AN IRISH charity worker has received a papal knighthood from Pope Francis for his selfless commitments to the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS-GB).
Eamonn Delaney, 70, from Guildford, received the honour for his service of 12 years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of AOS-GB, where he caters for the spiritual and temporal needs of many seafarers.
The honour, known as the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great, is one of the five Orders of Knighthood of the Holy See and is the highest papal honour a Catholic layman can be presented with.
Mr Delaney received the honour at Southwark Catholic Cathedral this week, with two bishops, 14 priests and 200 people in attendance.
Born in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Mr Delaney was educated at Synge Street CBS in Dublin, where he cites the early Catholic ethos instilled within him from a young age as an influence on his life.
He left Ireland in 1964, spending nine years in Ghana, where he was the MD of the Lloyd’s Agency, and nine years in Greece, where he specialised in marine claims as the resident director of a Lloyd’s Broker.
With a background in shipping, Mr Delaney was approached by AOS-GB as someone who understood the particular needs and difficulties of seafarers – one of the most dangerously exploited professions in the world.
Over the years he has worked to protect the interest of seafarers, organising Skype calls for those missing home, union visits for those with work issues and coast guards for those in danger.
He said: “Sometimes we see the tangible results of our efforts and this of course gives us personal satisfaction for helping someone in need.”
Mr Delaney is also the chairman of a night centre for homeless men in Guildford and a trustee for the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, which looks after trawler men all around the country.
Speaking of his achievement, he said: “The conferring of the KGS knighthood is an extraordinary honour for a Catholic layman and the impact is huge.
“My day of investiture is one I will never forget.”
