John BROWN

I didn’t know John well - though always found him to have a great sense of fun and energy about him - my late father, William, a colleague in Belvedere - had a long friendship with John, admiring his quick wit and strong work ethic. My condolences to John’s family. RIP.

Davnet, Aideen and Aisling,
I'm so sorry to hear of the death of your lovely Dad.
I have fond memories of him on the Green in Glencarraig and also of him trying to beat Maths into me at the Institute.

Sincere condolences to Aideen, Davnet and Aisling on the recent passing of your Dad. May he Rest In Peace.

Aisling, Davnet and Aideen, my sincere sympathy to you all and the extended family on the death of your beloved Father, a very kind and gentle man. May John rest in peace, reunited at last with your beloved mum Maura. When I think of them both I think of them driving through France in the sun , with the open roof and Maura’s hair blowing in the wind as happy as they could be. They loved their well deserved holidays. He was known as the best maths teacher in the country and I had reason to greatly appreciate this after a short week in Leeson Street during the Easter hols just before the leaving. He worked his magic and I left Leeson Street knowing that I would nail that paper thanks to John.
Thinking of you all at this very sad time in your lives.

Mr. Brown (I can never call him John) was an amazing teacher. It's been over 20 years since I sat in the garage classroom and I still remember his teachings, not only of mathematics, but of perseverance and enthusiasm. A man who was kind of heart as he was sharp of mind, and he was very sharp. My sincerest condolences for your loss of a wonderful man. He lives on in the hearts and minds of thousands of students.

Another sad time. Our sincere sympathy and condolences to the daughters of John and Maura.

Everything changed when i attended your math class in your home in 1989. My mum “accosted” you in superquinn carpark and got me a seat. The fortuity of that moment.

Maths went from being a chore, with me decreed an idiot by my local high school math “teacher”, to becoming a magic light show with you the grand wizard and we the eager and enthralled trainees. Confidence rocketed, high grade achieved in leaving cert…points achieved thanks to your inspiration. I mean I literally would not have gotten the b.comm but for you.

I often reference you to my kids ..to other kids even adults on the art of the possible, the magic of teaching and learning …and this is 35 years later!. My approach to the comprehension of things uses your teaching and inspiration as a reference point.

You left your mark on this earth sir and I will never forget you.

God Bless

Hey old friends.

I'm sending you all my love from many miles away. Your Dad was just such a bright light to me when I was a kid - one of he first people who ever made me realise that not only was it OK, but it was essential to have your own opinion and to say what you wanted to. I still think often about all the great holiday skit we had together growing up, and how much you all made us feel at home as a family when we moved out to Sutton. He and your Mam just lit up any room they walked into. And their gift to us all is that we take that light forward with us now wherever we go. I'll never forget that.
Much love to you all. Paul.

Sending sincere sympathies to Theresa and all the Browns in Raheny at this very sad time.

Dear Brown Family,
My condolences on the loss of John. A great teacher and human being. For ever grateful for the mentorship and teaching, and to so many around Dublin. Still remember coming home on several occasions with board marker spots on my face… so much fun! May he rest in peace!
Andrew McKeon OB ‘94

Sorry to hear of the passing of the greatest teacher I have had. He simplified problem solving and helped people prepare for their future . We had a great bond with him and listened to his nuggets in life with great interest! I hope you can find consolation in the coming months with all the good will he generated. Rest in Peace . John Ball class of 92.

Sorry to hear of John's passing - I remember having maths grinds in the 80's in Glencarraig & discovered that maths could be fun. Now that I'm a teacher, I realise how amazing & entertaining John's lessons were. Something many teachers strive but fail to do! May he rest in peace.

Aisling, Davnet and Aideen,

I am heartbroken to hear the news of your father's passing. I was fortunate enough to have known your wonderful dad in my Institute days and credit my career to his help and guidance with honours maths (those points were much needed!). I was also lucky to be able to tell him that later on life and thank him personally.

You are all in my thoughts and I will always fondly remember John.

Like some others have already stated, I was in Johnny Brown's first class when he started in Belvedere and had him all the way to the Leaving Cert. Our class formed a strong bond with him over the years. Towards the end we were more like mates than a student/teacher relationship. After we left school we enjoyed his hospitality and his home brew. He was a fine teacher and a fine man. May he rest in peace.

Aisling, my sincere condolences to you, your sisters and extended family on the death of your father. My thoughts are with you at this sad time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

I never had John Brown for maths, although I wish I had, as according to those more fortunate than me in that regard, he was an excellent teacher. He and my dad were colleagues and pals in Belvo for many years as well as neighbours in Sutton. During the oil crisis in '73 and occasionally thereafter they would alternately give each other a lift in to work in the morning and home in the afternoon. From the backseat of the car, I was often privileged to be able to listen to them debating the topic of the day, whatever it might be, and maybe even ask the odd question here and there. John was always very kind and friendly to me. Ar dheis Dé a anam.

