Malachy’s legacy of love for his home town
HUBERT MURPHY LOOKS BACK ON THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A MAN WHO CREATED AN EMPIRE THAT STANDS PROUD AND TALL TO THIS VERY DAY
DROGHEDA said farewell to one of its most prominent business leaders with the death at the weekend of Boyne Valley Foods founder Malachy McCloskey.
An entrepreneur ahead of his time, he built the business from nothing to become one of the world’s leaders, now operating in 30 countries.
He also founded a number of other companies, helping to provide much needed employment in the town and region over many decades.
But away from the hustle and bustle of big business, he helped a lot of charities and as President of the Rotary Club, played his part in raising over €100,000 to build a hospital in Africa.
His funeral took place on Monday.
IN 1984, Minister for Labour Ruairi Quinn visited Drogheda and threw down a challenge to Malachy McCloskey to do something to reduce the horrific youth unemployment in the town.
It wasn’t a case of Malachy doing nothing at the time - he was already a huge employer - but the minister wanted something more. The objective set was to find a new business in the manufacturing fold, a non food business, and would need large capital investment and create a new supply chain.
The seach began, He worked his way through the supermarket aisles, looking at present products, considering others.
Steel wool and steel wool products became the option and Killeen at the Donore Industrial Estate was born in June 1986 with just nine people.
Within a decade, 28 people worked there and they had 40% of the market. 85% of the product went abroad, to France, Denmark, Malta, Canada. Dermot Clarke from Collon was Production Manager and his team included Paul Thornton, Eddie McCarthy, Paul Campbell, soccer star Paul Meade and All-Ireland dancer Margaret Balfe in Accounts. Pat Nulty from Galway had just joined too.
The years passed and Killeen blossomed - and still does today.
Ruairi Quinn remarked this week, ‘I first met Malachy many years ago, in Leinster House, with
Deputy Michael Bell. It was the first of many meetings. He had endless energy and was full of ideas to improve things that needed fixing, or new initiatives that would improve Drogheda.
‘I was always happy to meet him, and listen to his latest passion. He has left great legacy which has enriched this country.’
But Killeen was just one of the many, many success stories Malachy McCloskey launched and drove with a passion that ran almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Last Saturday, Malachy McCloskey’s incredible journey, incredible life and times, were recalled as the town learned of his sad passing.
The McCloskey family paid tribute to a wonderful father and husband.
‘Malachy was the heart and soul of the Boyne Valley Group. He set up the company in 1960 with just 3 employees bottling honey in Drogheda and he grew the business to become one of the major enterprises in the region, employing almost 200 people, trading with over 30 countries and leading the markets in which it operated.
‘And he brought that same energy and drive to a number of other businesses which he created: Irish Breeze, Killeen Cleaning Products and more.
‘ Through business Malachy brought people, communities and even countries together. He received numerous awards in recognition of his success as a businessman and for his role promoting trade between Ireland and countries like Spain and Italy.
‘Closer to home he promoted peace and reconciliation North and South of the border. He encouraged and supported community efforts to promote conservation and restoration work in Drogheda and he took charge of a number of key restoration projects in the town including The Granary and the West End Gardens and the Lifeforce Mill in Cavan.
‘Malachy stepped down as Chairman of the company in 2013. But he never stepped away from the business he had founded.Until his recent illness, he turned up at the offices as usual at the crack of dawn each day and he continued to provide invaluable counsel and support to everyone involved in the business.’
Malachy enjoyed one of his proudest moments in May 1984 when the critically acclaimed gardens at Bell’s Court were opened.
Patrick Shaffrey designed it and it had everything. It was urban renewal before the concept was truly understood, proof again of Malachy’s foresight.
“I want the people of Drogheda to feel it’s theirs and I would like to see as much community involvement because then there is less likely to be damage from vandalism,” he said at the time.
He got the Drogheda Tropical Fish Society to stock and maintain a water feature, Drogheda Cage Bird Society were asked to maintain an aviary and the Wheelchair Association would maintain part of the garden which had been raised so people on wheelchairs could work on it. The development inspired Drogheda Corporation at the time to pave Scholes Lane.
From his very early days, Malachy believed in building bridges, in turn, building opportunities for everyone.
“I am confident that beekeepers will recognise this scheme as a constructive step and will give me their full and immediate support,” stated Malachy, when he outlined the aims of his 5-year plan for Irish honey to members of the Irish Beekeepers’ Federation at Gormanston College in August of 1966.
Mr. McCloskey, who earlier presented the Boyne Valley Trophy which he donated—to Corkman, Mr. Thomas S. Kingston, wanted to introduce a minimum price for all honey produced in Ireland.
Malachy revealed that in 1965 he held markets in seven centres throughout the country in a bid to encourage more honey production.
At the time, John Aherne, Secretary of the Irish Beekeepers Federation, said: “It is an excellent idea and beekeepers should be very happy with its introduction. They now have a guaranteed price for their honey over a 5-year period whereas previously they found it difficult to find a market.”
In 1967, Malachy met a man who would inspire him even further - American Lelord Kordel. A world expert and author on food and correct eat
ing habits. He endorsed Malachy’s optimism in relation to the promotion of honey. Boyne Valley bought its supplies from Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kilkenny and Kerry and opened markets for its products in Northern Ireland, Britain, Canada and the U.S, Malachy having gone to the US in November 1966 to develop new export markets.
It was all the more incredible in that Malachy’s career began in the early 1950s in his father’s fish and fruit and veg shop. He learned the basics of long hours and hard work and he lived by those ethics, day after day.
He had his own shop too, the Savoy newsagents, a familiar name to many for a long time.
Away from his ‘day job’, Malachy loved nothing more than seeking new challenges. He enjoyed the concept of story books and an idea was born from time spent reading books to his sons before bedtime.
He developed a series of tales from Irish folk legend, told in book and on tape by unmistakable Irish voices. With the same enthusiasm that he brought to all new projects. Malachy put his idea ‘ of Irish legends, told by Irish storytellers,’ to the O’Brien Press.
With the help of Gay Byrne, Cyril Cusack, Maureen Potter, John B. Keane, Rosaleen Llnehan and Twink, they compiled over an hour’s storytelling on tape cassette, and combined a beautifully illustrated book.
He would publish 11 books in total, his love of all aspects of the Battle of the Boyne a focus in many ways.
He also loved architecture and all aspects of preserving it for future generations to enjoy and appreciate. He held many roles, not least President of the Rotary Club and helped raise over €100,000 to build a hospital in Africa.
Some years ago, Drogheda Chamber honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement award.
It was a little known fact that in recent times Malachy’s wonderful work in Britishrelations earned him an MBE. He was also honoured by Spain and Belgium.
His last journey was to St Peter’s church on Monday morning, a last look at the street that shaped a man of Drogheda and man of Ireland.
Malachy is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Anne, and loving dad to Edward, John, Mark, Peter, Colm and Ivan. Sadly missed by his wife, sons, daughters in law, his twelve grandchildren, brother Phelim, sister Sr. Colette, brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was laid to rest in Termonfeckin Old Cemetery.
‘IAM CONFIDENT THAT BEEKEEPERS WILL RECOGNISE THISSCHEMEAS A CONSTRUCTIVE STEP AND WILL GIVE ME THEIR FULL AND IMMEDIATE SUPPORT,” STATED MALACHY, W HEN HE OUTLINED THE AIMS OF HIS5-YEARPLAN FOR IRISHHONEYTO MEMBERS OF THE IRISH BEEKEEPERS IN AUGUST OF 1966