The Barry’s;

One doesn’t know how to start something like this; my deepest condolences go out to your family, friends, and loved ones for suffering a tremendous loss. Kieran was always one who’s rays were shining ever so vibrantly, fiercely, and strong.

Kieran, you have and always will be missed. You have always been one to be a rock, a solid friend, life-long friend. Just because the universe has a different path for you to walk upon now, I strongly believe you’re still here walking the paths side by side all your loved ones.

Your spark will never dim, the flame will never cease. Your love will always remain in the hearts of those who you touched.

It’s with great sadness to write this.

I pray everlasting peace and serenity reaches you; I know it has. We all love you down here buddy; as you may not be walking physically beside us, your always there in the dark and light times sharing the experience with us all.

Can’t believe this is true :(.

Life long friends. From one universe to another.

Love you Kieran.

Sleep well xx

To Michael ,Shelley and Dorothy
Condolences on the death of Kieran.
I had the pleasure of meeting him in Mallow at the time of his grandmother's funeral. Dorothy ensured that everybody met her gorgeous precious nephew. I can still picture that very curious and beautiful boy.
Thinking of you all and Kieran's extended family at this sad time. 

Shelley and Michael,
My heartfelt sympathies to you both.
Such a tragedy to lose a child. He had such a beautiful personality, the best parts of his loving mom and dad. You are in my thoughts and prayers always.
Love from
Yvonne, Ed, Nick & Adam

Mike so sorry to hear of Kieran”s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and his Mother. Such an unbearable loss Mike and I hope you have family and friend’s support to help you in your unimaginable grief. Marilee

So shocked at saddened by the news. Sending love and condolences to Michael, Shelly and Aunty Dorothy - and hoping that beautiful memories of Kieran's too-short life will provide some comfort to you.  With deepest sympathy, Anita

My sincere condolences to Michael, Shelley and to Dorothy. Thank you for inviting us to be part of the celebration of Kieran’s short but precious life. We were all delighted to meet him in 2011 and were struck by his beautiful friendly manner. I hope that you can draw on all the wonderful memories of Kieran to ease the pain in what will be difficult days ahead. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Jacqueline, Chris, Aoife, Tomás and Robert

Kieran Barry: Tribute by Uncle Gerry

I would like to express my deep condolences and sympathy to you Shelley - and to you Michael and to all the family on the passing of Kieran. We all ache with you at the magnitude of this loss.  

I remember when Kieran was born. My wife Evy (your sister ) was so excited at the arrival of this new baby boy – you will recall that she would put on her best Irish- Canadian accent and tell all who would listen that there was a new boy in the family and his name was Kieran Victor Barry – aye - Kieran Barry .

Life is from God and no matter how difficult it seems at times like this, it is worth celebrating.

Kieran’s arrival in this family brought celebration and Joy. He was the youngest of the grandchildren, he was a beautiful child, and came with more energy than we had seen before. 

One summer when Kieran was about 3, the Victor Derksen clan decided to rent a huge lodge, at a place called Minaki. To take care of Kieran, a sort of cousin brigade was organized by his mom and his aunts – but they were no match for Kieran – he ignored most instruction and effortlessly eluded all patrols unless they were named Rachel. The main floor of the lodge was about 20 feet above the water, and there was a large balcony that hung out over the water. At a certain point Kieran got away from the brigade and was seen standing on the 2nd rung of the railing, hanging over the top rung with a big smile on his face shouting “shuud I dzump – shuud I dzump” ? I’m happy to say that the cousin patrol quickly regained control – if only for a few minutes.

Kieran grew up very quickly it seems, and we would see you both in Winnipeg at Christmas or for family weddings.

I was sitting in the hospital with Opa / Victor the night before Opa died. Shelley – you and Kieran came to the hospital as soon as your plane landed and went right up to Opa and spoke to him. You first, and then Kieran right behind you. I was amazed at Kieran’s sensitivity and that he was not put off at all by seeing Opa in that state. Opa was no longer responding at that point, but was likely aware. Those of us that were there, standing nearby were wondering - is Opa waiting – is he holding on until Shelley and Kieran arrived? Kieran said emphatically in response – “He was waiting until we got here.”

Kieran, it seems to me, was a thoughtful young man - and was aware of the deeper things in life. And Shelley – we could see that he cared for you deeply, and we could see how you poured yourself into him. The two of you had a very close relationship – that was apparent.  You were so close with this boy and you know things about him that no-one else does and you shared things with him that no one else shared. Blessings to you for being that kind of a mom for Kieran.  The hole that is left by Kieran’s passing, and the pain that is felt because Kieran is no longer here – is hugely impactful for everyone that knew him, but it will be particularly impactful for you and for Michael, his mother and his father. May God comfort you in that deep place of pain where nobody goes – may you experience God’s healing from this – because only God can heal that kind of pain.

