There has been a positive welcome for a proposal to place a bench in Newmills in memory of the late George Hegarty.
Featured photo: The late George and wife Kathleen Hegarty from Newmills in a Morris Minor which was a Christmas present from their son Gareth. Photo Brian McDaid
Mr Hegarty, a much-loved local man who famously drove Morris Minors, sadly passed in October 2017.
His wife Kathleen and their children are now seeking permission to place a bench in his honour in the grounds of the Newmills Corn and Flax Mills.
Cllr Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly said he believed a memorial bench would be a fitting tribute to George and his family. It would also benefit the mills by offering a place for tourists to rest and look out over the River Swilly, he said.
“George was a well known character, he always greeted everyone with a beep of the horn and a big wave. He was a gentleman and real hard worker, and spent many days himself helping out at the mill when it was going in full swing,” Cllr Kelly told the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting this week.
Cllr Kelly said that Mr Hegarty would have turned 80 years old on 26th July, making it a fitting time to place a bench this summer.
The motion was adopted by the council on Tuesday, and it was agreed that the Office of Public Works can be contacted to discuss the matter further.
