CARRYDUFF GAC founding member Harry McEvoy has been described as a "brilliant, gentle, pleasant man" by club-mate Ger Connery.
Harry died on Saturday after a short illness, aged 87.
A huge promoter of Scor, Harry was a school teacher in Drumaness and when he moved to Carryduff he was instrumental in setting up the first working group to establish St Joseph’s Primary School in the area.
“If you ever needed guidance, you went to Harry,” said East Down chairman Connery.
“He was a gentle, very pleasant man, always had a story to tell and had lots of knowledge of the GAA. He was a brilliant, brilliant man."
Harry was elected at county chairman in 1977 and also held the East Down chairmanship for a time.
County secretary Sean Og McAteer paid a glowing tribute to Harry who gave a “life-time of service to the GAA”.
“It is 40 years now from Harry was elected as county chairman in 1977 - a year in which the county won its first All Ireland minor football title,” said McAteer.
“Harry served just one year as county chairman but being the faithful servant of our Association that he was, Harry continued to be to the fore of many initiatives within Down.
“One such initiative was the production of “Score” - a magazine which was in Harry’s own words an attempt to fill the void and as he said in the opening article of the magazine in reference to the contributors “May their efforts be a source of inspiration to us all not only in county Down but throughout the whole of Ireland”.
McAteer referenced his contribution to Scór – he is an East Down Hall of Famer for his contribution – and his energy to establish Carryduff GAC when Gaelic Games wasn’t “fashionable” in the area.
“As we look to the role of Scór within the GAA, the role of men like Harry in keeping our cultural identity alive was vital in often difficult circumstances.
“Scór was given a place and a platform through the vision of men and women like Harry, who through their work with Scór allowed the GAA family to grow, to keep us focused on our ethos of the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and Pastimes.
He added: “Harry McEvoy served this Association well in his lifetime from the founding of a Club in Carryduff back in 1972 when it was not easy nor fashionable to have Gaelic Games played in that part of County Down.”
Married to Gretta, Connery described the couple as “glued to each other – they came as a unit and went everywhere together”.
Upon hearing the news of Harry’s passing at the weekend, one person tweeted: “Harry was a complete gentleman and a stalwart of Carryduff GAC. A sad day for the club.”
The Carryduff club expressed their deepest condolences to his wife Gretta, children, Joe, Maria, Brid, Sean, David and grandchildren.”
Requiem mass for Harry McEvoy will take place in Church of The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Carryduff at 11am today.
