Hi Ian,
It’s Steph Bream here đ . I am not great with words. But one of the best memories I have is spending the summer in Chatel and Saas Fee as part of your family. Kirsty, Tam and I where like sisters that summer. I loved being away with you guys. Remember I bought a catsuit that was far too big!! It took me years to grow into it. Willie TB teased me that it was more appropriate for ski jumping!
I have such happy memories of walk up the mountains to see dinosaur foot prints. To this day I believe that experience was the first step towards my geology career!!
You where always lovely to me. Yourself and Jane always made me feel part of the family. I also remember that no one was faster than you in deep fresh powder. You’re tight wiggle S turns always tore up the mountain!
Sending my love and hugs!
Steph Bream
Ian, do you remember my BASI 3 (as it was then) training up on Cairngorm, early May 1988 (I think). I was the oldest even then in the group and definitely not up to standard. Stuart Adamson had encouraged me to do it though. Tons of snow, we even skied powder. Best. Instructor. Ever.
What I loved about your teaching style was the quiet manner and lovely soft Irish accent. It suited me as an introvert. I disliked being yelled at! Back then people may not have pegged me as introverted because I drank so much wine. After 24 years sober I am risking a glass or two of wine with dinner and the occasional beer in my old ageâŚ
When you and Jane started McGarry THE Ski System in Chatel I came with John Stephens (aka âThe Profâ) in order to write a story about your chalet-based instruction ski hols for Ski Survey at The Ski Club of Great Britain. What a delightful place Chalet Chataigne was with your two little girls (so cute) and an assistant instructorâŚI think it was that lovely boy who had cystic fibrosis. Then there was Derek Tate of course ⌠Tamsen looked like Jane and Kirsty the image of you.
I remember too many dinners out on chalet girlsâ night off as well as weekly trips to the hot springs (somewhere near Morgins) and skiing with the inventor of Piste Poles.
I still have a copy of my Skilegs pre-ski conditioning book that Jane illustrated so nicely.
Not sure of the order of events but probably 1990 back in Cairngorm I was there failing BASI 3 with Richard Harrison (second time was luckier) and I roomed with Jane who was doing BASI 1. I think we were a great support for each other. She had this thing to buoy her up in the mornings. She absolutely HAD to play The Bangles Eternal Flame (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSoOFn3wQV4) every day. Bless her!!
After that first âpress tripâ to Chatel you guys were kind enough to invite me and John on an annual basis. I would suggest inviting other folks I could write about and you promote as a special extra to the guests: Extreme Skiing with Pierre Tardivel was one and applied kinesiology and boot fitting with Matthew Bennett, my chiropractor from Brighton.
Did you know that I used to call you Ian McGuruâŚfor obvious reasons?
All my old photo albums are buried (lost?) deep in one of our storage garages but I have asked my current husband, Rolf, to look for them and I will add them to your website.
In the meantime here are some old ones I found and scanned âŚ
I really hope to get over and see you in Dalkey sometime soon. Jane is always reiterating her invitation!
Anyone who is anyone in ski teaching in the old days knew that ISIA was short for âIâve Skied In Aviemoreâ not the â International Ski instructors Association.â At the end of every winter BASI Instructors from around the world would congregate on Coire Cas for the final two weeks of skiing of the season for the Spring BASI course. In those days Scotland enjoyed long ski seasons and this training took place during the last week of April and first week in May . In the 1970âs and 80âs there was always good snow, amazing moguls and lots of good craic in the Aviemore pubs.
It was here where I met you Ian. I look back with fond memories of those wonderful Spring courses. I hope Ian you may remember some of the old characters . Happy times , thank you
Hi Ian, hope you remember me from the scouts in Donnybrook, we were in the pipe band together, you played the side drum and I played the tenor and base drum and took over as staff major from John OâConnor, we did church parade and marched around to Donnybrook church holding up traffic, which wouldnât have been too bad in those days, and of course there were hikes and camps at Larch Hill ( my nephew is estate manager up there nowadays), we also did scouts shows together and I got to sing solo because I used to sing in the Church choir at Haddington Rd, which is gone now, bob-a-job and carol singing for fundraising. There were lots of our members went on to greater things yourself included, i went into athletics via the scouts sports and became multiple champion and international and of course Muiris McGonigle who you would go on to work with in RTE. hope you get well soon. All my brothers were in the cubs or scouts as well and my mother used to help out.
It was always good news to hear that Ian would be directing Fair City on our Thursday schedule, not only because he was such a gent to work with , but it usually meant we would get our work finished in time to get out to Dunlaoire for DBSC racing !
