'His contribution was immense' - Former Derry City Chairman Jack McCauley remembered
Tributes have been paid to one of Derry City Football Club’s most loyal servants following his recent passing.
Jack McCauley was a Club Director throughout the 1980s and 1990s before becoming Chairman in the early 1990s. As well as serving as the Vice President of the club, he also worked as the club representative with the FAI for several years and was involved in the redevelopment of the Brandywell Stadium.
As well as being a huge Derry City fan, Jack was also a keen gaelic fan and was one of the founding members of Doire Colmcille. Those closest to Jack remember him today as a very giving person.
“Jack put as much into Derry City as anybody,” Martin McDaid recalls. “He was a representative for the FAI and the league for 24 years, which involved travelling to Dublin on a monthly basis. His contribution was immense. Between supporting Derry City and the Republic of Ireland, we have been around Europe. He gave a lot of commitment. Jack was a big gaelic man as well and was one of the founders of Doire Colmcille, but he was a big sportsperson overall.
“The amount of voluntary time Jackie gave to things was probably unnoticed by most people. He was just a good man.”
Seamus McGilloway, who was taught by Jack during his schooldays before playing under him at Colmcille, believes his legacy at the club is significant.
“He was one of the mainstays of Colmcille throughout the Troubles,” he said. “He came in during the 1970s and he was the backbone of the club for a long time. He was the Chairman, and the manager and he also involved with the County Board. He saw us win our first Junior title in 74/75, he took the club to America along with Sean Mellon in 75 and he laid a good foundation for the club for those following him.”
Derry City FC have also released a statement, paying tribute to a man who gave so much to the club over the years.
“Derry City Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the death of former Club Chairman, Jack McCauley.
Mr McCauley served on the Derry City Board of Directors throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as Chairman in the early 1990s and also as the elected Vice President of Derry City Football Club.
Mr McCauley also served as our club representative in the Football Association of Ireland for a number of years, generously giving of his time on a number of national subcommittees at the Association. In the 2000s he was involved with Brandywell Properties as they sought to secure funding for the redevelopment of the present football stadium.
“When the club was expelled from the FAI Premier Division in 2009, he was part of the working group which met with the Association and secured the club’s re- entry into the First Division.
Born in Derry in 1940, Jack McCauley qualified and practiced first as a teacher, before qualifying as a Quantity Surveyor. Growing up following the Candystripes, Jack would often regale younger supporters with stories of home and away games when City played in the Irish League.
“He followed the Candystripes and the Republic of Ireland home and away for many years, attending every City European game both home and away until the mid-2010s. Travels with club and country took Jack to places as diverse as Armenia, Japan and the USA.
“As a season ticket holder, he was a fixture in the Glentoran Stand and following the redevelopment, the Mark Farren Stand. He was present at the FAI Cup final last year to see City triumph 4-0 in the Aviva and most recently back at the Brandywell for the 2023 season.
“In addition to his sporting interests, Jack was involved in a range of community organisations, especially Derry Youth and Community Workshop.
“Derry City would like to express the sincere condolences of all associated with the club to his wife Maureen, his children, Eimear, Sean, Deirdre and Ciaran and to the wider family circle.”
Loyal
One of Jack’s claims to fame was the fact that for so long, he and only two others could boast a record of attending every Derry City away day in European competition since entering the League of Ireland in 1985. Alongside Richard McKinney and Jim O’Donnell, Jack travelled all over Europe following the Candystripes. The three travelled together to Benfica, Cardiff, Vitesse Arnhem (twice), Locomotiv Sofia, Maribor, Apoel Nicosia, IFK Gothenburg, Gretna, Paris St. Germain, FC Pyunik, Skonto Riga and CSKA Sofia.
The last word goes to the man himself.
“My least favourite game was Cardiff, because when I went home on the day of the draw, my wife asked me who did we get. I told her Cardiff and she said ‘Where?’,” he laughed. “I told her Cardiff again and she said ‘Sure that’s hardly Europe’. But my favourite match I think was Benfica. It was a great crowd and a great atmosphere and a fair number of supporters travelled over and we had a wonderful time at the hotel and the craic was mighty. Even though we lost 4-0, it was a mighty game.”