At Evy’s funeral you and Linda read Psalm 23 as a comfort for all of us. Allow me to now read some those beautiful words back to you –
Ps 23.
The Lord is my shepherd – I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. 
Even though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Kieran. As your cousin closest in age on the Derksen side, I remember your presence more than specific moments. Your name, strong and Irish, a constant name in our family. Your energy, endless and occasionally overwhelming. Your smile, bright and genuine in every photo (except the one from Oma and Opa's 50th, where the 3-piece suit was obviously unbearable). The specific moments, then, I remember too. Your first physical fight, with a stranger in a Winnipeg ice cream shop. Your prank call to Tante Tamara, the comedy of which was perhaps misunderstood by the family. Your colourful vocabulary, beyond your years and beyond ours too. Your commitment to being the best you could be in the moment, and your humility. We couldn't know everything that was happening in your short life, but I commend you for being so present and cheerful, regardless. The 9th photo frame on the wall at 63 Jeffrey will always hang for you, even if a little emptier at the moment. Rebecca

Dear Kieran:

This is not a letter I thought I’d ever write. 

It breaks my heart that you are no longer on the earth as I have loved you since the day I met you.

You’re the first baby (before Emily), that I really loved and felt a connection to even though we didn’t live close. It’s your mom’s and my friendship that attributed to it for sure.

I remember how much you loved your soother. lol I can still, after all these years, hear your little voice calling out “Sooder Sooder”. Uncle Brett and I still mimic you to this day….and then we laugh. It was pretty cute. :)

I watched and listened to you grow from a far and every time I would visit, you always had time for a conversation with me. When I saw you in Winnipeg, you were always happy to see me and the last time I saw you was at your Opa’s funeral. I tapped you on the shoulder and when you turned around your smile and how your eyes lit up told me that you loved me too. It took a few seconds for you to recognize me because of my shaved head lol but when you did you were so cute and you said “oh my mom is going to be so happy you’re here…let me go find her”. You knew how special your mom and my relationship is. 

Kieran, you were Shelley’s world and a large part of my world. I can’t believe you’re gone.

Thank you for bringing your mom joy over the years. Let’s be honest, there were some super hard things that happened in your life and it was devastating…but your mom loved you the most on earth, and her #1 concern was always your wellbeing. She loved you with every fiber of her being.

For the ones left to live life without you, this is the worst. This wasn’t the plan and when plans change drastically and devastatingly, it’s tough to think of what life is going to look like. Please know that I will walk with your mom for the rest of her life and I will do my best to take care of her for you. We will keep your memory alive. 

February 21st will come every year and I will never forget that day that you left. 

I will never forget you. 

Rest well Kieran…..

Auntie Diana

Deepest condolences to Shelley ,Mike and Aunt Dorothy and Kierans extended family on his most untimely death at a mere 21 years. How cruel life can be. I will remember him as a finely built young lad of about 11, when i last saw him. He was just getting into rugby, where i believe he left his mark in St Albert.
Our thoughts are with you, His parents, today and ours hope that you can overcome , in time, this terrible sadness it must bring
Fred and Ursula in Dublin

It was with shock and disbelief that I heard of the very, very sad death of your dear Kieran RIP. May I offer my heartfelt condolences to you Michael, Shelley, Aunty Dorothy and the Kieran's extended family.
I remember Kieran as a lovely polite young boy who had a great sense of fun, loved to ask questions and was comfortable in the company of people he was meeting even for the first time. I remember meeting him in 'Sunville' at his Granny Nora's funeral where he took a great interest in everyone and everything. I also enjoyed a lovely meal with him in Clontarf where he was accompanied by his Dad and Aunty Dorothy. Our mutual friend Anne, also joined us and I remember Kieran saying "I will have the duck please" I was very impressed with his choice, given his young age.
I hope that as Kieran rests in peace, the pain of his loss will be eased for you Michael, Shelley, Aunty Dorothy and all the family, by the memories of his adventures from childhood and the great times ye shared during his all too short life.
Be assured of my prayers for Kieran and all the family during this very difficult time.
May Kieran rest in peace.

Dear Michael & Shelly
As we write to you with our condolence, my head is filled with images of Kieran - the joyful, happy, bubbly boy. There are no words to adequately express the sadness we felt when we heard about the passing of Kieran. As long as memories remain, Kieran will live long in our hearts. We hope time will heal your grief. Thinking of you.
Lots of Love, Trish & Charlie O'Sullivan, Dromdowney.

