Kevin P. Gay, who died on November 2nd aged 78, was until his retirement in 1985 the Probate Officer of the High and Supreme courts. Born in Dublin, he was the only son of Col Thomas and Eileen Gay, both of whom were well-known in political circles. Col Gay, who played a significant role in the War of Independence, was a close associate of Michael Collins. His wife Eileen (nee O'Shaughnessy) was a member of Cumann na mBan and is remembered for her role in the Howth gun-running. They also had two daughters, Mary Smith and Eileen Doyle. Educated at the Christian Brothers School, Synge Street, Kevin Gay joined the public service in 1939 and after a short spell in the accounts branch of the Department of Industry and Commerce, he moved to the offices of the Supreme and High Courts at the Four Courts.
Called to the Bar in 1956, his career in the courts saw him occupy key positions as Central Office Registrar, Admiralty Marshal of the High Court, Assistant Examiner, Registrar of the Chancery Court, culminating in 1980 with his appointment as Probate Officer of the High and Supreme Courts. In this capacity he was responsible for the control and management of the entire Probate Office, whose main functions entail the admission to probate of valid wills of deceased persons and the issue of grants of probate to the named executors. In addition to the head office in Dublin there are 14 district probate registries located throughout the country and although under the immediate control of the relevant county registrar, the rules of court dictate that certain functions and decisions require the intervention of the Probate Officer.
Kevin Gay retired from the Probate Office in 1985, and pursued for some years a practice at the Irish Bar.
He had a life-long involvement in Civil Service associations. As a member of the Civil Service Alliance, of which he was at one time president, he was indefatiguable in his efforts to secure better working conditions for his fellow civil servants. His membership of the Irish Conference of Professional and Services Associations, which among other constituents comprised trade unions and organisations representing professional and technical employees, brought him into contact with a variety of groups including the teachers' unions, the Irish Bank Officials Association, the Garda Representative Body and Prison Officers Association.
He acted in an advisory capacity to many of these bodies and espoused the cause of many individuals who through bureaucratic anomaly found themselves isolated from mainstream negotiation procedures. For many of these he procured both official recognition and monetary recompense where appropriate. Kevin Gay was a keen scholar of the English language and had a passionate interest in literature and the arts. A keen traveller, his earlier years saw him touring extensively throughout Europe and later turning his attentions to the US. He was an avid sportsman and a frequent race-goer. Kevin Gay is survived by his sister, Mary Smith.
Kevin Patrick Gay: born 1922; died, November 2000