18/02/2025
RAYMOND KIRK.
So very sorry to hear about the passing into Eternal Life of one of Strabane's finest gentlemen, the great Raymond Kirk.
I met Raymond for the first time in 1982. I called into the shop, we talked, he found out my background, we immediately clicked and before I walked out of the shop he had offered me a job.
I spent the best part of 9 enjoyable years working alongside him and I couldn't have had a better mentor and boss who taught me the true values of life.
Raymond was a man of great faith. He said the Rosary daily and had great devotion to Padre Pio, The Devine Mercy and Our Lady amongst others. When I took over the shop from Raymond in December 2017 I told him I had been praying to Saint Martin for a change in my life and with tears in his eyes he said that he also had been praying to Saint Martin that the right person would take over his beloved shop - the power of prayer.
I think Raymond took over the shop in 1975 from O'Dohertys in tough times. I came across a ledger of Raymond's. In it he mentioned that the window had been put in on several occasions with bombs at Shiels, the Town Hall, Wellworths etc but the shop is still going 50 years on.
Raymond was very kind, considerate and compassionate. I speak with people regularly who tell me how in times of struggle he sorted them out with items of clothing and even financially. He helped people new to the town with his acts of kindness, Dumper Joe, Ernest and the Mc Donagh family come to mind. He was good to people from all walks of life.
I started Sion Swifts in 1988 whilst working in the shop and people would call with me to talk about football but as a great GAA man and Gael Raymond would always say jokingly "Don't be talking about that aul foreign sport in here".
I don't know where he got the energy from, he was a night owl and was always involved in something other than the shop including the GAA, Tops of the Town, Arts Festivals, Community projects and St. Pat's Hall.
If I was half the man that Raymond Kirk was I would be happy.
My sincere condolences to Lilian, Aine, Shiela, Luke, Jack, Andrew, Hannah and the wider family circle.
Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on Raymond's soul.
