Requiem Mass for the former Bishop of Down and Connor, Bishop Anthony Farquhar, has taken place in Belfast.

Bishop Farquhar died last Friday at the Nazareth Care Village, where he had been looked after in recent years.

He was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor in the 1980s and remained in the position for over 30 years.

Originally born in the Belfast Parish of Holy Rosary in 1940, he entered St Malachy's College in 1951 before commencing Philosophical and Classical studies at Queen's University Belfast in 1957.

He continued his studies in Rome where he graduated from the Pontifical Lateran University with both a Bachelor's Degree in Theology and a Licentiate in Theological Studies before returning to the Diocese of Down and Connor.

Ordained a priest in March 1965, his first appointment in the diocese was to the parish of Ardglass.

In September 1966, Bishop Farquhar was appointed to the staff of St MacNissi’s College, Garron Tower, where he taught until 1970 before taking up an appointment as Assistant Chaplain at Queen’s University Belfast.

It was noted at today's mass that Bishop Farquhar loved his time teaching at Garron Tower as well as his time as a religious lecturer in education and chaplain at the New University of Ulster in Coleraine.

Canon Patrick McKenna, who gave the homily, said that Bishop Farquhar formed friendships with colleagues and students that lasted a lifetime.

In 1983, Bishop Anthony Farquhar was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor. He retired in December 2015.

He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Ulster University for his service to the university and to the community in 2016.

Canon Patrick McKenna told those gathered - including Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor and Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh Cardinal Sean Brady - that Bishop Tony loved golf and the GAA.

He said the week that Bishop Farquhar was invited to become a bishop they were playing golf at Portstewart.

"But he had to remain silent about his appointment. His golf was not up to scratch that day."

Cannon McKenna said that in his own unique way Bishop Farquhar communicated the Good News of Salvation through sport.

Following the mass, Bishop Farquhar's internment took place at the adjoining cemetery to the Church of the Good Shepherd on the Ormeau Road in Belfast.