Tony O'Reilly - The Real Deal

For decades Tony O’Reilly was Ireland’s richest man. He was eulogised as the ultimate Renaissance man: a sporting hero, marketing tycoon and philanthropist. But in June this year, his run of good fortune came to an abrupt halt when State-owned AIB appointed a receiver over some of his assets. Just a few years earlier, it would have seemed inconceivable that the man whose name was synonymous with success could suffer such a public humiliation. In recent weeks, his financial difficulties have continued to attract attention, with his Castlemartin house and stud going on the market for €30m. Tony O’Reilly’s financial downfall was caused by his failed attempt to rescue Waterford Wedgwood in 2008. But there was far more to his career that the tumultuous events of recent years. To give a full account of his extraordinary life, RTÉ One airs an hour-long documentary at 9.35pm this evening. The programme is also available on the RTÉ Player worldwide. Interviewees include his son, Tony Junior, businessman Michael Smurfit and Northern Ireland’s former Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon. There are also contributions from childhood friend Frank Turvey and people who worked closely with him in Ireland, the US and South Africa. While he had many admirers, he also had his critics, who feature in the documentary too. The programme contains footage never aired before on Irish television, from material shot by international broadcasters to clips from the RTÉ archives. Scenes include O’Reilly singing in the shower with fellow rugby players, playing with his children in the 1970s and his wedding to his first wife Susan Cameron in 1962. O’Reilly holds the record for the number of tries scored by a Lions rugby player. He invented the Kerrygold butter brand, which continues to be a highly successful global product, and he successfully ran the US food group Heinz.