Fr Colm Hayes RIP

Fr Colm Hayes, who died on Easter Sunday morning 2016, was a priest of the Diocese of Elphin for almost fifty years. A native of Sligo, he was born in 1935 and baptised Michael Colm. He was  educated at Summerhill College and St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

In the 1960’s a “late vocation” was someone who was ordained in his mid-twenties. By those standards, Fr. Colm was very late, being ordained in 1966, at the age of 31.

His first appintment was to the teaching staff of Summerhill College, where he taught Science. From there he went as curate to Tibohine and then to Ballymoe, birthplace of the Servant of God, Fr Edward Flanagan, founder of boystown.

Fr. Colm served as parish priest of Kiltoom for five years before moving to Maugherow where he concluded his active ministry as PP. In recent years he lived in retirement in St Patrick’s Tce. , Sligo.

Fr. Colm was a gentleman and a gentle man. He bore his recent illness with patience and faith. He never seemed to want anything and had a deep sense of gratitude to God for all the blessings of his life. May he rest in peace.