It has been a sad week for our club as we said a fond farewell to Hugh Coyle, who passed away last Friday. Many club members were part of a guard of honour for Hugh at his Funeral Mass on Monday morning.

The late, great Mick Farrell, who introduced Hugh to the Harps four decades ago, wrote a brilliant piece for our centenary-year celebrations in 2005 that captured his great friend to a tee.

Titled “Hugh Coyle, Ready, Willing and Able”: it read: “Hugh Coyle came to Monaghan in 1981. His late father, Jim Coyle, retired as Postmaster in Castleblayney and purchased a residence at Latlurcan, only one hundred metres from old Gavan Duffy Park. Hugh almost immediately made himself known to the Harps contingent of officials and players. In no time, he became woven into the human tapestry of Monaghan Harps GAA Club. Soon he was giving a helping hand to club members involved in the day-to-day tasks of servicing a sportsground. At Gavan Duffy Park, Latlurcan, if it was lining the field or placing the flags, setting out and collecting the white coats, moving along the string for the liner, Hugh was there to do his bit. It was a labour of love for him. Monaghan Harps moved bag and baggage to its new location, the new Gavan Duffy Park. It was some distance away, but it didn’t worry Hugh. He moved down, no bother. As well as lending a hand in the run-of-the-mill pre-match and after-match tasks, Hugh is informative on all matters relating to fixtures, visitors, officials, indeed there are very few leading lights from visiting clubs whom he does not know. It could be said that Monaghan Harps is his first club, but he also has great admiration for Castleblayney Faughs and Killeevan. Home place and family affiliations mean a lot to him. He is first to greet his friends from both clubs and is warmly greeted by them. JPG is brought up to date. His accuracy of information and knowledge of events never fails to surprise. Hugh is employed by Rehab Care on the Mall Road and is a very active and dedicated employee. His punctuality is exceptional and he can be seen each morning sprightly making his way to his place of employment in good time, his lunch box in hand. He makes a few calls to friends and neighbours on the way home. His loyalty and interest in the club was rewarded by him being presented with a laminated life membership certificate. Needless to say, he was delighted and in his own inimitable way, he let us all know. It will still be as always: Dónal, what about the tricolour; who’s doing the scoreboard; what about the car park; where’s Brian Harvey; have to go, Kathleen is looking for me; Mick Farrell can’t find his keys; and he laughs. He keeps everyone informed, nothing is left to chance. We all enjoy Hugh’s company and he loves the run of the place.”

While the personnel changed on the pitch and in committees in the near-17 years since (with most of us being ‘barred’ at least once), some things never changed, as Hugh’s enthusiasm remained unwavering. Hugh diligently ensured the tricolour was up for every game, he handed out programmes, welcomed officials and players from other clubs, he was on first-name terms with all the referees, and he made it his business to use every opportunity to canvass for big games to be played at Gavan Duffy Park. One change in more recent years was Hugh’s acquisition of a mobile phone, which made it easier for him to stay in contact with club officials! Monaghan Arch Club’s annual visits to Gavan Duffy Park over the last decade had become a fixture on the calendar, while Hugh’s 60th birthday party in 2018, a night that had been in planning for some years, will remain a fond memory for his friends. Hugh had already been looking forward to this year’s Arch Club party, as well as enquiring about the 2022 Darkness Into Light walk. As Fr. Leo Creelman put it on Monday, Hugh loved people and people loved Hugh. We have lost a club legend and our town has lost a great character, but everyone at the Harps will retain their own memories of Hugh. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.

Thanks to the many supporters from other clubs for their kind messages and to Ulster GAA for remembering Hugh before Sunday’s club final. Thanks also to Ruairí Forde for putting together some of our great memories of Hugh, which can be viewed on our social-media pages.

Our thoughts are with Hugh’s sisters Mary, Angela, Majella and Geraldine, his brothers Seamus and Micheál and his many friends, including those in Rehab Care, Arch Club, Special Olympics, Road Bowls, Country Music Festival and The Northern Standard. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.