Jack Mahon: Distinguished sportsman, teacher and writer Another dark cloud has passed over Galway football. More great loss. The death of Jack Mahon in the early hours of Sunday morning, October 23rd, followed the very sad passing of his 1956 All-Ireland team-mates Sean Purcell and Mattie McDonagh - all within seven months. Jack, who died at University College Hospital, Galway, following a long battle with illness, bravely fought, had himself been deeply saddened by the deaths of Sean and Mattie, and by the sudden passing last year of two other friends and fellow GAA legends, Enda Cooleran and Niall McInerney. It all casts a shadow over the plans to celebrate, next year, the 50th anniversary of Galway footballers' epic win over Cork in the 1956 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final. Now, four of that great XV have gone to the their Maker: Jack, Sean, Mattie and Jackie Coyle. A native of Dunmore, where his father was a National School teacher, Jack Mahon had a distinguished career as a player, at the highest level. He first made a mark as a young player, winning a County Minor title with Dunmore McHales in 1949 and a Connacht Colleges championship with St Jarlath's, Tuam, in 1950. It was at a time when there was no All-Ireland Colleges championship played, so he did not get the opportunity to follow up on the Tuam school's Hogan Cup triumph of 1947, inspired by his close friend Sean Purcell. Jack won the first of three County Senior championships in 1953, with a Dunmore MacHales team captained by his 19-year-old brother Brian, who has since lived in Tuam. The defeated team in the 1953 final was Oughterard, powered by five Keogh brothers. Jack's other two Galway S.F.C. medal were won in 1961 (ending the Tuam's Stars' seven in-a-row) and 1963, and by then he was settled in the city. Most of his teaching life was spent as Headmaster at Moneenageisha Community College where hundreds of young footballers and hurlers developed their skills, along with other noted sportsmen such as golfer Christy O'Connor Jnr., horse racing man Val O'Brien and soccer personality Tommy Lally. It was a dream come true for Jack when he was selected on the Galway senior football team in 1951. He played on until 1961, winning an All-Ireland medal in 1956, a National League medal in '57, as captain, and six Connacht championships including five in a row from 1956 to 1960 - he was one of four players who lined out in all five finals; the others were Sean Purcell, Mattie McDonagh and Joe Young. He won Railway Cup medals with Connacht in 1957 and '58 and also in '58 he played at centre half-back on the Combined Universities team which defeated the Rest of Ireland. His team-mates included Sean Purcell and they were in opposition to some of their best friends, Frank Stockwell, Tom "Pook" Dillon, Mick Greally, John Nallen and Packy McGarty. After his playing career finished, Jack went into Football administration, serving as Galway Football Board chairman in the 1980s, as P.R.O. since, and last year he was given an honourary position: President of the County GAA Board. For the past 40 years, he wrote extensively on the GAA, both as a newspaper columnist and as a writer of books. Fifteen of his 19 books were about the GAA. He also wrote two books on horse racing (the Bobbyjo story and the history of Galway Races), a life of the renowned Aran Islands woman Bridget Dirrane who lived past her 100th birthday and a book on his own life in teaching. He was a great family man; great company, a man who returned friendship with unfailing loyalty, and he cherished traditional values and the highest principles. He will be fondly remembered by all who knew him, and his place in the history of County Galway is secure. Jack Mahon, who died aged 72, is survived by his wife Eileen; sons John, Pearse, Karl and Branwell; daughters Lisa, Genevieve; brothers Tom, Brian and Brendan; sisters Eithne, Peggy and Louie; grandchildren, in-laws, nephews, nieces, other relatives and a large circle of friends. Jim Carney Courtesy of The Tuam Herald 27 October 2005 Tweet

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