The power player

PROFILEHe is the so-called third man who set up Brian Cowen's notorious Druids Glen outing, and is a skilled sportsman, PR man and lobbyist, but this is one golf stroke that may lose everyone the game, writes Paul Cullen

ON THE PITCH he was deft, energetic, constantly working on new moves and quick to exploit the weakness of opponents. In real life Fintan Drury is, according to colleagues and former employees, exactly the same. This was the week, however, when the soccer player turned public-relations handler saw some neat moves come unstuck, with near-disastrous consequences for colleagues and friends.

Drury is the consummate networker who brought together Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick for a game of golf at Druids Glen in July 2008, then saw to it that another Anglo director and a director of the Central Bank came along to dinner afterwards. Just a few months later Cowen’s Government would include Anglo Irish in the bank-guarantee scheme. Since then Anglo and the country have gone broke, casting Cowen and FitzPatrick’s contacts in an unfavourable light.

It didn’t help, of course, that the Taoiseach failed to mention the meetings before this week, when they emerged in a book based on FitzPatrick’s recollections. But then Drury hadn’t mentioned them publicly either. Anyone who was at the meeting and has gone public this week has said the bank’s troubles were not discussed, but this has done little to soften a largely sceptical public response. In the Seanad, Sen Shane Ross used the C-word – “cronies” – to describe the Taoiseach’s social grouping; it is hard to see the head of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, to pick a random example, getting seven continuous hours of access to the Taoiseach.

The PR man who organised it all was overseas on business during the week and unavailable for comment, leaving Cowen to roast alone on the spit for his dalliances with “Seánie”. Cowen may survive, but the episode has further damaged his reputation and prompted renewed questions about the influence of lobbyists on politicians.

Cowen and Drury know each from their days at University College Dublin, but it wasn’t until much later that their relationship was cemented. In 1994 a controversy blew up when it was revealed that Cowen, then minister for energy, owned a number of mining shares. He called his old college buddy, by then a public-relations consultant, for help, and they continued to keep in touch thereafter.

Drury’s PR company got work from the Department of Health at the time that Cowen was minister there, and he was active in hastening the way for Cowen to succeed Bertie Ahern as Fianna Fáil leader; he even directed the press conference that took place on the day Cowen got the top job.

Whereas Ahern had the cabal in St Luke’s, his constituency office, in Drumcondra, to rely on, Cowen cuts a more isolated figure. Often inclined to prefer his own instincts to outside advice, he has had an on/off relationship with Druryuv over the years, according to one observer: “Fintan gets frustrated with Brian for not being as quick to react as he wants, and not dealing with the media effectively.”

Drury and FitzPatrick are well got. Drury served on the board of Anglo from 2002 to 2008, resigning five weeks after Cowen became Taoiseach. FitzPatrick has invested in Drury’s sports-management business, and his young son worked for the company for a time. Drury and FitzPatrick invested heavily in a golf development in Hungary, using a credit line supplied by Anglo Irish.

Advising Brian Cowen and chairing Anglo’s risk and compliance committee are just two of the many roles Drury has filled; as a friend remarks, “When it comes to Fintan, the words ‘fingers’ and ‘pies’ are never far away.” He served two terms as chairman of Paddy Power and, as chairman of Web Reservations International, oversaw the sale of the firm to US investors for €200 million in 2009.

Assessments of Drury are respectful if not overly enthusiastic. Former colleagues describe him as bright, energetic and intelligent, before adding epithets such as headstrong, forceful and egotistic.

“He has one of the shortest fuses of anyone I know,” says a commercial rival. “He’s convinced of his own worth and very passionate about himself,” says another source.

“What you see is what you get,” says one former employee, “He has a strong personality and he’s opinionated, but he can be loyal and supportive when you stick with him.” The same person describes Drury as “one of the most effective networkers I’ve ever seen” and says his range of high-level contacts is unrivalled.

The son of a prominent medical consultant, Drury grew up in comfortable south Dublin and attended Blackrock College. He is married with four children and lives in Kilquade, Co Wicklow. His brother, Martin Drury, is prominent in arts administration. At UCD Fintan Drury obtained an MA in politics as well as captaining the soccer team at the time it joined the League of Ireland; in fact, he scored the first goal for UCD in the league. The team travelled to Sudan on one occasion to take part in a tournament in Khartoum. When a riot broke out and the team had to be escorted to safety, the intrepid young student telexed the RTÉ newsroom with the story, thereby opening a door for himself at Montrose.

He joined the staff of RTÉ in 1980 and, after a few years in the North, presented Morning Ireland alongside David Hanly for three years.

“He was an okay presenter, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to stay in RTÉ for long,” recalls RTÉ political editor David Davin-Power. Drury moved to Bill O’Herlihy Communications but left soon after because, he said, he wasn’t offered equity in the firm. He set up Drury Communications in 1989 with a part-time secretary and sold it a decade later for about €1.5 million.

His next foray was into sports management with the footballer Liam Brady, though Brady had to pull out when he was appointed manager of Celtic FC. Drury Sports Management, established in 1991, capitalised on the football boom that followed Ireland’s World Cup achievements the year before. He became an agent for the likes of Brian Kerr, Packie Bonner and Chris Houghton.

Golf next grabbed his attention, and he lobbied Charlie McCreevy and other ministers to bring big tournaments to Ireland. Drury Sports Management morphed into Platinum One and expanded into rugby and overseas sports. His championing of golf culminated in the staging of the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club, in Co Kildare, but this was not without its personal cost. Drury had to resign as RTÉ chairman over a potential conflict of interest; the State broadcaster was seeking the television rights, but Platinum One was involved in organising the event, which was screened on Sky1.

It hasn’t been all plain sailing in business for Drury. He took a backseat role at his sports-management company for a number of years until bad results forced him to return to the helm. Platinum One has shipped heavy losses in recent years, forcing it to scale back some activities. His proposals for an all-Ireland soccer league fell on deaf ears, and differences with the people who run Irish football have largely stymied his plans to bring big-name teams here.

Still only 52, he will most likely be best remembered as the man who brought Cristiano Ronaldo to Ireland, when Real Madrid played a friendly against Shamrock Rovers last year and fielded their new signing from Manchester United.

Whether or not Cowen survives the week’s revelations, the affair is a reminder of the power that personal affiliations and lobbyists have with the political system. Not even the Greens thought to remind people this week of the promise contained in the last page of the programme for government, and long since neglected: to consider the introduction of a compulsory register of lobbyists.

Curriculum vitae

Who is he?A soccer player turned radio journalist turned sports agent turned businessman.

Why is he in the news?He put Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick in touch with Taoiseach Brian Cowen on two occasions in 2008 and set up a dinner involving the two and a director of the Central Bank in July that year. Details of these contacts emerged only this week.

Most appealing characteristicHis dynamism and energy.

Least appealing characteristicImpatience with others.

Most likely to say(in the style of the fictional sports agent Jerry Maguire) "Show me the money!"

Least likely to say"That's life, Brian."