Taoiseach Micheál Martin has led the tributes to Cork businessman and newspaper publisher, Ted Crosbie, who died on Sunday aged 91.
Mr Martin said Mr Crosbie was a pioneer in the Irish media through his stewardship of the Thomas Crosbie Holdings Ltd, where he served as chief executive for many years overseeing the development of The Irish Examiner and Evening Echo.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ted Crosbie, a man whose life was woven into the very fabric of his home city of Cork for more than nine decades,” he said.
“As chief executive of the newspaper group including The Irish Examiner and The Evening Echo, Ted was a true pioneer of modern Irish media, with a keen scientific and business mind, and a passion for enriching the charitable, cultural, and social life of his city and country.
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“Ted’s rich legacy includes the first full colour national newspapers produced in Ireland, as well as innovations in print and digital technologies that were years ahead of his competitors.”
Mr Martin said Mr Crosbie was “one of the nicest people you could ever meet; witty, erudite and insightful — he was always good company”.
And he recalled that whenever he received any correspondence from Mr Crosbie, it was always about matters that Mr Crosbie felt were important and worthy of correspondence. “Ted had a beautiful writing style, and when he wrote a letter to you, you were left in no doubt how serious he was about the matter at hand.”
He extended his sympathies to Mr Crosbie’s adult children, Tom, Elizabeth, Andrew, Edward, and Sophie on their sad loss. Mr Crosbie was predeceased by his wife, Gretchen, and daughter, Suzanne.
Born on April 30th, 1931, Mr Crosbie was a great grandson of Thomas Crosbie, who became sole proprietor of The Cork Examiner in 1872 and became one of Cork’s best known business figures, recognised for his innovative technical contributions to printing and publishing.
Mr Crosbie ensured that in the new era of Web Offset printing in the 1970s, The Cork Examiner and The Evening Echo were ahead of all rivals in Ireland, with both papers being the first to have full colour and their reporters being the first to input stories directly into a computer system in 1986.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde, said: “We are all very saddened to hear of the passing of the great Ted Crosbie, an icon of Cork business, cultural and social fabric over many decades — on behalf of the people of Cork, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family — may he rest in peace.”
Cork Chamber chief executive, Conor Healy also paid tribute to the late Mr Crosbie, saying that he was a business leader on Leeside over many decades.
Mr Crosbie was a member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, serving as admiral in the 1980s. His friend and fellow club member Donal McClement said Mr Crosbie was “a top-class sailor in his younger days, sailing at a very high standard”.
Mr Crosbie will lie in repose at his home in Montenotte for family and friends from 4pm-6pm on Monday, and he will be buried at St Finbarr’s Cemetery, Glasheen Road, on Tuesday following requiem mass at St Peter & Paul’s Church in Cork city centre at noon.
