Jack Magowan, who died at the age of 79 on April 9, 2009 the first day of the Masters, after a short illness, was a member of the Association for 42 years and a sports writer for almost 60 years. He began as a copy boy at the now defunct Northern Whig but joined the Belfast Telegraph in 1950 where he was the boxing and golf correspondent. He continued to contribute weekly columns even after his retirement in 1991. He was a founder member of the Belfast Press Golf Society, a former chairman of the Irish Golf Writers Association and in February was made an honorary member of the Golfing Union of Ireland. Our sympathies go to Jack’s widow, Betty, and children Simon and Jane.
His obituary in the Belfast Telegraph stated: “Northern Ireland sports journalism has lost one of its acknowledged master craftsmen. Jack Magowan was the ultimate all-round journalist with a capacity to write entertainingly in a Damon Runyonesque lets-publish-and-be damned style, and he also possessed the technological ability to design and edit award winning pages. He was unquestionably the most accomplished Irish boxing writer of his generation — acerbic, fearless yet fair in his criticism, be they amateur or professional, competitor or official. Golf, his other addiction, held him in total esteem — so much so he was made an honorary member of many Northern Ireland clubs. He covered more than 30 Open Championships, Ryder Cups, United States and European tournaments and, unlike others, he walked round the course to get ‘the feel’, as he called it, instead of sitting in the media centre collecting data and the interviews.” The full obituary can be read in the Member News section on our website.
Dermot Gilleece writes: Jack’s funeral was at the Stormont Presbyterian Church in Belfast. John Redmond and I travelled up from Dublin. There was a strong turn-out of his Belfast journalistic colleagues. Jack’s son, Simon, a Commonwealth Games swimmer, was among those who spoke at the service. By way of emphasising his father’s versatility, he pointed to the fact that he covered sport on land, sea and air. Then, to some soft laughter, he explained that the air bit referred to darts. Norman Drew, the first player from these islands to gain both Walker Cup and Ryder Cup honours, was among the congregation.
Charlie Mulqueen writes: Jack was a great character and highly interesting and entertaining press box colleague. He loved boxing and golf but was into all sports and his son was a champion swimmer. He could have a short fuse… I remember being in the press room many years ago in Cork when Christy O’Connor Senior was in his prime and doing well in some tournament, perhaps the RTV Rentals. Anyway, he was phoning his copy to Belfast and the unfortunate girl at the other end had obviously never previously heard of the christian name Christy and as usual in those days, the telephone lines were pretty awful.
Anyway, after six or seven failed attempts to get the copy taker to understand what he was trying to say, Jack, in a typically booming voice that tended to boom ever louder the more frustrated he became, advised: “write down Christ and stick a y at the end”.
Politically, I’d say he was a middle of the road Unionist and hardly a supporter of Ian Paisley. However, he could take Paisley off strikingly well and he often had us rolling in the aisles imitating his accent while attributing words and deeds to the reverend gentleman that he would never have spoken or committed! Jack was a gentleman and a great journalist who was proud of his profession.
Darren Clarke said: “I was deeply saddened to hear of Jack’s passing. He was a very good man who knew the game inside out and knew what he was writing about. Everyone connected to the game here will be sad to hear this news.”
Ivor McCandless, chairman of the Ulster Branch of the GUI, said: “Jack was a great friend to the game of golf and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.”
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