In a world seemingly swamped with bad news, with constant stories about the worst that people can do to each other, occasionally someone appears who provides a light in all the darkness, a sign of hope to counteract despair. Raymond Leonard was one such person.
Born in Monaghan, he moved to Armagh at the age of eight and attended Armagh CBS and St Brigid’s High School. So far, so ordinary. But as he grew and matured, he blossomed into the kind of individual that every community needs but few are fortunate enough to have.
Raymond was special in so many ways – a highly spiritual young man laced with goodness and kindness and who invariably put others first.
An absorbing interest in history made him a valued contributor to many local historical groups. He had an unquenchable enthusiasm for “Old Armagh” and the material he produced, not least his library of rarely-seen photographs, met with a huge response on social media.
His online musings on life and current affairs also highlighted his incomparable sense of humour. How he loved the banter and the craic. One close friend described him as an ‘Armagh icon” who was both witty and eccentric. Another said Facebook would never be the same without him.
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Another great passion of Raymond’s was literature. He read extensively and among his favourite topics were histories of Ireland and the Roman Empire. He also studied philosophy in search of a deeper understanding of the spiritual way of life.
His ethical and moral principles were not just theoretical; he acted on them. The greatest example was when he volunteered for the organ donation programme and donated a kidney which transformed the life of a young boy. The story was related by Raymond himself online.
Asked why he did it, he said: “The only answer I could honestly give is because I wanted to. I had two kidneys, only needed one, another person could benefit from the spare and the operation to give it over is safe so why not? That is really the height of it... My view of things just seem to have brought me to it. That’s all. I don’t think that is something that is ‘extraordinary’.”
A month before the operation, Raymond was told that a perfect match had been found in a three-year-old boy who had suffered from kidney failure from birth. He learned later that it allowed him to start eating solid foods for the first time in his life.
Raymond said: “I’m not saying that you should donate your spare kidney – remember, we can get along as easily with one as with two, and I and many others are living proof of that – to a complete stranger; I’m just saying that you very probably won’t regret it if you do. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
Never one to duck a challenge, just a year after his kidney donation, Raymond took part in the 2018 Dublin marathon. It was one of his proudest moments.
A deep thinker, Raymond knew there was more to existence than his brief spell on earth.
He was an amazing person, whose warmth and personality touched the hearts of so many people; an extraordinary and gregarious young man, forever personifying happiness and love.
A deep thinker, Raymond knew there was more to existence than his brief spell on earth
To those who knew him, and there were many, they have lost a shining light in their lives. His example and influence will continue to inspire.
Raymond died unexpectedly aged just 44 after a tragic accident at his home on January 18. Mourners at his funeral included the young kidney recipient, now aged 10, who travelled from England.