The late Frank Harte remembered in Allenwood GFC. A former Vice-Chairman of Sligo County Board of the GAA, the late Frank Harte, was honoured in Allenwood when his nephew, 84 years old Micheal Harte, visited the west Kildare club to present a cup in memory of his uncle, who had a seminal role in the foundation of the Allenwood GFC in 1956. On hand to receive the Cup from Micheal Harte was Mrs. Katie Farrell, 96 year old patron of the club who was a friend and neighbour Frank's during his sojourn in Allenwood. The late Frank Harte worked for some years during the '50s as a Bord Na Mona Camp Superintendent at what was then a camp for the bog workers situated at Allenwood Cross. At the time there was something of 'Celtic Tiger Mark One' beginning to take place in the locality, with the opening of the local ESB station, Bord na Mona and Roadstone Allen. With the tide of emigration stemmed to a degree at least, the young men of the area, who had been playing their football with other clubs in Allen Parish, decided to form their own team. It was in the course of the process that Frank Harte's experience in dealing with Co. Board matters became invaluable. Reminiscing on 'Mr Harte' as he was always known to the youth of the area, Mrs Farrell's son Padraig - himself President of Allenwood GFC - recalled the foundation of the club as having its genesis in the success of the 1954 Allen parish school boy team, the majority of whom were from the Allenwood area. In the course of a nostalgic address Padraig also recalled Mr. Harte's meticulous attention to detail, the importance of keeping accurate minutes of meetings and his later loyalty to the youth of the area, on his taking up a supervisory position on the staff of Maynooth College. Recalling memories of his uncle Micheal Harte remembered questioning him on why he never took a major position in the club at its foundation and was always impressed with the wisdom of the answer 'It was an Allenwood club for Allenwood people and it was only right proper that local people should run it' he said. Micheal recalled noticing in the national papers that Allenwood had reached the county final in 1999. 'I remembered visiting Frank in Allenwood and the fact that this was the club he helped in founding. I managed to get in contact with the club officials and a couple of years ago visited the area, enjoying a lovely afternoon with your late President Mick Doyle. I was hugely impressed with the work you have done there I know that my late Uncle would be very happy that the seed he helped sow had fallen on such fertile ground.' Micheal then presented the Frank Harte Memorial Cup to Mrs. Farrell while Allenwood chairman Harry Doyle presented Micheal with a clock set in Kildare bog oak in appreciation of his generosity. Kildare/Sligo December 2003 Tweet

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