David goes Manx mad with Games tribute
A FORMER Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association chairman has entered the spirit of the friendly games for the upcoming week by transforming his garden with an Isle of Man theme.
When asked by this year’s Island Games organising team to put flags up in his garden, David Harry went the extra mile and installed a Manx cat, a fairy bridge and a large banner that reads ‘Good luck Team Isle of Man’ at his Jerbourg home.
‘I heard that the Manx team were staying at the Jerbourg Hotel which is just down the road from me so they’ll pass my garden a few times a day,’ he said.
‘I’m hoping they'll call in for a chat.’
Mr Harry was part of the organising team for the Guernsey 2003 Island Games cycling events which included a young Mark Cavendish, dubbed the Manx Missile, grabbing criterium gold from under the nose of Jerseyman Sam Firby after he celebrated too early on the line.
The moment was photographed and appears as part of Mr Harry’s garden decorations, which also includes a large sign on the front of the wall paying homage to the efforts of Cavendish, who has since won 34 Tour de France stages.
‘Those moments are what the Games are about and it what was so great about the 2003 Games. There was such a buzz during and after the competition, I think everyone just felt proud that we had hosted such a superb Island Games,’ said Mr Harry, adding that this year he was most looking forward to seeing the athletics after witnessing Guernsey’s success in last year’s Commonwealth Games.
‘I saw Alastair Chalmers get bronze and again the buzz was amazing, I’m hoping he can convert that into gold next week,’ he said.
Mr Harry has been a keen cyclist since 1968 and used to compete, but now classes himself as a ‘leisure cyclist’. He is also a volunteer attache this time around.
