Ballina native was a top doctor in the US
A Ballina born doctor who spent most of his life practicing in the United States is fondly remembered following his recent passing at the age of 91 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
Sean Sheehan was born in Ballina in 1934, the son of Patrick and Anne Sheehan and brother to Patrick and Raymond. He was educated locally and went on to attend University College Galway where he qualified as a doctor in the mid-1950’s. Sean had a great love of fishing and as a young man in Ballina, regularly fished for salmon on the Moy, selling the fish to help pay for his medical education.
Sean met Berna Kelly, a nurse from Tullamore, Co Offaly and they married 65 years ago. They moved to Boston and Sean had a very successful medical career, working for over 30 years at Cape Cod Hospital, going on to become the first Catholic chief of staff at the facility.
In 1969, he set up the successful Yarmouth Internists medical practice. He understood his life to be in service to those he encountered professionally and personally and was loved and admired by his many patients and all who met him.
Sean was a great story teller and, as his daughter Claire says he had “a way of whistling that made you happy when you saw him”. He loved sporting competition and both he and Berna spent many happy years on the golf course. He played the sport in to his 80’s. He was also an accomplished tennis player and one of his sons, Brendan, was to become a professional tennis coach in Austin, Texas.
Sean was predeceased by his parents, his brother Patrick, and his own children Brian and Maeve. He is survived by his wife Berna, his brother Raymond, his children Anne, Claire, Sean and Brendan and his grandchildren Greg, Maeve, Kevin, Kyle and Fiona. Just before he died his first great granddaughter Coco was born.
Sean’s funeral mass will be held at St Pius X Catholic Church in south Yarmouth next Thursday, February 27.
May he rest in peace.
