He added that the Martin family were proud and honoured when their brother Eamon entered Maynooth as a young man to study for the priesthood and were even prouder when he was ordained at the age of 26.

BBC: Northern Ireland

Speaking on Irish state broadcaster Rates' News at One, Fr Twomey, the Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at NUI Maynooth, said he was shocked at the Pope's resignation, but in hindsight he had given "some signals" in an interview last year.

BBC: Pope Benedict XVI