I was saddened to learn of John's death.
In 1971, as a young enthusiastic teacher, John was willing to take on 4 students who aspired to study honours maths at LC level, at a time when the subject was not taught in many Girls Schools. Together we achieved our goal. Fifteen years later, John became my son's teacher in Belvedere. It was a joy to see how inspiational he still was. An absolute legend, who transformed 2-D concepts into 3-D technicolour. May he rest in peace now. Sincere sympathies to the Brown Family.

Deepest sympathies to the whole Brown family. John was an inspiration in school - a truly brilliant teacher of mathematics and as our form tutor he offered us so many life lessons that still hold true today. He was fair to everyone, and was witty with a collection of priceless phrases. May he rest in peace.

Aideen, Davnet and Aisling
Very sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing
May he rest in peace

I wish to express sincere condolences on behalf of my late husband Des Harrold O.B '72 who esteemed John greatly and spoke of him with great affection.

Deepest sympathies to all the family on your loss. John was a great man and a superb Maths teacher. What I learned from him has stood to me for all my life since then. RIP

I have fond memories of Mr. Brown from my days in Belvedere. Sincere condolences to his family

Rory Conway. (OB79)

How extremely lucky were we who had the privilege of being inspired by Mr. Brown to embrace the mathematical mysteries. Luck struck our family again with Aideen repeating the Brown inspirational gift for our daughter Ailbhe. Condolences to all the Brown family. RIP Titch.

Sincere condolences to Johnny's daughters, grandchildren and extended family on his passing. He was a great character and an exceptional teacher. Full of energy and humour. A genuinely honest person. May he rest in peace. ( IOE)

I was lucky to have been taught maths by John in Belvedere in the 70s . He was a great teacher and a good man who enjoyed a healthy work/life balance . As summer holidays
approached I remember his excitement about his pending road trips .RIP

Sincere sympathy to Aideen, Davnet and Aisling on the death of your wonderful dad, John, a great teacher and a true gentleman.

Was a brilliant charismatic teacher that oozed swagger in the classroom. Was lucky to work with his daughter aileen who is equally impressive and had the pleasure to teach lauren, John's granddaughter. My thoughts are with you all at this time

John taught me maths and applied maths for most of my time in Belvedere. A fantastic teacher who I've often thought about since. He's no doubt had a big influence on my career and therefore life in general. Hope his family are all doing ok at this difficult time. Thanks John.

Sincere condolences to John’s daughters & extended family. An absolute gentleman, he will be missed. RIP

Aisling, Davnet and Aideen

Very sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. Thinking of you all at this sad time

Sinéad Barry

My sincere condolences to Davnet, Aideen and Aisling, and your families, on the loss of your Dad. Your home in Glencarraig was always such a welcoming oasis, and a great tribute to your parents. I know you all will miss him terribly, but you have many memories to cherish and stories to remember him and your mum through. Quod Erat Demonstrandum. Thinking of you all XX

Aideen, Davnet and Aisling my sincere condolences. Not only did your dad manage to make honours maths understandable for me, his sage advice on post leaving cert options set me on a career path from which I have never looked back. John will be fondly remembered as my teacher and neighbour.

Condolence to the Browns on the loss of a true gentleman and an absolutely inspirational teacher. I was lucky enough to have Mr Brown for Maths and Applied Maths for my leaving cert. He commanded the class room with such skill and character, from making a point of lowering his voice and moving onto something important if we all started to talk in class, achieving silent and full attention within seconds, to only photocopying 28 sets of notes for a class of 30 to create a demand, we valued the notes even more as a result! One of the best teachers I ever had and it is such a privilege to have been taught by him. He inspired us all to think differently and solve problems in the cleverest way possible. May he rest in peace.

I had the pleasure of being both a leaving cert maths pupil and neighbour of John’s. It was remarkable how he made sure we reached our full potential in maths, which has served so many of us so well in subsequent academic and professional pursuits. He also made each class challenging, exciting and entertaining.
He was a true legend who has had a lasting positive impact on so many of his students’ lives. Condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.

What a remarkable teacher Mr Brown was - mixing discipline with good humour, and insisting on lateness being punished by 20 “clapper” press-ups. On the day of our graduation from sixth year, a gang of us were walking up Gardiner Street to school, and Mr Brown pulled up in his open top Morgan and told me to jump in…one of my favourite memories of my time in Belvedere. It’s remarkable to think of how many young lives he influenced for the better, a life well lived. May he rest in peace.

Our sympathies to all the Brown family. We were privileged to have had John as a friend and colleague and have many happy memories of the fun times we spend with him and Maura. RIP.

John Brown didn't just teach us maths brilliantly.. he taught us life.
What a wonderful disposition, we were so lucky.
Sincere condolences to the family. RIP

John was a remarkable and inspiring teacher. He was a most vibrant character, entertaining us in the staff room at the old Lesson Street premises.

