Seamus Purcell: Seamus Purcell, who has died aged 80, headed a family business that became the world's largest shipper of live cattle.
Purcell Brothers dominated the Irish cattle trade when exports to North African and Middle Eastern markets were booming, and Seamus Purcell played a major role in securing these markets when he introduced the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, to the Libyan leader, Colonel Gadafy.
During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he traded with both countries.
In his 50 years at the top of the Irish cattle trade, he took major risks, most of which paid off. He did, however, experience setbacks and was twice embroiled in costly litigation.
But he kept his business going through thick and thin. He was renowned for his patience which, together with his charm and business acumen, proved to be an invaluable asset in his dealings with government leaders in North Africa and the Middle East. He had served his apprenticeship tangling with Irish small farmers and found that the same approach worked on the world stage. He made no distinction between buying a few head of cattle in a country mart and shipping thousands of cattle to Tripoli.
He drove a hard bargain but always paid promptly. Farmers never had any difficulty cashing his cheques. He had a remarkable memory and could recall the smallest detail of a deal 25 years after it was struck.
Born in 1922 in Birr, Co Offaly, he was educated locally and at the age of 16, following his father's footsteps, he began buying and selling cattle at country fairs in the midlands. When the second World War ended, demand in Britain for Irish store and beef cattle rose. Seamus Purcell shipped live cattle to be sold for finishing in the northeast of England.
In 1951, with his brothers Michael and Ailbe, he established Purcell Brothers. Within a few years the company was shipping cattle to the leading British sale yards.
It was not all plain sailing. When Irish farmers set up co-operative marts in the 1950s, they were boycotted by dealers and live exporters. Seamus Purcell, however, remained loyal to the farmers and ignored the boycott. He was happy to comply with the newly established auction system that, farmers argued, was a fair way of selling, with competition ensuring better prices. Because of his stand, Seamus Purcell had to endure threats and intimidation from competitors.
In the 1970s Ireland's membership of the European Economic Community enabled Purcell Brothers to find new markets in Spain and Italy. And as oil wealth grew across the Middle East so too did the demand for cattle and beef. Seamus Purcell was quick off the mark, supplying the Libyan and Egyptian markets with Irish cattle as well as beef, which he also supplied to Iran.
Purcell Brothers benefited greatly from the introduction of EU export refunds. The Libyan trade grew spectacularly and did much to help the recovery from the domestic cattle crisis of 1974, as did the trade to Egypt. Such was the volume of trade to these third countries that they were taking 50 per cent of total Irish output. Irish cattle farmers prospered as business at cattle marts soared.
To meet the demand for exports, Seamus Purcell purchased two ships, naming them after his wife and sons. He then began shipping cattle from Australia to the Middle East. With other family members he established Purcell Exports to service the expanding North African market for beef. To this end meat processing plants were acquired in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Scotland. But his heart was not in the meat-processing business and he soon quit.
As a young man he played hurling for Birr and for many years he was a stalwart of the Offaly senior team. He continued to support his club and county, and only illness prevented him from attending the All-Ireland club finals at Croke Park on St Patrick's Day when Birr won the hurling title. Horse racing was another great interest and he enjoyed some success as an owner, most notably with Buck House, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in 1986 having won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 1983.
His wife, Philomena, and sons, Gerard and Patrick, survive him.
Seamus Purcell: born, 1922; died, March 18th, 2003