Jonah Barrington

Jonah Barrington MBE (born 29 April 1941) is a retired Irish/English squash player, originally from Morwenstow, Cornwall, England.

Biography A Cornish-born Irish squash player and attended Headfort School in County Meath and Cheltenham College, and spent two years at Trinity College Dublin.

Barrington won the British Open (which was considered to be the effective world championship event before the World Squash Championships began) six times between 1967 and 1973, and was known as "Mr. Squash". Barrington was the British national champion in 1980 and won three consecutive British Amateur Squash Championships from 1966 to 1969.

Barrington turned professional the day after losing the 1969 World Amateur Squash Championship final to Australian Geoff Hunt. He appointed Clive Everton as his agent.

In 1974, he was a leading participant in the formation of the International Squash Players Association (ISPA), which was formed to give players a voice in an era dominated by the Squash Rackets Association. He was elected chairman alongside Ken Hiscoe (president), Geoff Hunt (vice-president) and Geoff Poole (secretary).

In 1982 Barrington co-authored the book Murder in the Squash Court: the Only Way to Win.

The six-time British Open champion coached Egyptian world no.1 and 2015 British Open champion Mohamed El Shorbagy. and Israeli squash player Daniel Poleshchuk.

Barrington is the father of professional squash player and commentator Joey Barrington.

British Open titles

YearOpponent in finalScore in final 1967 Aftab Jawaid 9–2, 5–9, 9–2, 9–2 1968 A.A. AbouTaleb 9–6, 9–0, 9–5 1970 Geoff Hunt 9–7, 3–9, 9–4, 9–4 1971 Aftab Jawaid 9–1, 9–2, 9–6 1972 Geoff Hunt 0–9, 9–7, 10–8, 6–9, 9–7 1973 Gogi Alauddin 9–4, 9–3, 9–2

Books

2023, The Book of Jonah (with Clive Everton), Cork: Oak Tree Press; 2023, Jonah: The Official Biography of Jonah Barrington (by Ross Reyburn & Michael Emery), Cork: Oak Tree Press; 2024, Murder in the Squash Court: The Only Way to Win (with Angela Patmore), Cork: Oak Tree Press;