'Mr Woodview' Kevin Magee mourned by Dundalk football community
A deep and wide outpouring of sympathy was evoked by the untimely death of Kevin Magee 3, Medebawn, Avenue Road on December 3 last at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
Aged 48, Kevin, a quiet and private individual, had an unwavering passion for soccer and it was for his tireless devotion and dedication to the local Woodview junior and schoolboys club that he was known far and wide, earning the affectionate title of “Mr Woodview”.
The club of which he was a founder member and driving force was a key focus of his life after his wife and family and work and business. The three consumed his time and energy and to which he dedicated himself with a rare zeal and was undeterred despite battling the illness over the past two years that resulted in his demise.
Kevin hailed from Hughes Park, a member of a well known family synonymous with soccer in town, with his late father Thomas (Bunny) a popular referee who started up and managed the schoolboy team Hill Street Blues.
Kevin derived his great love of the sport and drew his inspiration from his father playing with the team, and then later to help form what became the all conquering Woodview Celtic that was established in 1990. The club first competed in the Dundalk Winter League, and then joined the Meath and District League and ended up as it's kingpins with a succession of triumphs, including completing the league and cup double after being promoted as champions straight through from the third to the premier division.
The club which played first in the Polo Ground off the Castletown Road had no ground and Kevin’s van was used to carry the playing kit and for players in which to change. The DKIT afforded the team the use of their pitch, and the club rented other grounds before acquiring the use of the Fairgreen in 2016 which is now home to the juvenile wing. He filled different vital roles in the club, including chairman and secretary
Kevin also started an underage team, and now from having just one team, the club fields sides from under-6 to over-35. By the way Kevin also latterly managed simultaneously the over-35s as well as the under-11s.
The extent of his commitment is underlined in that the day that he entered hospital for the last time he left a game to go there and wanted to know the score in his daughter’s match the day he passed away.
He wore his passion on his sleeve and the referee was never the flavour of the month with him, but once games were over all was forgotten.
Dundalk was another outlet for his passion for the game, and was a fervent supporter who was a lead chanter in the “Shed” on match days at Oriel Park. He also was a big follower of Liverpool, and one of Jack’s army who followed the national team far and wide, and attended the World Cup finals in Italy in 1990. In his younger days he also played Gaelic football for the Gaels club.
His early life saw him gain his formal education at the Friary National School and Saint Mary’s College. He was the only son and the youngest of the five children of Thomas and Mary Magee who had four daughters.
He started out his working life in the customs clearance business in which he was also working prior to his death with Portway Customs Clearance in Dublin, with whom he also worked in town after initially taking up employment with McCanns Customs Clearance on the Newry Road.
He then went to work in the oil business with Morgan Fuels in the North before setting up his own home heating oil business 3COils. It was an achievement, of which he was very proud, and like sport applied the same customary vigour to his work.
However, his wife Carol and two children, Calvin and Caoimhe were the apple of his eye and they were always his number one priority, regardless of how involved he was in his work or sport.
Family life was all important to him, and he loved taking the children on holiday, spending a lot of time in Turkey and Florida on family breaks.
He was blessed with fine health to carry on his busy schedule which he still carried on despite receiving a disconcerting diagnosis two years ago and remained very active.
He is very sadly missed by his wife, Carol (née Taaffe), son, Calvin, daughter Caoimhe, mother Mary (née Keenan), sisters, Moria, Patricia, Pauline and Helen, brothers and sisters-in-law, Shannon, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends and throughout the local soccer fraternity and especially the Woodview club where his legacy and work will remain a lasting and greatly appreciated memory.
He was predeceased by his dad, Thomas and brother in-law, Alan Durnin.
After reposing at his residence on the Tuesday, Kevin was taken to The Church of The Holy Family the next morning with the senior members of the Woodview club providing a Guard of Honour along the way, and the young schoolboy players forming another Guard of Honour as he entered the church.
Father Jim O’Connell Adm celebrated Mass, during which son Calvin gave the eulogy.
Kevin’s godchild, Shannon and two children Calvin and Caoimhe brought a Woodview flag, a football, Liverpool jersey, cigarettes and a family photograph to the altar as symbols of his life.
Sisters, Patricia and Moira took up the Offertory gifts.
The Readings were given by goddaughter, Shannon McLaughlin and nephew, David Murtagh.
The Prayers of the Faithful were led by daughter, Caoimhe, nephew, Alan Quigley, brother-in-laws, Alan McLoughlin and Anthony Taaffe, niece, Leanne Prescott and god-daughter, Jade Taaffe.
The beautiful music was provided by organist, Olivia Finnegan and singer, Karen Jones.
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