The Irish building industry has lost one of its legends in the death of Ambrose (Amby) McInerney, the former chairman of McInerney Properties, who died last week. He and his brother, Dan, headed one of Ireland's most successful construction groups for several decades.
Mr McInerney carried his inherited talent for hard graft and extraordinary resilience through to his role in what was originally a family owned construction company. Like other construction firms in Ireland and Britain, McInerney found the going tough in the recession of the 1980 after it expanded into the Middle East and Britain and also the leisure markets in Spain and Portugal. All this came from a small jobbing firm started by his father, Thomas, in Scarriff, Co Clare, in 1909. It grew rapidly when Tom won the contract to build much of Ballyfermot for Dublin Corporation. Ambrose joined the family business in the 1930s. One of his first ventures was the building of four cottages in Killaloe, close to the family farm. Things were slack then and he had to sell cattle at Scarriff Fair to pay the wages. McInerneys expanded to England when the going got tough in the 1950s, returning in the 1960s to work on major contracts including the Hogan stand in Croke Park, the jet runway at Shannon Airport and the science buildings at Belfield, for UCD.
The company went public in 1971 and this was providential. Without a stock exchange quotation, the banks would not have been so helpful when the oil crisis hit profits.
The decision to accept a contract to build 25 Irish pre-cast concrete houses for Gulf Air in the face of language and cultural differences was an enlightened one for the company.
"The chemistry of the Irish is probably the best in the world for working overseas. They're the most acceptable race in the world," said Mr McInerney of that venture in 1987.
Ambrose McInerney and his brother, Dan, did business in five Arab countries. They established a close relationship which led to their Saudi partner taking a stake when McInerney moved into the leisure industry in Portugal. As chairman of one of Ireland's most successful companies, Ambrose was considered a big player in the building industry. The McInerney name has become synonymous with the early days of big housing estates. In an industry notorious for bankruptcies and fallen heroes, Ambrose McInerney weathered storms by an instinct for what was going to appeal to buyers.
"I know pretty well the things that will pay, the things we shouldn't touch. I've a great feel for it. I suppose you would call me an entrepreneur more than with courage," he said.
Amby McInerney served as chairman of McInerney Properties from 1971 to 1987. He was succeeded by his brother, Dan, who remained in the chair until 1991. Mr McInerney is survived by his wife, Ann, son John, brother Dan and his sisters Marie, Eilish and Tess.
