Fr Brendan McMullan was a dedicated pastor who also left a deep imprint on the cultural life of Belfast through his passion for the Irish language and music.
Although born in England, his first language as a child was Irish.
His parents, Michael and Phoebe, were gaeilgeoirs from Antrim and returned to Ireland when Brendan was still a child.
He would work as a primary school teacher for 10 years before studying for the priesthood, being ordained in 1964.
He was then appointed to teach in St Malachy’s College in north Belfast, where his brother Fr Kevin had begun assembling an orchestra.
Brendan, also being very musical, built up a choir and it soon established a reputation as the best in Northern Ireland.
“Brendan was so proud when they became the first school choir in Ireland to perform Mozart’s Requiem,” said Fr Martin Kelly, a former colleague at St Malachy’s and administrator of nearby St Patrick’s parish, who delivered the homily at his funeral at St Colman’s Church, Lambeg.
In 1970 Fr Brendan would be appointed a curate in St Patrick’s.
The Troubles were at their height and he would play a much-valued pastoral role following many tragic days, including the McGurk’s Bar massacre of December 1971, when a UVF bomb killed 15 people including two children.
Later, at the age of 70, he found himself hijacked at gunpoint on the city’s Donegall Road by hooded youths who took his car. He told at the time how he feared for his life and was left badly shaken.
While parish priest in Derriaghy on the outskirts of Belfast he also experienced an arson attack on St Patrick’s Church when a burning tyre was placed at the front door.
All of these took their toll and, in 1989, in a homily at a Mass for fellow silver jubiliarians at Maynooth, he asked his classmates “How many times in 25 years have we cried inside ourselves?”
However, Fr Brendan – who also served in the St Peter’s and St Colmcille’s parishes in west and east Belfast – always retained a deep faith as well as great sense of humour, often expressed in mischief and fun.
His parents had a profound influence on him, handing on that faith and a great love of the Irish language and history.
He worked hard all his life to promote the language and was involved in the development of bunscoils in the city at a time when there was little government support.
He also loved saying the Irish Mass at St Mary’s Church in Belfast city centre.
Bunscoil Phobal Feirste said: “He was a priest, a friend and an integral part of school life from the early days and left a lasting impact and footprint on us all.
“A kind and gentle man who had time to listen to everyone.”
Another passion was rugby, with Fr Brendan playing in the front row for Malone Thirds team. He celebrated Mass many times in the Europa Hotel for visiting teams.
At Easter he would organise a challenge match between a civil service rugby team and GAA players from Andersonstown in west Belfast.
“Fr Brendan had many, many friends and he cherished them,” Fr Kelly said.
“He was loyal and thoughtful to them all, and they to him. Many weddings, baptisms and celebrations. They were faithful and loyal to him right up to the end and Brendan was waked in one of their homes, this says a lot.
“Friendship sustained Brendan, on his faith filled journey home to God our Father.”
Fr Brendan McMullan died on November 26.
Predeceased by his siblings Roisin and Fr Kevin, he is survived by his brothers Mícheál and Fergus and family circle.
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