Sir Tony O’Reilly dies aged 88: former NZ Herald owner, Ireland rugby star and businessman

Sir Tony O'Reilly. Photo / Warren Buckland

Former British and Irish Lions rugby star Sir Tony O’Reilly, whose business interests once owned the New Zealand Herald, has died at the age of 88 following a short illness.

O’Reilly, who made his international debut for Ireland in rugby in 1955 and went on to become the youngest player to be selected for the Lions, died in Dublin on Saturday, his family confirmed in a statement.

“In the coming days there will be many worthy tributes made to Tony O’Reilly’s unique and extraordinary achievements in the fields of business and sport,” the statement read.

“As well as his extraordinary philanthropic vision which was best evidenced by the establishment of the Ireland Funds at a dark time in this island’s history,” the family continued.

“But, for us, he was a dearly loved dad and a granddad. He lived one of the great lives and we were fortunate to spend time with him in recent weeks as that great life drew to a close.”

Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin said O’Reilly had an “extraordinary impact on Irish business, sport, media and society”, the United Kingdom’s Telegraph reported.

O’Reilly’s career in media began when he bought Independent Newspapers (now Independent News and Media) in 1973 and became the publisher of the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent and the Evening Herald.

The company eventually assumed control of 38 newspaper titles and 70 radio stations in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

In 1996 INM purchased Wilson and Horton, the then owner of the NZ Herald, before APN News and Media took control, with INM retaining a 39.1 per cent stake until its exit in 2008.

The New Zealand media operations would eventually merge with the Radio Network and become New Zealand Media and Entertainment.

O’Reilly had other business interests besides media, including in the food industry where he was a chairman of food giant Heinz.

He also pioneered the dairy brand Kerrygold, turning it into one of Ireland’s most well-known global consumer brands.

He was also known for his philanthropy, setting up the Ireland Funds, which gave money from United States donors into reconciliation projects around the Irish border, the Telegraph reported.