Johnny Walker (86), who died in Dublin earlier this month, was an accomplished yachtsman, a prime mover behind the first Dublin Boat Show and one of the longest-practising solicitors in the State.
Such was his dedication to his legal profession that he was working from his bed at St Michael's Hospital in Dún Laoghaire up to a short time before his unexpected death, which occurred just two days after that of Capt Eric Healy, master of the Asgard and Asgard II.
John J. Walker was born and reared in Rathfarnham, Dublin, and lived for most of his life on the city's south side. He attended school at St Mary's College in Rathmines and Clongowes Wood College in Clane, Co Kildare, and studied law at University College Dublin, qualifying as a solicitor in 1940.
His practice, J.J. Walker, was in Westmoreland Street, with the offices spanning the Irish Times clock. Latterly, he had moved to an alternative location when the newspaper expanded its administrative premises.
It was through friends in the legal profession that he was introduced to sailing, and he raced in the Mermaid and international Dragon classes in Dublin Bay.
He married Audrey Bex in 1944, and she decided to take up sailing with him. They raced together for many years and won Dublin Bay and Irish championship titles. The couple then took up cruising in the early 1980s.
Mr Walker was a commodore of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club, a member of the Royal St George Yacht Club, and latterly a trustee of the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.
He was also one of the prime movers behind the first Dublin Boat Show, which was held at Busarus in Store Street in 1960.
The venue was facilitated by Frank Lemass, brother of the late Seán Lemass, Taoiseach from 1959 to 1966. Frank Lemass was a keen sailor and chairman of CIÉ, owner of Busarus, the central bus station.
The first boat show was held by the Irish Dinghy Racing Association to raise funds to send an Irish sailing team to the Olympic Games in Naples and was run by volunteers, which meant that all proceeds went to the Olympic fund.
A number of high-profile water events, including canoeing and power boating, were held on the Liffey to coincide with the show, and the guest of honour was Uffa Fox, international yacht designer and a friend of the Duke of Edinburgh. Over £2,000 was raised, which was a very respectable sum at 1960s prices.
Johnny Walker was president of the Irish Yachting Association (now the Irish Sailing Association) from 1972 to 1977, succeeding Clayton Love, who had held the honorary position for ten years.
He presided over the national body when Irish sailing teams competed in Kiel at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 and the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. Walker was succeeded at the IYA helm in 1977 by Paddy Kirwan.
Several years later he and his wife, Audrey, bought a Moody 33 ft yacht and undertook many successful voyages to Britain and France.
His speciality in law was conveyancing, and he never retired. He travelled to work from his home in Dalkey every day on the DART until a few weeks ago.
He is survived by his wife, Audrey, his daughter, Pauline, and two grandsons.
John J. Walker: born June 20th, 1917; died November 6th, 2003