John was proud of his inner city Dublin roots and often spoke of the sacrifices made by his parents who helped
him through school and University.

Deepest condolences to his children and family members.
Kevin Conliffe
Robertstown
Co.Kildare

My sincere sympathies to John Brown’s family and friends. I was very lucky to have John as a teacher.

John was a most kind neighbour and a legendary teacher of Maths in Belvedere to my sons, among thousands of others. He truly was a man for all seasons and leaves a real sense of void and loss in our community. My deepest sympathy to his daughters and their families. Requiescat in pace.

My deepest condolences to all the family. What a bright and entertaining man John was. He made maths and applied maths entertaining. A legend in Belvedere College and The Institute Of Education.
May your wonderful father rest in peace.
Much love from Johnny Burns and all the Burns’.

Sincere condolence to John's extended family. Remembered from our early days together in college

Our deepest condolences to John's daughters Aideen, Davnet and Aisling at this sad time. Clearly john was an inspirational teacher and mentor, removing, as he did, the mystery and obscurity of Maths for a large community of schoolgoers. We like to remember his robust defence of everyday issues over a few drinks in the tennis club, and his utter devotion to Maura during her terminal illness. Together with Howard he enjoyed a marathon series of tennis matches, and more recently long walks around the Peninsula where you would hear them before meeting them. Golf GT motor cars and summers in France were always discussion points. We will miss him but not forget him. RIP

Sincere condolences to Aideen, Davnet and Aisling, and to the extended Brown family on the sad passing of John. May he rest in eternal peace.

To Aideen , Davnet , Aishling and families , Our deepest and most sincere sympathies to you all on the death of your dear father John. May he and Maura rest in peace together. What a lovely couple they were. A privilege to have had their friendship. Clare and Ray OShea

I was lucky enough to have been taught maths by John for 5 years. He was a gifted teacher and a great character. I was very sad to hear of his passing. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to all the Brown Family. John taught me in the Institute and had given grinds to several of my family members in the years before. His reputation preceded him in the best way possible.

His passion, wit, and general demeanour always lit up the room. I started each day with his class, and he made early morning Maths more enjoyable than I could ever have imagined.

He only taught me for a year, but I remember him and his classes so fondly. May he RIP.

Sincere condelence to Aideen, Davnet and Aisling on the loss of your dear Dad. We remember your dad and Mum and you all from many many years ago. Love to you all and your Dad is now resting with your lovely Mum in the arms of the angels.

My deepest condolence to the Brown Family and friends. I was a pupil in Belvedere College in the 1960’s and was in John’s first maths class on the day he joined the teaching staff in Belvedere. He was charismatic, energetic and very entertaining and I really enjoyed his classes in Maths and Applied maths. His love of cars equalled his passion for teaching. Fondly remembered by all his students - May he rest in peace.

A wonderful teacher and great character. He made maths entertaining. There were so many digressions, debates and even jokes told in his classes. He was a great success and encouraged many of us to seek success. God bless him and condolences to all his family and friends.

We are so sad to hear of John’s passing leaving us with such wonderful memories of a wonderful and lovely kind hearted man. We will always remember John’s kindness, humour and hospitality. Sincere condolences to all John’s family. Alison and Neville

Aideen, Davnet and Aisling, I am so sorry for your loss; your dad was such a lovely man and a great Dad and I know he will be terribly missed by you and all of your family. Please know that my thoughts are with you during this difficult time, love from Kerry

Aideen, my deepest condolences to you, Lauren and all your family. May your wonderful father rest in peace and may you find some solace in the fact that he is now reunited with your mum.
Much love from all the Malone’s.

My deepest condolences to the Brown family. John thought me during the 90s in Belvedere. He was a wonderful teacher, probably one of the best I've ever had throughout both school and college. He was so smart and amazing at breaking down complex maths into understandable chunks, while delivering classes with a unique style and sense of humour. RIP Mr. Brown.

Aideen, Davnet and Aisling.
So sorry to hear of your Dad's passing.
He was a lovely man.
May he Rest In Peace now with your lovely Mam.

Sad to see you go Johnny- you were always such great company….!! RIP Johnny..

Deepest sympathies to the family and friends of John.Fond memories of seeing John in SLTC always with a friendly smile and chat.

Dear Aisling and family, sincere sympathies on the death of your father. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sincere condolences to Aideen, Davnet, Aishling and Lauren and your families on the passing of your Dad and Grandfather. We will be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. May John Rest in Peace. 🙏

Sincere condolences to the Brown family on the passing of Johnny. Besides being possibly the best maths teacher in history, he was a kind, charismatic and caring human being. He had energy and personality oozing from his fingertips. The Institute and Johnny Brown will always be synonymous. There are thousands of people enjoying great careers today in Ireland that owe their success to Johnny’s teaching and demystifying mathematics. He was a true gentleman, an inspirational mentor and a scholar. I have no doubt he is up in heaven with Dad having the banter and a few laughs. May he rest in peace.