The death has occurred of one of Tyrone GAA’s most influential administrators of the last 50 years, Brendan Harkin.
A former county chairman, he was one of only two people to have served two terms in the position.
He was also a former county secretary, PRO and hurling officer, and represented Tyrone at provincial and national level.
Harkin (aged 75) was acknowledged as one of Tyrone’s greatest administrators, immersed from an early age in the values and ideals of the GAA.
He served as secretary of his club, Killyclogher, for an incredible 54 years, taking up the position at just 16 years of age, and was assistant secretary up until the time of his death.
A former manager of the Tyrone senior hurling team, he guided the Red Hands to an All-Ireland Junior title in 1996, and he was a member of the Killyclogher management team wen the club won the Tyrine SFC title for the first time in 2003.
A teacher by profession, after graduating from Queen’s University, Mr Harkin joined the staff of Omagh CBS, where he taught History, Politics, Latin, Irish and PE.
In a tribute, Killyclogher St Mary’s GAC described Mr Harkin as a “colossus of a man”.
He is survived by his wife Clare, children Gráinne, Sinéad, Kerry and Kevin, grandchildren and wider family members.
