Death of Derek McCullagh

THE DEATH has taken place of Derek McCullagh (66) a former board member at the Irish Timeswhere he was a popular member of staff for many years.

He died at his family home in Clontarf yesterday afternoon, after a short illness.

He began work as assistant financial accountant with the newspaper in April 1968.

Between then and his retirement in July 2002 he had been financial controller, management services manager, corporate administration director and production director. He was appointed to the board in 1978.

From Clontarf, he attended Wesley College before joining the accountancy firm Stokes Brothers and Pym, now KPMG, after which he joined The Irish Times.

His many interests included the Burrow Players amateur drama group in Sutton; the print museum at Beggars Bush of which he was director; and Ireland’s oldest club, the Hibernian Catch Club (founded 1680), of which he was president until November last.

Clontarf Lawn Tennis Club recently made him a life member and he had a long involvement with Wesley’s past pupils’ union.

He also had a deep interest in genealogy. In 2006 he contributed to the book Bright Brilliant Days: Douglas Gageby and The Irish Times, edited by Andrew Whittaker.

His chapter dealt with the precarious finances of the paper in the late 1960s.

Former colleagues spoke very warmly of Derek last night.

Retired managing director at the newspaper Louis O’Neill said his hiring of Derek McCullagh was “the best corporate decision of my life . . . He gave unselfishly. I am extremely sad at his death.”

He extended his sympathies to the McCullagh family.

The removal to St John the Baptist Church at Seafield Road, Clontarf, is at 7pm on Monday.

The funeral service will be at 11 am on Tuesday.

He is survived by his wife Hazel, sons Stephen, Gavin and Colin and daughter Jennifer.