ON a grey Friday afternoon, the clouds parted and the sun started to shine as Joe Galvin was driven around his final lap of the Leigh Harriers track.
Following Joe's sudden passing on February 27, aged 80, more than a hundred people lined the Leigh Sports Village track on Friday, March 17, to honour the life of the revered athletics coach and much-loved man.
His hearse contained floral tributes from family members as well as the Great Britain flag which Keely Hodgkinson celebrated with after her 800m European Indoor Championship gold in Istanbul - reading "RIP Joe Galvin - Legend".
READ > Keely Hodgkinson leads tributes to Leigh Harriers legend Joe Galvin
Highlighting the impact he had on people in the community, Joe's funeral service at St Ambrose Barlow Church in Astley was packed out with people standing up at the side and the back of the church.
Grateful for the turnout at his dad's funeral, Joe's son Andrew spoke of the countless tributes that people had sent to the family, who described Joe as a "tenacious" and a "legend".
In an emotional tribute, Andrew spoke of how loved his dad was by his friends, wife, children, and grandchildren, as well as about his love of sports and gardening.
Dedicating his life to Leigh Harriers, Andrew also said how the club's former chairman was instrumental in his coaching of athletes and in the club's move to Leigh Sports Village, which can be used for generations to come.
This was echoed in a second tribute by Leigh Harriers member Neil Wade, who said that despite having so many influential figures at the athletics club, there was "no one who did more for Leigh Harriers than Joe".
Laughing at Joe's legendary "old school put downs" that he was infamous for, it was said how he tried to make each runner the best athlete and person they could be, no matter what the ability.
With Joe coaching hundreds of athletes over the decades, and many going on to achieve track success, Neil spoke of Keely Hodgkinson's fitting tribute to Joe following her gold medal win in Istanbul.
Honouring her former coach on a global stage with the Great Britain flag that read "RIP Joe Galvin - Legend", Neil said it can't be summed up any better than that.
On an emotional day that celebrated the life of a true local legend, it was evident how many lives Joe had touched in the community.
When closing his speech, Andrew said that his dad recently asked his wife Margaret if he had done enough with his life.
Telling Joe to stop the watch and get some rest, Andrew added: "You've done enough, dad."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here