Tony O'Reilly facts for kids
O'Reilly in New Zealand in 1959
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| Birth name | Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 7 May 1936 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Irish Free State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 18 May 2024 (aged 88) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Dublin, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Belvedere College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College Dublin University of Bradford |
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| Spouse | Susan Cameron (m. 1962; div.) Chryss Goulandris (m. 1991, died 2023) |
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| Children | Cameron O'Reilly Gavin O'Reilly Tony O'Reilly, Junior |
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly (7 May 1936 – 18 May 2024) was a famous Irish businessman and international rugby union player. He was known for scoring many points in rugby. He also led a big media company called Independent News & Media Group for many years. Later, he became the CEO and chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company, a well-known food company.
Tony O'Reilly was also a major supporter of The Ireland Funds, which raises money for good causes in Ireland. He was a citizen of both Ireland and Britain. He received a special award, becoming a knight, for his work in Northern Ireland.
As a rugby player, he played for Ireland, the British and Irish Lions, and the Barbarians. He is now in the International Rugby Board's Hall of Fame. In business, he was very successful and became a billionaire. However, later in life, he faced financial difficulties and had to deal with large debts.
O'Reilly had six children from his first marriage and 19 grandchildren. He later married Chryss Goulandris, who passed away in 2023. He lived in different places, including the Bahamas and France. Tony O'Reilly died in Dublin in May 2024 after a short illness.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Dublin
Tony O'Reilly was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was the only child of John O'Reilly and Aileen O'Connor. His father, John, worked as a civil servant. Tony grew up in a middle-class area of Dublin called Griffith Avenue. He was known for his bright red hair. The family often spent holidays visiting relatives in different parts of Ireland. In 1951, they moved to a new home in Santry.
School Days at Belvedere College
From the age of six, Tony went to Belvedere College. He was very active in sports, playing association football, cricket, tennis, and rugby union. He played soccer for Home Farm as a young boy. He also won awards in cricket and tennis. Tony was good at acting too, performing in school plays and operettas. He was a good student and worked to improve his Irish language skills. After finishing his main studies at 17, he stayed for another year to focus on rugby.
University and Law Studies
Tony O'Reilly went on to study law at University College Dublin. He then continued his studies at the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland. He did very well in his exams, finishing among the top students in the country. He became a solicitor in 1958. Even though he trained as a lawyer, he never worked as one. Later, he became the chairman of a big law firm in Dublin called Matheson.
He also earned a special degree called a PhD in agricultural marketing from the University of Bradford.
Rugby Union Career
Playing for Ireland
Tony O'Reilly played for the Ireland team from 1955 to 1970. He played in 29 international matches. His career in the Five Nations lasted over 15 years, which is one of the longest in history. He made his first international appearance when he was just 18 years old. He scored four tries for Ireland in different matches, including against France, Scotland, and Wales. His last game for Ireland was in 1970 against England.
British and Irish Lions Tours
O'Reilly went on two tours with the British Lions. These tours were to South Africa in 1955 and to Australia and New Zealand in 1959. He played his first game for the Lions in June 1955, scoring two tries. During the 1955 tour, he played 15 games and scored 16 tries. He also played in all four important Test matches against South Africa. He scored a try in one of these Test matches, helping the Lions win.
On the 1959 tour, he played 23 more games and scored 22 tries. He played in all six Test matches, two against Australia and four against New Zealand. He scored tries in all of these Test wins. His total of 38 tries for the Lions across both tours is still a record!
Playing for the Barbarians
Between 1955 and 1963, Tony O'Reilly also played 30 games for the Barbarians team. He scored 38 tries for them. He made his first appearance in 1955 and his last in 1963. On a tour to South Africa in 1958, he scored 12 tries, with seven of them in just one game! He holds the record for the most games and most tries for the Barbarians.
Rugby Hall of Fame
Tony O'Reilly was one of the first players to be included in the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also added to the IRB Hall of Fame in 2009.
Business Achievements
Starting in Business
After college, Tony O'Reilly worked as a business consultant in England. He earned a good salary and continued his rugby career there. His work involved looking at how companies could save money and work more efficiently.
He then moved back to Ireland to work for Sutton's of Cork, selling farm products and fuel.
Leading Irish Companies
In 1962, he joined An Bord Bainne, which was the Irish Dairy Board. He helped create the very successful Kerrygold brand for Irish butter sold around the world. In 1966, he became the Managing Director of the Irish Sugar Company. He also helped set up a partnership with the H. J. Heinz Co. to freeze-dry food.
In 1963, O'Reilly was involved in a car accident where his car hit a cyclist. He was fined for driving carelessly. After this, he rarely drove, especially at night.
Becoming a Leader at Heinz
In 1969, Tony O'Reilly joined Heinz, a big international food company. He quickly became the Managing Director of the Heinz company in the UK, which was a very important part of the business.
In 1971, he moved to Pittsburgh in the United States and was promoted to a senior role. By 1973, he became the Chief Operating Officer and President. In 1979, he became the CEO. He then became Chairman of Heinz in 1987, being the first person outside the Heinz family to hold that position. Under his leadership, the company grew hugely, increasing its value many times over. He left Heinz in 1998.
