Royston Brady
Royston Brady | |
|---|---|
| Lord Mayor of Dublin | |
| In office 2003–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Dermot Lacey |
| Succeeded by | Michael Conaghan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 August 1972 |
| Relatives | Cyprian Brady (brother) |
Royston Mathew Brady (born 24 August 1972) is an Irish businessman and former politician, who was lord mayor of Dublin between 2003 and 2004.
Background and early life
Brady was born in Holles Street Hospital brought up in Artane, he was one of the nine children of Richard Brady from Dublin's inner city and Doreen Lynch from Clanbrassil Street; his father was a taxi-driver, showband singer and furniture dealer.[1]
He attended the Billie Barry stage school[2] and appeared as an extra in the film Excalibur in 1981, he was also an under-age footballer with St Vincent's GAA Club.
He attended St. Joseph's Secondary C.B.S. in Fairview and later studied in Athlone RTC, Louvain in Belgium and Boston College USA.[1]
Business life
Having trained as a hotelier in the US and Ireland Brady became general manager of the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire in June 1997. From 2000 to 2003 he worked as a consultant for training agency CERT. In 2005 he set up Alpha Recruitment, a recruitment and Consultancy Company specialising in the hotel and tourism sectors. Having built up the business it was sold for an undisclosed sum to Stepone Recruitment in 2008.[3]
Brady left his job as general manager at Roganstown Hotel Country Club in Swords, Co. Dublin after highlighting alleged "illegal" bar licensing practices.[4] Mr.Brady subsequently project managed the opening of Parnell's GAA Club, in Coolock, a multi-million-pound development, including state of the art playing facilities, clubhouse and gym.[citation needed]
Brady has also served on a number of boards including Dublin Port, Dublin Tourism and Dublin Enterprise Board.[5]
Political career
Brady was elected to Dublin City Council in June 1999 as a Fianna Fáil candidate.[1][6] Aged 26, he was the youngest member of the council at the time.[6] In 2000 he served as deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin and in 2003 was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin.
At his inauguration, he declared that he would be a people's mayor, insisting that Dubliners deserved better than a token figurehead.[5] He said he was making the issue of street crime in Dublin one of his top priorities and while in office he was publicly critical of then minister Michael McDowell's efforts against crime and at one point referred to him as a bully giving the two fingers to Dublin.[7][8]
Brady worked to tackle homelessness in Dublin receiving an International Honour for his efforts.[9] He also hosted a homeless couple's wedding in the Mansion House to raise awareness of the plight of Dublin's homeless.[10]
A Dublin football supporter, during his time Brady conferred the freedom of the city on Dubs legend Kevin Heffernan.[11]
Brady was a candidate at the 2004 European Parliament election when he was falsely accused of lying about an incident involving his father's taxi being involved in the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings.[12] Brady was accused by the media of using the incident to obtain the sympathy of the voters.[13] He was later vindicated when the truth of the matter was revealed on 5 – 7 live, the RTÉ Radio programme, on Friday 18 June 2004. Dave Mc Hugh, an RTÉ Researcher who had made a Radio Documentary on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, discovered that Royston Brady's father had been kidnapped on the evening of 16 May 1974.
Possible return to politics
Having left Fianna Fáil Brady was publicly courted by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who is quoted as saying " He's going to join up, He's a man of energy, drive and commitment." Brady: "I wouldn't rule anything out," he said, later adding: "I have to say, he's (Kenny) a gentleman. I think I'm probably too much a maverick for Fine Gael."[14]
On the Late Late Show he said politicians "need to get real about the issues" and they are out of touch with what is going on with the normal person but "that you can never say never" about returning to politics.[15]
Honours
While Lord Mayor, Brady was awarded a knighthood by the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George in recognition of Dublin City Council's work "in assisting homeless people." The award was bestowed by Cardinal Mario Pompedda at a ceremony in Áras an Uachtarain in May 2004.[16][17]
Family and personal life
Brady married Michelle McConalogue from Carndonagh, County Donegal in December 2003;[18] as of 2009[update] they live in the United States with their children.[19]
His father won an All Ireland minor medal with Dublin in 1954,[citation needed] and his brother, Cyprian was also active in politics.
References
- ^ a b c "Royston Brady: Mayor who swears by his passion for politics". Sunday Times.
- ^ McGoran, Fiona (9 November 2003). "Lord mayor takes credit where he can; Fame and Fortune". Sunday Times (Ireland edition). p. 14. Gale A110244693 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
- ^ "STEP by STEP Recruiting". Step One. 25 April 2008. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010.
- ^ Gartland, Fiona (14 June 2012). "Former lord mayor in unfair dismissal case against hotel". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016.
- ^ a b "The Rise and Rise of Royston". Irish Independent. 20 January 2004. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012.
- ^ a b Egan, Barry (27 January 2008). "It was a real test for our marriage". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016.
- ^ "Why the future's not rosy for citizen Royston". Sunday Independent. 26 June 2004. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012.
- ^ Donaghy, Kathy (7 August 2003). "Mayor hits out at failure to tackle street crime". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022.
- ^ "It's a thin line between church and state". Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ^ "Homeless lovers wed in style". BreakingNews.ie. 5 November 2003. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ Proby, Johnny (2 March 2004). "Freedom of the city for Heffernan". RTÉ Sport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ Mullen, Ronan (23 June 2004). "You saw it as it happened — an honest man mugged by the media". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Royston Brady in Dublin bombing controversy". Breaking News. 9 June 2004. Archived from the original on 3 November 2004. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ Hogan, Louise (25 April 2008). "A race to Recruit". Sunday Independent. Independent News and Media. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "The Late Late Show". RTÉ TV. Archived from the original on 18 May 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ Quinn, David (21 May 2005). "Taoiseach and President receive knighthoods for peace efforts". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018.
- ^ McCarthy, Justine (12 August 2018). "Can a papal visit heal the church's reputation?". Sunday Times.
- ^ "Royston to start his own Brady bunch". Sunday Independent. 19 February 2006. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012.
- ^ O'Regan, Mark (11 September 2012). "Tribunal hears former mayor Royston Brady 'wanted to be like Bill Clinton'". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016.