In 1962, Gerry Corr met a young beauty from Lifford, Co Donegal, called Jean Bell at a dance in the Pavilion ballroom in Blackrock, Dundalk.
He immortalised the meeting in verse, which he entitled 'Pavilion 62':
‘Did angels convene
To bring me to Jean
Of wraparound eyes
In passion of pink
First dance
Last dance
We dance for ever.’
He said in an interview in 2002: "From the first time I met her, I loved her speaking voice. Later, when I heard her sing, my future was sealed! Happily, she liked me too."
She sang "... an Irish song called Mo Shean Dun na Gall which she had learned at school in her native Donegal. Jean's is the voice of the Corrs".
Jean and Gerry were married on married on October 3, 1963 in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dundalk.
Jean and Gerry of course had their own semi-professional band, Sound Affair, that would have had a huge influence of their kids’ own musical development.
They had 5 children:
- James Steven Ignatius (b. 31 July 1964)
- Gerard (b. 12 August 1966 - d. 3 April 1970)
- Sharon Helga (b. 24 March 1970)
- Caroline Georgina (b. 17 March 1973)
- Andrea Jane (b. 17 May 1974)
Sadly, Jean died in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, on 24 November 1999 from a rare lung condition.