Ewing, (Reginald) Cecil (1910–73), golfer, was born 11 July 1910 at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, son of Thomas Ewing, hotel proprietor, and Sally Ewing (née Kerrison). His father's hotel at Rosses Point doubled as a clubhouse for the local golf club in its early days, and Cecil became immersed in the game from a young age. While he was still a schoolboy at Mountjoy, his early promise was proved when, in 1928, he reached the final of the West of Ireland amateur open championship at the age of eighteen, finishing runner-up. His breakthrough came in 1930 when he won the final. He dominated this competition for the following twenty years, competing in a remarkable eighteen finals and recording ten victories.
In 1934 he made his debut for Ireland in a quadrangular international tournament. Except in 1952, when he was ill, he kept his place on the Irish team until 1958. He also became a stalwart member of the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, marking his debut in 1936 with a half point for the team and playing till 1955; in 1938, at St Andrews, he was an important member of the team that brought Britain and Ireland their first Walker Cup success over America, when he defeated Ray Billows in their singles match. A week later he competed in the world amateur championship at Troon, finishing runner-up to the US number one, Charlie Yates. One of only five players to win the Irish close and open championships in the same year (1948), he again won the open in 1951 and the close in 1958. In all he won fourteen major Irish championships at a time when Irish amateur golf was particularly strong; his main rivals were Joe Carr (qv) (1922–2004) and John Burke (qv). Besides his national and international career, he played golf at Portmarnock, helping the club to five senior cup victories, including four in a row from 1932 to 1935, and to the Barton Shield on three occasions. A master of the three-quarter swing, with a narrow stance, he was particularly effective hitting into a strong wind and playing in difficult conditions. Known as a dour and doughty competitor on the golf course, he was however a genial character in the clubhouse.
Having finished his international playing career in 1958, with the distinction of being the first Irish amateur to gain fifty international caps, Ewing became involved in the administration of the game and was elected an Irish international selector. As non-playing captain of Ireland from 1960 to 1969, he guided the team to two European titles, at Sandwich in 1965 and Turin in 1967. He was also a selector when Britain and Ireland won their second Walker Cup in 1971. As president-elect in 1970 he won the inaugural Irish seniors open championship at Lahinch.
For most of his career he worked in Dublin in an insurance firm, and in 1943 he moved to Ballina as a Guinness sales representative for the Mayo area before he was transferred, in 1955, to Sligo, where he was appointed manager in 1957. He was married with two children. He died 26 August 1973 at Rosses Point.