Walter was the grandson of Margaret Tinneny
of Belturbet and the son of her daughter Annie Casey of Belturbet and
James Larkin. He was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Although he planned on a career in medicine, after his graduation from
Queen's University in Belfast he responded to the calling to enter the
priesthood.
Walter was ordained a priest at Maynooth,
County Kildare in 1940. He said his first Mass in the old
Catholic Chapel behind the railway station in Belturbet. His
older brother Michael, who by that time was himself studying for the
priesthood, served at his First Mass.
From 1945 until 1970 Walter was assigned to
Saint Malachy's College in Belfast in various positions and spent many
years as President of the college. In 1970 he left the college
and became the parish Priest of Crossgar after completing his
assignment there he served as Parish Priest of Kilkeel. On April
6, 1988, The Very Reverend Cannon Walter Larkin, a priest for 47 years
died of emphysema at Upper Mourne, Kilkeel, County Down. He is
buried there.