Jack Mahon (Gaelic footballer)

Jack Mahon (1933–2005) was a famous Irish sportsperson who played Gaelic football for Galway in the 1950s.

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 College, 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 McHales team captained by his 19-year-old brother Brian, who has since lived in Tuam. Jack’s other two Galway S.F.C. medal were won in 1961 (ending the Tuam’s Stars’ seven in-a-row) and 1963.

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 1957, 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.

Following Mahon's retirement from senior football in 1961, Jack went into Football administration, serving as Galway Football Board chairman in the 1980s, as P.R.O. since, and later he was given an honorary position: President of the County GAA Board. He was also a writer and sports historian, having written a total of 19 books about Gaelic football and sport in general.

Jack was a family man and father of six children John, Lisa, Genevieve, Pearse, Karl and Branwell. He died on October 23, 2005 after a long illness.