Family fly in from Australia for memorial servcie

RELATIVES of a Northern Ireland woman who tragically died while visiting them in Australia are flying over for a memorial service in her local church in Portrush.Georgie Hart, who was 74, died suddenly in December while on her annual visit to Australia to see her daughter Daphne and her family who live in Sydney.A former teacher, Mrs Hart was well known among the golfing fraternity in Antrim.

She was also a past member of the Northern Ireland Sports Council as well as various governing bodies in ladies golf.Mrs Hart and her husband Noel celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.For several years, Mrs Hart was a selector for the Ulster Junior Girls golf team.She was active in the Ladies’ Golfing Union and was elected its chairman in 1993, its centenary year.

As an enthusiastic ambassador for women’s golf, she was the first woman to make a speech in St Andrews Golf Club, the home of golf.Mrs Hart served a further four-year term with the Irish Ladies Golf Union Council and was appointed Chairman of Selectors for the Irish International Ladies Golf Team. She was delighted that in 2003 the Irish Ladies Team won the Home Internationals, under her stewardship, for the first time in 18 years.

Her contribution to the sport of golf in Northern Ireland resulted in being invited to join the NI Sports Council in 1995. She served on the Sports Council for two years, as it awarded National Lottery funding to sporting interests throughout Ulster.Her Memorial Service will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, February 24 at Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, Portrush.