was appointed as parish priest to St Martin’s, Murdishaw (1993-97), and served finally at St Chad’s, Cheadle (1997-2006) before he retired as his health began to fail.
He was a proficient golfer who was a member of the diocesan clergy team that won the annual national trophy.
His Requiem Mass was celebrated by Father Timothy Canning (no relation), the parish priest of St Mary’s, along with 20 priests including the retired Bishop of Derry, Rt Rev Edward Daly.
Father Canning was buried in the Derry City Cemetery.