Dear Michael, Shelly and both extended families,
We were deeply saddened to hear that your lovely Kieran has passed away. We send you our love, sympathy, thoughts & support at this sad time. We have fond memories of Kieran trying to catch our wild cats on his 2011 trip to Dromsligo.  He was a gorgeous child.
"Thou your days here were brief, your spirit was alive, awake, complete".
Love Rita, John & Timmy.

For Kieran: 21 years 21/02/2021

I did not share in the knowing of you then
But I share in the soul-ache of your going.
I see you in an aura of love
Secure as in a blanket
Sure and steady in your place in family
With hearts linked through generations.
You were a gift, a brightening
With news and photos eagerly awaited-
The gentle cuddle of your warm head -
A quirky gosoon in short pants-
The gangly teen in sports mode
The warming smile of the young man
Your Aunty Dorothy's darling boy.
Your eyes piercing pools of curiosity
Reflecting the adventures of joyous times
Shared and stored in the family's memory bank-
Seen and known through the lens of love.
"He's in there somewhere!"
And you are - in the mighty trees
The snowy mountains high-
In the stars and the blue blue sky
And the rippling wavelets of the sea.
You have left your footprints in our hearts
Bathed in love and smiles
For those you love and who love you dearly.
It is your time to leave us
But for us, too, too soon.

Kieran, codhladh sámh

Remembering Kieran especially today. I only had the chance to interact with him a few times, but was always impressed by how easy it was to talk to him, and by his ready smile. I know he will be missed terribly by you, Shelley, and his dad, family, and friends. You are in my thoughts and prayers. God's peace be with you.

Dear Michael. Shelly, Dorothy and extended family,

It is with great sadness we write to you on the loss of your beloved Kieran. We can only imagine the pain in your hearts. We are so glad that we got to meet and spend time with Kieran in Dromsligo on his visits to Ireland. He really was a chirpy, cheery little fella with so much life in him. It's hard to believe that his life has been cut so short.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this horrific time and we pray you will have the strength needed to get through.

We will always remember Kieran fondly in our hearts,
Liz and John Gaine and family

We were so sad to hear about Kieran’s untimely passing and we send our deepest sympathy to his parents Shelley and Michael, to his Aunty Dorothy and all his family.
Though we never had the privilege of meeting Kieran we heard so much about him from his Aunty Dorothy and Grandma Nora when she was alive.He was much loved and cherished and they were so proud of him always.
We hope that precious and loving memories will sustain his parents and family in their grief. May he rest in peace with his Grandparents and departed loved ones until we are all reunited one day.
We will always carry Kieran in our hearts.

With love and deepest condolences

Mary and Paul Buckenham and family.

We (the Derksen cousins) are shaken by this loss. We had a zoom call the other day to reminisce about Kieren, and agreed that as the youngest cousin, Kieren had a special place in our hearts. He brought life to our gatherings and we are all so grateful we got to spend the time we did with him whenever he came to Winnipeg, and he is deeply missed. Tante Shelley you are in our thoughts and prayers. Love Jesse

It was with great sadness I heard from Dorothy of Kieran’s untimely death. A few short months ago on November 16 th 2020 I had a different phone call from Dorothy. It was a special day for the Barry family . It was Kieran’s twenty first birthday. Dorothy reminisced of the times she shared with Kieran both on his visits to Ireland and on her visits to Canada. She treasured those times so much and was looking forward to developing her friendship with him in the future. I lit a large bright candle in my home that day to celebrate all the mischief, love , joy and happiness that Kieran had brought to many lives. I never met Kieran but from conversations with Dorothy it was very evident that Kieran was a much loved son and a very precious nephew. May I offer my deepest sympathy to Michael , Shelley and Auntie Dorothy at this time of profound grief and sadness. My hope for you is that the memories of the love and good times shared with Kieran will sustain into the future. However

     “ Let us not look for you only in memory...
       We would want to find you in presence
       Beside us when beauty brightens
       When kindness glows
       And when music echoes eternal tones”
                            John O Donoghue

Solas na BhFlaitheas anois do Kieran . Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Jacinta Mitchell Lucan Co. Dublin
 






                 
  

It is with profound sadness that we heard from Dorothy of the untimely death of your beloved son, Kieran. Nothing can prepare us for the death of a child, who was so deeply loved and cherished, as Kieran was. We have fond memories of a 'pre-flight' brunch in Clontarf many years ago when we were introduced to a fun-loving happy and carefree young boy, clearly loved by his dad and Auntie Dorothy. You have shared twenty one years together. Our wish for you is that the wonderful memories that you have created together will sustain you through the lonely days ahead and into the future. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Suaimhneas síoraí dó.
Anne and Tom (Clontarf)

Mary and David in Fermoy were shocked and saddened by the news of Kieran's death and we offer Michael, Shelly and Dorothy our sincere and deep condolences. May Kieran now be at peace with the good Lord, in the bosom of Abraham, where Lazarus is poor no longer and may the many happy memories of Kieran over the years be of support to you at this sad time. Lux aeterna luceat eo.

