Gavin Duffy
{{short description|Irish entrepreneur and businessman|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gavin Duffy
| image = File:Gavin Duffy.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1960|4|29}}
| birth_place = Kildare, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Irish
| party = Independent
| spouse = {{marriage|Orlaith Carmody|1993}}
| children = 4
| known_for = Main dragon on the Irish version of Dragons' Den
| occupation = {{Hlist|Entrepreneur|Businessman}}
| website = {{URL|gavinduffy.ie}}
|}}
Gavin Duffy (born Liam Duffy; 29 April 1960) is an Irish entrepreneur and businessman who was a former part owner of the HRM Group of Companies, one of Ireland's largest recruitment companies. Duffy is a regular conference speaker at business events in Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/gavin-duffy/|title=Gavin Duffy – Personally Speaking Bureau|accessdate=15 April 2015|archive-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417174632/http://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/gavin-duffy/|url-status=live}} He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2018 presidential election.{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/businessman-gavin-duffy-becomes-fourth-official-candidate-in-presidential-race-4233912-Sep2018/|title=Businessman Gavin Duffy becomes fourth official candidate in presidential race|first=Daragh|last=Brophy|website=TheJournal.ie|date=14 September 2018|access-date=14 September 2018|archive-date=7 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507004819/https://www.thejournal.ie/businessman-gavin-duffy-becomes-fourth-official-candidate-in-presidential-race-4233912-Sep2018/|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Burns |first1=John |title=Duffy knows the name of the game |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/duffy-knows-the-name-of-the-game-hgp9t8kpq |work=The Sunday Times |date=16 September 2018 |access-date=7 October 2018 |archive-date=7 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007183635/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/duffy-knows-the-name-of-the-game-hgp9t8kpq |url-status=live }}
Early life
Duffy was the youngest of three brothers and lived as a child in Sallins, County Kildare, where his father, Ned Duffy, had a pig farm. His mother, Anne Duffy, ran The Gem restaurant in Naas. He attended the local primary school, St. Laurence's, in Sallins. The family sold the farm after the outbreaks of swine fever in the early 1970s and moved to Drogheda, County Louth, where they bought a pub. He lived 'above the shop' on West Street, while attending St. Joseph's Secondary School. He later went to Newbridge College in County Kildare where he did his Leaving Certificate.{{cite web|url=https://gavinduffy.ie/who-am-i/|title=About Gavin Duffy|access-date=29 September 2018|archive-date=29 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029105827/https://gavinduffy.ie/who-am-i/|url-status=live}} Retrieved 28 September 2018
Career
He set up {{dubious|date=October 2020}} Boyneside Radio in Drogheda when he left school, changing his birth name of Liam to a "cooler" Gavin. In 1989, he led the consortium in the country's first {{dubious|date=October 2020}} licensed provincial local radio station, LMFM, which was sold to UTV in 2004 for about €10 million, a sum which Duffy claims holds the Irish and UK record for the highest multiple achieved for a broadcast or publishing asset.{{cite web|url=http://gavinduffy.ie/blog/about/|title=About Gavin Duffy – Entrepreneur, Media Coach, Dragons' Den Presenter, Public Speaker|accessdate=15 April 2015|archive-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417174446/http://gavinduffy.ie/blog/about/|url-status=live}} He founded his media and management consultancy Gavin Duffy and Associates (formerly Media Training) in 1992 with his wife and business partner Orlaith Carmody.{{cite web|url=http://mediatraining.ie/about/|title=Mediatraining.ie – About Us|work=mediatraining.ie|access-date=2 March 2015|archive-date=24 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224020451/http://www.mediatraining.ie/about/|url-status=live}} Subsequently, he worked in RTÉ, where he presented the television business programme Marketplace, contributed to Morning Ireland, and presented Holiday Ireland.
