Rugby legend and leading businessman had ‘true and amazing life’

Family and friends gather for funeral of ‘titanic figure’ who died aged 88

THE funeral service of Ireland rugby legend and businessman Tony O’reilly, who died at the age of 88 following a short illness, heard he was a “titanic figure” who lived a “true and amazing life”.

The record try-scoring Lions star went on to found Kerrygold, as well as becoming chief executive of Heinz and later Independent News and Media, in an illustrious business career.

Mourners gathered at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook, Dublin yesterday morning for the funeral Mass of Mr O’reilly, who died on Saturday at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in the city.

Delivering the homily, Fr Bruce Bradley said Mr O’reilly accomplished so much in his 88 years, but was “never one who took it for granted”.

Justine, Mr O’reilly’s daughter, read from her father’s favourite poem If by Rudyard Kipling, which speaks of the importance of keeping a balance in one’s life and staying true to oneself.

This epitomised the life of Mr O’reilly, as eulogised by his three sons, Cameron, Gavin and Tony Jr, who shed light on their father by describing him as a “true and committed Irish man”.

Mourners heard how the former owner of the Belfast Telegraph achieved what he did as he “saw no limits”.

By the age of 19, Mr O’reilly had played for Old Belvedere, Leinster, Ireland, the Barbarians and the British and Irish Lions and by age 23, he had the most tries scored by a Lions player, Cameron said.

“A record that still stands today, nearly 65 years later,” he said, adding that his father “took this same no-limits approach into his business career that first became evident joining Bord Bainne in 1962”.

After setting up Kerrygold, he led a “remarkable” 30-year career at Heinz in Pittsburgh in the US.

“While scaling corporate America, he always remained committed to Ireland and what he felt it could and should be…

“Over the next 30 years, he invested and built businesses here,” Cameron said, citing Fitzwilton, Independent News and Media, Eircom and Waterford Wedgewood.

Mourners heard of the time and effort Mr O’reilly put into his charity Ireland’s Funds, which supported reconciliation projects north and south of the Border during the Troubles.

Along with the Irish papers he owned, he did this as he would “never support men of violence”.

Mourners heard of how he had a “unique talent for making friends”, always shared his private time and was always interested in others above himself, privately helping them.

“While his name may adorn many a building, it was these private gestures that really defined him, his loyalty and his friendships,” his son Gavin said, adding that his friends had a special place in his father’s heart.

Mr O’reilly also had passions that people didn’t know about — he was a great art collector and a voracious reader, particularly of history, having “dozens of books on the trot”.

“Of course, he also had the gift of the gab and that extraordinary command of the English language,” Gavin said.

He also told of his father’s love of the “intellectual side” of politics but not politics itself.

Jack Lynch, Sean Lemass, Garrett Fitzgerald, John Hume and Seamus Mallon were some of his political heroes in Ireland.

Finishing the joint eulogy, Mr O’reilly’s youngest son Tony Jr shed some light on the “darker” side of his father’s character, stating that he was “unusual”, “capricious”, a “tough boss”, “chronically late” and “complicated”.

“Sometimes he was hours late and then he would do all he could to charm his initially furious guests and would ultimately win them over,” he said.

Tony Jr recalled how his father “wasn’t always there” particularly on parents day in school, and during family holidays, they would go to supermarkets to check out Heinz’s competitors.

“Dad lived life large and we shared in this largess… in the inspirational way he taught us,” he said. “These are principles that we tried to impart to his 23 grandchildren.

“Eighteen months ago I was sitting with dad and reflecting on his life, I asked him ‘how do you feel?’ and he responded: ‘I am happy, I’ve had an amazing life’.”

Mr O’reilly is pre-deceased by his first wife Susan Cameron and second wife Chryss and is survived by his six children, Susan, Cameron, Justine, Gavin, Caroline and Tony, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, his 23 grandchildren, relatives and friends.