George Meagher

A photograph of George Meagher, performing in figure skates.

George Alfred Meagher (December 6, 1866 in Kingston, Ontario - March 14, 1930 in Montreal, Quebec) was a Canadian figure skater and ice hockey propagator, who is usually regarded as having introduced the sport in its modern form to Europe.

Meagher introduced ice hockey to France in 1894, when he was in the country to give figure skating performances at the Pole Nord and Palais des Glace Champs-Elysses rinks. He brought a rule book and coaching instructions with him and began running practices in Paris. He also had some hockey sticks and pucks on hand. On December 3, Meagher formed the Hockey Club de Paris, which practiced four times a week from January to March, 1895.

He later traveled to London, where he organized ice hockey practices at the Hengler's Ice Rink starting in January 1896. In February he played for Canada in an informal international match played between teams representing England and Canada at Hengler's.

While in Scotland in May 1896, he helped kick-start the game of bandy/ice hockey at the newly-opened Glasgow Real Ice Skating Palace. Meagher was instrumental in arranging a four-game series between the London Bandy Club and Glasgow, played in June 1896.

After returning to France, Meagher revived the Hockey Club de Paris on November 9, 1897. He helped organize a match between HCP and Princes Ice Hockey Club that December. He was also involved in inviting the Scottish Ice Hockey Club to Paris to play five games between December 23 and 30. Meagher played in some of the matches himself. Meagher captained the "Gentlemen of France", who were defeated 12-1 by the Scots, according to a letter written by William Pollock Wylie in 1933.

He played in and helped organize several matches between Davos and St. Moritz while in Switzerland in 1898. During a stay in Belgium in 1899, he introduced the sport of ice hockey to the country.

In conclusion, Meagher helped introduce, promote, and develop modern hockey in five different European locales between 1894 and 1899. He definitely deserves to be recognized as the "father" of the sport as we currently know it in Europe.