JJ McCormack RIP

JJ McCormack

It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of JJ McCormack, who passed away on Thursday night, after a long illness.

Joe, or JJ as he was better known, was one of Ireland's top riders during a career that spanned a quarter of a century. Having started cycling, in his native Birr, in the late 1930's, JJ won his first national title in 1948. He followed that win with a further 28 All-Ireland Championships and represented his country 23 times. It would be fair to say there are very few cycling trophies from that era in Ireland that don't carry his engraved name at least once.

Coast to Coast Race Eagle C.R.C. Team
L/R J.J.McCormack, Tony Allen(sunglasses), Christy Lynch, Jim Kennedy, Sonny Cullen, Gerry Kinsella

After his retirement from racing in 1963, JJ then became one of the most dedicated and visionary officials in Irish cycling. He organised, or worked on, events at all levels, from Schoolboy leagues to the Pro-Am Tour of Ireland in 1982. He also served for many years on the committee of the Irish Cycling Federation and was a major player in uniting the sport on the island via the Irish Cycling Tripartite Committee. I've no doubt that his wily wit and charm smoothed many a tense discussion and opened many doors to progress.

The Irish Amateur RR Team at the World Championships in Zandvoort, Holland, 1959
From left: JJ McCormack (Eagle CRC), Sammy Kerr (Ballymena RC), Sean Fox (Eagle CRC - Manager),
Ian Moore (Zeus RC), Jim Maguire (Windsor CC)

However, by his own admission, pride of place in his many achievements in the sport was the Junior Tour Of Ireland. In 1978, JJ felt that young Irish cyclists would benefit enormously from having the opportunity to ride a proper stage race, over courses and distances within their ability, and against riders of a similar age. From that the then unique Junior Tour of Ireland was born.

Generations of Irish, and foreign, riders cut their teeth in the Junior Tour, many of whom went on to much greater things in the sport. The list of winners contains many well known names, including Martin Earley (winner of the first edition in 1978, Tour De France stage winner), JJ's own son Paul (1980, Rás winner and pro), Stephen Spratt (1983, Rás winner), Richard Groenendaal (1988, World Cyclo-Cross Champion), Mark Scanlon (1998, World Junior RR Champion) and current pro riders Nicolas Roche (2002), Kai Reus (2003) and Ian Stannard (2004).

It's a lasting tribute to JJ that the Junior Tour Of Ireland is still regarded as one of Europe's (if not the worlds) premier junior races and that it still continues to produce winners whose names grace the cycling pages for many years after their win.

Still riding in Eagle colours in Majorca, late 1980's

Of course, as well as being a great member of the Irish cycling family, JJ, with his wife Rita, had a great cycling family of his own. Of his four sons and one daughter, three of them went on to be successful riders in their own right. Alan, Paul and John all enjoyed success racing in, and for, Ireland. Alan and Paul then both went on to become big players on the US pro scene. Their living room in Donaghmede, Dublin was a cycling trophy room, containing countless cups, trophies, medals and sashes.

My own memories of JJ come from my time riding for the same club he won so many races with, Eagle CRC. As an old friend of my Dad's, JJ never had anything but words of encouragement for me, from my earliest schoolboy races, through Junior and on to Senior racing. His enthusiasm, his generosity and his humour could lift a kid from even the worst drubbing (of which there were many in my short career!). We had many laughs driving the length of the country in his Ford Cortina Estate, all through a fog of cigar smoke.

He valued everyone's contribution to his beloved sport equally, from the most esteemed pro to the humblest schoolboy, from the blazered officials to the long-suffering mums, wives and family members lining the roadside. At the same time he had no shame in recruiting anyone available for even the lowliest job, to ensure a smooth race. With a quiet word, a wink, a hand on your elbow or a playful thump on the chest, he'd have you standing on a corner with a flag for the afternoon before you'd even have a chance to get a word in!

JJ McCormack was nothing short of a giant of Irish cycling. His passing marks a very sad day for all who knew him and for the sport.

My sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends at this sad time.