TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN MCCOWEN

It is with great sadness that we have heard of the passing of Jonathan McCowen. Jonathan had tremendous success in his local club Portarlington Lawn Tennis Club and further afield, representing the club at a local and national level. His late father, Jon, was a prominent player and official in the club for many years. In addition, his late mother, Marie, almost single-handedly raised the finance to enable the club to have installed four state-of-the-art all-weather tennis courts. Testament to this is that one of the courts is named "The Marie McCowen" Court. 

From an early age Jonathan showed tremendous talent winning the U10 Championship for three years. In 1993 Jonathan won the U12, U14 and U18 competitions and reached the finals of the Men's Singles and the Men's Doubles and in addition, reached the semi final of the Mixed Doubles. 

In 1994 Jonathan again won all the Junior Competitions from U14 to U18, and then proceeded to decisively win the Club Senior Championship. Jonathan won the U14 competition in the Tullamore Junior Open and won both U13 and U15 Competitions in the Mullingar Invitational Tournament. Jonathan surprised many in Laois by winning the U18 Laois Singles in Abbeyleix and gave his peers a real flavour of his ability. 

Jonathan went further and between the years of 1992 - 1996 he competed in Junior Open Tournaments in many parts of the country. Jonathan won the U14 Cup in Tullamore on two occasions and won the U14 & U16 Cups in Mullingar and in 1994 represented Tullamore and their Number 1 player. 

A true talent, one of which we can all be proud of. Jonathan will be forever in our hearts and on the courts. Our sincere condolences to all his family especially his wife Sherie, children Darcy and Riley, sister Louise, brothers Paul and Mark. May his gentle soul rest in peace.