Tributes flood in following death of Jack & Jill charity founder and former MD of Goffs, Jonathan Irwin
82 Aged Died Jonathan Irwin
Tributes have poured in following the death of Jonathan Irwin, the “game-changer” who was a tireless advocate for children with disabilities and founder of the Jack & Jill Foundation.
Among thousands of parents supported by the home nursing service is Aisling McNiff, whose son Jack has Down Syndrome and other conditions.
“My thoughts are with his family and his six children,” she said. “He was a game-changer, and such a lovely, kind person. He had a lovely way about him, he was very posh but he was very down-to-earth.”
He filled gaps in services for families like hers, she said, saying: “I don’t know what we would have done without Jack & Jill.”
People loved him, she said: “He was great for all the kids, and all those vulnerable families, he was amazing.”
They worked together on the Connolly for Kids campaign when Mr Irwin called for the new children’s hospital to be built at Connolly Hospital instead of the city centre.
“That decision didn’t sit right with him, to build the hospital there at St James, he fought that for a long time,” she said.
“He was just amazing, just everything he did, he did for the children and that’s why he was so brilliant.”
Families affected by SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) will also remember him fondly and with gratitude, said Jonathan O’ Grady, founder SMA Ireland.
“Jack & Jill is a great legacy for him, it will survive and continue to do great things,” he said.
They first met when Mr Irwin was managing Phoenix Park racecourse.
“He could turn his hand to anything,” he said. “It was a cruel twist of fate that his son Jack had his (health) problems, but Jonathan was able to turn that into an advantage for the whole country.
“Their personal misfortune became a positive for so many other families.”
Carmel Doyle, Jack & Jill CEO, said staff are devastated: "The world has lost a compassionate carer who had that ‘can-do’ attitude that we are all going to miss."
She remembered him doing promotions with anyone from Jedward to senior politicians.
“He was going into the great unknown in 1997,” she said of the early years.
“They didn’t know then how many children out there would need Jack & Jill’s help. We’ve over 400 children on our books at any one time now.”
He set up Jack & Jill with his wife Mary Ann O’Brien following the death of their son Jack.
He raised over €65m, she said, and was proud families did not have to fight for access or face waiting lists.
The Foundation said: “Jonathan is survived by his wife Mary Ann O’Brien and their children Lily, Phonsie, Molly and predeceased by sons Jack and John.
“He is also sadly missed by his first wife Mikaela and their sons Pirate, Jago, Luke and predeceased by their son Sam. He was so very proud of his grandchildren Otis, Violet, Iris and Xanthia.”
Mr Irwin was former managing director at Goffs.
“Jonathan was certainly one of the most colourful bloodstock characters of his generation and his legacy lives on in the modern day Goffs," they said.
Tánaiste Micheal Martin said: "It was a privilege to know him and work with him.”
He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, he was: “An outstanding advocate for children in need, his kindness, compassion & vision supported the lives of so many young people in this country.”