Eugene Magee (Hockey)

‘Sport teaches you professionalism and discipline’ says hockey Olympian Eugene Magee

Ireland men’s hockey record cap holder, Eugene Magee, laughs as he recalls the first time he donned a Banbridge Hockey Club shirt. “I was a late bloomer in terms of size, so the shirt I was given totally drowned me. I was 15 and playing for the 5s and all the other players seemed huge.”

The Irish Olympian and holder of 295 caps for Ireland grew up in the village of Ballela between Dromore and Banbridge. His primary school was close to his house, and beside it was Ballela Hurling Club where Eugene first picked up a stick and a ball. He competed in hurling both for his primary school and Ballela GAC and was introduced to hockey when starting Banbridge Academy – a post-primary school famed for producing first class hockey players through the decades.

“I’d never played hockey before and was holding the stick with my hand the wrong way round. But having been involved in hurling and so many other sports including soccer, badminton, Gaelic football and golf, I was a quick learner.

“Banbridge Academy in no small way helped develop my hockey career. During my first two years there I played hockey and rugby, then chose to focus on hockey from Year 10 onwards. Mark Cordner our Director of Hockey encouraged me and pushed me to be the very best I could be, for which I’m very thankful. We’re still great friends and Mark is still at the helm of hockey at Banbridge Academy helping to cultivate new generations of hockey players.”

Reflecting on his school hockey career Eugene says they didn’t win that many trophies – though they collected the McCullagh Cup. However, the Burney and the All-Ireland Schools cups evaded the Academy as RBAI had an excellent team and beat Banbridge in the finals.

“Schooldays and school sports are a very significant period in your life and the fact that we lost a few finals gave us greater drive and a fighting spirit to do better. Throughout school and for Banbridge Hockey Club I’ve played alongside several guys for many years – players like Colin Dowds and Geoff McCabe – the latter now living in Barcelona. We started together in the Ulster set-up and ended up playing for Ireland. There are so many fabulous memories.”

School hockey colleagues also joined Eugene at Banbridge Hockey Club and like him played up the ranks creating a first eleven team that has been a force to be reckoned with at home and in Europe.

In 2005 Eugene made his Ireland debut against Belgium in Dublin and one of his proudest moments is scoring a famous win in the 2015 European Championships, when Ireland beat England 4 -2 and went on to secure a bronze medal.

Ireland qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro which Eugene says was an incredible experience.

“It was surreal being in the huge Athletes Village and ‘star-spotting.’ You could end up eating lunch beside sporting legends such as Rafa Nadal. I watched him taking time out to chat to people – there were no egos at all. Our Irish team colleagues, golfers Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley came to watch our hockey matches. By the end of the Olympics Paul McGinley was one of our best supporters.

“It was such a privilege to be part of that Ireland team alongside the golfers and the likes of boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan. 

“Progressing through the Ireland set-up I learned a lot about professionalism and discipline, qualities which are important for life and work as well as sport. As a person you have more potential than you think, and you can push the boundaries. You can fight battles on the pitch then afterwards have a friendly but strong rivalry and respect for the people you have played against.”

Eugene has navigated his academic studies and jobs and dovetailed them successfully along with his hockey career ensuring that post sport he has had a strong career path to follow. After A-Levels he studied quantity-surveying at Ulster University which included a placement year.  Before completing his degree and graduating with a BSc in July 2009, Eugene took a year out in 2007 playing half a season at HGC in The Hague, Netherlands alongside Iain Lewers from Belfast and Cork player John Jermyn. After HGC he travelled to Australia in 2008 to play for the Southern Hotshots in the Australian Hockey League, before returning to NI in September 2008 to complete his final year in quantity surveying at Ulster University.

After a summer graduation Eugene took up hockey professionally in September 2009 for Belgium club, KHC Dragons based near Antwerp. He spent four years in Europe playing hockey and also working part-time as a ‘project calculator – what we would call a quantity surveyor. As well as the Dragons with whom he won two Belgian titles, Eugene also played for a year in Germany for Crefeld based near Dusseldorf.

“It’s so good to experience different cultures and fully immerse yourself in various countries. It really opens your eyes to the world and what it can offer. Playing in Europe also gave me the opportunity to try different job roles to see which I liked best. It was also brilliant for my sport as the standard is so high in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. It raised the bar for me and served me very well. I brought back a higher standard to Irish training which not only benefitted me but also the Ireland team.”

