Flights and cuppas make rich list

WHETHER building homes, jetting holidaymakers off to the sun or ensuring shops are stocked with the nation’s favourite cuppa, Irish entrepreneurs are in a class of their own.

This year’s Sunday Times rich list of Ireland’s wealthiest 250 men and women has 33 new entrants with fortunes ranging from a mere €51 million to a whopping €241m.

Published tomorrow, the who’s who of Ireland’s highest earners also has a separate section for Celtic Tiger cubs like Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s daughter Cecelia Ahern, who sits on a €7m fortune thanks to the books she writes.

Her sister Georgina also basks in the glow of riches as she is married to Westlife’s Nicky Byrne, who shares a €34m fortune with the other three members of the chart-topping band.

New entrants on the Sunday Times rich list include Dublin Temple Bar publican Martin Keane, whose decision to introduce food in pubs helped him amass a €51m fortune.

Food and drink also helped propel Cork shopkeeper Anthony Musgrave into the 250 rich list with an estimated fortune of €59m.

Mr Musgrave is a shareholder in the Musgrave retail and wholesale group, which also owns the Centra and SuperValu brands.

The nation’s favourite cuppa helped fellow Corkman Tony Barry, of Barry’s Tea fame, onto the rich list after his wealth was adjudged to be €51m.

Another notable newcomer is Aer Arann owner Pádraig Ó’Céidigh, whose fortune from the regional airline amounts to €81m.

Employing 400 staff, Aer Arann sells €100m worth of flights a year and flies 1.15 million passengers around Ireland and to Britain, France and further afield.

The voracious appetite of Irish holidaymakers for overseas travel has also propelled Irish Ferries entrepreneur Eamon Rothwell to a €65m fortune.

Cork-born Leslie Buckley, who has a minority stake in fellow Corkman Denis O’Brien’s Digicel mobile phone empire in the Caribbean, is worth €57m.

The highest new entrants in the Irish rich list are couples Barney and Frances Eastwood, of Belfast, and former Unionist MP John Taylor and his wife Mary.

The Eastwoods have amassed €241m from betting shops while the Taylors are wealthy to the tune of €95m thanks to their Alpha Newspaper Group, which owns titles across Ireland.

Rich list

* Aer Arann owner Pádraig Ó’Céidigh — worth €81m.

* Cash and Carry Kitchens boss Eamonn O’Rourke — €76m.

* Irish Ferries entrepreneur Eamon Rothwell — €65m.

* Shopkeeper Anthony Musgrave — €59m.

* Barry’s Tea magnate Tony Barry — €51m.

Source: Sunday Times rich list