Brian D'Arcy CP OBE (born 1 June 1945) is an Irish Passionist priest based in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. A writer, newspaper columnist, broadcaster and preacher. He is the author of several books of trite musings including A Little Bit of Religion and A Little Bit of Healing. Early life and education D'Arcy grew up in the village of Bellanaleck in County Fermanagh. His father Hugh worked at Enniskillen railway station and had been a notable Gaelic Athletic Association footballer in his youth. His primary education was in a local school while his secondary education was in the Christian Brothers Grammar School, Omagh. Having successfully sat the 11-plus exam, he entered St. Michael's College, Enniskillen. He later studied scholastic philosophy at UCD. In September 1962, at the age of 17, D'Arcy became a novice at the Passionist monastery in Enniskillen. A year later he was transferred to Mount Argus in Dublin. He was ordained a priest in December 1969. He was sexually abused while a student priest by a fellow Passionist. Pastoral ministry In his early years as a priest, D'Arcy took it on himself to become acquainted with the showbusiness community in Dublin, visiting dancehalls seven nights a week and apparently hearing confessions from musicians and fans alike, a role he later described as being like 'an unofficial chaplain'. Such was his fame during this period that he reportedly became the inspiration for Dermot Morgan's character, Father Trendy. D'Arcy has publicly opposed the existing disciplinary norms regarding clerical celibacy and has sought the possibility to ordain married priests. D'Arcy was warned in April 2012 that he must now submit his writings and broadcasts to an official censor. D'Arcy has been a prominent supporter of Seán Quinn (once Ireland's richest billionaire) and his family in their court battles with the Irish state. D'Arcy, entirely consistent with his populist tendencies spoke at a rally in July 2012 in protest against the High Court finding Sean Quinn Jnr and his cousin Peter Darragh Quinn in contempt of court for not complying with its order to produce the €451 million they had moved out of the state while owing it to the state. While Seán Jnr served his prison time, Peter Quinn (who was found in contempt on the basis of evidence including a video-tape of him in the Ukraine detailing the crime) became a fugitive: in 2013 the High Court found