The most interesting part of the shirt manufacturing career was the relationship with the Solo Shirt Co. This was run by a big thick farmer, Leonard McGuckan. Leonard had had a heart attack in 1959 and was confined to bed for life. After a year…
While selling in London I stayed at The Irish Club in Eaton Square. This was a significantly dignified address, probably the most exclusive address in London. It was a dreadful place. Clubs are frequented mostly by bachelors, widowers, the…
Having found a foothold in business in London I commuted there with increasing regularity for the next 30 years. On the first trip I had no idea where to stay so I phoned Fr Paddy Walsh, who was living with the Vincentian community in Strawberry…
I had been disappointed in 1967 when the Foyle factory closed and the family humbled. For reasons not connected to logic I bought ( £176K) a factory in Galway in 1979 and succeeded in losing everything I ever made almost instantly (employing 120…
Austin Reed had a large factory in Omagh (also one that our family established and made a balls of) but it was modern and shambolic, employing 250 people and English management. The English management was most objectionable, they seemed to think…