RIP Eddie O'Connor

[Purple]

Eddie O'Connor, renewable energy pioneer, former chair of Bord Na Mona, founder of Airtricity and the co-founder of Mainstream Renewables and SuperNode died last week at the age of 76.
He should be regarded as a national hero and lauded as such in his passing by our great and good but the I've heard little from politicians and nothing from Micky D. How come wee Micky gets all choked up about musicians and such like (who, if successful avail of very generous tax breaks) but doesn't pause for comment at the passing of a man who improved the world, employed thousands of people and paid truly massive amounts of tax?

 

[redstar]

I suspect he doesn't fit the narrative of who should be celebrated 'officially' by the State.

 

[Purple]

I suspect he doesn't fit the narrative of who should be celebrated 'officially' by the State.

Exactly. Employing lots of people, paying lots of tax and actually making the world a better place doesn't make up for the mortal sin of becoming rich in the process.

 

[trajan]

I took someone's advice here and read Eddie O'Connor's book on his working life.
Till nearly 60, he worked in state companies ESB and Bórd na Móna. The wonder was how someone of his independent mind could have endured the state bureaucracy and still achieve anything. But that's how it was in the 60s, 70s and 80s - it was the state sector or the boat for most Irish engineers. Even the new dairy co-ops needed shareholder scale to provide the funds to start up. O'Connor had it a bit easier insofar as he had a suitable background for starting a wind generation electricity business. But I think it's fair to say he took it further than anyone expected. He sold out in the end. But he still reinvested a lot of his pile in new power generation ventures.