Tributes paid to the late Br. Martin Kearns
The District is mourning the loss of Br. Martin Kearns who passed away suddenly on October 22nd. Many tributes were paid to the very popular member of the Belfast Glanaulin Community. The eulogy below was given by Brother Michael Loran at Brother Martin Kearns’s funeral Mass, St. Teresa of Avila Parish Church, Belfast, on Thursday, 28 October 2021.
My Lord Abbot, Rev Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, our kind neighbours and friends - good morning to you all. Thank you for your presence among us on this very sad occasion but also a time to be grateful to God for Brother Martin a dedicated person, committed to the Christian Education of young people as a De La Salle Brother while living out his religious vocation among us.
I wish on behalf of Br. Martin’s family circle and the De La Salle Community and indeed on behalf of the many Brothers, confreres of Br. Martin who are unable to be with us at this time to extend our sincere sympathies to his family and to his many friends. In particular we offer our deepest sympathy to his nieces Gráinne, Paula and Nuala, his nephews Damien, Ciarán, Cathal and Brian, and to their families. Also, to the community and staff in Miguel House Nursing Home in Castletown, County Laois who cared for him so well over the past two months.
Br. Martin was a proud Belfast man, proud of his family and his school days on the Falls Road and that’s why he’s here today. We are fulfilling his long held wish to be interred in Milltown cemetery.
He was born in Earlscourt Street, just off the Falls Road on Stephen’s Day 1948. He was baptised in St. Paul’s Parish Church and christened Walter Stephen. He went to St. Galls Primary School and he sang in the Clonard Choir – that was a cherished time in his C V. He often reminded us of his first day in St. Gall’s – his mother brought him in to meet Br. Leopold Spillane who greeted him with a question “What age are you Wallie?” Promptly Wallie answered, “I’m five, what age are you?” No reply has been recorded!
Fast forward and we find Walter twelve or thirteen years of age and attending the Christian Brothers Grammar School in Barrack St. With great excitement he rushed home from school one evening calling out “Mammy, I’m going to be a Christian Brother.” Looking around in amazement his mother exclaimed, “Oh, you better tell Br. Leopold.” Off they went to meet his favourite teacher and mentor. While his mother remained outside, Wallie greeted his host with the announcement, “Br. Leopold, I’m going to be a Christian Brother.” Unperturbed, the maestro looked around at his former pupil and calmly remarked, “Oh, I see,” followed by a stern question. “And when are you going Wallie?” Wallie replied: “I’m going in September, Brother.” To which Br. Leopold responded: “Walter, you’re going to Castletown in September.” “Yes Brother,” was the tame reply! Castletown was our college for young aspirants to the De La Salle Brothers in those days. Weren’t vocations and recruiting made simple in the 1950s- 60s?
On 14th September 1965 he commenced his Novitiate year in Castletown and received the habit or robe of the De La Salle Brothers and was given the name Brother Martin. On completing that year of religious formation he made his First Profession and proceeded to professional studies and Teacher Training in Waterford. In July 1973 he made his total commitment to our Institute when he took his Final Vows. Martin continued with further studies between his teaching assignments in Dundalk, Ballyfermot and Churchtown in Dublin. However, his first choice in mission was to the welfare and education of young people in the Children’s Care Centre in Finglas, Dublin and later in St. Patrick’s Training School here on the Glen Road.
Along with all that Martin was an avid reader, constantly in search of new fields of study. There were weekly trips to the library, newspapers and of course the daily crosswords. The Times and Irish News crosswords were part of the morning routine. On a number of occasions the Irish News correct solutions were off in the post and sure enough the £25 prize followed not for his favourite chocolate bars or ice cream but into the Vincent De Paul Sunday collection. Thank you Martin from our SVP parish group.
From here I will rely on the many notes sent in by several Brothers, His ‘best teacher’ wrote: “As a student, Br Martin was outstanding: he completed the Leaving Cert course in one year 1967 and finished with honours in all subjects - an amazing academic achievement.”
““Some years ago a group of us took a holiday in Donegal. Martin came with us and brought along his fiddle. Out on the town socialising the fiddler was the big attraction. So much so that free pints of Guinness were served to the musician and singers. What a holiday!””
In 1995 Martin joined the staff of La Salle Boy’s School here in Andersonstown as Counsellor and Study Guide. He was very much on home ground both geographically and in terms of his subject area. He was professionally confidential in all matters with his students. He was meticulous in terms of work and counselling. Br. Martin was very active with church groups, choirs, etc., and one could say he was on standby for special occasions or indeed anywhere there would be a sing song.
But it wasn’t all gallivanting and ballad singing. Martin was a deep spiritual person. Invariably, he would be at his place in our community chapel long before prayer time with beads in his hand in silent prayer. The same for the parish morning mass, even as the dementia was closing in on him he would leave the house long before mass time for fear he would be late. He was a frequent visitor to Portglenone and he would give us an account of how he followed the full monastic time table for his retreat. Martin often spoke of the kindness and care Dom Celsus and his community had for him on these occasions.
Soon after he came to the Glen Road he teamed up with parish and schools preparing groups for Lourdes. He also took part in a number of Summer Projects in Ethiopia with groups from La Salle, Belfast. This was a completely new venture for Martin when many people thought he would retire with his books and music. But not so, he settled for three years in Ethiopia where at times the weather conditions were difficult to bear in challenging living conditions.
Tributes
I will conclude with a few further quotes from notes that have come in –
· “Martin’s conversations always ended with a laugh or a smile – he had a great command of language and a marvellous memory for detail.”
· “In recent years Martin paid many visits to Ballyfermot, Dublin – he was always most pleasant company. Music was his passion. He was really gifted and he shared that gift generously.”
· “He was a great support to any event in school and the pop-up choir and young musicians were ready for anything when lead by Brothers Eugene and Martin.”
· “Martin loved playing the fiddle at funerals in Castletown – again he was thorough in his preparation even phoning / emailing the organist the day beforehand about the ‘dots and lines’ not to mention the keys and the music sheet. ‘Funerals will never be the same again’”
· “This (Counselling) was hidden work, impossible to evaluate in terms of A, B, or C … a lot of patience, tolerance and forgiveness.”
· “Br. Martin was always near and dear to his family. No matter where he was he kept in close contact with all at home. He never missed birthday gatherings – a phone call, greeting card – he was always close.”
Let us praise God again for Martin’s dedicated life as we pray for the eternal repose of his soul. Thank you Martin for the memories agus go dtuga Dia suaimhneas síoraí do d’anam uasal.
Br. Michael Loran
