Brendan O'Regan
{{Short description|Irish businessman}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Brendan O'Regan
| image =
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| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1917|5|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|2|02|1917|5|15|df=y}}
| death_place = England
| nationality = Irish
| known_for = Development of Shannon Airport and the Shannon Free Zone
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| employer =
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Brendan O'Regan CBE (1917–2008) was an Irish businessman responsible for developing Shannon Airport, inventing the concept of the duty-free shop and transforming the Shannon Region of Ireland.{{cite news| url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/tributes-paid-to-clare-man-who-pioneered-duty-free-at-shannon-1.890624| work=The Irish Times| title=Tributes paid to Clare man who pioneered duty free at Shannon| date=4 February 2008}} He was involved in promoting peace in Northern Ireland and co-operation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He has been described as one of Ireland's "most noted peace ambassadors and initiators of commercial and industrial projects".{{cite news| url=http://www.irishexaminerusa.com/mt/2008/02/06/dr_brendan_oregan_1917_2008.html| work=Irish Examiner USA| title=Dr. Brendan O'Regan (1917–2008) Founder of Duty Free Shopping Died, Aged 90 | date= 6 February 2008}} In a tribute to him, President Mary McAleese said that O'Regan was "a true visionary" and "leaves a legacy that permeates throughout all levels of economic, social and cultural life in Ireland."{{cite news| url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0203/99089-oreganb/| work=RTÉ News| title=President praises O'Regan's contribution| date=4 February 2008}}
Early life
Born in Sixmilebridge, County Clare in 1917, O'Regan attended Blackrock College.{{cite news| url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/claremuseum/projects/oregan_exhibition/1.htm| work=Clare Museum| title=Empowering the People | date=February 2007}} He studied hotel management in Germany, France, Switzerland and the UK as his family had interests in hotels (the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis and the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon).{{cite news| url=http://www.clarechampion.ie/shannon-the-man-behind-the-vision/| work=Clare Champion| title=Shannon: the man behind the vision| date=24 October 2015}}
Career
=Early career=
For a period, he was manager of the Stephen's Green Club in Dublin. In 1943, he was appointed as catering comptroller at Foynes flying boat base, which was a refuelling point for transatlantic seaplanes between Britain and the United States.
=Shannon Airport=
In 1945, he was appointed catering comptroller at Shannon Airport. From this base, he embarked on a series of projects which transformed the Shannon Region, many of which were replicated internationally.{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/how-it-began-oregans-innovative-dream-allowed-region-to-take-off-26852088.html| work=Irish Independent| title=How it began: O'Regan's innovative dream allowed region to take off| date=10 February 2012}} In 1947, he invented the concept of the airport duty-free shop, establishing the world's first at Shannon Airport. In 1951 he established the Shannon College of Hotel Management.
=Shannon Free Zone=
In 1961, he was the key driver in the establishment of Ireland's only regional development agency, Shannon Free Airport Development Company. He developed the Shannon Free Zone, a model for similar zones established throughout the world. He was chairman of Bórd Fáilte, the Irish Tourist Board from 1957 to 1973.{{cite news| url=http://www.shannonairport.ie/gns/about-us/history-of-shannon-airport.aspx | work=Shannon Airport| title=Dr Brendan O'Regan}} After a visit to the United States under the Marshall Aid Plan, he drafted a report that became the blueprint for a vision of Shannon revolving around tourism, air freight and industry.{{cite news| url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/founder-of-duty-free-shops-and-peace-activist-1.892669| work=The Irish Times| title=Founder of duty-free shops and peace activist| date=9 February 2008}}
=Shannon Town and Region=
The success of the airport and industrial zone led to the development, spearheaded by O'Regan, of Shannon Town, the first new town in Ireland in over two centuries. He was responsible for initiatives such as turning Bunratty Castle into a tourist attraction with the co-operation of its owner Lord Gort, the model for similar initiatives at Knappogue Castle and Dunguaire Castle.{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/brendan-oregan-26422357.html| work=Irish Independent| title=Brendan O'Regan A quite extraordinary and innovative businessman whose legacy will live on in the success of the Shannon region| date=10 February 2008}}
Peace and co-operation
In 1978, O'Regan founded Co-Operation North (now Co-operation Ireland), a non-denominational and non-party organisation aimed at fostering co-operation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 1984, he established the Irish Peace Institute to promote peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. He also founded the Centre for International Co-operation at Shannon in 1986.
