The Impossible Dream: placing the Steorn story in the context of the Celtic Tiger
Book review: Barry Whyte’s book paints McCarthy not as a chancer but as a true believer in what he could achieve
Shaun McCarthy: “I was doing it because I honestly thought we had a chance of winning.” Photograph: Eric Luke
A bit of controversy can go a long way in business, particularly if you’re a start-up trying to gain some attention. Even still, taking a full-page advertisement in the Economist magazine in which you claim to have outsmarted the laws of physics might be pushing it a little.
The Impossible Dream, Barry J Whyte’s new book about the rise and fall of what he describes as “the Celtic Tiger’s most audacious start-up”, proves once again that not all publicity is good publicity. It also shows that smart people can be as likely as fools to be easily parted with their money.