Redmond Gallagher (27 February 1914, County Donegal – 31 October 2006,

Sagra, Alicante Sagra is a village in the province of Alicante and autonomous community of Valencia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' ( ...

) was an Irish businessman and

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organise ...

. He was chairman of Urney confectionary company and a noted

motorsport Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...

enthusiast.

Biography

Early life

Redmond Gallagher was born on 27 February 1914 at Dunwiley House, Stranorlar, County Donegal. His father was Henry Thomas Gallagher, founder of Urney Chocolates, while his mother, Eileen Gallagher, was a pioneering Irish businesswoman and relative of prominent nationalist

John Redmond John Edward Redmond (1 September 1856 – 6 March 1918) was an Irish nationalism, Irish nationalist politician, barrister, and Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. He was best known as lead ...

. He was educated at

Belvedere College Belvedere College S.J. (sometimes St Francis Xavier's College) is a voluntary secondary school for boys in Dublin, Ireland. The school has numerous alumni in the arts, politics, sports, science, and business. History Belvedere owes its origin ...

, Dublin, where he was rugby captain. He wanted to become an engineer, but at his father's behest joined the family business of Urney instead, although he did also work as a steward at the

Irish Grand Prix The Irish Grand Prix also known Irish International Grand Prix was an open-wheel racing car motor race which was held three times on a 4.25 mile circuit laid out in the grounds of Phoenix Park in Dublin. In 1934, Gallagher travelled to Germany for work and at the Leipzig industrial fair was introduced to Adolf Hitler as he was doing the rounds.

Racing career and Urney

In the years following the Second World War, Gallagher began racing his own self-built car "the Leprechaun", which was modelled on the Cooper. He entered into the

1951 Formula One season The 1951 Formula One season was the fifth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1951 World Championship of Drivers,1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, page 118 which commenced on 27 May 1951 and ended on 28 October after eight ...

and drove the Leprechaun II for the British Grand Prix at

Silverstone Silverstone is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Towcester on the former A43 main road, from the M1 motorway junction 15A and about from the M40 motorway junction 10, Northampton, Milton Keynes and B ...

. The 1000cc Leprechaun III was most successful and won a number of speed events. Gallagher then raced in a two-seater Gordini T15S for several races, including the

1953 RAC Tourist Trophy The 1953 RAC Tourist Trophy was a motor race for sports cars, held on 5 September 1953 at the Dundrod Circuit in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was the sixth round of the 1953 World Sportscar Championship, held just six days after the previous ...

1954 RAC Tourist Trophy The 1954 RAC Tourist Trophy was a motor race for Sports Cars which took place on 11 September 1954 on the roads around Dundrod, (County Antrim, Northern Ireland). It was the 21st RAC Tourist Trophy and the fifth race of the 1954 World Sportscar Cham ...

and 1954 Wakefield Trophy at The Curragh, winning the latter. Gallagher continued racing from time to time until 1956, when he decided to return to the family business. Gallagher became chairman of Urney in 1958, forcibly taking control from

his father His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, in ...

. In 1963 to his father's dismay, he sold the family share in the company to W.R. Grace. Gallagher continued on as chairman for three more years before retiring in 1966. That same year, Thomas Headon, who had been a key figure in the company, died, thus depriving the company of its leadership. Urney declined in the 1970s as its new foreign owners lacked interest in the company. In 1981, the factory finally closed down.

Later life

Gallagher owned extensive lands in

County Kildare County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...

and

County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...

, and was active in cattle farming. He also owned several race horses, notably 'Fiery Diplomat' who won many races in England, France and Ireland. Despite retiring from the family business, Gallagher retained his wider economic interests and was a director of Coras Trachtála. Gallagher emigrated to Spain in 1980 with his mistress Máirín McGrath, who was thirty-seven years his junior. He died at his villa in Sagra in 2006. He was survived by two children from his first marriage.

Biography

Early life

Racing career and Urney

Later life

References

Further reading