Kevin McGarry


Dr John Kevin McGarry was a Northern Ireland international footballer who played with Cliftonville from 1949. He played Gaelic football before being convinced to sign amateur forms with Belfast Celtic. He played a few first-team games for Celtic before signing with Cliftonville. At Solitude he was also a prolific goalscorer. He was named as the inaugural Ulster Footballer of the Year for the 1950–51 season.
As a student at Queen's University, he was selected by Ireland for an amateur international against England in February 1948: a 5–0 defeat. He was then chosen for an Irish F.A. representative side which beat the United States 5–0, with McGarry scoring twice. In 1952, he was part of the Great Britain squad at the Helsinki Olympics.
He was selected for Ireland's 1950–51 Home Nations squad, making his full international debut against Scotland at Hampden Park, in which he scored in a 2–1 defeat. He earned two more caps, also playing in the match against Wales, and then in a friendly against France.
He represented the Irish League on numerous occasions, scoring a record 12 goals.