Tribute to Brother Paul Hurley RIP

Reverend Dr Vincent Twomey SVD, Acting Provincial Superior of the Divine Word Missionaries, paid the following tribute to the late Reverend Brother Paul Hurley SVD, former editor of The Word, the magazine of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD). Brother Hurley died yesterday at the age of 91 years and see also funeral arrangements below:

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my great friend and colleague Brother Paul Hurley. Brother Paul founded and edited the monthly magazine The Word for forty years. At its height the circulation reach of The Word was circa 250,000 copies worldwide - 170,000 in Ireland alone - with special editions published for Britain and Australia. Brother Paul edited the magazine, and contributed thousands of articles including interviews with famous personalities in sport, literature, the arts, Church and politics. His most celebrated interview was with the Taoiseach of the day Mr Sean Lemass in 1966. At the time The Word was the most prestigious pictorial magazine in Ireland and Britain - either secular or religious. The Word was renowned for its extraordinary illustrations, initially in black and white and later in colour. As editor Brother Paul was also responsible for the design, layout and proofreading of The Word, whose reputation was widely recognised across the media fraternity. He was always an exemplary Religious."

Paul Hurley was born in Dublin, of West Cork parents, and attended Synge Street Christian Brothers School in Dublin. He entered the Divine Word Missionaries in Donamom, County Roscommon, in 1948. After retiring as editor of The Word he spent some years on the foreign missions in Papua New Guinea. For most of his life Brother Hurley was an active member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Roscommon and also in Maynooth. Brother Hurley died yesterday in Windfield Nursing Home in County Meath.

The Removal of the Remains of Brother Paul Hurley SVD will take place today, Saturday 27 October, to the Divine Word Missionaries, Moyglare Road, Maynooth, County Kildare, to arrive at .:30pm. Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday next 29 October at 11:00am followed by Removal to Donamon Castle, County Roscommon, to arrive at 4:30pm. Lying in repose until 10pm. Funeral Mass at 12noon on Tuesday 30 October followed by burial in the cemetery of the Divine Word Missionaries.