Peter Casey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Casey
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|---|---|
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| Born |
Peter Joseph Casey
9 October 1957 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | St Columb's College |
| Alma mater | Aston University |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Dragon on the Irish version of Dragons' Den, candidate in the 2018 Irish presidential election |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) |
Helen Casey
(m. 1990) |
| Children | 5 |
Peter Joseph Casey was born on October 9, 1957. He is an Irish businessman and entrepreneur. He started a company called Claddagh Resources. This company helps find important people for big jobs all over the world.
From 2012 to 2014, Peter was a "Dragon" on the TV show Dragons' Den. On this show, he was one of the investors. He listened to people's business ideas and decided if he wanted to invest his money in them. Peter Casey has also run for political jobs several times. He ran for President of Ireland in 2018 and came in second place.
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Peter Casey's Early Life and Family
Peter Casey was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, on October 9, 1957. He was the third of nine children in his family. His mother was a deputy headmistress at a primary school. His father worked at St Columb's College, where Peter also went to school.
After school, he studied business, politics, and economics. He went to Aston University in Birmingham, England. Peter lived in Atlanta, USA, with his wife Helen and their five children. In 2016, they moved to Greencastle, County Donegal, in Ireland.
Peter Casey's Business Career
Peter Casey started his business career in 1979. He worked as a sales representative for a company called Rank Xerox UK. He was very good at sales and won an award in his first year. In 1981, he moved to Sydney, Australia. There, he was one of the top sales executives. He became the youngest district manager at Rank Xerox in Asia.
In 1985, Peter started his first company, The Trinity Group. This company helped provide temporary staff for IT jobs in Sydney. It won a big contract with the New South Wales government. He sold this business in 1992.
Later, he moved to Atlanta, USA. There, he started a new company called Network Resources. This company became Claddagh Resources in 1996. Claddagh Resources helps find top executives for many large companies around the world. These include famous companies like Coca-Cola and IBM. In 2000, the company opened its European office in County Donegal, Ireland.
Peter Casey on Television
Peter Casey was chosen to be an investor on the Irish TV show Dragons' Den. He appeared on the show for two seasons, in 2012 and 2014. On the show, he listened to people who wanted money for their new business ideas. He made several investments in these new businesses.
Peter Casey's Political Journey
Peter Casey has tried to get elected to different political roles in Ireland. He often runs as an independent candidate. This means he does not belong to a specific political party.
Running for Seanad Éireann in 2016
In 2016, Peter Casey tried to become a member of Seanad Éireann. This is the upper house of the Irish parliament. He wanted to support new businesses and create jobs. He received 14 votes, but he needed 113 votes to win a seat.
The 2018 Presidential Election
On August 30, 2018, Peter Casey announced he would run for President of Ireland. He was one of several candidates from Dragons' Den to seek the nomination. He needed support from local councils to get on the ballot. He got the support of four councils.
During his campaign, Peter Casey made some comments about social housing and Irish Travellers. These comments caused a lot of discussion and criticism. Some people asked him to leave the race. He said he would think about it but decided to stay in the election. Before these comments, he had very little support. After the comments, his support grew.
In the election, Peter Casey came in second place. He received 342,727 votes, which was 23.3% of all votes. The current President, Michael D. Higgins, won the election.
Running for European Parliament in 2019
In April 2019, Peter Casey decided to run for the European Parliament. He ran in the Midlands–North-West area. During this campaign, he also made some comments that caused debate. He did not win a seat in this election. He finished fifth in an area that had four seats.
General Elections in 2020
Peter Casey also ran in the 2020 Irish general election. He ran as an independent candidate in two different areas. He did not win a seat in either of these elections.
European Parliament Election in 2024
Peter Casey was a candidate again in the 2024 European Parliament election. He ran in the Midlands–North-West area once more. He received 21,102 votes, which was 3.1% of the total votes.
