Tony O'Reilly: The Real Deal

HeidiHeidi

I didn't know a whole pile about him before this (not sure I know a lot more now, mind you) - used to always mix him up with Michael Smurfit and whatever other big biz names are out there.

But that was a sad story. He never seems to have done a wrong to anyone, as someone else said put his money where his mouth is/was, raised a happy functional family by the looks of it, dug in when others would have bailed on WW - and then AIB went for him. Bully for them.

hotmail.com

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I didn't know a whole pile about him before this (not sure I know a lot more now, mind you) - used to always mix him up with Michael Smurfit and whatever other big biz names are out there.

But that was a sad story. He never seems to have done a wrong to anyone, as someone else said put his money where his mouth is/was, raised a happy functional family by the looks of it, dug in when others would have bailed on WW - and then AIB went for him. Bully for them.

So AIB should have left him alone?

Harry Angstrom

No sympathy at all for "Sir" Anthony. Good riddance.

Larry Wildman

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

No sympathy at all for "Sir" Anthony. Good riddance.

Why?

He was an incredible Irish success story...an Irish international, a Lion, CEO of Heinz and a billionaire.

A sad end for an old man. With time on his side, I've no doubt that he would make it back.

CountyHurler

hotmail.com wrote: »

So Tony O'Riley had nothing to do with the "It's Payback" headline in 1997 and wants to be addressed as Sir Anthony.

I caught that first time round, but that's for the re-iteration... You're good at the oul re-iteration, I'll give you that..

CountyHurler

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

No sympathy at all for "Sir" Anthony. Good riddance.

Harry your mailbox is full... I was trying to send you a PDF of The Irish Independent but it wouldnt send..

Harry Angstrom

Larry Wildman wrote: »

Why?

He was an incredible Irish success story...an Irish international, a Lion, CEO of Heinz and a billionaire.

A sad end for an old man. With time on his side, I've no doubt that he would make it back.

For starters, I have no time for people born in this Republic wishing to be addressed as "Sir". He's also a tax exile. I have no time for them either.

Harry Angstrom

CountyHurler wrote: »

Harry your mailbox is full... I was trying to send you a PDF of The Irish Independent but it wouldnt send..

It's just as well my mailbox is full

lukin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

For starters, I have no time for people born in this Republic wishing to be addressed as "Sir". He's also a tax exile. I have no time for them either.

I think he meant the "address me as Sir" thing as a joke?

HeidiHeidi

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

For starters, I have no time for people born in this Republic wishing to be addressed as "Sir". He's also a tax exile. I have no time for them either.

If he wants to call himself Saint Mork from Mars what difference would it make to you

He seems to have employed a very large number of Irish people for a long number of years, and bankrupted himself in the process of trying to keep that going.

I still call it a sad ending to what seems to have been a great sporting, business and personal life.

Harry Angstrom

lukin wrote: »

I think he meant the "address me as Sir" thing as a joke?

Joke or not, why did he accept a knighthood in the first place? Nothing more than an exercise in narcissism and vanity for the man.

Citizen_Cutback

CountyHurler wrote: »

I caught that first time round, but that's for the re-iteration... You're good at the oul re-iteration, I'll give you that..

The Coalition are in power again. They control AIB. Payback time 2014 and Tony Baloney bites the dust.

HeidiHeidi

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Joke or not, why did he accept a knighthood in the first place? Nothing more than an exercise in narcissism and vanity for the man.

Why shouldn't he, if it was offered to him?

Utopia Parkway

lukin wrote: »

I think he meant the "address me as Sir" thing as a joke?

Apparently he got on to the Irish Times recently to correct them when they failed to refer to him as "Sir Anthony".

Would have thought he had more pressing concerns.

Harry Angstrom

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Why shouldn't he, if it was offered to him?

Is he British or Irish?

AndonHandon

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Joke or not, why did he accept a knighthood in the first place? Nothing more than an exercise in narcissism and vanity for the man.

It is merely a foreign recognition of his achievements, he didn't force them to knight him.

septictank

I worked a few gigs for him back in the mid 80's, he was a pleasure to work for
no crap, once he was happy with you he trusted your judgment on how to run the gig.

He always made it his thing to come and thank the workers on the night and look after them himself, made it a thing to always have a drink with the staff if only a mouthful before he left, he would always leave money with the manager for us, gentleman.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

HeidiHeidi

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Is he British or Irish?

I haven't the foggiest.

What difference would it make? Someone offered him an honour for his services to business (presumably), he accepted. So what?

Harry Angstrom

AndonHandon wrote: »

It is merely a foreign recognition of his achievements, he didn't force them to knight him.

He could have refused the knighthood? British people have been known to refuse honours because they believe it to be unfair and elitist, but "Sir" Anthony's ego would never have allowed him to refuse it.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

CatFromHue

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

For starters, I have no time for people born in this Republic wishing to be addressed as "Sir". He's also a tax exile. I have no time for them either.

Of all the reasons to not like him that's a pretty petty one!

Harry Angstrom

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

For business and money-making sake, the same way that Rupert Murdoch is "American". He was born in Dublin to an Irish mother and father.

Harry Angstrom

CatFromHue wrote: »

Of all the reasons to not like him that's a pretty petty one!

He's also a tax exile. Not so petty. All of his employees have to pay their fair share of tax, so why shouldn't he?

hotmail.com

Anyone that knows anything about British honours knows that the system stinks and people can effectively buy their honour.

Aside from that, just because he's been knighted, doesn't mean people have to call him Sir, like he's some kind of god.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

HeidiHeidi

hotmail.com wrote: »

Anyone that knows anything about British honours knows that the system stinks and people can effectively buy their honour.

Aside from that, just because he's been knighted, doesn't mean people have to call him Sir, like he's some kind of god.

Doesn't seem like he bought anything, really.

You could just call him Sir because he's earned that right.

Or not.

I'm not sure he'd give a toss, really.

Harry Angstrom

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

And therein lies the fact that the whole thing stinks.

FloatingVoter

Now that he's broke, does anyone know where he's signing on ?

hotmail.com

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Doesn't seem like he bought anything, really.

You could just call him Sir because he's earned that right.

Or not.

I'm not sure he'd give a toss, really.

Why can't he just be called Anthony?