Tom Linehan:TOM LINEHAN, who has died aged 70, was a local authority engineer who subsequently joined the Industrial Development Authority and played a major role in the development of Cork as a manufacturing centre for the pharmaceutical industry.
Having had a career with both Cork and Kerry county councils, in 1970 he joined the IDA as the first regional manager of its southwest office.
They set about about making the region attractive to multinationals, with a strategy of acquiring locations and developing them into sites for potential clients. The office acquired 2,000 acres of land and Linehan’s engineering experience proved invaluable in navigating new planning regulations and, according to colleagues, in foreseeing the many issues involved in creating the infrastructure demanded by pharmaceutical firms.
Linehan was very involved in the planning and development of the Ringaskiddy site in Cork’s lower harbour, which provided access to deep water docking, off-shore gas from the newly developed Kinsale field and the supplies of water that pharmaceutical firms required. The development was a joint venture with the council, the IDA and harbour authorities backed by £90 million government investment, and quickly developed into a hub for pharmaceutical manufacture.
Pfizer, Smith Kline, Ely Lilly, Mitsui, Penn, Schering Plough, Johnson Johnson and many more all set up plants, most of which remain in operation and have provided thousands of jobs.
In addition to engineering work, Linehan’s responsibilities also extended to providing hospitality for visiting delegations, which once even stretched to a round of golf at 5am in Cork’s Littleisland with a Japanese company chairman. The deal went ahead.
Tom Linehan was educated in Christian Brothers Cork, where he came first in the country in maths in his Leaving Certificate. He went on to earn a scholarship to UCC to study engineering.
As a junior engineer, he worked with local authorities in Cork, Kerry and Wexford, before becoming senior engineer for planning in Kerry Coundty Council. He worked with the IDA until 1988.
The IDA’s role in Cork’s development proved crucial and among the companies they attracted to the city was Apple Computers which now employs more than 3,000 people here.
After retiring, Linezahan went on to work as an independent planning consultant. He served as president of the Institute of engineers of Ireland and was a trustee of Douglas golf club.
His gentle humour and quiet commitment to the common good underscored his belief in rectitude and integrity. He is survived by his wife Sheila, daughters Anne, Niamh and Grace, sons Eoin and Aidan, a sister, Maureen, and by his eight grand children.
Tom Linehan: born December 6th, 1930; died June 29th, 2011