It does my heart good to read all of these wonderful remembrances from friends and family alike. I miss dad and I'm sure it will take some time for the ache to pass. Since his passing, I still think of just giving him a call to ask his opinion about this or that. I'll have to look up and ask into the air from now on. But I am so thankful we had him for as long as we did. And I know he's smiling down on all of us :-). Let his memory be a blessing to us all.

Ray was a kind and patient man. He was one of my Irish teachers at Scoil Ghearóid Tóibín. I don't remember a question we put to him he could not answer. This is a big loss and we will all miss him.....Éamonn de Bhál

Uncle Ray, My Brother Jimmy and I truly enjoyed watching Midsommer Murders and eating cheesecake with you. You became a very good friend to us. I like to think that we became the same to you. Our spirits were broken having lost your Sister / our Mother. We brought each other a type of healing that made our loss bearable. Goodbye for now Uncle Ray. We WILL meet again, someday, in a place of peace beyond all understanding. Love Peggi and Jimmy

Do Réamonn, comrádaí dílis Réamonn was a great friend to Ireland and the Irish-language all his life. He brought his light heart, inspiration, humour and music with him to Ireland. We will miss his traditional music, accordion and tin whistle playing, Irish dancing, Irish history and politics, philosophy, historical research and Ó Cléirigh family history research, scholarship and book collections, both English and as Gaeilge. When he founded the Irish-language Scoil Ghearóid Tóibín on Long Island, it was an enormous step forward for the Irish-language, and ever since then pupils and teachers from the Scoil have come to Ireland to visit Gaeltachtaí and attend Irish-language events, bringing hope and inspiration to the struggling Irish-speaking areas on the western seaboard. We send our prayers and good wishes to his wife Sarah and wonderful family, of whom he spoke proudly and happily over the years. Go raibh céad mile maith agat a chomrádaí dhílis, ba chara mór na hÉireann agus na Gaeilge thú ón tús. Thug tú dóchas agus misneach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge nuair a tháinig tú gach samhradh, cosúil le na fáinleoga. Tá deireadh le ré órga den saol agus thú imithe. Ní bheidh do leithéid arís ann. Clann Choisdeala agus cairde ó Ionad Buail Isteach na Gaeilge

Beannacht Dé lena anam uasal. Áireoidh muid uainn é chuile shamhradh sa Chorradhhuí. Fear mór cultúir & fear mór teangan. Suaimhneas síoraí dó. Muintir Uí Bhiaidh An Chorradhbhuí Leitir Mealláin Co na Gaillimhe.

Ray was one of my first teachers of Irish. He was above all a Gentleman, and very patient with his students. We shared a first name, and I was happy to be number two to his Reamonn a haon (Ray number one). I only regret that I am out of State, and wont be able to attend his memorial. Ray Ritchel

Reamonn was a scholar, and an intellectual. He was a deeply religious, proud Catholic and a kind-hearted soul. He was not only my Gaelic teacher but my dear friend. He was a loving husband and father and always spoke of his wife and children. We traveled all over Ireland together over the course of 25 years. He knew the history of every corner of the island. He was a class act, loved his Guinness, his pipe an accordion and a nice old dance. My family there loved and adopted him. I look forward to pints, a few tunes and deep historical conversation when we meet again in the land beyond the sky.. Rest in peace my friend. Le meas mor, Brian De Vale

Sorry to hear of Ray's passing, surely, he'll be missed all who knew him. I met Ray, at the Irish Language classes, at St Patrick's Div. 2, in Babylon. He was one of my first teachers and I had enjoyed his class very much. Afterwards we would go and have a pint or two at the members bar, we became very good friends and have many a good memory to him. Dan Callaghan Mooresville, NC