Noted local historian dies

(A slightly edited version of this obituary was published in the Irish Times, May 17th 2014)

by Anton McCabe

Seamus Harkin – born April 2^nd 1935, died May 2^nd 2014

Seamus Harkin from Creeslough, Co Donegal, who has died after a short illness, was a historian of his home area, and a collector of its folklore. He was also a musician, songwriter, undertaker, and community activist.

Harkin was born near Creeslough in March 1935, third of five children to Hugh Harkin, a small farmer, and his wife Annie (née Harkin). His formal education in Faugher National School ended at 14. He worked first as a farm labourer: for the Forestry Commission: then with Donegal County Council. He progressed to becoming an insurance agent. That job forced him to develop his writing skills.

He left insurance for the first of his life’s callings, as a solo entertainer playing the pub scene. He combined this with writing songs. One of his last was ‘There is no towbar on the back of a hearse’. The guitar was his life-long instrument. As he became older, he also played the fiddle increasingly: that had been his father’s instrument. He collected and restored old fiddles.

In the 1980s, he learnt how to use a computer. This was after a local national school obtained its first computers.  He attended the few introductory classes, then worked to  develop his skills.

That opened the door to a career as a writer. His work dealt with the life of his home area. It included an edition of the English and Irish works of local poet Niall Mac Giolla Bhríde: Harkin’s own autobiography “It took a lifetime”: and ‘Hallowed Halls’, a book of photographs of every church of every denomination in the diocese of Raphoe.

Round the time he was familiarising himself with computers, he found his third calling. The undertaker in Creeslough died and he took over the business. He had the skill of being able to find the right words of comfort at a difficult time.

Harkin was a man of many other parts. In his community, he worked to develop housing for the elderly, and a day centre, and keep Faugher National School open. In 2011 he was Donegal Rehab Person of the Year. Last year, he was Age Action Silver Surfer of the Year, recognition of his status as a digital native.

He is survived by his wife Tessie; daughter Edel and sons Leo, Mark, Paul and James; sisters Mary and Nora; and brother Hugh. He was predeceased by his son Paschal and brother John.