Journalist's work to promote justice recalled

Members of the Oireachtas, local authority representatives and leaders of sporting and community organisations attended the funeral…

Members of the Oireachtas, local authority representatives and leaders of sporting and community organisations attended the funeral in Monaghan yesterday of veteran journalist Patrick Vincent Turley, a former editor of the Northern Standard.

Paying tribute to Mr Turley at the requiem Mass in a packed St Macartan's Cathedral, local curate Father Paddy McGinn said his efforts to help the less privileged were renowned, and his lifelong work for the promotion of peace and justice were symbolic of his contribution to society.

Mr Turley died at his home in Monaghan on Saturday after a short illness.

He was an early supporter of the Aontacht Éireann party, set up by the late Kevin Boland. Mr Turley became a strong advocate of Sinn Féin moving from its abstentionist policy, and in later years he was critical in editorials of what he called the British government's "intransigence" on the Northern Ireland power-sharing issue.

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In recent years he wrote several editorials predicting a worsening situation throughout the country - in the north-east region in particular - as a result of problems facing the health services. He highlighted the impact of the scale-down of maternity, medical and surgical services in the region, especially the downgrading of Monaghan General Hospital.

He was a keen sports enthusiast and was local correspondent for national newspapers for more than half a century, covering events in the Monaghan area.

He was buried at Latlurcan Cemetery, Monaghan. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; four sons, Noel, Vincent, John, and Gerard; and two daughters, Ann and Margaret.