Software entrepreneur with roots in the land

Mr Pat McDonagh's phenomenal success with Riverdeep has elevated him to the ranks of the Republic's super-rich. But the software entrepreneur, who has an enviable track record of lucrative flotations, has other projects under way which are far removed from the high-finance world of Nasdaq. He is believed to be well on track to fulfilling his ambition to farm 1,000 acres of land in north Co Dublin. According to associates, Mr McDonagh has been spending money buying land in Co Meath and north Dublin for several years.

In May 1996 he purchased Skidoo Stud in Ballyboughal for £1.85 million. He also purchased two farms in nearby Rolestown, making up 300 acres.

His current home at in north Co Dublin is very modest for a multimillionaire but so far Mr McDonagh has not indulged in a lavish lifestyle.

His latest acquisition, Corbalton Hall, near Tara, Co Meath, is reputedly on one of the finest tillage farms in the county and Mr McDonagh is expected to make it his next home.

The substantial house on the 300-acre estate dates from the early 19th century and was designed by Francis Johnston, who is best remembered for his work on Aras an Uachtarain and Slane Castle. The house will require significant expenditure and sources who know the property estimate it will take another year to carry out the complete refurbishment.

But Mr McDonagh has not bought the land simply for the views. He has more than 300 cattle on one farm alone.

According to sources in the area, he has a hands-on interest in his dry stock and is likely to be seen feeding cattle himself. Mr McDonagh is well-known and well-liked in the Rolestown area where he lives with his wife and family. He is said to be a regular in the local pub and mixes with his neighbours.

It is understood that the McDonagh family is originally from the west of Ireland and they settled on a divided farm in north Co Dublin through a Land Commission scheme. Mr McDonagh's brother still works the family farm. Mr McDonagh trained as a primary school teacher and taught in Portmarnock National School in the early seventies. His first introduction to the business world was selling encyclopaedias and from there he worked in sales with Rank Xerox and ICL. After working for a US education software company Deltax, he set up Computer Based Training (CBT) Systems in 1983 with a £15,000 loan.

Twelve years later Mr McDonagh made £31 million when CBT was floated on the Nasdaq in New York.

Another passion of Mr McDonagh's is Gaelic football. He has taken an active interest in the local junior football team, the Fingal Ravens. The Ravens won the Dublin Junior Championship last year for the first time since Mr McDonagh was on the panel himself in 1969. He celebrated the achievement by sending the full squad of 25 players to the Canary Islands for a holiday.