‘Ruglen Jean’ passes away surrounded by her family

McGinn’s widow was 89

DOUGLAS DICKIE

The Rutherglen widow of Scottish singing legend Matt McGinn has passed away, aged 89.

Janette McGinn, nee Gallacher, was born in 1930 in High Street.

She went to St Columbkille’s then Bothwell schools.

Her parents, especially her mother, were very left-wing and Janette joined the Young Communist League (YCL) while in her teens.

It was while in the YCL that she met future husband Matt McGinn.

Janette worked as a secretary and bookkeeper during her married life and her total support for Matt’s career can never be underestimated.

Not many women with four young children in the 1960s and 70s would have gone out to work full-time to allow their husband to be a folk singer.

Matt and Janette were always politically active and totally united in their belief in a better, fairer society.

The marriage eventually failed, but it did last 25 years and there was never any doubt in the great love they had for each other.

Matt wrote many songs for his wife, such as Ruglen Jean, Jeannie Gallacher, Janetta and Eternity Would Soon Be Over.

After Matt’s death in a house fire in 1977, Janette became the manager of the Citizens Advice Bureau in Castlemilk.

She thrived there, helping people with welfare rights and many other issues.

She later sat on the board of appeals for social security, always on the side of the claimant.

In 1987 Janette turned Matt’s biographical writings into the bestselling McGinn of The Calton.

The book still sells to this day. Two years

Singer

Matt McGinn later she became a leading voice in the anti– Poll Tax campaign and advised many people from her home in Spittal.

Janette worked as a bookkeeper until her 80s. Then at the age of 82 she did an Open University course in arts and humanities, passing with flying colours.

In 2017 Janette’s sister Anne died and her health deteriorated.

Shortly afterwards she went to Spain to live with her daughter Shonagh.

She died peacefully on Friday, March 20 with her daughters cuddling her, telling her how much they loved her and singing their father’s song Jeannie Gallacher to her.

She is survived by her four children Matt, Anna, Eleanor and Shonagh.