One of Ireland’s greatest ever visionaries has been honoured at Dubai International Airport where a bust was unveiled this week.
Dubai International paid homage to the legacy of the late Dr. Brendan O’Regan, pioneer of the airport duty-free and hospitality industries, with the grand opening of O’Regan’s Irish Bar & Restaurant yesterday.
Named in honour of Dr Brendan O’Regan, O’Regan’s Irish Bar & Restaurant draws inspiration from his global perspective. This contemporary establishment in DXB’s Terminal 3, Concourse C, offers guests a stylish environment to enjoy inspiring airport views, while enjoying a variety of global food and beverage offerings before their flight.
The opening ceremony welcomed distinguished guests, including Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, Alison Milton, Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE; Paul Griffiths, CEO at Dubai Airports; Colm McLoughlin, CEO and EVC of Dubai Duty Free, Members of the Irish Business Council Dubai, as well as senior members of the airport business community.
Adding to the celebration was a captivating performance by Irish singer-songwriter Conleth McGeary, and the unveiling of specially commissioned art, including pieces by Kilbaha-based Seamus Connolly as well as Anna McKeown.
Reflecting on the occasion, Eugene Barry, EVP of Commercial at Dubai Airports, said, “This latest and unique hospitality concept marks the continuation of Dubai Airports’ continuous strategy to provide a superior experience to guests at our airport. O’Regan’s pays tribute to Brendan O’Regan’s pioneering legacy, while enriching our existing range of services.”
Minister O’Donovan was in Dubai for the World Governments Summit discussing sustainable finance and funding models for how climate adaptation can be delivered across the world.
Brendan O’Regan’s many achievements include, not only setting up the world’s first duty-free airport retail outlet at Shannon Airport, in economic terms, he initiated Ireland’s first programme of foreign direct investment in manufacturing, based on a favourable enterprise climate.
Internationally, he is acknowledged as the father of the €70 billion a year airport duty-free business. Out of concern for world poverty, he worked closely with bodies such as the United Nations, the World Bank and Irish charity, Trócaire, in their efforts to establish export processing zones, modelled on the Shannon experience, in developing countries.
Born in Sixmilebridge in 1917, Brendan was greatly influenced by his father James O’Regan who was a local hotelier and Chairman of Clare County Council. His father encouraged Brendan to take a leadership role in public life and provided him with an understanding of the importance of business enterprise in improving social conditions while creating financial wealth. His mother Nora O’Regan (née Ryan) had a deep religious faith and concern for others, which helped to form Brendan’s character.
Brendan often said that he was ‘born into the first generation of free Irishmen’ and as such was determined to shake off a widespread national inferiority complex from a colonial era. Many of his activities took place in the 60-year period between 1938 and 1998, a time of change and improvement in Ireland. His contributions to economic, social and cultural development would help to shape modern Ireland.
Brendan generated a unique set of initiatives, including:
- The world’s first duty-free airport shop at Shannon Airport
- Ireland’s first tax-free industrial estate at Shannon Free Zone
- Ireland’s first hotel management school, Shannon College of Hotel Management, now part of NUI Galway
- The first new town in Ireland since the medieval era, Shannon
- The first fully restored medieval castle in Ireland, Bunratty Castle
- Prompting the Clare County Manager to purchase lands at the Cliffs of Moher to preserve the site for what is now one of Ireland’s favourite tourist attractions
- A development agency for overseas aid, Devco
- Three separate peace organisations, including Co-Operation Ireland.