James Magee
Encyclopedia
James Mary Magee was an Irish cricket
er and rugby union
player. Magee was capped in both sports, playing cricket for Ireland
and in 1896 he was part of the British Isles
team that toured South Africa.
in County Kildare
. Clongowes produced several outstanding Irish cricketers during this period, but Magee found it difficult to gain representation above club level. He originally played for Phoenix Cricket Club
, a team based in Dublin, and it wasn't until 1899 that he made his international cricketing debut for Ireland
, against I Zingari
. Magee was not a first choice player for the team, and only got his chance when several players, feeling that their club was under-represented, pulled out before the match. Magee was hurriedly called upon and entered an Irish team depleted of their most promising talent. Ireland lost by an innings with the team losing most of their wickets to Bernard Bosanquet
. Magee opened for Ireland on both innings but was caught for six in the first innings, and then caught for 14 in the second; both off the bowling of Bosanquet.
In 1902 and 1903, Magee played in trial matches, but was not chosen for international duty. He next represented Ireland in 1905 against H. D. G. Leveson Gower XI, and in 1907 against Yorkshire County Cricket Club
. In both games he was chosen on his own merits.
His last set of international games were part of a 1909 tour of North America. Magee was not an originally selected member of the tour, but after only five of the first selection made the trip. The Irish team were expected to score heavily against, what was perceived to be, weak opposition; but many of the team struggled to achieve any sort of potential. His last international game came in September 1909 against Philadelphia
. Three of his games for Ireland had first-class
status.
was the most notable player and was capped for the Ireland national rugby union team
on 27 occasions. Joseph Magee
also played for Ireland, winning only two caps, but continued his rugby career as an international referee. Magee never represented Ireland, but in 1896 joined his brother Louis on the British Isles tour of South Africa
. There is general confusion in many publications regarding which brother went on the South Africa tour, with many archives stating Joseph travelled with Louis; but it has now been accepted that Magee undertook the trip.
Magee played in thirteen matches of the South Africa tour, including eleven against club and regional teams, before being selected to face South Africa
in the Second Test. Magee, who normally played on the wing, was placed at full back for the match, which the tourists won comfortably. Magee was replaced for the Third Test, but was back in the squad for the Final Test, played in Cape Town. This time Magee was played in his preferred position in the three-quarters, but the game ended in defeat for the British team.
At club level, Magee represented Bective Rangers
, and it is recorded that at a club meeting in 1903 that he suggested the team should change strip colours to rose, green and white; the colours that the team still play in. Magee is also mentioned in James Joyce
's semi-autobiographical novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
when the central character recalls watching a Bective rugby game.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. Magee was capped in both sports, playing cricket for Ireland
Irish cricket team
The Ireland cricket team is the cricket team representing all of Ireland. Because of political difficulties, the Irish Cricket Union was not elected to the International Cricket Council until 1993, and qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2007. The Irish Cricket Union is the...
and in 1896 he was part of the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team that toured South Africa.
Cricket career
Magee was born in Dublin in 1872 and was educated at Clongowes Wood CollegeClongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Clongowes produced several outstanding Irish cricketers during this period, but Magee found it difficult to gain representation above club level. He originally played for Phoenix Cricket Club
Phoenix Cricket Club
Phoenix Cricket Club is a Dublin-based club that currently fields five men's teams, one women's team, 8 schoolboy teams and a Tavern team.-History:...
, a team based in Dublin, and it wasn't until 1899 that he made his international cricketing debut for Ireland
Irish cricket team
The Ireland cricket team is the cricket team representing all of Ireland. Because of political difficulties, the Irish Cricket Union was not elected to the International Cricket Council until 1993, and qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2007. The Irish Cricket Union is the...
, against I Zingari
I Zingari
I Zingari are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs.-History:...
. Magee was not a first choice player for the team, and only got his chance when several players, feeling that their club was under-represented, pulled out before the match. Magee was hurriedly called upon and entered an Irish team depleted of their most promising talent. Ireland lost by an innings with the team losing most of their wickets to Bernard Bosanquet
Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)
Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet was an English cricketer best known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman. When bowled, it appears to be a leg break, but after pitching the ball turns in the opposite direction to that which is expected, behaving as an off break instead...
. Magee opened for Ireland on both innings but was caught for six in the first innings, and then caught for 14 in the second; both off the bowling of Bosanquet.
In 1902 and 1903, Magee played in trial matches, but was not chosen for international duty. He next represented Ireland in 1905 against H. D. G. Leveson Gower XI, and in 1907 against Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
. In both games he was chosen on his own merits.
His last set of international games were part of a 1909 tour of North America. Magee was not an originally selected member of the tour, but after only five of the first selection made the trip. The Irish team were expected to score heavily against, what was perceived to be, weak opposition; but many of the team struggled to achieve any sort of potential. His last international game came in September 1909 against Philadelphia
Philadelphian cricket team
The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
. Three of his games for Ireland had first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
status.
Rugby career
Magee came from a sporting family, and he and two of his brothers were capped at international level. Louis MageeLouis Magee
Aloysius Mary "Louis" Magee was an Irish rugby union halfback. Magee played club rugby for Bective Rangers and London Irish and played international rugby for Ireland and was part of the British Isles team in their 1896 tour of South Africa.Magee was capped 27 times for Ireland, ten as captain,...
was the most notable player and was capped for the Ireland national rugby union team
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
on 27 occasions. Joseph Magee
Joseph Magee
Joseph Thomas Magee was an Irish rugby union wing. Magee played club rugby for Bective Rangers and played international rugby for Ireland. He is often mistaken as being a member of the British Isles team that toured South Africa in 1896, a position actually taken by his brother James Magee.-Rugby...
also played for Ireland, winning only two caps, but continued his rugby career as an international referee. Magee never represented Ireland, but in 1896 joined his brother Louis on the British Isles tour of South Africa
1896 British Lions tour to South Africa
1896 British Isles tour to South Africa was a rugby union tour undertaken by the British Isles, one of the first British and Irish Lions tours. The team toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
. There is general confusion in many publications regarding which brother went on the South Africa tour, with many archives stating Joseph travelled with Louis; but it has now been accepted that Magee undertook the trip.
Magee played in thirteen matches of the South Africa tour, including eleven against club and regional teams, before being selected to face South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in the Second Test. Magee, who normally played on the wing, was placed at full back for the match, which the tourists won comfortably. Magee was replaced for the Third Test, but was back in the squad for the Final Test, played in Cape Town. This time Magee was played in his preferred position in the three-quarters, but the game ended in defeat for the British team.
At club level, Magee represented Bective Rangers
Bective Rangers
Bective Rangers is a rugby union club in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1881.The Club is affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union and play in Division 2 of the All Ireland League....
, and it is recorded that at a club meeting in 1903 that he suggested the team should change strip colours to rose, green and white; the colours that the team still play in. Magee is also mentioned in James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's semi-autobiographical novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a semi-autobiographical novel by James Joyce, first serialised in the magazine The Egoist from 1914 to 1915, and published first in book format in 1916 by B. W. Huebsch, New York. The first English edition was published by the Egoist Press in February 1917...
when the central character recalls watching a Bective rugby game.
See also
- List of Irish cricket and rugby union players