About the Brian McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament“The Onion”

Brian McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament

​The year after he died in 2007, a group of friends and family of the late Brian McGuire of Morell was anxious to find a way to keep Brian's memory alive and pay tribute to his sense of community involvement and service.

They decided that hosting an annual Memorial Golf Tournament, with proceeds going to a worthy charity, was the best way to proceed. A host committee was formed and volunteers got busy preparing for the first annual tournament in 2009.

Brian was involved in the co-operative movement at an early age and always displayed a sense of wanting to help his fellow citizens and those less fortunate. 

He was named manager of the Morell Co-op store in 1987 and oversaw an expansion of the store to service a growing customer base. He served as manager for 16 years until 2003 when illness forced him to retire. 

In early 2002, Brian was diagnosed with prostate cancer which had spread to the bone. He fought the disease with dignity and grace for more than five years and never lost his sense of humour despite the pain. He passed away August 17, 2007, at home in Morell.

For seven months prior to his death, Brian was treated at the Prince Edward Home in hospice and palliative care. He was appreciative of the compassionate care he received from many selfless staff and volunteers who ensured those suffering from cancer were made as comfortable as possible and that their quality of life was the best possible. Brian supported the efforts by Dr. Mireille Lecours, provincial co-ordinator for palliative care, to persuade government to allow those with terminal cancer to be treated at home and spend their final days with loved ones. Because of Dr. Lecours' efforts, Brian was able to spend his final weeks at home in Morell.

Several months after his passing, the provincial government decided to follow Dr. Lecours' recommendations and formally extended palliative care into the homes of those wishing to die in their own home. The committee is proud to have Dr. Lecours as the honourary chair of the annual Brian McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament.

Brian was the second person to sign up for a membership when The Links of Crowbush Cove opened in 1993 and it’s only natural that Crowbush is the site for the annual Onion.

He was involved with the North Shore Funeral Co-op at its inception, served as president for many years and stayed involved with funeral arrangements for member families until several months before his passing. Many grieving families made their first connection with funeral arrangements through Brian and his wife Alycia.

He opened his home to those in need and took in a number of friends who had no place to go. Although he had little, his door was always open to friends and neighbours and it was rare that his kitchen was not filled with friends just dropping in.

Onion was Brian's nickname from his early school days. It had nothing to do with onions.  Instead, he had a habit of always dressing in layers - t-shirt, shirt, sweater, coat, overcoat etc. So a classmate called him Onion and the nickname stuck through the years. That's why we have shortened the name of the annual Brian McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament to "The Onion."

It’s now official. The 14th annual Brian McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament (The Onion) this summer will be the final one.

The host organizing committee met in mid-March and voted unanimously to wind up operations following this year’s tourney on Sunday, July 31, at The Links at Crowbush Cove.

The tourney has raised $498,950 over the previous 13 years, divided evenly between Hospice P.E.I.  and palliative care services.  The tourney has had a full field of 36 teams since year one and there is always a waiting list – a testament to his legacy and the important work supported by the tourney.