Ian Cairnduff: Ian Cairnduff, who has died aged 69, was a prominent Dublin Presbyterian businessman who had a wide circle of friends in the worlds of rugby, athletics, tennis, and wine, on which he was an expert.
A bon viveur, he was known as a loyal, steadfast friend to many and was a supportive, calm father, to his three sons and devoted husband to Maureen Cairnduff, author of Who's Who in Ireland. For over 20 years they hosted "First Friday" parties, for friends who were often well-known in Irish life. He was known as patient, honest, methodical, gentlemanly and witty company.
An accountant, he was managing director of the fine foods, wine and cigar emporium, Smyths of the Green, until it was sold in 1979 - it later became Habitat - and held senior posts in several other companies.
His passions were his family, other people and rugby. A former player, Cairnduff was Old Wesley's first XV coach from 1972 to 1987, president in 1984, and director of rugby until 1996.
In 1978 he became president of the Leinster branch of the IRFU. He trained Phil Orr, who was capped 50 times for Ireland. In 1983 he became honorary secretary of Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, of which he was a member for many years.
He was also prominent in an athletics club, known as the "Belfield Bashers". This was an informal group he founded with Gerard Kilcoyne, its current president, and grew out of his Old Wesley coaching. "It was a conglomeration of slightly mad friends who had a genuine interest in keeping fit," says Kilcoyne.
Cairnduff became "group disciplinarian - no short cuts, no fields missed, no lateness - we even changed the run to 'the Presbyterian Way'."
One member, Mary Finan, describes Cairnduff as "a close friend, although a man's man". Members, including Cairnduff, ran marathons. So important was this club to him that, though very ill, he came to watch training from the car on the Saturday before he died.
Cairnduff was born in 1935 to Andrew and Doreen (daughter of Sir James Ossory FitzPatrick, who served in the Indian civil service).
The family, originally from Scotland, lived in Waterloo Road. He was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin, where he was a champion boxer. A young man with a devil-may-care, fun approach to life, he decided however that he did not have the killer instinct for boxing.
He was articled to study chartered accountancy at Kinnear & Company, Dublin, and became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
After serving as a senior audit assistant at Craig Gardner accountants, in 1960 he became chief accountant and company secretary of Gilbeys of Ireland, the wine and spirits distributors.
Friends were envious when, in his mid-20s, he became joint managing director, which he remained until 1968. In 1965 he married Maureen Bouchier-Hayes, from a prominent Limerick family.
From 1967 to 1968 he was executive chairman of Leverett & Frye Ltd, which had 17 retail grocery and off-licence outlets. He also acted as a management consultant with Urwick Orr & Partners, where he conducted assignments on marketing and business strategy, and specialised in "management by objectives", a system of management and management training.
In 1972, with Michael O'Neill, he purchased the well-established Smyths of the Green, whose wine cellars extended under the street to St Stephen's Green.
From 1975 until 1985 he was a nominee director on behalf of Foir Teoranta, the Government's reconstruction finance agency, on the boards of a number of companies.
Until 1990, he was also a director and shareholder in Marble City Enterprises, owner of the Kilkenny Shopping Arcade. He was also a consultant with Inbucon Ireland Limited/Sean McHale & Associates, International Business Consultants.
Until his death he worked as principal in his own financial consultancy firm, Ian Cairnduff & Associates. He acted as pro bono financial consultant for several charities. He was appointed a peace commissioner in 1980.
His wines expertise was recognised in his appointment as a Commandeur d'Honneur du Bontemps de Medoc et des Graves.
He loved theatre and music and the Cairnduffs were regular attenders at the National Concert Hall. (Though he had a good singing voice, he was a reluctant performer.)
Cairnduff had been suffering from cancer for seven years and died at Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, after only several days there.
His very well attended funeral at Christ Church Presbyterian Church, Rathgar, had a Garda motor-cycle escort, in tribute to his training of Garda rugby teams. He also trained Defence Forces' players (and had "a crisis of conscience" when they played each other.)
At the funeral his sons spoke of his dignity, courage, integrity and humour - especially in the face of his long illness.
He is survived by his wife Maureen; sons Robert, Bruce (and his wife Dixon), and David; his brother Norman, and sisters June and Joy.
Ian Bruce Cairnduff: born November 11th, 1935; died February 13th, 2005.