Honours and tributes
He received a number of tributes for his work. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1993 for his contribution to peace. He was voted "Clareman of the Year" in 1984 and was made Freedom of the City of Limerick in 1995. He received a number of honorary doctorates including from the National University of Ireland in 1978, from Queen's University Belfast in 1999 and from the University of Limerick in 2001.{{cite news| url=http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/Honorary_Conferrings/Honoured_by_UL/Recipients/Dr%20Brendan%20O%20Regan| publisher=University of Limerick| title=Dr Brendan O'Regan| date=5 December 2001| access-date=20 January 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129155452/http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Administration/Ceremonies/Honorary_Conferrings/Honoured_by_UL/Recipients/Dr%20Brendan%20O%20Regan| archive-date=29 January 2016| url-status=dead}}
In February 2007, Clare Museum held an exhibition, opened by the then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to mark his achievements.{{cite news| url=http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/claremuseum/projects/oregan_exhibition/1.htm| work=Clare Museum| title='Empowering the People' – Brendan O'Regan Exhibition | date=February 2007}}
In 2015, a portrait of O'Regan was unveiled by Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht at the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum.{{cite news| url=http://www.limerickpost.ie/2015/06/19/brendan-keeps-watch-over-foynes-museum/| work=Limerick Post| title=Brendan keeps watch over Foynes museum | date=19 June 2015}}
Several initiatives have been named after him, including the O'Regan Park, a sporting and recreational facility in Newmarket-on-Fergus,{{cite news| url=http://www.clarepeople.com/2013/01/30/oregan-park-upgrade-a-step-closer/| work=The Clare People| title=O'Regan Park upgrade a step closer | date=30 January 2013}} and three restaurants, one at the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, another at Shannon Airport{{cite news| url=https://www.resdiary.com/Restaurant/TheOReganRestaurant| work=ResDiary | title=The O'Regan Restaurant}} and the third at the Old Ground Hotel.{{cite news| url=https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186597-d1115768-Reviews-Brendan_O_Regan_Room-Ennis_County_Clare.html| work=TripAdvisor| title= Brendan O'Regan Room}}
Personal life and death
In 1950 he married Rita Barrow and they had two sons, Andrew and Declan, and three daughters, Geraldine, Margaret and Carmel.{{cite news| url=http://www.flyingboatmuseum.com/irish-coffee/dr-brendan-oregan/| work=Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum| title=Dr. Brendan O'Regan}} He died on 1 February 2008, aged 90.{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tributes-to-airport-dutyfree-visionary-26420991.html| work=Irish Independent| title=Tributes to airport duty-free visionary| date=4 February 2008}}{{cite news| url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0202/99084-oreganb/| work=RTÉ News| title=Brendan O'Regan dies in England| date=4 February 2008}}
2017 centenary
Shannon Airport announced that it would commemorate the centenary in 2017 of the birth of O'Regan, described as "founder of Shannon Airport and the man behind so many of the great innovations of the region"{{cite news| url=http://www.clare.fm/news/shannon-airport-honour-key-figure| work=Clare FM| title=Shannon Airport to Honour Key Figure| date=19 September 2015| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126065521/http://www.clare.fm/news/shannon-airport-honour-key-figure| archive-date=26 January 2016}}{{cite news| url=http://www.irishcentral.com/culture/travel/Iconic-Irish-rugby-moment-immortalized-in-Shannon-Airport-sculpture.html| work=Irish Central| title=Iconic Irish rugby moment immortalized in Shannon Airport sculpture | date=28 July 2015}}{{cite news| url=http://www.shannonairport.ie/gns/about-us/latest-news/latest-news/15-07-17/Iconic_Irish_sporting_moment_immortalised_in_Shannon_Airport_sculpture_of_famous_Irish_line-out.aspx| work=Shannon Airport| title=Latest News| date=17 July 2015| access-date=21 January 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128171154/http://www.shannonairport.ie/gns/about-us/latest-news/latest-news/15-07-17/Iconic_Irish_sporting_moment_immortalised_in_Shannon_Airport_sculpture_of_famous_Irish_line-out.aspx| archive-date=28 January 2016| url-status=dead}} In line with a call by Clare County Council,{{cite news| url=http://www.clare.fm/news/plans-afoot-honour-key-founder-shannon-airport| work=Clare FM| title=Plans afoot to honour key founder of Shannon Airport| date=17 January 2016| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128192905/http://www.clare.fm/news/plans-afoot-honour-key-founder-shannon-airport| archive-date=28 January 2016}} a bronze bust sculpture of Dr O'Regan was unveiled at Shannon Airport to commemorate this milestone on 15 May 2017 (the centenary of the birth{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/one-of-the-most-fascinating-and-influential-people-of-our-time-businessman-dr-brendan-oregan-honoured-35725089.html|work=The Irish Independent|title='One of the most fascinating and influential people of our time' – Businessman Dr Brendan O'Regan honoured|date=29 September 2017}}) and RTE's Nationwide programme dedicated a special transmission to his legacy on 27 September 2017.{{cite news| url=http://clareherald.com/2017/09/nationwide-to-feature-dr-brendan-oregan-17088/|work=The Clare Herald|title=Nationwide to feature Dr Brendan O'Regan|date=27 September 2017}} The Irish Times published a comprehensive assessment of his life's work in 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/innovation/the-irish-father-of-duty-free-and-saviour-of-shannon-1.3647834| work=The Irish Times| title=The Irish ‘father of duty free’ and saviour of Shannon: Brendan O’Regan’s eureka moment came in 1950, but his legacy goes beyond cheap booze| date=4 October 2018}}
A second, life-size, bronze statue of O'Regan was unveiled beside his birthplace in Sixmilebridge on Monday 10 July 2023.{{cite web
| url = https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22272532/
| title = Honoring the man behind a global duty-free industry
| last = Cooke
| first = John
| date = 10 July 2023
| website = RTÉ
| publisher = Raidió Teilifís Éireann
| access-date = 11 July 2023}}{{cite web
| url = https://www.clare.fm/podcasts/morning-focus-live-sixmilebridge-ahead-dr-brendan-oregan-statue-unveiling/
| title = Morning Focus Live From Sixmilebridge Ahead of Dr. Brendan O’Regan Statue Unveiling
| date = 10 July 2023
| website = clare.fm
| access-date = 11 July 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Biography
- Brendan O’Regan: Irish Innovator, Visionary, Peacemaker by Brian O'Connell with Cian O'Carroll, published by Irish Academic Press, 2018.
External links
- [https://www.shannonairport.ie/corporate/about/history/ Shannon Airport - History]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160418125108/http://www.cooperationireland.org/about/history/ Co-operation Ireland - History - Key Dates in Co-operation Ireland's History] (archived)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160201010803/http://www.moodiereport.com/pdf/twr_3.pdf The Moodie Report - "From small beginnings… the Shannon story" (PDF)] (archived)
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oregan, Brendan}}
Category:Businesspeople from County Clare
Category:Honorary commanders of the Order of the British Empire