With John McCartan’s passing a font of information on the multiple McCartan clans in the greater Banbridge area was lost.
Dating back to before the plantation, there were McCartans across Ballyvarley, Tullyhenan, Tonaghmore and Ballela, known locally by nicknames such as “the Rock” or “the King”.
John knew all the histories including the scandals – often a Saturday morning would be spent with the late Anna Butler recounting old stories and pointing out “he wasn’t the father” or “that wasn’t her sister, you know”. All that is now lost.
He was particularly proud that General de Gaulle’s grandmother was a McCartan. Many of the general’s qualities, such as religious faith, self-belief and love of a good argument, were shared by John and obviously came from the McCartan genes.
John was born in 1937, the son of John and Margaret from Tullyhenan, Banbridge, and after schooling he went to work in England, as many did, with his uncle’s building company. He was a plasterer but often in later life referred to himself as an “acoustic engineer”.
He went all over England and would often identify a church, synagogue or building on TV that he had worked on.
Some of his colleagues said he was too particular when speed was needed but it was a part of him that the job should be done right.
In later life he returned to school to retrain as an insurance salesman, working for a number of years for Manufacturers Life of Canada and Compass Finance.
John was proud of this long association with companies all over Northern Ireland. He believed his role was to help people prepare for their future and look out for the long term. Many respected his advice and valued his honesty over the years.
He was proudest when he served as captain of Banbridge Golf Club, being a loyal member of the club for years. He played a regular four ball with his good friends Desmond Beattie, Raymond White and Bill Beaslly. He and Bill were sticklers for the strict rules of golf, with some in the club joking that they were on speed dial to the Golfing Union of Ireland for rulings.
John also enjoyed the Round Table and the 41 Club, attending meetings and events for a number of years and famously being stopped one night by the RUC on the way to a fancy dress party dressed as a pirate, complete with a stuffed parrot on his shoulder.
He was light on his feet and loved to dance and took part in several Mourne Wall walks. Until a stroke in the last few years he would often walk 10 miles on the back roads of Banbridge, finishing on the way home along the dual carriageway.
John was famously parsimonious; it was often said that he still hadn’t spent his baptism money. When he was pick-pocketed in Rome his friends felt sorrier for the pickpocket who had targeted the one tourist carrying less money than him
John was famously parsimonious; it was often said that he still hadn’t spent his baptism money. When he was pick-pocketed in Rome his friends felt sorrier for the pickpocket who had targeted the only tourist carrying less money than him.
He could be short tempered, earning his nickname “Ginger John”, but it would blow over and he was a loyal friend to all who knew him.
The last few years were spent in Bannview Care Home where he was well cared for and, though dementia had taken away a lot of his memory, he was still alert enough to enjoy a quip with the nurses and a singsong in the common room.
John McCartan died aged 86 on October 15. Predeceased by his brother Brian and his sister Alice. his brother Charlie, nephews, nieces and many friends will miss him.