Harry Willems on one of his many trips to the Rás, his family has extended an invite to his Irish friends to his funeral
Departing Irish shores to race in France or Belgian has been a rite of passage for many young riders down the decades. In the background there are always those who help the mostly wide-eyed and legless riders find their feet.
Belgium’s Harry Willems was one of those men for many in the Irish cycling community and it was with great sadness that we heard of his death this week. A frequent visitor to these shores, Harry was a very popular figure on the Rás for years but also provided invaluable and generous support for those who wanted to strike out and give it a go in Belgium.
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His home in Elewijt was an oasis for the Irish and there was always a fantastic welcome put on by Harry and his wife Emilia and sons Marc and Luc.
Well known former rider and a former president of Cycling Ireland, PJ Nolan paid tribute to Harry, who died of an apparent heart attack out on his bike on Wednesday.
“I first met Harry in 1979 when he put up a team of juniors who went as cannon fodder to a Belgian stage race,” he said.
“Although we were useless, Harry and his wife were perfect hosts and treated us like visiting royalty. The standard of his guests improved with many very good riders including Morgan Fox, Dermot Finnegan, Colm Farrell, former British champion Hamish Haynes and David O'Loughlin all lodging there.”
Nolan said Harry would not dream of taking money from the riders and was happy to take in the Irish strays simply to try and help their careers and grow the sport.
“I talked to Tim O’Regan earlier who had spent some time last winter living with Harry while riding cyclocross in Belgium and he was so sad that we had lost a true friend.”
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“Harry was a huge man, he rode his bike for 100 kilometres and ate waffles like there was a famine. He was an announcer at the very popular cyclocross events and his voice could carry for miles.”
Harry worked on the Rás for both Navan and DCM Belgium teams.
“He was incredible and before sat navs he had the power to find guesthouses that masqueraded under assumed names,” said Nolan.
Many people have left tributes to Harry on stickybottle’s Facebook page including, among others: Tosh Lavery, Karl Donnelly, Joe Fenlon, Gerry Harte, Mark Nestor, Emmet Roche, Brendan Caffrey, Fred Boethling, Caroline Crowley, Alice Sherratt and Dolores Usher.
On behalf of Harry’s family, Luc Willems has asked us to thank everyone and he is contactable on [email protected] .
Funeral arrangements
Saturday May 11th in Winkselle-Delle crematorium at 12 noon. Situated about 16Km from Brussels, Zaventem Airport. Burial afterwards in Boortmeerbek cemetery. The family would like to extend a warm invitation to any of Harry's Irish friends to attend.
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