1932–2005
Fr Raymond Barry (Ray) was born at Drumheriff, Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, on 29 December 1932. After his secondary school education at Presentation College, Carrick-on-Shannon, he entered the novitiate in Kilshane where he made his first profession on 8 September 1951. UCD awarded him a B.A. (1954) and a H. Dip in Ed. (1955). He prefected at St Michael’s College, 1954-56. Ray studied theology at Fribourg where he received a B.D. in 1958 and S.T.L. in 1960. He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 July 1959 and made his Consecration to the Apostolate on 17 July 1960.
In 1960 Ray’s first appointment was to Sierra Leone where he became a teacher and chaplain at St Edward’s Secondary School, Freetown. In 1962 he was appointed vice-principal of St Paul’s Secondary School, Pujehun. From 1964 until 1974 he was the headmaster of Yengema Secondary School. It was said of him that he saw the bigger picture and educated his pupils to meet the greater challenges of life. He kept in mind the real-life needs of his students, promoting agricultural studies as well as other more academic disciplines. In 1974 Ray took a sabbatical at the Institut Catholique, Paris. He returned to Sierra Leone in 1976 after he had been asked to open the inter-territorial pastoral centre in Kenema, which he had built from scratch. He taught there for eight years, becoming director of the centre, and later served at St Kizito’s Seminary in Kenema.
In 1994 Ray was appointed to the Generalate in Rome as director of information services. Following on from this he took up his new appointment as Irish provincial archivist on 1 January 2002. However, he became unwell in 2004 and was admitted to hospital a number of times for treatment. Fr Raymond died on 22 February 2005 in Mission House, Kimmage Manor, and was buried in the community plot in the cemetery at Dardistown, Co Dublin.
In Memoriam — Drumshanbo Community News
There was widespread shock and sadness in the Community on hearing of the sudden death of Fr. Raymond Barry C.S.Sp last Wednesday morning.
Fr. Barry died peacefully in his armchair at the Holy Ghost Fathers residence in Dublin. He had been in robust health until recent months and was hospitalised on a few occasions but his sudden passing still came as a great shock.
Fr. Barry was a native of Drumherrif and following ordination spent 33 years on the missions in Sierra Leone. He then spent four years at the Holy Ghost Fathers head office in Rome where he acted as information officer for four years. On a number of sabbaticals he did pastoral work in several American cities and in Scotland before returning to Kimmage Manor.
In recent months he had been working on the Order’s archives and in between never missed an opportunity to revisit Drumshanbo where he assisted Fr. Burke in parish duties, especially celebration of the Holy Mass in both St. Patrick’s and the Poor Clare convent where he will be greatly missed.
A brilliant theologian, your correspondent had numerous discussions with him and his breadth of knowledge tempered by his experiences in the mission fields brought a clarity to the great moral and liturgical issues of the day that makes our missionary priests such a cherished and respected group.
Fr. Barry practised real Christianity and his sermons at St. Patrick’s were always invested with the experiences of missionary work and his worldwide travels. He was buried among his confreres in the Holy Ghost plot in Dublin on Saturday last surrounded by family, colleagues and a wide circle of friends.
Fr. Barry is survived by two sisters Mai Moroney (US) and Barbara (UK), nephews, nieces, his Confreres in the Holy Ghost Order and a multitude of friends. Ní raibh a leithéid ann arís. Ar dheis Dé go raibh an anam.
Photographs
Newspaper Cutting — Leaving Certificate Honours
Brilliant Carrick-on-Shannon Pupils: D. Hunt, C. Kiernan and R. Barry, pupils of the Presentation College, Carrick-on-Shannon, who passed their Leaving Certificate Examination with Honours Certificate.