Vincent Hoey
Former Drogheda United chairman, who was in charge when the club won the title in 2007, writes Sean Ryan
VINCENT Hoey, who died on October 30, was a legend in his native town of Drogheda, for the passionate commitment he showed throughout his life in advancing the cause of his local community in whatever way he could.
Born in 1935, he was educated by the Christian Brothers at primary and secondary level, and, while working in Tallan & Co Solicitors, he studied law at UCD and Blackhall Place, becoming the first to win the Law Society gold medal in his finals, and the Overend and Findlater scholarships — to Harvard and Salzburg. He studied at both before rejoining the workforce and beginning his career as a solicitor with Tallan & Co, before starting his own practice in 1959.
Articulate and witty, he made a great success of his business, with renowned judge Frank Roe describing him as “the best solicitor I have ever had the pleasure of working with”. He was always looking for other ways to give back to Drogheda. That included being a founding member of the Drogheda Arts Group, founding the Drogheda Development Agency, and investment in traditional industries (he, together with his great friend John Branigan saved the Irish Tapestries factory in the 1980s).
Vincent had his priorities right, as his daughter Roisin recalls: “As children we had no sense of Dad having so many other things going on, because he made a point of being there for us and never let work interfere with family. Our education came from home, not from school. School merely filled in the gaps. We are so lucky to have had such a rich childhood, with parents who were always present, to always sit down as a family for meals where things were discussed, arguments had, matters debated, to be exposed to culture, music and literature.
“Dad was always thinking of things to do with us, things that were fun for us — roasting sausages with a long fork over the fire at night, bringing us treats from Dublin when he went to court, but also things that instilled in us his values — taking us on his mealsand-wheels rounds so that we developed an appreciation of the lives of those in need, visiting his old friends around the town, bringing us to the orphanage at Christmas to deliver presents.”
A keen footballer in his younger days, Vincent played for Drogheda United Youths in 1952 and 1953, having been signed by Paddy Reilly, uncle of rugby legend Tony O’Reilly. In 1975, he was a key figure in the amalgamation of United and League of Ireland club Drogheda FC and the subsequent move to United Park for the 1979-80 season.
He later joined forces with businessmen Chris Byrne and Eugene O’Connor to take over the club, and was chairman during the club’s golden era in the mid-2000s, when the FAI Cup and the League were won for the first time.
“We had nine objectives,” he recalled, “and we achieved eight of them.” The ninth was their plan to build a stadium complex designed to be self-financing but, despite spending millions, it never came to fruition. Asked about his losses, he said: “Not even winning the Lotto would repay me.” However, his son Conor is now chairman and, with the Louth County Council behind the club’s plans for a new stadium, the Hoey name will be prominent when his father’s dream is realised.
One of the main objectives of Vincent and his partners was to bring a major trophy to the Boyneside town, and in 2005 they achieved that goal when they won the FAI Cup. In his moment of triumph, the thoughtful Hoey made a special visit. “In Drogheda there was one man, Tom Munster, who had been chairman and treasurer of the club for many years, and he was 90. I brought the cup to his house, knocked on the door, and it was one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done. If I’d given him a cheque for €5m it wouldn’t have meant as much to him.”
Last January, the Soccer writers’ Association of Ireland recognised Hoey’s contribution to football when they honoured him with their Special Merit Award, a fitting tribute in the club’s centenary year. A keen traveller, one of his holidays abroad in the 1950s — to Greece — resulted in him meeting his wife Gisela, the great love of his life. Behind every great man is a great woman, and that phrase was never more true than in this case.
She allowed Vincent to take centre stage but, as Roisin puts it, “in reality, she was the entire support team in the production”.
Vincent spent his last few months in palliative care in Blackrock Hospice. No longer able to visit his friends, they came to him, returning the kindness that is probably his greatest legacy. He is survived by his wife Gisela, sons Conor and Francis, and daughter Roisin.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.