I am so sorry to hear this news of Ian’s illness Jane… My heart goes out to all of you… I first saw Ian when I first saw BLUESVILLE in 1964… featuring the two coolest dudes in CBC Monkstown school Mick Molloy and Deke O’Brien… Robbie Brennan and I used to look at them in their sunglasses and their black shirts with the collars turned up as the cool-walked down to the school… But Bluesville was a whole new ball game… looking and sounding like nothing we’d ever seen or heard before with Barry Richardson playing harmonica in Evening Dress, Peter Adler in black shades (held together with Sellotape) playing snarling sax, Ian Whitcomb prancing around the piano in American Football gear and huge sneakers… and sitting imperiously behind them in immaculate suit, shirt and tie clinically driving them on was the immaculate Ian McGarry on immaculate drums… Robbie (no mean drummer himself) was transfixed… Ian’s drumming was so meticulous and precise… the heart beat of the band… and as for that unique skip-beat on ‘You Turn Me On’… His pièce de rĂŠsistance!… Many years later I had the great pleasure of being directed by Ian on FAIR CITY and once again the attention to detail and meticulous professionalism… A thorough gentleman… A lovely, affable, funny and friendly man… I wish you well Ian… My love to you Jane and to your lovely daughters as you mind this special man.
Happy photo of us all enjoying hot chocolate in Morgen . My happiest memory of you Ian is you skiing gracefully down looking like a Ninja Turtle covered in rucksacks and carrying skis on both shoulders after the girls had raced . Always with a happy grin on your face especially when the girls had done well!! Youâre a legend Ian xxx
Greeting Ian from SW France. It is many years since I asked for your help to learn to ski at Chatel. I shall never forget your kindness and that of Jane as I was undoubtedly the worst pupil either of you ever tried to teach. I doubt you will remember me now from the 1990s. The consequence of my flirtation with skiing has been many happy memories, one knee operation and a replacement hip. I am now retired from the Bar and living in the Agenais between Bordeaux and Toulouse, I was delighted to read of the success of your daughters. How accomplished. I wish you all the very best with fondest thoughts of you, Jane and the past.
On the 30th. April 1988, RTBF from Belgium hosted their main evening news, 6 to 7pm, Live from Dublin, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest from the RDS. We at TVM were asked to put together the technical facilities and also a suitably experienced Production team and crew. An experienced Director was going to be the key to making this work and we immediately thought of Ian. True to form, he agreed….and to be fair, this was a big leap of faith in us as we would be very much green-horns at this level of complexity. As this was for the French speaking RTBF station, we thought Ian would be ideal, as being a French speaker himself. He had an ace up his sleeve though! The programme involved a Presenter on Dame Street, a Reporter on O’Connell Street and a traditional Irish music performance in the Stags Head Pub to close the show. With Ian in his Tux and his ace translator, Jane in her lovely evening dress, doing the sometimes fast-flowing changes coming in over the talkback, the show was a great success. And as soon as we were off-air Ian and Jane were dashing to the RDS for the Eurovision, getting there with minutes to spare.
This turned out to be the the first of many shows the Ian and ourselves have worked on over the years. And always that gentle smile and air of calm confidence that helps keep us on track to deliver the vision that he has for the show.
Hi Ian,
This is such a rewarding thing to do, recalling some of the numerous shows weâve worked on together over the years.
When I joined RTE in 1976 for my three year stint there, you were very much âthe man to do musicâ, directing most, if not all, the big shows I worked on.
Iâm thinking of a wonderful âMe and my musicâ special in â77 with Rory Gallagher, just him, unplugged. Gerry Geraghty lit it. It was magical and looking back at that show on the RTE Archive, it truly stands the test of time, beautifully shot by you. Iâm thinking also of âBarry Mason- Songwriterâ with guests including Gene Pitney and Demis Roussos. You were the epitome of âcool, calm and collectedâ and we always knew that with you in the box, the results would always be class.
I worked on the Castlebar Song Contest in â78, PM Brady was the lighting director and I was on the lighting control board. To be honest, I donât recall too much of it, apart from the moment when the board crashed,
Just as we were about to go on air. Thankfully it re-booted quickly so I got away with it! Maybe that was why I hit the bar hard for the after-show session. On second thoughts, in those days, we hit the bar hard every night after the show, didnât we, especially when PM Brady was around to lead us astray!
I left RTE in â79 and it was probably another 15 or 16 years before we worked together again, this time on the huge outdoor choral âVoices of the Worldâ in Lansdowne Road in 1995. Alan Pleass had put me forward for the job.
Then came a couple of Daniel specials for PBS around 2003 with Alan Farquharson on set design. These were big shows for me, and it always eased my mind to know you were at the helm.
Although it was spread out over the years, working with you each time felt like I was catching up with an old friend, where the passage of time didnât matter.
And so it is today, when we meet around the neighbourhood on walks, we can catch up where we left off. See you soon,
All the best,
Andrew (and Eilis).
