Jonathan Irwin, Jack & Jill charity founder and former MD of Goffs, dies aged 82
Birthday Shane Picture: His Kilkenny Co Jonathan His Celebrating Irwin Thomastown, O'neill/coalesce At Home Near 80th
Tributes have been paid to the former Goffs managing director and founder of the Jack & Jill Foundation children’s charity Jonathan Irwin, who has died at the aged of 82.
He passed away following a short illness.
Educated in Eton and at Trinity College Dublin, he went on to a famous career as a bloodstock agent, auction house boss, and publisher.
Mr Irwin is survived by his wife Mary Ann O’Brien and six children, and was predeceased by three sons.
In a statement, the Jack & Jill Foundation said he “turned his grief and his vision into support for others”. The charity's statement added:
“That vision became a reality of a home nursing care model in his son Jack's name that has supported 2,964 children across the country over the last 26 years and counting, without any means test, red tape, or waiting list.
"Jonathan was our chief fundraiser, our chief ambassador, who had true grit, charm and compassion in spades.
“He worked for BBA Ireland, the Turf Club, and Goffs — where he dreamt up and introduced the Cartier Million, Europe’s Richest race and the first IR£1 million sports event in Europe.
“He was also involved in Dublin International Sports Council and the Special Olympics and, more recently, the ‘Horses of Hope’ Equine Centre at Castlerea Prison. However, none of these roles, he said, was more challenging or rewarding than his role with Jack and Jill, where he advocated on behalf of family carers with all his might.”
In a statement, Goffs said: “Jonathan was appointed managing director of Robert J Goff & Co plc in 1975 at the age of just 33 and oversaw an amazing period for the company over the next 15 years, not least the construction of the iconic Kildare Paddocks which remains one of the finest bloodstock sales complexes in the world.
"As well as overseeing the design of the complex, he approached the whole business in an innovative and charismatic way.
“Shouting bid spotters, international guest auctioneers, black-tie select sales and the first multi-currency bid board at any auction in the world, an innovation that was almost instantly copied by the likes of Sotheby’s and Christie’s, were amongst his ideas that have stood the test of time.”
Goffs chairperson Eimear Mulhern described him as a “titan” of the bloodstock industry who transformed and modernised a business that had been routed in tradition.