Priest at centre of row over woman's £1.6m will dies in Dublin

A priest at the centre of a row in the US over a £1.6 million will has died.

Father Patrick Cooke, a 70-year-old member of the Holy Ghost order, who had been ill with skin cancer, died on Saturday at the Marian House hospice in Dublin. He had returned to Ireland earlier this year.

He will be buried in Mount Jerome cemetery today following Requiem Mass at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Kimmage Manor, at 10 a.m.

In a statement on Friday, the order said it would return $204,500 received as a donation from an American woman's will if the US courts found that "undue influence" had been exerted on the woman, Ms Violet Boquet, by Father Cooke.

The order was responding to a decision by a jury in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, last week that Father Cooke should be removed as executor of the estate of Ms Boquet, who died in 1996 aged 87. She left him the equivalent of £1.6 million.

Juries in such common plea court cases in the US have an advisory role only. Their decision is being considered by a judge and if it is upheld the money will have to be returned.

The judge's decision is expected within two weeks.

The case against the will was instigated by a niece of Ms Boquet's, who argues that her aunt had known Father Cooke only since 1994, when he became parish priest of Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania.

As a judicial decision in the case is pending, a spokesman for the Holy Ghost Fathers said they believed they were prevented from commenting in detail on the case. However, he added that should a new executor be appointed, and request a return of the money, the order would co-operate fully.

"During the years 1996-7 the Holy Ghost Fathers received in good faith donations for its missionary work totalling $204,500 from the estate of Violet Boquet. This money was given for the missionary purposes of the province and was accepted for these purposes," he said.