Eugene can’t recall which of his clubs started calling him affectionately and respectfully ‘Geno’ but he’s heard it a lot from the sidelines at both the Dragons and Banbridge. When asked about club hockey and Banbridge versus European clubs, Eugene says he’s loved all his clubs, and each had something different to offer. Though needless to say Banbridge as his home club has an extra special place in his heart.

“At Banbridge especially it’s like being part of a family and team colleagues are like brothers. We have a very strong bond with one another. I really love that aspect of team sports. In Europe there is a lot more money and professionalism and players are paid. Back home clubs like Banbridge are run by volunteers and players are amateurs. BHC has a real family feel and everyone pulls together.”

Having retired from international duties in January 2020, Eugene hung up his Banbridge boots at the end of May 2023. In glorious sunshine Banbridge hosted a memorable EuroHockey Trophy II tournament with the team coming out on top and winning the whole competition.

“It was an incredible way to finish my hockey career with Banbridge. Walking through the ‘player’ tunnel before that final match was so emotional. Looking back, I’m still emotional.

“The best moments are when your career is finished and you can look back on all you have done and achieved. People are thanking you and giving both you and your hockey career respect. It was an exceptional day and one that I’ll never forget. I had a very special send-off.”

As a mark of respect for what Eugene has achieved for himself and the club, Banbridge HC have ‘retired’ the No 12 shirt. Modestly Eugene says, “It’s such a special gesture that the club thinks so much of me and that I have meant a lot to the club. It’s a huge honour and it was a very cool thing for them to do. Maybe even some day Lorcan (his son) will play for the club and the Number 12 shirt will be re-instated!”

Eugene’s children Emma and Lorcan are involved in mini hockey at Banbridge, “The Junior Club is brilliant and run by the fantastic Julie Sally and Raymond Reid. Both are super with all the kids, getting the best out of them and really bringing them on. The Junior Club is certainly helping to generate our future Banbridge HC stars.”

Family and their support have been vital to Eugene’s hockey career. He was the first person in his family to play hockey. His dad, Eugene Snr, was a very good hurling player and went to Banbridge Academy although he never played hockey at school.

“Once I began playing hockey seriously my dad joined Banbridge and played for the 6s – and he loved it. He’s also a past President of the Club.  My mum, Eileen and dad have been regulars on the sidelines cheering the team on.”

Eugene’s siblings, Alannah, Ciara, Owen and Orla all went to the Academy and played hockey. Younger sister Orla and brother Owen still play for Banbridge 1sts. But it was at Ballela GAC that Eugene met his wife Aoibhne who had joined the camogie club.

“Aoibhne has been incredibly supportive over the years as hockey was so intense and I was balancing work, training and playing and travelling internationally. I just couldn’t have achieved everything I have without her – it simply wouldn’t have been possible. She held up the household and was the mainstay at home looking after our children Emma and Lorcan.”

In terms of hockey and the future Eugene says he is going to enjoy some time off for a period and focus on his job and family. “I have changed career paths a couple times and after I came back from Germany in 2013, I completed a master’s in software development at Queen’s University Belfast which is the area I now work in.”

During 2023 Eugene joined a new start-up company called Obbi Golf which specialises in the health and safety management of golf courses.  “I’m involved in developing and creating web pages and APPS for the business. We work for clients not just on the island of Ireland but internationally too.”

Reflecting on being a Mary Peters Trust athlete Eugene says, “When you are younger and at the development stage of your sport you have a lot of commitments and it’s hard juggling everything and focussing on improving your sport.

“Funding grants really help you to focus on your sport and break those barriers, pushing yourself to the limit. I hugely benefitted from Trust support. As I improved and was training and playing for Ireland there were so many international games and different expenses. Financial support to travel was a game changer and I really appreciated the help.”

His advice to up and coming athletes is multi-faceted, “Don’t set any limits on yourself. You can play at the highest level and compete with the best. It’s important to learn how to deal with failure and turn it into a learning, thereby creating a positive.

“Just focus on what you are doing and don’t think about the negatives or what can go wrong. Just have fun – whatever happens will happen.”