I lost a friend of more than six decades last week – although lost is the wrong word, for he has gone to a far less troubled world. He was also more than a friend – he was a guide, confidant and often even a confessor.

 His name was Fr. Walter Macken, son of the well-known Irish novelist and playwright, Walter Macken, whose hugely popular historical fiction were international bestsellers in the second half of the twentieth century and are still in print today. He died on May 21.

Fr. Macken was a priest of the prelature of Opus Dei. He spent most of his life in Ireland working as a chaplain in university residences in Dublin and Galway and in Rockbrook Park School in Dublin.

He was born in London  on 10 April, 1938, to where his parents had emigrated a short time before. His mother Margaret (Peggy) was a member of the Kenny family of Galway, daughter of  Tom Kenny, editor of the Connacht Tribune.

In the summer of 1939, when war seemed imminent, the family returned to Galway with their new-born son. Walter senior, already writing and interested in theatre, got a job in the Taibhdhearc as an actor, director and producer.

Walter Og, as he was known in the family, began his schooling in Scoil Fhursa on St. Mary’s Road, Salthill. After a time, however, in 1947, the family – which now included Walter Og’s younger brother, Ultan, – moved to Dublin. There Walter senior got a job as an actor with the Abbey Theatre. Later, after a further spell back in Galway, he became the Director of the Abbey.

While the family lived in Dublin in the late 1940s and early 1950s Walter Og attended Catholic University School and Belvedere College. When they moved back to Galway he attended the Jesuit’s St. Ignatius College and did his Leaving Certificate there. He was a member of the trophy-winning rowing team of the school in those years.

A school friend of those years was Oliver Powell whose family ran the landmark Four Corners store in Shop Street. Powell had already joined Opus Dei at that stage and through his encouragement Wally Og did so as well. His parents were very happy with what they and he saw as a response to a vocation to give his life to God in Opus Dei.

After his Leaving Cert Walter went to University College Dublin for a short time but in 1958 went to Rome to study philosophy in the pontifical Lateran University. After completing his degree there he went to study and work as a journalist in the University of Navarra in Pamplona in Spain.

Then, in the early ‘sixties, the founder of Opus Dei, Msgr. Escriva de Balaguer, now St Josemaria – with whom he had been on intimate terms since his time in Rome – asked him if he would be happy and willing to receive holy orders and serve as a priest in Opus Dei. Without any hesitation he said ‘Yes’. He was ordained in 1962 and after a further short time in Barcelona, he came to London and worked there for a year. He then moved back to Ireland and for the rest of his  life worked pastorally in student centres, schools, providing spiritual accompaniment to souls, giving retreats and teaching.

Fr. Walter had a very engaging personality, was a gifted raconteur, a gifted linguist, musician and sportsman. In mid-life he even ran the Dublin marathon – but did not claim to have broken any records.

He will be sadly missed by his many friends and by all those whom he helped throughout his long and fruitful life.

His death occurred peacefully on the afternoon of May 21 in the care of the sisters and staff of Our Lady’s Manor in Dalkey, Dublin.