John Downing

John Downing, who lived from about 1904 until September 1987, was a lawn bowls international from Northern Ireland who competed at the British Empire Games, the event now known as the Commonwealth Games. He was a member of Shaftesbury Bowls Club in Belfast and bowled for the Northern Ireland Bowls Association at representative level. He represented the Northern Irish team at the 1934 British Empire Games in London, where he played in the pairs with Robert Taylor and finished sixth. In 1935 he was runner-up in the singles at the Irish National Bowls Championships. Downing was elected president of Shaftesbury Bowls Club in 1930 and also held the same role at Ormeau United Bowling Club. He was a qualified dental surgeon and celebrated 50 years with Shaftesbury in November 1973.