The Late Willie McGarty One of our Club Presidents, the one and only Willy McGarty sadly passed away in Cavan General Hospital. This genial and very generous man had a great love for his native Mohill and for Mohill GAA club in particular, despite many years spent in England as they say absence makes the heart grow fond. The young Willy was a fine footballer playing on Mohill Junior and Senior teams during the 1940s before emigrating like many young men at the time to England. Before he left, however, he won a Junior Championship medal with Mohill in 1943 and a Connacht Minor Championship medal with Leitrim. Willy's love of Gaelic football did not diminish while domiciled in London and he became deeply involved with the Tara club for many years as a player, selector and committee member, also acting as a talent scout for talented young players who like himself took the boat to England to find work. His brothers, the legendary Packy and the late Eddie, also sadly passed away recently, also played with the Tara's for a time. A first class gardener. Willy was employed by British Rail until he retired in the late 1980s and returned to his beloved Mohill and his own homestead in Treanmore with his wife Peggy (nee Flynn). Before he left the English capital, the Tara club held a function in his honour with a number of us travelling over from Mohill and enjoyed a memorable weekend. Back on home ground, this great hearted character throw in his lot with the Mohill club becoming a selector and in more recent times a Club President. We will always remember Willy's rousing speeches straight from the heart of our AGMs, meetings and functions, his witty comments and his tales of times gone past. To his wife Peggy, daughters Susan, Catherine, grandson Daniel, sons-in-law, brothers Packy and Danny and all other family members we extend our deepest sympathy. "Farewell me old son". Courtesy of the Leitrim Observer 29th April 2004 Tweet

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