Terry O’Gara, the Chairman of Wallsend Harriers sadly passed away on Sunday 22nd January following a short illness. He passed peacefully in the company of his family.
Tyne Bridge Harriers would like to send their condolences to Terry’s family, Norma, Kerry, Steve, Paul and their families at this time.
Terry was a true inspiration to many and a number of members at TBH had the fortune to train & run with him at some point in their running careers.
Terry most recently represented England in the 24th British and Irish Masters International Cross Country in Glasgow on 26th November 2011 & secured a silver medal position in the individual V70 category and a GOLD in the V70 team prize.
A lasting testament to a dedicated & fantastic athlete.
Last nights training session at Tyne Bridge Harriers was preceded with a one minute silence as a mark of respect & in memory of Terry.
RIP
11 Responses
I ran and trained with Terry during my time at Wallsend Harriers. A dedicated club chairman and a very encouraging and inspiring human being, and a fantastic athlete. I only managed to beat him (just) in a race a couple of times.
My deepest sympathy go to his family at this sad time.
RIP Terry
I had the good fortune to run with Terry’s training group on my first ever club session, and I’ll never forget the support and encouragement he gave me, even though we’d only just met. But that was the way he treated every new member, no matter their age, creed or ability.
A truely dedicated family man, with an unrivalled passion for running, and somehow who will be sorely missed by those who knew him.
i joined wallsend harriers in 2001 where i met Terry for the first time the warm wellcome he gave me was second to none. Thank you Terry for getting me into running a total insperation and an amazing harrier.
My deepest thoughts go out to his family
RIP Terry
I knew TOG for nearly 25 years. I always paid him high regard for his running ability and achievements. He always set the standards which we and countless others struggled to match, in many instances, unsuccessfully. I well recall the tussles I had with Terry and Jimmy Logue in the late 90s, especially at Blaydon and the Blyth 10 miler, when I did finally manage to beat him. However, he was returning from a long injury problem so they didn’t really count and it did not take long for him to regain his form and leave me gasping in his wake. He finally achieved his lifelong ambition and represented his country last year, a grand finale to a fantastic running career.
My condolences go to Norma and the rest of the family and trust that they will take some comfort at this sad time from the many messages of support posted on this website.
I owe a great deal to Terry O’Gara, as it was he who got me to take up running more seriously when i joined Wallsend Harriers, and if i hadn’t i would maybe never have met Deka. He always inspired you and encouraged you however good you were. I remember when one of my first training sessions, my breathing was that bad he laughed saying i must be a heavy smoker. Thanks to him my running got better, (shame about the breathing).
He was a fantastic bloke, and an amazing athlete, and its great that he finally got his recogition from running internationally.
He will be greatly missed.
My condolences go to Norma and the rest of the family, and to all at Wallsend Harriers. X
A local legend. You knew when you had a good run when Terry shook your hand and patted you on the back, worth more than any medal. Missed but not never forgotten. Deepest respect and condolences to all of Terry’s family.
Terry was a very insperational man. I ran his group on my first night and kept telling me how quickly I would progress. I loved his passion and drive he had, for everyone. He will be a huge loss not to his family and wallsend harriers but the local running scene in general, I think you only have to read the comments on wallsends website to see what a much loved and respected man he was. My deepest condolences go to Norma and the rest of his family.
I hads the honour of knowing terry for over 20 years and i was allways in awe of
him for his atttude and comitment to the sport,he was allways there with a few words of encouragement when you were down after a bad race, or if you did not feel up to it he would allways push you on.
Terry truly was an inspration to everyone that new him or trained with him, and will
be a sad loss to the local athletic clubs.
Terry was the person that i have to thank personally for the way he pushed me in
training and for everything that i got from that.
My thoughts and codolences are with his family at this very sad time.
just heard the sad news of the passing away of terry ogara. I have so many memories of terry while i was a member of wallsend harriers, he was and still is the reason why i still put my running shoes on today in whatever conditions. Terry was an inspiration to every member of Wallsend , he was the one that everyone seemed to go to for advice be it about training, racing anything you wanted he was there.Terry will be greatly missed not only in the northeast but nationally in the athletics family. My deepest sympathy at this sad time are with Terrys wife and family.
i went up to Glasgow in November for the XC International and arrived very early as I was extremely nervous about the forthcoming race. Who was the first person I met on arrival at the venue. Terry O’ Gara. Terry explained that he had hardly slept all night and was equally as nervous. Terry then spent time asking Leodhais how he was and how he was running and he walked off to join our respective squads.
I then watched Terry run in the mud, wind and rain and was willing him on in the last couple of hundred metres. He was catching the guy who eventually won the V70 title Peter Covey but Peter held on.
I then went to the Ceilidh at night and who was the first people I saw Terry and Norma. This was the last time I saw or spoke to Terry.
To have run the Masters Cross Country in such a dedicated determined way when you were obviously ill exemplifies the athlete that was Terry O’ Gara.
Looking at your age grading on Power of 10 90% is the stuff of legends. 66 mins for the Brampton to Carlisle aged 69 is the kind of times a 40 year old would be ecstatic about.
I can’t really believe that you were taken away after running so well only 2 month ago and when I heard about your illness Leodhais and I prayed for you every night.
It makes me realise that each and every one us should ” live for the moment”
God Bless Terry
On behalf of Jesmond Joggers, I would like to pay tribute to Wallsend Harriers chairman Terry O’Gara who sadly passed away last sunday.He was a lovely man and a hell of an athlete Terry will be sadly missed at all North East events and sadly missed personaly by all that had the honour to of know him for the past 25 years , my most sincere sympathies and condolencies go out to all of Terrys family.
Scott Armstrong (Chairman)