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Episode details

Radio Ulster,26 Jul 2026,57 mins

A time to rest and reflect - Bishop Donal McKeown on retirement

Sunday Sequence

Available for 29 days

He is one of the best known faces of the Catholic Church in Ireland and now Bishop Donal McKeown is preparing to retire. He has been leading the Derry Diocese since 2014, before that he was Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor. He was born in Belfast 76 years ago and as well as his religious vocation, he has been a keen runner of marathons and a former Gaelic footballer too. But he's getting ready for a little bit of quiet and relaxation after decades of being on the front line of the Church's work. In this interview with Audrey Carville, he talks about his relief at the lifting of a burden of responsibility, his love for Derry, whether human connection is in jeopardy and if he can imagine a world without organised religion. How's he feeling one week on from announcing his retirement

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