Tony Ryan
Tony Ryan | |
---|---|
Born | Limerick Junction, County Tipperary, Ireland | 2 February 1936
Died | 3 October 2007 Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland | (aged 71)
Known for | Co-founder of Ryanair, part-owner of Tiger Airways, multimillionaire and benefactor |
Children | 3 |
Thomas Anthony Ryan[1] (2 February 1936 – 3 October 2007[2]) was an Irish billionaire businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Ryanair airline in 1984.
Through his establishment of
Early life
Ryan was born at
Business career
Ryan progressed through station manager roles to become, in 1968, Aer Lingus station manager at JFK Airport, New York.[1] The family returned to Ireland in 1972, where by chance he filled a vacancy in aircraft leasing, finding uses for aircraft that were surplus to the airline's requirements during the cyclical downturn.[5]
In 1975, with financial support from Aer Lingus and the
Ryan was one of the co-founders of Ryanair in 1984. Michael O'Leary joined Ryanair in 1988 as chief financial officer (CFO), becoming chief executive officer (CEO) in 1994.
Two of Ryan's associates went on to become billionaires: O'Leary through Ryanair,[2] and Denis O'Brien, who started his career as Ryan's personal assistant, through independent business ventures.[8][9]
Other investments
In 2001, Ryan acquired
At the time of his death he owned 16% of
He was a major shareholder in Château Lascombes near Bordeaux until his death.[12] Other investments included Newcourt, Paddy Power, Providence, Tesco, Tullow Oil and UTV, and shares in private companies Conficius and Ginko Investments.[13]
Philanthropy
Ryan was an active and innovative funder of university education in Ireland. He donated a marine science institute to
Personal life
Ryan married his childhood sweetheart, Mairéad, in 1958 and they had three sons together. The couple separated while the boys were young but they were not divorced.[17]
Ryan then began a series of affairs with well-connected women, beginning in the mid-1980s with Lady Miranda Guinness, who had earlier separated from her husband Benjamin Guinness, 3rd Earl of Iveagh.[17] Miranda tutored him in matters such as art collecting, fine wines, interior decoration and formal entertaining, and they worked together on redesigning the interior of a Georgian house which Ryan had bought in Pelham Place, South Kensington, London.[18] The relationship ended around 1991 but they remained close friends.[18]
Later relationships included the Irish fashion designer
Ryan was a tax exile who lived in Monte Carlo,[19] but also owned a stud farm near his home in Dolla, County Tipperary.[20] He was the 7th wealthiest individual from Ireland in the Sunday Times Rich List 2007 with over €1.5bn (£1bn).[21]
Death
Ryan died at his home Lyons Demesne in County Kildare on 3 October 2007, aged 71, following an 18-month illness with pancreatic cancer.[22] He had other homes in London, Castleton Lyons stud in Kentucky, and on Ibiza.[citation needed] His estate was worth more than €95 million at his death. In his will he left more than €20 million to his estranged wife Mairéad, and more than €6 million to Martine Head. He also left Château Lascombes wine worth €3 million. Most of his wealth had already been entrusted to his children before his death.[13]
His eldest son, Cathal, died three months later, aged 48, after being diagnosed with cancer.[23]
Awards and honours
- 1994, Order of the Aztec Eagle[20]
- 2002, Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement – presented at the International Achievement Summit in Dublin, Ireland[24][25]
- 2012, National Aviation Award: the inaugural award was presented to his family by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar[26]
Ryan held
References
- ^ . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b c McKittrick, David (4 October 2007). "Tony Ryan". The Independent. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ "Ryanair". CompaniesMarketCap.com.
- ^ a b c Adeney, Martin (5 October 2007). "Obituary: Tony Ryan". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "GPA soared before crash-landing". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Tony Ryan to pocket $47m as former GPA sold off". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Kennedy, Edel (23 March 2011). "From bell boy to billionaire, O'Brien had real business flair". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ "O'Leary's Ryanair ticket to the top". 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ "Castleton Lyons | Thoroughbred OwnerView – Thoroughbred Owners, Thoroughbred Trainers, Thoroughbred Partnerships, Thoroughbred Retirement". www.ownerview.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Tiger Airways offers low-cost flights from Singapore". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ https://vineyardintelligence.com/chateau-lascombes-sold-to-french-insurer-macsf/
- ^ a b c Collins, Liam (14 December 2009). "Ryan wills millions to wife and his lover". Independent.ie. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Over €1m donated for marine and energy research". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "About Us - Ryan Academy". Ryan Academy. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Colley, Elaine. "Official Opening of the Tony Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship at the Citywest Business Park on Monday, 24 October, 2005". www.taoiseach.gov.ie. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ a b c Hourican, Emily (10 July 2011). "Beauty and bounty at Renaissance prince Tony Ryan's court". independent.ie. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b c "'Somehow he managed to leave them still loving him anyway'". Independent.ie. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Tony Ryan, Who Founded Discount Airline, Dies at 71". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Tony Ryan: wizard of the skies". Royal Irish Academy. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "News in Brief". 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ Hancock, Ciarán (12 December 2007). "Cathal Ryan (48), son of Ryanair founder, passes away". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010.
- American Academy of Achievement.
- American Academy of Achievement.
- ^ "National Aviation Award honours founder of Ryanair". Irish Times.
- ^ "Visionary whose passion for business took off". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "FACTBOX - Ryanair founder Tony Ryan". Reuters. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
Further reading
- Ryanair: How a Small Irish Airline Conquered Europe by ISBN 1-85410-992-8: published about Ryanair's success and Tony Ryan's earlier enterprises.
- Tony Ryan: Ireland's Aviator by Richard Aldous.[1]
External links
- ISBN 9780717157839.