On Tuesday, February 6, a dark cloud passed over the village of Donagh and surrounding areas, when the sad news became known that Hugh Francis (Frankie) McCormack had died.

A loving husband, father, brother and uncle to his family, Hugh Francis was a loyal friend and a wonderful neighbour who could be called on at any time of the day or night.

Time meant nothing to him, and he gave it freely to anyone in trouble.

Hugh Francis was born in the townland of Aughnalough, Co. Fermanagh, the eldest in a family of six to Cornelius and Lucy (nee Treacy), in July, 1960, followed by his siblings, John, Geraldine, Anne, Nuala and Cornelius.

His education began at Ballagh Primary School in 1965, then St. Comghall’s, Lisnaskea, and then Fermanagh Technical College and Training Centre in Enniskillen.

From there his mechanical career started by working in local garages until he started his own lorry business, drawing materials from local quarries, which with the help of his family became a very successful business.

He was delighted when his son, Hugh, joined him in the business. Next came his tar-spraying operation which took him to jobs throughout Ireland.

Hugh Francis’s first love was his family, which started when he met Nuala in 1981, and they married in 1986, followed by the births of Siobhan, Elizabeth and Hugh.

But his second love was vintage tractors, cars and lorries, knowledge about which he gained from his own father, Cornelius, who was one of the first lorry drivers in the area, and his visits to his grand-uncle, Alex McCormack, Bunneill, which was always his second home, and his uncle, John Treacy, whose opinion was always sought, as well as reading all the vintage magazines he could find.

With the death of Hugh Francis, the vintage fraternity have lost one of the most knowledgeable men in the business.

People say when someone dies, a book is closed, but in this case it’s a library.

There was nothing High Francis didn’t know, and he was always willing to share and help, and if he couldn’t get you a part, he would know someone who had it.

His last project was the restoration of his Ford Ferguson, which he was so rightly proud of as he had it restored down to the last detail.

Every weekend, he would load up his Fordson Major and head for some tractor run – it might be somewhere in Fermanagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, Louth or Meath.

And that’s the reason his own tractor run was so successful.

‘Frankie’s Tractor Run’, as it was known, with the help of his family, was so successful, and raised a lot of money for many local charities.

He also had a great knowledge and interest in the history of the local area.

Hugh Francis was a gentleman in every way possible, and the large crowd at his wake and funeral in St. Patrick’s, Donagh, was a testament to the esteem in which he was held by everyone.

His death has left a void which will never be filled. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

To all his family – especially Nuala, Siobhan, Elizabeth and Hugh – we offer our sincere sympathy.

Jim MacConnaill, on behalf of the Donagh Vintage Club.