I will forever miss Big Harry and our special friendship

IN THE early hours of last Saturday morning, I experienced one of the greatest contradictions life could serve up to anybody. I watched helplessly as members of our wonderful emergency services and medical staff tried gallantly but in vain to save the life of my great friend, team-mate and clubman, John Harrington.

The contradiction was that his heart stopped working. Anybody that knew this great man as a player, a friend, a colleague, a postman, or just as a person, would know that John had the biggest, strongest and kindest heart of any person you could meet.

As a player he was a leader, an inspiration, a superb athlete and a brilliant performer who led from the front, had the heart of a lion and never gave up.

I was lucky enough to play on club and county teams for many years with Big Harry. We travelled to St. Patrick’s Park in Enniscorthy for training together with Ger Halligan and John’s brother, Paul, on hundreds of occasions.

The fun we had on those nights developed a bond that lasted forever between us. Everybody knew in training my hatred of the call to do laps or any sort of long distance running.

These little legs of mine weren’t built for distance, in fact I’m not sure what they were built for, but Harry used to lead us off and within three circuits he’d be lapping me for the first time.

I’d get great words of encouragement like ‘want a lift shorty’, while he knew I couldn’t spare the breath of air to shout any abuse at him.

We roomed together on away trips, where I always won the snoring competition until he quickly learned the trick of getting asleep before me.

One of my proudest moments was when John was selected for the first Compromise Rules trials, at a time when he was playing great football and was super fit. The week before we went for a drink on the Friday night, just for one or two. One or two turned in to a lot more and falling home about three in the morning.

Three hours later John was woken by his father, Dan, to go to the trials. John had mixed up the dates and had to go to Meath right then where Seán Boylan had the mother of all fitness tests arranged.

True to form, the big fella burst a gut and finished third in the fitness test, just to emphasise his heart and determination. We often had a laugh about it and he blamed me for finishing his international career before it started.

I wish I could put into words properly what type of man my friend was. To all his friends he was Big Harry, not only because of his stature, but it was a term of endearment because of his deeds, his thoughtfulness, his helpful nature, his kindness, and his big personality.

Over the past few days his friends and family have been overwhelmed by the kindness of people who called, sent texts, messages and offered help or just had a kind word to say. A gentleman was the most common word offered, and how true that is.

The tributes on social media were amazing, but do you know what, he deserved them. John Harrington was a man who gave so much love, kindness and help, doing kind deeds that we are only finding out about now.

John and his daughters, Emma and Ciara, lost their wife and mother, Tina, to illness over eleven years ago, and it was a really difficult time in their lives, but in the last three years he had found a new love in Sandra, Niall, Kate and Leanne.

We all agreed he was the happiest he had been in years and for us it was great to see. He was back to the Harry we knew, but now he has been cruelly taken from us.

Our lives have been filled with emotions of grief, anger, disbelief, confusion, and loss, but most of all by feelings of love for the greatest son, father, brother, husband, partner, friend, clubman and teammate you will ever meet.

I was the luckiest man in the world to have John Harrington as a friend and team-mate, and I will forever miss this great man.