Tributes to John McCay, Scout Leader 1962-1973
We have all been saddened by the news of the death last November of a much loved member of our District, our Vice President, John McCay. I first met John when I was a young ACSL at 10th, and he was a regular visitor at the McMordie Hall, or I had reason to call down the street to his house in Oakland Avenue to discuss forthcoming badge courses or forward completed badge certificates to him. I soon began to notice and to appreciate the conscientious commitment and attention to detail that was characteristic of John and clearly evident in his role as Badge Secretary, as a member of the District Executive, and in all the other tasks he undertook in Scouting. Reading through the back issues of Scouting East, to which John was a faithful contributor over more than two decades as Badge Secretary, I am amazed at just how many courses and badge days he organised, the number of instructors and examiners he managed to find to offer assistance, and the literally thousands of badges earned by our Cubs and Scouts in East Belfast thanks to John’s infectious enthusiasm for Scouting and his desire to help our members experience that sense of achievement that only comes from working hard towards and truly earning a badge.
It was only later, when I became CSL at 30th, that I became aware of the tremendous contribution that John had also made to Scouting in Gilnahirk, as Scout Leader and later Group Scout Leader in the 1960’s and 1970s. In recent years, whenever I called with John, our conversation often turned to 30th; he was a congenial host and I enjoyed listening as he sat, with his beloved dog at his feet, reminiscing about his old Group, in which he continued to take great interest; we were delighted whenever we were able to welcome him to a Group Parent’s Night, and I was particularly pleased to tell John when we had found leadership to reform 30th Troop and also when 30th Pack won the County Flag for the first time in 1999 just as the 30th Troop first did under John’s leadership in 1970 - indeed having read reports in the Church Magazine, 30th Troop seemed to win almost every competition they entered during the Golden Era of Skipper McCay!
A large number of former 30th Scouts had been in contact with Audrey and myself in recent months as preparations have been made for 30th Group’s Anniversary later this year, and many of them had already told us how much they were looking forward to catching up with John, or Skipper, as they still referred to him; the affection and high regard in which they all held him was obvious, and it is a poignant tribute to him that in the days after the news of his death, several have already told me how great an inspiration John had been in their formative years, just how much they owed to him and their tremendous sense of loss at his passing.
We give grateful thanks for all the ways in which this unassuming and amicable man touched so many lives in our District, and mourn the passing of a true Scout. To his beloved wife Joy and their family we offer the deepest sympathy of all in East Belfast District at this time,
David (Editor, Scouting East)
Editorial, Scouting East Issue 245, November 2003
Our District has been saddened at the passing of John McCay, one of our long serving and very special people. This tribute is penned in the name of all of us who had the privilege of knowing him.
John’s Scouting trail started with 1st Portstewart Group where he was a King’s Scout in 1940. His leadership years in East Belfast District were with 30th (Gilnahirk Presbyterian) where he will be remembered with great esteem. Here he was Scout Leader and then Group Scout Leader over a period of 34 years.
Following active leadership he became District Badge Secretary, a post he was to discharge with courtesy and great efficiency from 1980 to 2001, often combining it with involvement in other District sporting events. A long-serving member of the District Executive Committee, he became a District Vice-President in 2003.
John’s exceptional service to Scouting brought well earned official recognition in the form of the award of the Medal of Merit (1975), of the Bar to the Medal of Merit (1987), of the Silver Acorn (1997). Equally it earned him the esteem and respect of those of us who shared those Scouting years with him.
My description of John McCay as one of our District’s ‘very special people’ is not based on his Scouting attributes alone. He was special simply by virtue of being a very decent, kindly and genuine person or, as we say, in these parts ‘one of nature’s gentlemen’. He was unassuming and unpretentious but had, at the same time, a mischievous sense of humour. I was often to savour this in the craic we would share each month as he would punctually deliver to my home his Badge Secretary notes for Scouting East. I shall indeed feel his loss, as we all will, in a very personal way.
In his latter years, life was very unkind to him and he endured much suffering with courage and fortitude. Scouting in this District was enriched by the years of John McCay and will be the poorer for his passing. We remember him with warm affection and gratitude.
Taken from a tribute written by Ernie Sharp, Scouting East Issue 245, November 2003
(We were all very moved by Ken Calvert’s fitting tribute to his skipper, the late John McCay, during our 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service on 7th March, and were delighted that Joy McCay and the family were able to be present with us at this service and later when a tree was planted by the 30th Group in grateful remembrance of John in the Garden of Remembrance in the Church Grounds )
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