Father Brian D’Arcy has received an OBE from Prince William for his continued work in bringing cross border communities together throughout turbulent times.
Fr D’Arcy said he told the future King of England he was praying for him following Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle’s decision to take a step back from Royal duties.
And said it wasn’t his first time he has been offered the reward.
He said: “It’s a reward for just crossing communities, trying to bring communities together for healing and that’s a good thing and if that helps to increase it it’ll be lovely.
“It was something that was offered some time ago and then I wasn’t so sure about it.
“My reservation which I expressed to them was I didn;t feel that I should be getting an award for something that I should be doing as a priest anyway.
“Sometimes the Queen does it or Prince Charles but it was William that did it. “It was very formal, very nice.”
Speaking to the Ray D’Arcy show on RTE Radio One on Tuesday hours after receiving his OBE, Fr D’Arcy said he had a chat with the Duke of Cambridge.
He said: “He had no notes, he was able to tell me where I worked and how was Enniskillen and Omagh after the bomb, he was right up to date on what I was doing.
“I told him I was praying for the family these days.
“I said to him in my job I’m fairly used to families having difficulties and everything can be worked out as long as we put the sacredness of marriage first.”
