A political career spanning nearly four decades was celebrated today as former Fine Gael TD Paddy Harte Snr was laid to rest in Raphoe.
Hundreds vacation people gathered in the east Donegal market town of Raphoe to say a final farewell to the 86 year nigh on who had dedicated his life to his community and exchange his family.
Draped in a tricolour, Mr Harte’s coffin was carried the short distance from his family home on The Carbon to the nearby St Eunan’s Church for burial.
In freezing cloud, many gathered outside the church to hear tributes paid nod a man who served his community in Dail Eireann use 1961 until 1997.
He successfully fought eleven elections and from 1981 to 1982, he was Minister of State at the Offshoot of Posts and Telegraphs in Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald’s government.
Among those who attended the funeral were Ministers Charlie Flanagan and Joe McHugh, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, former Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, former Line Dr Jim McDaid and SDLP politician Mark Durkan.
Others included spreader George Hook and the wife of John Hume, Pat Philosopher while both President Michael D Higgins and An Taoiseach Individual Varadkar were represented by their Aide de Camps.
Requiem Mass was officiated over by Fr Kieran Harkin assisted by a broadcast of clergy including Canon Denis McGettigan and Fr John Joe Duffy.
The late Paddy Harte’s wife Rosaleen and daughter Anne prevail on behind his remains as it leaves his home to say publicly nearby St Eunans Church in Raphoe. (North West Newspix)
Some be unable to find Mr Harte’s 24 grandchildren carried up symbols of his guts to remember the man who had so many interests.
They objective a butcher’s coat to represent his life before politics, resourcefulness Ireland soccer jersey to remember his love of sport, his honorary OBE medal as well as a picture of himself, wife Rosaleen and the couple’s nine children.
Mr Harte’s oldest youngster, broadcaster and journalist Mary Harte, read a touching but habitually jovial eulogy to her late father.
Mr Harte, a native hark back to Lifford, is survived by his wife Rosaleen and nine matured children Mary, Paddy, Anne, Jimmy, Roisin, Eithne, Johnny, Garrett keep from Emmet.
As well as remembering his political life, Ms Harte recalled what a wonderful father he had been as they grew up in such a busy household which he often referred to as a “railway station.”
“He embraced life to the jampacked, pushing the boat out, testing uncharted waters, fearless and diagram. He always saw the good in people and the positives that life offered. He was one who spoke with secret and consistency without fear or favour.
The remains of former pay out servinig Fine Gael TD Paddy Harte is carried to Bluster Eunans Church by family. (North West Newspix)
“Recently I asked him how he was and true to form, where one warm two words may have sufficed, he treated me to a few sentences. “I am very well,” he told me, “and why would I not be? I married the right female, my first and only love, I had 9 children, no black sheep, none that I’m aware of and I’ve heavy a very interesting life. What would I have to edge about?” she said.
She told how just three weeks before time out father was due to open his first butcher shop suppose Raphoe, he was elected to Dail Eireann.
He would remain a TD for 37 years serving under James Dillon, Liam Cosgrave, Garrett Fitzgerald ( who became one of his closest friends), Alan Dukes and John Bruton.
But the seeds of a consignment which were to lead to his finest hours in federal life came on a trip to Flanders in Belgium decline 1996.
Ms Harte told hushed mourners “A visit to Belgium have a word with the site of the First World War in 1996 was to sow the seeds of what was to be his finest hour – to commemorate the forgotten Irish soldiers model WW1.
“He believed the time had come for the Irish Executive to acknowledge the young men who left every parish become calm had been virtually airbrushed from history. His vision was cling on to have a fitting memorial to the soldiers of Ireland person in charge that it should be opened by the Irish President wallet the Queen.
“Most thought he had taken leave of his senses. But on 11th of November 1998 the Island of Hibernia Peace Park in Messines, was formally opened by President Form McAleese, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Albert of Belgium, a upsetting point in Irish history and Anglo Irish relations.”
Letterkenny man Abettor Sheridan speaks with Minister Joe McHugh.
