Dr. HARRY S CORSCADDEN LL.D 1907-2008
Died 21st December 2008
An Appreciation
Harry Corscadden was born in Dromad, Co Leitrim on 4th May 1907, and lived in Mohill until 1922, when at the outbreak of the civil war in Ireland, his father, who had been the crown solicitor in Co. Leitrim, was forced to leave his home. Moving North, the family stayed for a while in Belfast whilst his father sought work, eventually joining a law practice in Ballymoney. He later became the Chief Crown Solicitor in Northern Ireland and was awarded a C.B.E.
Harry went to Portora Royal School in Enniskillen where he was a brilliant student, winning a Junior Scholarship in 1923. His name appears on the honours board in the school on the same panel as other notable men including Henry Francis Lyte, author of some well known hymns including ‘Abide With Me’ and Oscar Wilde, (whose name reputedly is in brighter gold lettering as it was in turn removed and then reinstated depending upon his public acceptance). Also on the scholarship board is Harry’s contemporary at Portora ~ Samuel Beckett.
Harry also enjoyed his sport at school and played for the rugby team. He claimed he once had the job of marking Frank Hewitt the only international to play for Ireland whilst still at school! After taking his degree at Trinity College, Dublin in 1928 Harry joined J K Currie & Son, a firm of solicitors in Ballymena. In 1931 he gained the silver medal and first place in the final examination of the Incorporated Law Society and in the same year was awarded his doctorate in Law. But failing to get an assurance of a future partnership in the firm he left and took up a post in the Civil Service, where he met and eventually married Joyce Wolf.
In 1940, taking a reduction in salary, he joined the Ulster Bank as assistant solicitor, becoming a director in 1953 and senior managing director from 1964 until his retirement in 1973. Outside the bank Harry played an active role in the community becoming involved in a large number of organisations. At various times he has served the community as Chairman of the Northern Ireland branch of the Institute of Directors and chairman of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce. He also was a member of the Police Authority in Northern Ireland, the Post Office Users Council, The Marriage Guidance Council, The General Health Services Board and also served on the General, and other Synods of the Church of Ireland.
When he was about 7 or 8 he was asked what he would like to be when he grew up and he answered ‘A solicitor and a Mason’, which he achieved at an early stage and only just in that order! Thus starting a long involvement with the Masonic Order, rising to a high degree, and remaining active until his death.
In 1959 Harry was introduced to Rotary by Dr George Little when he joined the Rotary Club of Belfast. He remained to the end of his life a very active and interested honorary member of the club, attending the Christmas Lunch meeting less than a week before his death. He became President of the club in 1973-74 at the height of the troubles and was instrumental in the establishment of the Harmony Community Trust, one of the first of the organisations in Northern Ireland to bring together young people from the different communities.
This was a project very close to Harry’s heart and it came as a shock when the government of the time withdrew the offer of financial support that had been expected. The Glebe House premises at Strangford were bought and the club was in the position of having to raise and service a sizeable financial commitment and ongoing running costs. He travelled to many Rotary Clubs in Ireland, Europe and North America talking about the project and raising awareness and funds to ensure its success. It was with the considerable financial support from the Rotary Club of Dublin North that the Trust got underway and still provides today a service to the youth in Ireland and further afield. The centre is now managed by founder staff member Diarmaid McGarrigle, with Helen Honeyman following in Harry’s footsteps as Chair. Harry kept an ongoing interest in the work of the Trust and was a frequent visitor to Glebe House the last time being in September 2008.
On his death Helen Honeyman wrote the following tribute: “We owe so much to (Harry’s) commitment to the Trust and Glebe House. There are thousands of children and young people as well as adults like myself who have reason to be thankful for what he contributed to their lives and to the well being of Northern Ireland. It is hard to remember 1974 when it all started and little did I realise then what an inspiration Harry would be in my life.”
In recognition of the huge input to the Trust by the late Harry Corscadden, the new Activity and Conference Centre was dedicated and named after him at a ceremony in May 2009.
The ceremony celebrated his life with Glebe House, Tributes and Memories were made by Helen Honeyman, Chairperson, Harmony Community Trust, PP David Boyd, HCT Treasurer and Belfast Rotary Club, Dee Kelly, Past Co-ordinator for International Voluntary Service NI and Chairperson HCT and his grand daughter Sheila Pulham who was also a past volunteer at Glebe House.
The Plaque was then unveiled by PP Alistair and Jennifer Corscadden.
Photo shows three generations of Harry's family
and HCT Council members
Harry was a Paul Harris Fellow and for his ongoing commitment to Rotary he was awarded an addition of a Sapphire pin, presented by District Governor Howard Caskie, on the occasion of his 100th birthday celebrations. He is the only member that the Club has awarded a Paul Harris fellowship with Saphire.
Harry will be sadly missed in Rotary circles and by his immediate family of two children, Jennifer and Alastair, a past President of the Rotary club of Belfast, and by his five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren in all of whom he had a personal pride and an abiding interest in their progress.
Additional Comments
Many Rotarians echo the words of the editor of Flash (Rosemary Simpson) published in the February/March edition. Already many tributes have been paid to Harry and the official one is in this edition. Harry's life was an example to everyone, not only following the Rotary ideals, but also as a committed humanitarian, especially where children were concerned.
Many children in this province have Harry to thank for making an otherwise bleak and frightening childhood bearable because of trips to Glebe House. I remember being at the meeting with Douglas when The Harmony Community Trust was launched, thinking it was a wonderful idea but how would local children view it, and now hundreds of children have benefited from holidays there so much. It's successful survival through 'The Troubles' is a fitting tribute to a thoughtful and caring man, greatly respected by all fortunate enough to know him and by many who never met him, and he is sadly issed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Alastair and the whole family circle.
With happy memories.