Pioneering nurse made Derry her home

Derry has laid to rest Kay McGinty (née Lyons) one of the pioneering Irish nurses who helped to build Aneurin Bevan’s visionary National Health Service (NHS).

She will be remembered as “a wonderful wife, a devoted mother, a cherished grandmother, and a loyal friend to so many”.

It was with deep sadness we learned of Kay’s death on Monday, March 30.

Formerly of Whitehouse Park, She was the beloved wife of the late Eddie; loving mother of Marie, Eamonn, Katrina and Norah; mother-in-law of Paul and David; devoted grandmother of Claire (Ronan); and dear sister of Denis and the late John, Jimmy, Mai, Michael and Nora.

Kay’s funeral service and Requiem Mass were celebrated by Fr Joe Gormley PP, Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty, on Holy Thursday and Easter Monday respectively and she was interred in Derry City Cemetery.

Fr Gormley told mourners Kay’s life was “defined by love, compassion, and an extraordinary generosity of spirit”.

“To know her was to experience warmth, kindness, and genuine empathy,” he added.

Kay was born and raised in Taughmaconnell near Ballinasloe, a place she always held close to her heart.

Shortly after the NHS was created in 1948, it led an active recruitment campaign to attract Irish students to train and work as nurses.

At the age of nineteen, Kay and her beloved sister May made a brave and ambitious journey to London to train as nurses.

Kay and her sister Mai on their on their graduation day in Ealing London.

It was a selfless choice - one rooted in a desire to care for others - and it became the foundation of a lifetime of service and compassion.

Kay gave her gifts to the NHS at a time when they were dearly needed, helping to care for countless patients with her trademark gentleness and grace.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Magazine of September 16, 2025, celebrated young Irish nurses like Kay and Mai.

An article titled: 'The nurses who left Ireland to work for the NHS - A leap into the unknown led to lifelong careers in the NHS for thousands of Irish nurses revealed: “By 1971, more than 30,000 Irish-born nurses were employed by the NHS. Making up around 12% of all nursing staff in the NHS, this made Irish people the largest migrant group working in the health service at that time.

“However, their contributions have rarely been publicly celebrated. In the words of one Irish nurse, they have slipped ‘under the radar’”.

But, Ireland was always home in Kay’s heart, and soon her path turned toward a new chapter.

When she saw an advertisement for a new psychiatric hospital - Gransha Hospital in Derry - she sensed her next calling. She and Mai came to Derry in 1963.

It was here in the city destiny introduced her to her Derry man, Eddie McGinty. Their love story began in those hospital corridors, and in 1967, they began their married life together.

“Kay and Eddie built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and boundless love,” said Fr Gormley, “and they raised four wonderful children, each of whom carries with them the values and kindness their mother instilled.

“Later, with great joy, Kay welcomed her cherished granddaughter, whom she and Eddie helped to care for and nurture. Being a grandmother brought Kay profound happiness; she embraced the role with the same devotion she gave to every part of her life,” he added.

“Kay’s compassion extended far beyond her family. Alongside Eddie, she spent 14 years nursing the sick in Lourdes as part of the Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage. Those pilgrimages were a true testament to her faith and her unwavering belief in caring for the vulnerable. Her presence brought comfort to many—her kindness was a light in difficult moments.

“A woman of great warmth and sociability, Kay made friends wherever she went. She loved good company, good conversation, and above all, she loved staying connected to the people who mattered most. And no matter where she was in the world, she always looked forward to getting back ‘home’ to Ballinasloe whenever she could. Her roots were part of her soul.

“Kay also had a flair for glamour - she loved getting her hair and nails done, always taking pride in looking her best. But her beauty was far more than outward. It was in her generosity, her empathy, and her open heart. She lived the true meaning of ‘love your neighbour’, greeting strangers with warmth and making everyone feel seen and valued.

“Her faith in God was a guiding force in her life. Quiet but steadfast, her devotion shaped her daily actions, her service to others, and the strength she showed in every circumstance,” said Fr Gormley.

Kay helped countless patients over the years.

Kay’s loss leaves a deep emptiness in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Yet her spirit remains - woven into every memory, every lesson, every act of kindness she inspired.

“She was a remarkable woman who gave so much of herself, and the world is gentler, kinder, and brighter for her having been in it.

“May we honour her by living as she did - with generosity, with empathy, with faith, and with love.

“Kay will be forever missed, and forever remembered.”

Kay McGinty - Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.