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My good pal Ian

Well, where to start. I first met Ian on a BASI course and because I then went to live in Dublin during the Summer for a few years, I became familiar with his RTE work. I used to meet Ian for lunch at the RTE canteen quite regularly. As you can imaging the main topic of conversation was skiing. One day I turned up to meet him for lunch and was told that he was in the RTE Radio recording studios. I toddled over there just in time to meet Ian coming out of one of the studios with a musician. He introduced me to Don McLean. To this day, whenever a Don McLean song comes on the radio, I tell everybody that it’s “my mate Don” singing. Then along came Jane and very shortly afterwards, Tamsin & Kirsty. Ian and I worked as trainers on many BASI courses, sometimes assessing together. Whether it was in Scotland, France or Austria, Ian’s morning greeting was always the same “Top of the morning to you” (to be honest, before I heard Ian say it, I thought it was a bit of Irish folklore). On one course in Scotland many moons ago, Ian asked me if I’d “ever seen one of these”? He had an original Sony Walkman and I don’t think anybody on the course had ever seen one. It was huge by todays technological standards. Anyway, to finish, I would just like to say that, you would be hard pushed to find a nicer, kinder gentleman than Ian. Sláinte.

  • Martin Rowe
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The greatest drummer

Ian….I remember you and Peter Adaler when you both played in Bluesville. Might remember Maureen . Peter Do you remember the man I think he owned Sella House….his name was Davy Whitron he was a racing driver ,he came over from England & he lived in the corner house oppisite The Stella…If anyone needed anything for a gig would ” get a note”from Mr.Whitron.
The last time I spone to you Ian was in Jurys hotel in Ballsbridge you said to me anyone who didnt grow up with 60’s music were missing out.
My name is monica and i used to cut Colm Wilkinsons fringe in the No.5 club in Harcout Street . I have many happy memories as Know you have of the 60’s as I kbow you have, they were special times.
Also the spotlight magazine on the thrid floor of building in Grafton Street. Also I remember our Monday nights in the Television Club. Free passes aquired! . ❤🥁

  • Monica Mc Nally/Teeling
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Aimin’ High!

I am so sorry to hear of Ian being unwell and suffering from this apparently devastating illness. I have many memories, ranging from the time that Deke ‘O Brien and I recorded Ian’s trad jazz group, The Jazz Coasters, at The Merrion Inn to watching him play drums in Bluesville at Presentation College in Glasthule. Later when Ian directed Aimin’ High featuring Nightbus at RTE ( see pic) and even later as he often walked by my old house in Elton Park and exchanged greetings. ‘Morning Bones’ ,he would always say. Ian was one of a small group of mutual pals who always called me by this name. ( Ken Gillespie, Derek Peyton, Tony Baker (RIP) , Shay Healey (RIP), Andy Maher (RIP) and Brendan Balfe.

  • Brendan ( Bones) Bonass
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Gentleman of Carrigstown

In this Fair City Ian McGarry was a gentleman amongst the ruffians. His firm but gentle nature endeared him to cast and crew alike….. but if I had hear another word about skiing…. Well…. That’s another story.
I worked with Ian on many episodes of Fair City and I can quite honestly say that you won’t find a more well respected man in the halls or RTÉ.

  • Stevie O Halloran
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Wendy and Graziano : Bormio – Santa Caterina World Championships

Hi Ian, we have lots of lovely memories to share with you, from BASI courses to your daughters’ achievements. I remember when you became the first Irish BASI 1 – I think I was doing grade 2 at the time. Later on, Graziano and I had a lovely time at your home in Dalkey when Tamsen was still tiny and you’d just got the news that you and Jane were expecting Kirsten. You showed Graziano and me around the TV studios, explained how everything worked and pointed out all the stars in the canteen (unfortunately, being English and Italian, we had little idea who the Irish stars were!). We also went to the ballet and out for a lovely meal in Dublin. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it to the wedding when you married Jane and then didn’t see you again for quite a while. When Kirsten competed in the World Champs we met up for a ski together in Aprica (and Kirsten won another cup during training). Ashley still remembers his amazing crash that day when he broke his goggles. We had lunch together at a mountain restaurant with another member of the Irish team. You and the family stayed just outside Santa Caterina in a little hotel we found for you as it was quite a hike from Aprica each day. Our family (Graziano, Wendy, Kirsten, Alison and Ashley) came to see you there too. Some years later, our Kirsten came to stay with you in Ireland and had a wonderful time with your Kirsten. We haven’t been back to Ireland since. We were planning a trip a few years ago but then the pandemic spoiled our plans. I have to trace my Irish ancestors yet so a trip to Avoca is definitely on the cards.