Other Business Ventures
While at Heinz, O'Reilly was also a major owner and chairman of other companies. These included Waterford Wedgwood, a famous crystal and china company, and Independent News & Media, a media company. He also had interests in mining and oil and gas exploration.
Independent News & Media
O'Reilly invested in Independent News & Media (INM) in 1973. This company owned many newspapers in Dublin. He helped the company grow and expand into other countries like South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. INM bought many newspaper titles, radio stations, and other media businesses. In the UK, INM took control of the national newspaper The Independent.
In 2009, Tony O'Reilly announced he would step down as CEO and board member of INM. His son, Gavin, took over the role.
Charitable Work and Giving Back
Tony O'Reilly supported many charitable activities. He was very interested in "naming rights," where a donation to a project allows the donor to have a name added to it.
The O'Reilly Foundation
He set up The O'Reilly Foundation, a charity run by his family. This foundation mainly gives out scholarships to students for advanced studies. It also supported many university projects in Ireland, including at Dublin City University, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and Queen's University Belfast.
O'Reilly also paid for the building of the 600-seat O'Reilly Theatre at his old school, Belvedere College. His family also helped fund the O'Reilly Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the O'Reilly Theatre at Keble College, Oxford.
Supporting Universities
He helped fund the O'Reilly Institute at Trinity College Dublin and supported studies in Jewish history and neuroscience there. He was also a Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dublin for many years.
At his own university, University College Dublin, he funded the O'Reilly Hall. This building is used for exams and large events.
The library at Dublin City University is named The John and Aileen O`Reilly Library in honor of his parents. This was because the O`Reilly Foundation gave a large amount of money for the library's building costs.
The Ireland Funds
In 1976, O'Reilly and his friend Dan Rooney started The American Ireland Fund in Boston. This was the main part of The Ireland Funds, a network that raises money to support projects in Ireland. This work took up a lot of his time. The funds have raised over $600 million for various causes. O'Reilly was the chairman of this important organization.
Personal Life
Family Life
Tony O'Reilly married his first wife, Susan M. Cameron, in 1962. She was an Australian secretary and pianist. They had six children together: Susan, Cameron, Justine, Gavin, Caroline, and Tony Junior. Three of his sons became involved in the family's business interests. All his children married, and he had 19 grandchildren. Tony and Susan later separated and divorced. Susan O'Reilly passed away in 2014.
O'Reilly later married Chryss Goulandris, who was a Greek shipping heiress. She was well known for breeding and racing thoroughbred horses. They met in New York and married in the Bahamas in 1991. Chryss was known as 'Lady O'Reilly' and was very knowledgeable about horses. She passed away in August 2023.
Homes and Properties
Tony O'Reilly owned several homes during his life. His main home for many years was Castlemartin in County Kildare, Ireland. This was a large estate with a historic house, stud farm, and cattle breeding areas. He bought Castlemartin in 1972 and spent a lot of money improving the house and restoring a 15th-century church on the grounds.
He also had a holiday home by the sea in Glandore, County Cork. In Dublin, he owned a four-story Georgian house at Fitzwilliam Square. The O'Reillys also owned a château in France. For a time, he also had a large house in Pittsburgh, USA.
Later in his life, due to financial difficulties, some of his properties, including Castlemartin, were sold. He then lived in France and later in a house near Castlemartin in County Kildare.
Interests and Hobbies
Tony O'Reilly enjoyed playing tennis, even later in his life. In the 1990s, he led a committee that tried to bring the Olympic Games to Dublin in 2004.
He and his wife were also important art collectors. They owned famous paintings by artists like Monet, William Orpen, and Jack Yeats.
Awards and Recognition
In 1978, Tony O'Reilly received an honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin. In 1988, he was given a special award from Australia for helping improve relationships between Ireland and Australia.
He was made a knight in 2001 for his important work in Northern Ireland, especially through The Ireland Funds charity. Because he was also a British subject, he could use the title Sir.
Financial Situation
In 2014, reports showed that Tony O'Reilly's wealth had decreased significantly. He faced legal issues with an Irish bank, Allied Irish Banks (AIB), because of large debts. The court ruled that he owed a lot of money.
In 2016, O'Reilly filed for bankruptcy. This meant he had more debts than assets. He owed money to several banks and financial institutions. His lawyers stated that he had over €170 million in debts but only €23 million in assets.
Death and Legacy
Tony O'Reilly passed away in Dublin on 18 May 2024, after a short illness. The Irish leader, Simon Harris, described him as "a giant of sport, business and media" and someone who "blazed a trail." His family also released a statement.
Books About Tony O'Reilly
An official book about Tony O'Reilly's life, called The Player: The Life of Tony O'Reilly, was written by Ivan Fallon in the early 1990s. O'Reilly helped with the book, giving the author access to his family and colleagues.
In 2015, another book about O'Reilly was written by journalist Matt Cooper. It was called "The Maximalist: The Rise and Fall of Tony O'Reilly" and aimed to give a full picture of his life.
Images for kids
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O'Reilly in New Zealand in 1959
See also