Duffy has been a dragon on all eight series of Dragons' Den, produced by RTÉ.{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-gavin-duffy-why-i-cried-on-dragons-den-400438-Mar2012/|title=Column: Gavin Duffy – Why I cried on Dragon's Den|author=Gavin Duffy|work=TheJournal.ie|access-date=1 March 2015|archive-date=19 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919232533/http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-gavin-duffy-why-i-cried-on-dragons-den-400438-Mar2012/|url-status=live}}
In 2016, Duffy was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chamber of Commerce in Drogheda, County Louth.{{cite web |title=Chamber stars shine |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/chamber-stars-shine-35254793.html |website=Irish Independent |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716111708/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/chamber-stars-shine-35254793.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Gavin gets his lifetime honour |url=https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/mid-louth-independent/20161130/282892320266939 |website=Mid Louth Independent |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716111909/https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/mid-louth-independent/20161130/282892320266939 |url-status=live }} In 2017, he was the moderator of the Fine Gael leadership election debates around the country, which ultimately saw Leo Varadkar become party leader and Taoiseach.{{cite web |last1=Finn |first1=Christina |title=Dragon's Den star to moderate Leo and Simon in Fine Gael hustings |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/gavin-duffy-fine-gael-hustings-3406926-May2017/ |website=TheJournal.ie |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716140603/http://www.thejournal.ie/gavin-duffy-fine-gael-hustings-3406926-May2017/ |url-status=live }} He has previously worked as an advisor to both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and has coached a number of Taoisigh.{{Cite web|date=2018-09-07|title=Businessman Gavin Duffy running in Irish presidential election|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/gavin-duffy-ireland-presidential-election-2018-dragons-den-recruitment-independent-a8522451.html|access-date=2020-09-30|website=The Independent|language=en|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213105317/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/gavin-duffy-ireland-presidential-election-2018-dragons-den-recruitment-independent-a8522451.html|url-status=live}}
He is the Chairperson of Bizworld Ireland, a non-profit organisation which teaches entrepreneurship to primary school children.{{cite web |last1=O’Brien |first1=Jennifer |title=BizWorld initiative in schools with Dragons' Den Gavin Duffy |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/bizworld-initiative-in-schools-with-dragons-dens-gavin-duffy-gp577wlw2 |website=The Times |date=26 June 2017 |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716112028/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bizworld-initiative-in-schools-with-dragons-dens-gavin-duffy-gp577wlw2 |url-status=live }} He is a patron of Suzanne House{{cite web |title=Gavin Duffy becomes patron of Suzanne House |url=https://www.suzannehouse.ie/news/73-gavin-duffy-becomes-patron-of-suzanne-house |website=Suzanne House |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716112124/https://www.suzannehouse.ie/news/73-gavin-duffy-becomes-patron-of-suzanne-house |url-status=live }} and the Drogheda Classical Music Series.{{cite web |title=We're lucky we have so much music here |url=https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/drogheda-independent/20140625/282097749791066 |website=Drogheda Independent |access-date=16 July 2018 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716111811/https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/drogheda-independent/20140625/282097749791066 |url-status=live }} He is past Chairman of the Hunting Association of Ireland{{cite web |title=Ruthless poachers kill deer to order |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/ruthless-poachers-kill-deer-to-order-27143095.html |website=Drogheda Independent |access-date=14 September 2018 |archive-date=29 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729230523/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/ruthless-poachers-kill-deer-to-order-27143095.html |url-status=live }} and has organised events in support of hunting and against protests by animal rights activists.{{cite web |title= ICABS welcomes IFA president's shunning of pro-hunt event |url= http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln-0808e.htm |website= Irish Council Against Blood Sports |access-date= 29 July 2018 |archive-date= 29 July 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180729171044/http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln-0808e.htm |url-status= live }}
2018 presidential campaign
Duffy was a candidate in the 2018 presidential election. He received the first of four required nominations from Meath County Council on 3 September,{{Cite news |date=3 September 2018 |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0903/991245-presidential-candidates-kerry-cork/ |title=Duffy secures Meath Council presidential nomination |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=4 September 2018 |archive-date=4 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904122535/https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0903/991245-presidential-candidates-kerry-cork/ |url-status=live }} followed on 10 September by nominations from Carlow and Wicklow county councils.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0910/992732-presidential-election-councils/|title=Freeman and Gallagher both secure nominations for Áras bids|date=10 September 2018|publisher=RTÉ News|access-date=10 September 2018|archive-date=24 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724051014/https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0910/992732-presidential-election-councils/|url-status=live}} He secured his nomination with the support of Waterford City and County Council on 14 September.
During the course of the election campaign, media reported on an incident in 1978 when, aged 18, Duffy was involved in a vehicular collision in which he caused serious injury to a motorcyclist. He was convicted of careless driving. He expressed regret at the incident.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/gavin-duffy-expresses-regret-over-involvement-in-crash-that-injured-young-woman-40-years-ago-1.3654596|title=Gavin Duffy expresses regret over involvement in crash that injured young woman 40 years ago|work=The Irish Times|access-date=8 October 2018|archive-date=8 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008124743/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/gavin-duffy-expresses-regret-over-involvement-in-crash-that-injured-young-woman-40-years-ago-1.3654596|url-status=live}} In an interview on RTÉ Radio 1, Duffy also expressed regret over a ban received for dangerous driving when he was 33, for driving his Porsche at almost twice the 40 mph limit towards the brow of a hill. He did not address a ban received at age 21 for driving without tax or insurance.{{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/gavin-duffy-dangerous-driving-4276035-Oct2018/|title='My boy racer years are over': Áras hopeful Gavin Duffy expresses regret over historic driving convictions|last=McDermott|first=Stephen|work=TheJournal.ie|date=9 October 2018|access-date=9 October 2018|archive-date=9 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009171247/http://www.thejournal.ie/gavin-duffy-dangerous-driving-4276035-Oct2018/|url-status=live}} Duffy received 2.2% in the election, finishing last out of the six candidates.{{cite web |url=https://www.presidentialelection.ie/ |title=2018 results |publisher=Presidential Election returning officer |date=27 October 2018 |accessdate=28 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101124221/https://www.presidentialelection.ie/ |archive-date=1 November 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
Over the last 20 years{{when?|date=October 2024}} he has lived in Bellewstown, County Meath, with his wife Orlaith Carmody and four children.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duffy, Gavin}}
Category:Irish television personalities
Category:20th-century Irish businesspeople
Category:21st-century Irish businesspeople
Category:Candidates for President of Ireland
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin