This article is from page 21 of the 2007-10-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
TONY Ryan will be remembered principally for being an entrepre- neurial titan at a time when Ireland had very few of them. He was the principal founder of the aircraft leas- ing company, GPA, in 1975. He har- nessed his immense qualities of vi- sion, determination and rigour in the pursuit of excellence to build GPA into a company that was, for a time, the most successful business in Ire- land and the world leader in its field, probably the first truly global busi- ness to develop from Ireland.
Although GPA ultimately stalled, its seedlings continue to thrive. Ire- land is recognised across the world as a centre of excellence and Shan- non remains a focal point for all things to do with aircraft leasing and financing. A number of aircraft-re- lated technology companies in the region, principally Shannon Aero- space, also owe their establishment to Tony’s farsighted vision.
It is a rare individual who is the principal driving force behind not one major business success but two. Ryanair began to blossom not long after GPA faded. Ryanair’s emer- gence as Shannon’s leading airline customer 1s an important part of his footprint.
Tony’s legacy to Irish business extends beyond the companies he developed himself. His example spurred a following generation of en- trepreneurs. Some, such as Michael O’Leary and Denis O’Brien, learnt directly at his knee. Within the past few years, he advocated and funded a new institute in Dublin dedicated to developing Ireland’s entrepreneur- MeN Cone
But Tony’s contribution to Irish life extended far beyond the world of business. He was a strong supporter of UCG and of his native county of Tipperary. He had an acute love for the arts, of which he was a gener- ous patron and advocate, and for the land, transitioning over time from breeding prize cattle to thorough- bred horses. In his final decade, he dedicated himself to the meticulous restoration and renewal of the Lyons
Demesne which was his final home in Ireland.
He could be a tough and exacting taskmaster, but a fair one. He was himself and enjoyed nothing more than good company.
He continued to pursue his projects, business and personal, with relent- less intensity in the face of severely debilitating illness until close to the ae
In a sentence, he loved life, particu- larly enjoying the finer things it has to offer and he took its vicissitudes in his stride.
It is normal to say on these oc- casions, “Ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann.’ Tony’s greatest contribution to Ireland and possibly his greatest de- light would be that his example has resulted in there being many more like him in the country today than there were before his time.