Obituary: Bundoran’s Dr Raymond J Kerr was universally admired and respected

The long and winding queue of sympathisers that extended around the corner from Church Road onto Sheil Avenue in Bundoran in mid December, as the late Dr Raymond Joseph Kerr reposed at his family home and one time doctor’s surgery, was the strongest indication of the huge respect and admiration, in which the retired doctor and the Kerr family, were held in Bundoran and Ballyshannon, where he worked for many years, and before that in Letterkenny and Sligo.
Aged 77, his kindly disposition, gentle and easy going manner, combined with his aura, sensitivity, compassion and devoted care, which were the hallmarks of his deep humanity and physician skills, meant that his passing was felt by so very many people, on a deeply personal level.
In the days and weeks since his passing, the multiplicity of amazing stories that have emerged about his quiet assistance, help, understanding and compassion and indeed contributions, much of which remained private and voluntary, have brought great comfort and solace to his wife Nuala and family in their time of grief.
His genuine humility was another hallmark of a man that will forever be remembered as someone very special, endowed with so many talents, within his own community.
If ever there was a person, rightly attuned, to the integrity, importance, sanctity and upholding and empathy of the Hippocratic oath, it was the late Dr Kerr, who was better known to family and friends as Ray.
At his later Funeral Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Bundoran a packed congregation was told by his lifelong friend Bishop Éamonn Walsh that the late Dr Kerr, acted in the quintessential role of the local GP, who not alone cared for those in the community, but was always anxious to follow up as to their well-being in the weeks, months and even years after.
After attending Bundoran National School, he attended schools in Killashee in Kildare and later Castleknock, before he spent two years in Rome studying for the priesthood and where he became lifelong friends with Éamonn Walsh, who was later to become Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, now retired and who was also the chief celebrant at Ray’s Funeral Mass.
Ultimately, Ray’s calling was to a different vocation and this brought him home to Ireland where he began to study Medicine at UCG, now University of Galway.
In the years after his graduation, he worked in Sligo University Hospital.
It was at that time also, when he met the love of his life, Belfast native Nuala Kelly, who had trained as a nurse in London and had returned to work in the Mater Hospital.
But a call from a close nursing friend who had also moved back to Ireland and worked at Sligo Hospital, saw a timely visit to the north west from Nuala.
A dance at the Great Southern Hotel, saw the couple set eyes on each other for the first time.
Thereafter a special bond was formed, marriage followed and along with his young family they became the pillar and anchor on which he lived the rest of his life.
Ray and Nuala married in 1975 and in 1976 Ray went into General Practice in Letterkenny before being asked to join Dr Ignatius Boyle working in Bundoran and Ballyshannon.
In the days before mobile phones and instant communications, Nuala would remind Ray to ring from the landline of the house he was visiting, usually out of hours, so that she had contact for him, if another emergency call came to the house.
It was a time of being on call 24 hours a day with no holidays until such cover came in later decades, culminating in the advent of group practices.
Although he had surgeries in different addresses in Bundoran and Ballyshannon in 1978, the couple purchased the family home at Church Road.
And for many years thereafter, it was also to be his surgery, along with his Ballyshannon practice, down the Mall, until the formation of the Bayview Family Practice.
This practice was established in 2001 when Dr Majella Grealish joined with the GP Surgery’s of Dr Kerr and Drs. Frank McCurtin, Eamon Stack and Philip Murphy to create a group practice.
His wife later also brought her nursing skills up to date and became a practice nurse, based out of the fledgling group Practice as well.
Ray eventually retired in 2011, and was soon joined by Nuala, as they wanted to spend more time together in his retirement, and indulge in his love of travel.
Back in 1998 Ray had also been strongly involved when the North West Hospice in Care opened in Sligo. He later worked in the Hospice covering Consultant Dr Peter Boles.
He also served as a member of that board and this was in keeping with his deep interest and association with Palliative Care throughout his life.
At Finner Camp, he continued the care to the Defence Forces that had been doctored previously, by his own father, the late Dr Maurice Kerr.
He was also a diligent committee member of the SVP run Ozanam House in Bundoran.
Another legacy that he was strongly associated with, was the continuance of second level education in Bundoran and the ‘Concerned Parents Association’ that emerged after news that Ard Lughaidh was set to close, with plans to move all secondary school students to Ballyshannon.
The culmination of his diplomacy and all round abilities along with his fellow committee members ensured a lasting legacy that is now reflected in the excellent Donegal ETB secondary school, that stands today in Bundoran, Magh Ene College.
Outside of this, his great passion in life was music and more specifically choirs.
He performed with the Manorhamilton Breffni Singers, the Orpheus Choir in Sligo and later with Bel Canto in Ballyshannon as well as the local Sunday and Remembrance Choirs in Our Lady, Star of the Sea. There, in keeping with his deep faith, he also served as a minister of the Eucharist, and served as Prayer Service leader and Eucharistic adoration.
His crowning glory as a singer was with the Orpheus Choir, when they performed Handel’s Messiah in the Royal Albert Hall in London, while his own speciality was his rendition of Santa Lucia.
Personal pain also visited the deceased and family, when his oldest son, Richard passed away suddenly in Glasgow in May of 2013.
Bishop Walsh alluded to his dear friend at the Funeral Mass, which included concelebrants Fr Jeramiah Munyoki, C.C., retired Canon Ramon Munster, Fr John Carroll and Fr Dermot Burke.
He recalled that as a GP between Bundoran and Ballyshannon, Ray had served a total of 37 years, “the quintessential GP, caring, kind, professional and always inquiring about how people were going”.
Referencing a little cross on the altar memorial table, he said that Ray “carried his cross bravely, lightly, played it down, and didn't want to disturb people. He knew he was going but he didn’t want to pain people and he was reading books right up to the end.”
He had visited him and they had a long chat two weeks before his passing and his eyes lit up when they had spoken about different books.
He poignantly pointed out that his friend, had “lived for his family, spoke about you all the time and if you are looking for a model father, I don’t think you would be too far wrong, putting him up there. That was Ray.”
Dr. Kerr, who was predeceased by his son Richard, sister Marie Kennedy, brother-in-law Michael Loughnane and brother and sister-in-law Larry and Claire Burke was the dearly beloved husband of Nuala, and much loved father of sons Richard (deceased), Raymond and partner Claire, daughters Elizabeth and husband Alan Wenden, and Louise.
He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his loving family, sister Renee Loughnane, brothers Maurice and Gerald, brother-in-law Vincent Kennedy, sisters-in-law Regi and Helen Kerr, and Evelyn Nugent, and all his nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, colleagues, neighbours and friends to whom deepest sympathy is extended.
Dr Kerr died on December 12, 2023 and his funeral service took place on Friday, December 15.
After Mass of the Resurrection at the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Bundoran, burial followed afterwards in St. Ninnidh's Cemetery, Newtown, Bundoran.
A man whose instrinic link and unique contribution to the well being of the people of Bundoran and Ballyshannon, on so many different levels, will never be forgotten, may he rest in peace.