Vivian Murray facts for kids

Vivian Murray (born 22 July 1932 – died 6 March 2009) was an important Irish businessman. He was best known for leading the Irish Goods Council in the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he started famous campaigns like "Buy Irish" and "Guaranteed Irish." These campaigns encouraged people to buy products made in Ireland.

Before his big roles, Vivian Murray worked at the local Irish post office in Clonmel after finishing high school. He also worked at other companies like Kelly and Shiel and Remington Rand. Later in his career, he became the chairman of both An Post (the Irish postal service) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (the Irish seafood board).

About Vivian Murray's Life

Vivian Murray was born on 22 July 1932, in a town called Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. His parents were Jeremiah and Mai Lynch Murray. He was one of six children in his family. Vivian went to the Christian Brothers High School in his hometown.

He married Nancy Clear, and they had six children together. One of their sons, John Murray, became a well-known business journalist and broadcaster for RTÉ, which is Ireland's national broadcaster.

Leading the Irish Goods Council

Vivian Murray's career really took off when he became the general manager of the Irish National Development Association. This group later changed its name to the Irish Goods Council. The Irish government provided money to support this council. Under Murray's leadership, the Irish Goods Council became famous for promoting Irish products. They wanted to sell these products both in Ireland and in other countries.

He became widely known for starting the "Guaranteed Irish" and "Buy Irish" campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s. These campaigns were designed to encourage Irish people to buy products made in their own country. Murray strongly believed that the quality of Irish products was more important than just buying something because it was made in Ireland. He felt that low-quality products should not be supported by the "Buy Irish" campaign.

Murray also believed that free trade (allowing goods to move freely between countries) was important. However, he wanted the "Buy Irish" campaign to focus on the Irish market, not just on selling goods abroad. He was against people who wanted to protect Irish businesses too much, saying it could harm the campaign. The "Buy Irish" campaign helped save many jobs in Ireland, especially for young people.

In 1980, Murray explained his goals for the Irish Goods Council. He said they wanted to create a good environment for selling, help people want new products, and build good feelings towards Irish goods. He believed that manufacturers then needed to use these good feelings to sell their products. His work at the Irish Goods Council was very successful.

However, things changed in the 1980s. The "Guaranteed Irish" campaign was found to go against the rules of the European Union's Treaty of Rome. Because of this, the Irish government stopped giving money to the campaign. Vivian Murray left the Irish Goods Council in 1989. Even so, he was named the Small Firms' Association Business Person of the Year in that same year.

Other Important Roles

While he was still leading the Irish Goods Council, Vivian Murray also became the chairman of Bord Iascaigh Mhara in 1981. He served two terms as chairman of this seafood board.

After leaving the Irish Goods Council, he became the chairman of An Post in 1990. He is credited with helping the Irish postal service become profitable again during his time there. Murray also joined a consulting company called Gray-Murray, which is now known as Indecon.

Vivian Murray's Later Years

Vivian Murray retired from the business world in the mid-1990s. However, he continued to be active in other important causes. For example, he worked closely with Father James McDyer to start projects that promoted Irish culture in Glencolumcille, County Donegal.

He was also appointed to the board of trustees for the Louvain Institute for Ireland in Europe. This institute works to promote Ireland and its culture in the European Union. It is located at the Irish College in Leuven, Belgium. The institute later gave Murray a special fellowship.

Vivian Murray had many other achievements and was involved in various community groups. He was a member of the first Independent Radio and Television Commission. He also served as a director for the former LSB College, which is now part of the Dublin Business School. He was an active member of the Priory Institute, located in Tallaght, County Dublin.

Vivian Murray passed away in Dublin on 6 March 2008, at the age of 76. He had been ill for some time. He was survived by his wife, Nancy, and their six children: Mary, Anne, Bernie, Madeleine, Dermot, and John.