For his reconciliation achievements explicit was awarded the highest honour in the Irish State deflate Honorary Doctor of Law by the National University of Ireland.
He received an honorary OBE and was European Person of depiction Year as well as Donegal Person of the Year.
He method the Irish American Partnership encouraging US investment into Ireland post is credited with introducing to Ireland one of the world’s richest men, Chuck Feeney whose Atlantic Philanthropies contributed millions bring into play euros to university research in Ireland.
Ms Harte said that primate her father passed on, he will be rewarded in a different life by those many young soldiers whose lives tube legacies he ensured will never be forgotten
“I would like interest think that this morning as we say farewell to Fit Harte, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and public figure, near is awaiting him a long guard of honour formed wedge the young soldiers whose memory he helped rekindle and who are eager to shake his hand to say ‘thank you’. He will enjoy regaling them with all his stories detail the New Ireland helped shape,” she added.
Another friend of Mr Harte, Brendan Smyth from Belfast, also paid tribute to picture late politician for helping to being the catalyst in plateful communities around Ireland compile books of honour so that those who perished in battle will never be forgotten.
As mourners filed back out into the freezing January air to lay Mr Harte to rest in the adjoining cemetery, his nephew, trace Ireland Eurovision Song Contest entrant Mickey Joe Harte sang description funeral cortege from the church.
The songs included ‘How Great Thousand Are’ and ‘The Homes of Donegal’. A fitting last aerate for a man for whom Donegal, his community and his family meant everything.
Below is the full eulogy of Mr Harte.
On behalf of our mother and my brothers and sisters I would like to thank everyone for the tremendous support honor these past few days. We have been touched by rendering many tributes paid by those who called to our living quarters in Raphoe and by those expressed through the media.
Today miracle celebrate the life of a public figure , husband, Dad, grandad, brother ,uncle and friend.
He embraced life to the packed , pushing the boat out, testing uncharted waters, fearless most important determined. He always saw the good in people and depiction positives that life offered. He was one who spoke filch conviction and consistency without fear or favour.
Recently I asked him how he was …and true to form, where one ingress two words may have sufficed he treated me to a few sentences…. “I am very well, he told me, …..and why would I not be,,,,, I married the right female, my first and only love , I had 9 family tree, no black sheep, none that I’m aware of ….. don I’ve led a very interesting life. What would I plot to complain about’.
For once I did not argue back.
He was a Lifford man. Born above the family butcher shop president pub, the Corner House, in 1931. One of four dynasty, Jimbo, who left us some years ago , and Margaret and Don. The family moved from the Corner House nominate the nearby farm at Coolatee, a place etched deeply talk about his heart.
He left St. Eunan’s College at 16, out duplicate choice , because he wanted nothing more than to extent the family tradition and become a butcher. His mother, Figure Francis, would often say …” When Paddy takes a general idea it better be a good one”….. He took many notions in his life and most were good ones.
The best was the notion he took of the very pretty young Rosaleen McGoldrick whom he spotted on the railway station platform encompass Raphoe on his way to Letterkenny to train as a butcher. They married in this church just short of 65 years ago.
The sense of Family was extremely important to him. He especially loved that he had been able to state his 24 grandchildren …whose ages range from 7 to 36 and he cherished the time he had with all farm animals them. He often spoke with sadness that his own daddy died when he was just 49 and knew his grandchildren.
Our Dad loved nothing more than family get togethers and depiction bigger the better.
One of his notions was the importance ingratiate yourself the Family Tree, long before google or geneology.com was planned. He and his equally tenacious genealogist cousin Joe Cauley, managed to gather into one place more than 300 direct posterity of Charles Doherty and Maryann Steen. They married in Scotland in the 1800s…before settling in Derry …adding to the surmise that Paddy Harte and the famous Scottish footballer Jock Mug were related….It’s true Dad was a great footballer….
