J. B. Malone
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John B. Malone (1914 – October 17, 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.[1]
Malone served in the Irish army during the The Emergency. Later he worked in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs as a draughtsman.[2]
He started hill-walking in 1931 when he climbed Montpelier Hill to visit the ruins of the Hellfire Club.[3] Later, while on leave during his military career, he developed a detailed knowledge of walking routes throughout the Wicklow hills. 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.[2] There, he negotiated rights of way with land-owners to enable his vision of the Wicklow Way to become a reality.[4]
From 1938 to 1975 Malone contributed a regular column to the Evening Herald entitled "Over the Hills".[3]
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. In 1980, he presented a one-hour TV programme on the newly-opened Wicklow Way.[3]
Also 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.[5]
J. B. Malone was married with three children. He died at St. James's Hospital, Dublin at the age of 75.[2] He is buried in Bohernabreena Cemetery, Tallaght.
[edit] Publications
- The Open Road Guide to the Neighbourhood of Dublin for Ramblers, Cyclists & Motorists, Independent Newspapers, 1950
- Walking in Wicklow: A Guide for Travellers (afoot & awheel) through the Wicklow Mountains, Helicon, 1964
- Know Your Dublin (with Liam C. Martin), Sceptre Books, 1968
- The Complete Wicklow Way, O'Brien Press Ltd., 1988
[edit] References
- ^ The Irish Times, "Hiker JB launches guide to doing it his way", March 25, 1988
- ^ a b c The Irish Times, "Death of pioneer of guided walking routes", October 19, 1989
- ^ a b c Malone, The Complete Wicklow Way, introduction
- ^ The Irish Times, "Rights of way disappear through neglect", November 18, 1986
- ^ The Irish Times, "An Oige life member", January 29, 1980
