His scheduled homecoming marks his return to live in Ireland for the first time since May 1992, when he left after admitting he had had an affair with American divorcee Annie Murphy and fathered a son, Peter.

Since 1992, the 78-year-old has lived in the US, Mexico, Ecuador and Britain. He has made a number of low-profile visits home in recent years.

A fortnight ago, the current bishop of Galway, Dr Martin Drennan, announced that Casey would be returning to Ireland to live out his retirement at Shanaglish, in the parish of Beagh, four miles from Gort, Co Galway.

Michael Whelan of Whelan's Bar in Shanaglish told the Sunday Tribune last night:

"We have heard media reports that Dr Casey is due back in Ireland this weekend.

Apart from that, nobody in the area seems to know when exactly he is going to arrive here.

"The community is looking forward to him coming to live here."

It has been reported that Casey will stay with relatives elsewhere until an investigation into allegations of abuse made against him last November is complete and he is exonerated.