Relatives of Declan Gallagher by the new bench in Declan Gallagher’s memory

MORE than 100 people turned out to see a bench unveiled in memory of a former Hampstead Heath manager on the anniversary of his death.

Declan Gallagher, who died aged 57 last May after a brief illness following an accident while refereeing a rugby game, had worked on the open space for 17 years and was a hugely popular member among staff.

The bench was placed near to where he had a home and he would often sit and watch the sunset after a day at work.

Simon Lee, the superintendent of Hampstead Heath from 2001 to 2014 and a close friend of Mr Gallagher, said: “We’d sit there and have a couple of beers watching our kids play football on the field in front of us. It was a very special location for us.”

The father-of-three was remembered for being approachable, charming and witty.

He was crucial in protecting and maintaining the Heath, and his friends and colleagues spoke of his kindness and his love of rugby.

Former colleagues joined friends and family to toast him as the bench was unveiled at Golders Hill Park last Tuesday. John Beyer, from the Heath and Hampstead Society, who knew Mr Gallagher for more than 10 years, said: “The sun came out and we all stood around the bench. The City of London team chose a perfect space where he used to sit on a sunny evening.”

He added: “It was a place where Declan put so much effort into.”

Declan Gallagher

Mr Gallagher had vast amounts of achievements while working at the Heath.

An academic, holding a master’s degree, he also had senior qualifications in health and safety. He was a judge for the Green Flag award scheme, and a member of the Institute of Horticulture, of which Mr Lee said: “Declan loved grounds maintenance, he was a turf man, he knew his turf inside out and back to front.”

He added: “He was a joy to work with, a gentle soul but there was a bit of an iron fist there, if he needed to deal with something he’d deal with it. He had a good sense of humour, he was a man who worked with the staff, listened to them and respected them. He earned a huge amount of respect from them.”

Guitarist John Etheridge, who knew Mr Gallagher for many years said they would often bump into each other while on walks on the Heath.

He said: “His Northern Irish accent and his laugh were so fondly memorable. He always had plenty to say.”

The new bench at Golders Hill Park

Mr Gallagher will be remembered for his transformative work on Parliament Hill.

Mr Lee said: “Declan as a manager introduced a very different regime of mowing to soften the areas, he really transformed the area and brought the Heath down into Parliament Hill in a way that it hadn’t before.

“He was very proud of Parlie Hill.”