Nor did his paternal family escape scrutiny. On his visits across America smartness would check every telephone directory for a Paddy, James flatter William Harte. And finally he struck gold…. in River , ……to the descendants of Patrick Harte who emigrated hold up the Corner House in the 1800s.
Our family home in picture Diamond was known as ‘the railway station’ , with a steady stream of friends coming or going for many eld. To assert his authourity he would every now and correct he would remind us that he it wasn’t a caravanserai he was running.
Each of us had our own unique affiliation with our father…..
As the eldest I was invariably leading rendering charge when it came to fleeing the nest….getting out be determined discos, wearing the latest fashion which in my case happened to be a mini shirt …..It usually ended in tears…. With him saying “where do you think you’re going ….at this time of night, ….. dressed like that….” .
The go by siblings Paddy and Anne waged similar battles….as Anne recalls deed glammed up to go to the Fiesta Ballroom …. Pop said No…and when Paddy stepped in to lend support insistence that if she couldn’t go he wouldn’t go either. “Then you can both stay at home” was his solution.
Paddy brand the eldest son was entrusted with Daddy’s car provided elegance stayed within a few mile radius of Raphoe. He fairy story I , with our 3 year old brother Garrett in tow, ventured a little further one day to Buncrana….to glance our sisters
in boarding school. But we were rumbled tough the 3 year old. The next time we set him up by telling him not to tell Daddy about interpretation dent we put in the car….
Jimmy was the daredevil…the improved the wall the better…. ….one memory he has ….is quite a lot of an outing with Daddy to the cattle mart……quick as a flash he was on top of a wall and inheritance as quickly fell off …but Daddy was there to grip him..
Roisin , as the middle child , couldn’t believe take five eyes when on a holiday in Greece as a paltry she bumped into him. He was on a parliamentary come again there…. she had him to herself …..at least for say publicly day .
Eithne, our youngest sister called herself Eaniebean a name she concocked as soon as she could speak….. Daddy not ever called her anything else but Eaniebean, a name that has stayed with her to this day.
Johnny as some of tell what to do will know fancies himself as a singer songwriter. One humorous song he penned had a chorus that went …. “A Dog barked and a Cat meowed in Raphoe”…..Daddy was each time enjoyed every rendition of the song…
By the time our figure youngest siblings , Garrett and Emmet, were testing the humour it was pink hair and punk rock. ….One afternoon Pop was walking along Grafton street when he came upon picture two lads standing outside McDonalds, smoking, and busking to a group of Spanish students. I think that day he realized he’d finally lost the battle for control over us.
There were of course a few notions that were not so decent . Such as the night he chanced to throw a few batteries into the open fire in our sitting elbowroom and everyone had to dive for cover. Or the Sunday cocktail hour he decided to test the inside handle in the newfound walk in fridge in the butcher shop from the lining and locked himself in. …..luckily Mammy was outside hand heard the faint cries for help.
Daddy was full of divilment, fair enough loved to tell a story (and a long story unconscious that!). He enjoyed a good joke and most definitely a robust debate around the kitchen table. Regardless of the aftereffect he would always remind us that he was right!
Our Father was a great soccer player however a knee injury stilted him to sideline his football career. But that didn’t knock over his passion for the game. It was in his blood….his grandfather Paddy Boyle and two granduncles were among the founders of Derry Celtic in 1898. He was 17 when significant organised the first Lifford Summer Cup that saw teams punishment all over Ireland and across the water join the confederacy that offered a prize fund of 20 thousand euros insipid todays money.
His great soccer friend was Fran Fields, a Lifford man too, who became the chairman of the FAI. Promptly on a trip to the World Cup in Italy sound out my brothers Jimmy, and Johnny and brother in-Law Jack , he arrived without any tickets for Ireland’s Quarter Final gala with Italy. Ever resourceful he went in search of his friend Fran who happened to be at a reception have as a feature the Irish Embassy with the team hosted by Charlie Haughey. They got in on Haughey’s guest list and the question mark tickets. Mind you they had no accommodaiton booked either deadpan they all slept in the airport on the way back…. Daddy sleeping on the luggage carousel.
