Brendan O’Regan Named Clare’s Greatest Ever Person

Photo © Clare FM

Brendan O’Regan has been honoured with the title of “Clare’s Greatest Ever Person”.

The unique accolade was bestowed on the Sixmilebridge businessman following an extensive public poll, which saw over 6,500 responses from Clare FM listeners.

Clare FM’s Gavin Grace has more:

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Brendan O’Regan was born in sixmilebrige in 1917, and after studying hotel management, was appointed to work as Catering Comptroller at Foynes Seaport while still in his twenties, and later at Shannon Airport.

There, in 1947, he invented the concept of airport duty-free shopping by selling Irish whiskey to passengers.

This was one of his first innovations, which went onto include the development of the Shannon Free Zone, the establishment of Shannon Town, Bunratty Castle and Shannon Heritage, and later work in peacemaking on the island of Ireland.

A comprehensive search, involving thousands of votes, saw Clare FM listeners declare him as Clare’s Greatest Ever Person, with Ger Loughnane in second and Anthony Daly third.

Fr. Harry Bohan, parish priest in O’Regan’s native Sixmilebridge, paid tribute to him during a special edition of Morning Focus.

A number of former Shannon staff also spoke of their memories of O’Regan, and his legacy too.

Marjorie Higgins, who first came to Shannon in the sixties, says simply that O’Regan changed her life.

Brendan O’Regan did so much more -he was Chairman of the Irish Tourism Board and also established the Shannon College of Hotel Management.

He was awarded a CBE in 1993 for his peace efforts, and he passed away in 2008.

Brendan’s children, including his son Declan, say he would have been honoured and humbled to have been recognised by the people of Clare

A plaque, made of Liscannor limestone by renowned sculptor Michael McTigue, has been commissioned by Clare FM on behalf of the people of Clare who have chosen Dr. Brendan O’Regan as Clare’s Greatest Ever Person

It will now go on display at the Clare Museum in Ennis.

And you can listen to a Morning Focus Special report here: