J. B. Malone
Irish hill walker and writer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John James Bernard (J.B.) Malone (13 December 1913 – 17 October 1989) was an Irish hill-walking enthusiast who popularised the pastime through his television programmes and books. He was responsible for the establishment of the Wicklow Way as a recognised walking trail, having first proposed it in 1966.[3]
John James Bernard (J.B.) Malone | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | 13 December 1913 |
| Died | 17 October 1989 (aged 75) |
| Education | Marist Brothers College, Grove Ferry, Kent |
| Occupations | cartographer, draughtsman |
| Known for | Writer on hill-walking Creator of the Wicklow Way |
| Spouse | Margaret Garry |
| Children | 3 |
Early years
Working life
Malone moved to Ireland in 1931 where he found employment in a builders’ providers firm and an insurance company before joining the Irish Army in 1940.[5] There he became a cartographer in the intelligence section. In 1947, having left the army, he went to work at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs as a draughtsman. Malone remained employed in the Irish civil service until his retirement in 1979.[4][5]
Hill-walking
Malone started hill-walking in 1931 when he climbed Montpelier Hill to visit the ruins of the Hellfire Club.[6] Later, while on leave during his military career, he developed a detailed knowledge of walking routes throughout the Wicklow hills. Malone sat on the Board of An Taisce in Ireland from 1970 to 1974.[5]
Wicklow Way
Following his retirement from the civil service, he was appointed as a field officer with the Long Distance Walking Routes Committee of Cospóir, the National Sports Council.[7] There, he negotiated rights of way with land-owners to enable his vision of the Wicklow Way to become a reality.[8] Malone first proposed a guided walking route through the Wicklow hills in 1966, although he had first raised the idea as early as 1942.[4]
Writing
From 1938 to 1975 Malone contributed a regular column to the Evening Herald entitled Over the Hills.[6] Between 1967 and 1968 he wrote the column Know your Dublin, illustrated by Liam C. Martin. The column featured information on a Dublin landmark, and was later compiled into a book published in 1969.[4]
During the 1960s, Malone presented a television documentary series on RTÉ entitled Mountain and Meadow, in which, accompanied by a cameraman, he introduced viewers to a variety of hill walks in Wicklow and surrounding counties.[5] In 1980, he presented a one-hour TV programme on the newly opened Wicklow Way.[5][6]
From 1950 to 1988, Malone wrote several books on hillwalking in the Dublin Mountains and the Wicklow Mountains.[9][10][11][12]
Awards and honours
In 1980, Malone was made an honorary life member of An Óige, the Irish Youth Hostel Association, in recognition of his contribution to promoting the Irish countryside.[13]
Following his death in 1989, Malone's contribution to hill-walking in Ireland was marked by the erection of the J.B. Malone Memorial Stone plaque in his honour on a section of the Wicklow Way overlooking Lough Tay.[4]
In October 2014, on the 25th anniversary of Malone's death, the South Dublin Libraries held an exhibition on his life and work.[1][2][14]
Personal life
Malone married Margaret Garry in 1947 and they had three children.[4] He died at St. James's Hospital, Dublin at the age of 75 and is buried in Bohernabreena Cemetery, Tallaght.[7]
Publications
- J.B. Malone (1950). "The Open Road Guide to the Neighbourhood of Dublin for Ramblers, Cyclists & Motorists". Evening Herald. ASIN B00SHBSUSI.
- J.B. Malone (1964). Walking in Wicklow: A Guide for Travellers (afoot & awheel) through the Wicklow Mountains. Helicon. ASIN B0014M9PO0.
- J.B. Malone; Liam C. Martin (1968). Know Your Dublin. Sceptre Books. ASIN B0032QG12U.
- J.B. Malone (1988). The Complete Wicklow Way. O'Brien Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0862781583.