Mr Tony McMillan

FORMER Irish hockey international and prominent Saintfield solicitor Tony McMillan has died after a long illness.

Born in 1936 in Bangor, Tony went to Rockport School in Craigavad until the age of 13 when he went on to Glenalmond college in Perthshire, where he was outstanding at sports, especially the steeplechase.

He went on to read law at Queens University before joining the family law firm, White McMillan and Wheeler, once based in Chichester Street in Belfast, and eventually continuing to work at McMillan and Irvine solicitors in Saintfield until earlier this year.  He became President of the Ulster Reform Club following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him.

Whilst at Queens, Tony was selected to play first for Ulster in 1956 and then for the Irish hockey team in 1958. 

Having won his first cap he scored both Irish goals in a 2-0 victory over Wales. Over the next 13 seasons he went on to gain 40 caps for his country.  He was also chosen to play for Great Britain against Belgium at Hove in 1959.

At the same time he also played for the Belfast YMCA team, playing on their Irish Senior cup-winning team in 1977 and later Holywood ‘87.  After retiring from top-level competitive hockey at the age of 34 he went on to commentate on local,  Ulster and Irish hockey matches for the BBC for many years.

Tony was also a very keen golfer, and was a member of Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle for nearly all his life and also for many years at Royal Belfast Golf Club in Cultra, playing on the Royal Belfast Junior Cup team and
achieving his lowest handicap of five. 

His brother Ronnie recollects a “famous” round of Tony’s when he was 16 at Royal County Down number two course when he achieved a score of 66 using only a five-iron and a putter. He also loved rugby and was a keen supporter of Ulster and Ireland, going to watch games with his sons.

He was a regular church-goer, and was a tenor chorister for many years in Bangor Abbey choir. He was also actively involved in the legal work for the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland, the trust which holds property on behalf of the Church of Ireland.  He loved music, particularly singing along to Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and travelling.

He is survived by his three children, Andrew, Fiona and Denis and two grandchildren Tom and Katie. His funeral took place at Saintfield Parish Church on Monday.