Dear Kieran,
We were so saddened to learn from your Aunty Dorothy about your sudden, unexplained death.
Tom and I met you but twice -the first time with our son, Colm, in a restaurant in Cork. We were immediately captivated by your lovely smile. Colm and you got on like the proverbial "house on fire ". While the "boring "adults talked about boring adult stuff, ye talked computer games and sport. Colm gave you a "sliotar" that day- little did we realize that he would be the Head Groundsman in Croke Park, which you had visited with your beloved Aunty Dorothy. I know that Dad, Michael, was well aware of passing on the bit of Irish heritage.
The second time was for your Grandma, my Auntie Nora's funeral. It was a daunting prospect for you meeting all the people who attended,- but you carried yourself with great dignity and decorum for such a young man.
Our hearts go out to your parents, Shelley and Michael- we trust they will be supported by their friends and neighbours in the hours, days and months ahead.
With love from the Cork cousins,
Lilian, Eddie, Proinnsias and Maire and their families.

We have chosen Ag Criost An Siol to remember Kieran as we visit his memorial site. Performed beautifully on violin by Kieran’s cousin, Samara Wiebe, the words are shared here:

Ag Criost An Siol, Ag Criost an fomhar
With Christ of the seed, with Christ of the harvest

I n-Iothlainn De, go dtugtar Sinn
In the granary of God, may we be taken

Ag Criost an Mhuir, ag Criost an t-iasc
With Christ of the sea, with Christ of the fishes

I lionta De go gcastar sinn
In the lines of God may we be entwined

O fhas go h-aois, is o aois go bas
From growth to age and from age to death

Do dha laimh a Chriost anall tharainn
Your two hands o Christ hither draw us

O bhas go crioch, ni crioch ach athfhas
From death to the end, not the end, but all eternity

I bParrthas na nGrast go rabhaimid
In paradise of the blessed may we reside

With love from Aunty Dorothy:
Dear Kieran,
It was love at first sight. When I met you in January 2000, you were eleven weeks old and had already starred in the Derksen nativity play in Winnipeg. Here in Ireland, in the pre-Instagram era, Grandma and I hung on every new picture. Shelley compiled photo diaries of your first year for us– still treasured here. Your birthday cakes were always spectacular. 
It would be eight years before we met again when you came to Ireland in 2008 to meet Grandma. We planned a trip to show you the best that Ireland had to offer – your first dip in the ocean, ancient castles and churches, delicious food, Irish cousins and neighbours. Despite the busy itinerary, you remembered everything you saw and heard. Your enjoyment of Grandma’s “rolled up strawberry cake” ranked well ahead of the west Cork scallops and wild duck which you chose for dinner with a discerning palate, older than your years.  We plied you with stories of Michael’s youthful adventures that you could use to tease him. And you told me that my Dublin apartment was the “tiniest in the Universe”!   
On your second visit in summer 2010, you explored the west of Ireland including the monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise that your namesake St Kieran had founded. You experienced the excitement of a visit to Croke Park, the mecca of Gaelic games, describing our national sport of hurling as “hockey in the air”. By now, you were more accustomed to the sing song Cork accents, the cars driving on the left and the impeccably trimmed hedges in Grandma’s garden. 
Your visits, like your life, were short. We welcomed you to partake in Grandma’s journey to her final resting place in 2011, and you observed the unique celebration of life that is the Irish funeral. You took your place in the line-up for condolences, hiding your amazement at the huge crowd of people, all of whom were delighted to see you and still remember you from that day. 
In 2013, it was your turn to act as host when I visited Alberta during the summer. I see us sitting overlooking the Sandpiper Golf Club like two “auld ones”, as you described your first experience of driving a golf buggy with a pal!  You proved to be adept at planting a snake in my bed but were to discover that I could reciprocate. You gave me a tour of one of your favourite places - Drumheller - and we passed by the Hoodoos to the ghost town of Dorothy where you asked for instruction on how the confessional box in the deserted church worked. 
I had a dream in 2000 that, one day, we would go the snow together. I overcame my fear of heights and of falling down to become a reasonable skier in middle age in a land where there is no snow. Back in Alberta for Christmas 2014, that dream came true. Of course, you had progressed to the snowboard but we enjoyed a day at Marmot Basin when you would sweep past wearing your distinctive Guinness hat. You took me to the heights of the Continental Divide at Sunshine in the coldest weather I had ever experienced. And we said goodbye in January 2015, hoping that we would meet again.
The chats are over for the moment. Hearts are broken in two countries because you have left us. But I will carry you with me while there is breath in my body.
Love does not come to an end.
Aunty Dorothy