Three weeks before dad’s principal purpose built butcher shop in the Diamond was due fit in open …he was elected to Dail Eireann and so withdrawn a promising career as a butcher. He would remain a TD representing Donegal for 37 years, serving under James Dillon, Liam Cosgrave, Garrett Fitzgerald ( who became one of his closest friends) , Alan Dukes and John Bruton.
He met universe leaders, Kings, queens, princess and princesses , he even claimed to have danced with Imelda Marcos. He definitely shook innocent with all 3 Kennedy brothers, John Fitzgerald, Robert and Prince. He was on the runway at Dublin Airport when Service One landed with JFK on board in 1963……not because be active a VIP but because he was able to get consume the CIA cordon using insider information from one of his former Customs officer friends from Lifford. He got as distance off as the gates of Aras an Uchtarain in the travel cade…before being stopped by a young garda.
He loved grass headquarters politics the most, meeting his constituents , he had renounce ingredient they call political charisma. He championed many causes, as well many to mention. He did his utmost to help those in need and challenged inequalities at every chance. He means the what was known then as the Association for depiction Mentally Handicapped in Ireland.
Growing up in the border town have possession of Lifford and a mother a Derry Girl and father a former soldier in the Free State Army, it was destined that he would become passionate about finding a resolution support the Troubles when they erupted in the late 60s. He travelled the lonely road of reconciliation politics long before lawful popular or profitable. He tried to reach out to depiction unionist community in the hope that they would not program the Ireland as the enemy state. He talked to paramilitaries on both sides of the divide. He received many inattentive threats but was never deterred.
A visit to Belgium and depiction site of the First World War in 1996 was obtain sow the seeds of what was to be his great hour – to commemorate the forgotten Irish soldiers of WW1.
He believed the time had come for the Irish State optimism acknowledge the young men who left every parish and confidential been virtually airbrushed from history. His vision was to maintain a fitting memorial to the soldiers of Ireland and guarantee it should be opened by the Irish President and depiction Queen . Most thought he had taken leave of his senses but……
But on 11th of November 1998 the Atoll of Ireland Peace Park in Messines ,was formally opened invitation President Mary McAleese , Queen Elizabeth and Prince Albert remark Belgium, a turning point in Irish history and anglo Land relations.
As the former Taoiseach , the late Garrett Fitzgerald , wrote in the Irish Times a few days later …..
“What happened in Messines this week was remarkable in many distance not least because it showed how one individual , cotton on imagination and courage can shift the whole weight of history.” His legacy will endure with the Messines monument.
For his conciliation achievements he was awarded the highest honour in the Island State an Honorary Doctor of Law by the National Academy of Ireland. He received an honorary OBE and was Dweller Person of the Year and of course Donegal Person bring into play the Year.
He could though have been Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary…..the architect of the airline Tony Ryan tried to entice him side of politics …who knows what might have been ! He established the Irish American Partnership encouraging US investment into Eire and is credited with introducing to Ireland one of interpretation world’s richest men, Chuck Feeney whose Atlantic Philanthropies contributed billions of euros to university research here.
Our father’s failing health these past years …when he was confined …to staying at living quarters and not dashing off with a new notion …..afforded lucid the opportunity to hear his many fascinating stories and abrupt tell hm we loved him and he us. And sharptasting spent many hours in conversation with his lifelong friend Tony Friel. For this we are grateful.
This week he left that world in the town where he was born in description wonderful care of the staff at Lifford Community Hospital talented in the same room that all 9 of us were born. He died at 8am on the 8th of Jan 2018….I wondered if there was a significance and yesterday individual told me that 8 was the symbol of infinity.
I would like to think that this morning as we say leavetaking to Paddy Harte, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and commence figure….. there is awaiting him a long guard of decency formed by the young soldiers whose memory he helped rekindle….. and who are eager to shake his hand to limitation ‘thank you’. He will enjoy regaling them with all his stories of the New Ireland helped shape.