Redmond Gallagher facts for kids
Redmond Gallagher (born February 27, 1914, in County Donegal, Ireland – died October 31, 2006, in Sagra, Alicante, Spain) was an Irish businessman and a skilled racing driver. He was the leader of the Urney candy company and loved motorsports.
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Who Was Redmond Gallagher?
His Early Life
Redmond Gallagher was born on February 27, 1914, in a place called Dunwiley House in Stranorlar, County Donegal. His dad, Henry Thomas Gallagher, started the Urney Chocolates company. His mom, Eileen Gallagher, was also a very important Irish businesswoman. She was related to a famous Irish leader named John Redmond.
Redmond went to school at Belvedere College in Dublin. He was even the captain of the rugby team there! He really wanted to be an engineer, but his father asked him to join the family business, Urney, instead. Even so, he still found time to be a helper at the Irish Grand Prix car race.
In 1934, Redmond traveled to Germany for work. At a big industrial fair in Leipzig, he was introduced to Adolf Hitler, who was visiting the fair.
His Racing Adventures
After World War II, Redmond started building and racing his own car. He called it "the Leprechaun". It was designed a bit like the famous Cooper race cars.
He even entered the 1951 Formula One season and drove his Leprechaun II car in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. His Leprechaun III car, which had a 1000cc engine, was the most successful. It won many speed races!
After that, Redmond raced a two-seater Gordini T15S car in several races. These included the 1953 RAC Tourist Trophy and the 1954 RAC Tourist Trophy. He also won the 1954 Wakefield Trophy race at The Curragh. Redmond kept racing sometimes until 1956. Then, he decided to focus more on his family's business.
Leading the Urney Company
In 1958, Redmond Gallagher became the chairman of Urney. He took control of the company from his father. In 1963, he sold the family's share of the company to another company called W.R. Grace. His father was not happy about this decision.
Redmond stayed on as chairman for three more years and then retired in 1966. After he left, the company faced some challenges. The new owners were not as interested in Urney, and the company started to struggle in the 1970s. Finally, in 1981, the Urney factory closed down.
What He Did Later
Redmond Gallagher owned a lot of land in County Kildare and County Wexford. He was also involved in cattle farming. He even owned several racehorses! One of his horses, named 'Fiery Diplomat', won many races in England, France, and Ireland. Even after retiring from the family business, Redmond stayed involved in other business activities. He was a director for Coras Trachtála, which helped Irish businesses trade internationally.
Redmond moved to Spain in 1980. He passed away at his home in Sagra in 2006. He had two children from his first marriage.
Images for kids
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Redmond Gallagher
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Gallagher racing in the Leprechaun at Silverstone, July 1951
