Athletics Ireland is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former Board member, Eamon Harvey (RIP), of Tír Chonaill Athletic Club.
Eamon was a hugely respected figure in Irish athletics whose lifelong vocation to coaching saw him make an immense contribution to our sport, from grassroots development in his local community to representation on the global stage. His dedication, wisdom and unwavering commitment to athletes of all ages left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire for generations to come.
A native of Drimboarty, Letterbarrow, just outside Donegal Town, where he later settled, Eamon completed his secondary education at the school known locally as “Cleary’s,” now Abbey Vocational School in Donegal Town.
Following third-level studies at the University of Manchester, where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education, Eamon returned home in 1971 to take up a teaching post at Abbey Vocational School. He remained there until his retirement 20 years ago. During his distinguished career in education, he served as Head of Sport and as Deputy Principal for 11 years, influencing and inspiring generations of young people both in the classroom and on the playing fields.
During those years, the school developed outstanding sports facilities, including a state-of-the-art basketball arena, gymnasium, football pitch and floodlit athletics track and field area, though legend has it that when he first began, he was handed little more than a skipping rope. His vision, determination and belief in opportunity transformed sport within the school community.
Following his retirement from teaching, Eamon continued to serve the sport in a professional capacity for seven years as Regional Development Officer (RDO) with Athletics Ireland, with responsibility for counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan. This was a newly created role which he helped shape and develop, performing it with his customary commitment and dedication.
As RDO, he introduced in 2011 the hugely successful ‘Primary Schools SportsHall’ inclusive programme in Donegal, for which he was the driving force. Children competed in a team format across agility, balance, co-ordination, running, jumping and throwing challenges, enjoying an athletic experience that also provided a foundation for many other sports. He also served as Provincial Schools Coaching Co-Ordinator for Ulster Schools, further strengthening the bridge between education and athletics. His contribution to schools’ athletics was as significant as his work within clubs.
Keen always to keep his knowledge and skills up to date, particularly in sports education and leadership, Eamon earned a B.Ed in Management (1982) and later an MA in Peace and Reconciliation Studies (1992) from Ulster University. He achieved Q-Level 4 IAAF Coach status and was a tutor with the National Coaching Training Centre / Sport Ireland, where for 15 years he played a central role in delivering coach education and curriculum development nationally.
In the 1990s, Eamon served as National Middle-Distance Coach and was appointed Irish Olympic Coach for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was also Irish team coach at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics, where Sonia O’Sullivan won gold.
He served as team coach for Ireland at eight World Cross Country Championships, during which Catriona McKiernan won four individual silver medals. Eamon was involved with many more Irish teams at all levels.
Eamon also made a profound contribution within Paralympic sport. He coached fellow Donegal native Bridie Lynch to gold at the 1996 Summer Paralympics, a remarkable achievement reflecting both his technical expertise and his unwavering belief in his athletes. From 1997 to 2007, he served as Irish Paralympics Athletics Coach and was part of the coaching team for four Paralympic Games, guiding Irish athletes to multiple medals on the world stage.
Outside of athletics coaching, he also contributed to Donegal GAA, serving as a coach to successful Donegal Minor and Senior football teams for a period. In his early years, he himself was an athlete, competing across the full range from sprints to the marathon, and he also dabbled in other sports, including rowing.
Although never one for seeking recognition, Eamon’s immense contribution to athletics and sport did not go unnoticed. He received Rehab’s “Donegal Person of the Year” in 1996, the Services to Coaching Award from Athletics Ireland in 2018, was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Ulster Athletics Council in 2024, and most recently, in January of this year, became the 50th inductee into the Donegal Sports Awards Hall of Fame.
As well as excelling in coaching, Eamon gave many years of dedicated service as an official. It was typical of him to transport a group of athletes to a competition, ensure they were fully prepared and focused for their events, and then spend the remainder of the day officiating, contributing quietly and efficiently to the smooth running of the meeting.
A long-time member of numerous committees, he gave outstanding service at national level. Within Athletics Ireland, he was a major contributor to both the High Performance Committee and the Coaching & Development Committee. He chaired the latter from 2014 to 2018, a period of significant progress in coach education and strategic development, while also serving on the Athletics Ireland Board. His voice in governance was thoughtful, balanced and always athlete centred.
At grassroots level, Eamon was an outstanding club person from his early days with St John Bosco, through South Donegal Harriers, and into the wonderful unit that is Tír Chonaill Athletic Club. He mentored countless athletes, coaches and administrators, building strong foundations and encouraging leadership within the club structure.
It was a particular source of pride for him to see Kelly McGrory shine on the Olympic stage at the 2024 Summer Olympics as part of Ireland’s women’s 4 x 400m relay squad, finishing fourth, inches away from a bronze medal.
It was especially fitting that Tír Chonaill Athletic Club, in September 2025, launched and hosted the Donegal Town Eamon Harvey 10km race, incorporating a 5km Family Fun Walk, in his honour. The event reflected everything he stood for: participation, excellence and community spirit. On the day, Eamon proudly presented the perpetual trophies that bear his name, a moment of deep pride for him and his family.
Eamon’s own family was steeped in the sport. His wife Jackie was a top-class athlete and active club member; his daughter Michelle represented Ireland at U20 level; and his daughters Camilla, Deirdre and Louise, along with his son Pauric, were all part of a family immersed in athletics.
It was particularly special to see his grandson Oisín Gallagher finish third in the All-Ireland Under-12 Cross Country Championships in Derry last November, with Eamon proudly presenting the medal at one of the final events he was able to attend, a fitting image of a lifetime devoted to nurturing the next generation.
Eamon’s passing leaves a profound void in Irish athletics, but his legacy will endure in every young athlete encouraged to believe, and every coach inspired to give a little more. His life was one of service, to family, to club, to school, to community and to country.
Athletics Ireland extends its deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to his beloved wife Jackie, his children and grandchildren, the extended Harvey and McDaid families, to everyone in Tír Chonaill Athletic Club, and to all those involved in club and schools’ athletics and Paralympic sport who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. May his gentle wisdom, generosity of spirit and lifelong commitment to nurturing others continue to guide and inspire us all.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
