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Sunday Times Rich List reveals Galways wealthiest people
Galway Bay fm newsroom – The wealthiest people across Galway have been revealed in the Sunday Times Rich List for 2019.
Glenamaddy brothers Luke and Brian Comer top the list once again, with a combined wealth estimated at one billion euro.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List for 2019, Luke and Brian Comer now command a combined fortune of €1bn – up €91m since this time last year.
Next is Abbeyknockmoy businessman Declan Ganley, who boasts an estimated fortune of €455m – that’s no change in the past 12 months.
Supermacs boss Pat McDonagh and his wife Una now hold a combined wealth of €322m – an extraordinary increase of €165m since March 2018.
They’re also now the 6th richest husband and wife in Ireland.
The owners of Galway-based Smyths Toys – Anthony, Patrick, Thomas and Liam Smyth – are now worth €209m, that’s a slight increase of €2m.
Galway-based engineering and property entrepreneur Padraic McHale, his wife Martina and his brother Martin now control a combined wealth of €182m – the same as last year.
Next is care home Developer and Galway native Bill Hughes, who’s net worth has risen by over €10m to now stand at €144m.
He’s followed by Software engineer and Galway businessman Pearse Mee, who commands a fortune worth €139m – a €1m increase since last year.
Galway man James Murphy, who famously sold his hair restoration product Viviscal for €150m, is now worth an estimated €132m – a drop of over €30m in the past 12 months.
There’s been no change in the estimated wealth of Galway-born construction and property giant Frank Burke, which once again stands at €131m.
Meanwhile, Galway engineer Michael Cotter and his wife Angela, who own Gansu Group, have seen their fortune rise by almost €30m, to now stand at €121m.
Next is Galway resident Gerry Barry, who established Fintrax Group in the Gaeltacht in 1985 – he’s now worth €97m, unchanged since last year.
He’s followed by Thomas and Tom McDonogh, of Thomas McDonagh & Sons providers, who share an estimated wealth of €87m, a marginal increase on last year.
Brothers Eugene, Eamonn and Michael Dalton – who own Galway-based Corrib Oil – now share an estimated wealth of €77m, an increase of €24m in just 12 months.
Ian Quinn – who founded Galway-based medical device firm Creganna with his wife and brother – shares in a joint fortune of €75m, unchanged since March 2018.
Next is Galway geologist Finian O’ Sullivan – who sold Burren Energy in 2007 – and his estimated wealth also remains unchanged at €68m.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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