  • Wendy Dunn Ruffoni
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Multi Talented

The multi talented Ian McGarry is not in good health . I first met Ian many years ago when he played with Bluesville in Stella House! I later worked with him on many projects in RTE! He was always the calmest , coolest , most professional director that you could hope to work with. I am attaching some pics that another good and very talented Friend ROY Esmond passed on to me!

  • Joe Dolan
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Music 🎶 Follower ,60,s Fan

Sorry you’re I’ll.

So sorry to hear your not well, Ian, a loyal follower of you with the Freshmen,,,Showband days and the many shows that you did for RTE,,,speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹 my Friend : Remember you playing Drums in the ARCADIA in CORK ☘️

  • John Hartigan,,,,,Cork
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Ski Club of Ireland

Ian would know me from the ski club of Ireland and when I was a little girl and Tamsen and I went to ST Nicholas school In Dunlaoghire.I am so sorry to hear this and reading this Jane.I am think of Ian and yourself Jane and of Tamsen and so Kirsty.Mind yourselves and stay well and stay strong.I am sending my blessings to you all and also my prayers too.🙏🥰❤️

  • Tara Carroll
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Remembering Chatel adventures

What a great season it was (’97/’98) with Ian and Jane in Chatel, working with McGarry The Ski System. Ian is a remarkable skier and teacher and without doubt the best ‘boss’ (along with Jane of course) I have ever worked with. People often say that good skiers make it look effortless, but nobody embodied this more than Ian, he literally floats down anything, no matter the conditions.

The best thing about Ian’s teaching style is his relaxed attitude. He makes everyone feel at ease immediately, and there’s no pressure. Ian has zero ego and just wants to see everyone enjoy the mountain.

Ian also always loved a good lunch and that made me happy too. He introduced me to the gourmet delights of the Portes du Soleil ski area, with highlights including the Lindarets Valley and Village des Chevre along with the old restaurant at the bottom of the Prodains with the ‘Madame’ cooking up the plat du jour that was always worth the visit, although that particular restaurant has now closed. Ian and Jane also took all the staff to places such as Les Cornettes…over the past 25 years I’ve been lucky enough to keep on visiting these places and it’s all down to Ian and Jane.

The fact that Ian is also a legendary drummer too makes him contender for the best bloke of the century as far as I’m concerned.

Thanks Ian for all your inspiration, teaching and memories!

Just wish I had a few photos of Ian to post, but unfortunately I do not.

  • Rob Stewart
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Friend from the Antipodes

My earliest memories of Ian are from the days long ago when I worked in the French Alps. We first met when Jane and I were working together in Les Arcs 1800 in the early 1980s and a few years later in Chamonix where I worked for several winter seasons.
I remember Ian as a quietly spoken person, not taken at all to talking about himself. It was through Jane that I learnt about the breadth of Ian’s talents and skills in television/directing, as a musician and superb skier and instructor. Jane was, and remains, immensely proud of Ian and his many achievements. On my visits to the family home in Dublin when Tamsen and Kirsty were young, I was always welcomed and I could see what a devoted husband and father Ian was.
Ian’s work touched another young family on the other side of the globe. My brother, Michael, a teacher, musician and, at the time, father of two young daughters, purchased a video cassette of the Gael Force live concert filmed at Dublin’s Point Theatre in 1997. My little nieces loved that concert and spent many hours watching it, dancing to the Irish music and in particular, dancing along with the Leahy family! One day I was visiting while Gael Force was playing and happened to read the cassette cover and noticed that the director of this concert was Ian McGarry. I felt proud to know Ian who had contributed to bringing so much joy to Michael and his young family and so many others around the globe through his work.
Ian did make a brief visit to Australia in the late 1990s when he was directing a touring concert from Ireland. While in Melbourne for the concert, I was delighted that he agreed to come for an overnight visit to the farm where I was living near Ballarat. Ian was good company and it was great to see him here in Australia.
In 2013 after a delightful week on the West Coast of Ireland, I visited the McGarrys in Dublin. As Jane was not back from the UK until the day after my arrival, Ian took me out to dinner in Dalkey. We managed to catch up on so much that had happened in the years since we’d last seen each other during his brief visit to Australia – a very special evening spent together.
In 2014 and again in 2017 I was fortunate to catch up with Ian and Jane in the McGarry family chalet in Châtel when Jane invited six friends who’d worked with her in Les Arcs in the early 1980s to France for week-long reunions. Ian was completely unfazed by co-hosting six of Jane’s women friends, known affectionately as the LAGs (Les Arcs Girls), and what a wonderful time we spent together! Jane and Ian were such amazing hosts providing us with memories of beautiful food, wine, stories, laughter and walks in that crystal, clear mountain air that we all loved.
We enjoyed, as always, your quiet presence and company Ian on those special occasions in Châtel – thank you!

  • Margaret Stewart