Niall Mellon
Encyclopedia
Niall J. Mellon is an Irish
entrepreneur
and philanthropist
who founded the Niall Mellon Township Trust to provide homes to impoverished communities in South Africa
's townships
.
. After finishing school, Mellon joined his father's personalised investment brokerage. At age 24, he set up his own mortgage company, and subsequently grew his property and financial services interests through the Niall J. Mellon Group. He carried out numerous development projects in the UK. His joint venture Office park Development at City Park in Glasgow (2001) was awarded 'Best Urban Redevelopment Project in Britain in 2006. He also built the tallest building in Wales at Meridian Quay,Swansea in 2009.
, and subsequently formed the building charity, the Niall Mellon Township Trust, primarily with his own funds.
Ubder his management this charity (Niall Mellon Township Trust) grew in a few years to become the largest charity supplier of subsidised housing in South Africa. In 2007 more than 5,000 homes were built by the charity. In November 2008 over 2000 volunteers formed Ireland's biggest ever overseas contingent when they travelled to the Khayelitsha
township of Cape Town
, where they built 250 new homes over the course of a week. At the end of 2010 over 14,500 volunteers have worked on his projects and the charity has now built in excess of 15,000 houses and provided homes for almost 100,000 south africans. Mr.Mellon is the voluntary chief execiutive of this organisation,a position for which he does not take any remuneration .. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
visited while in South Africa in 2008.
By the
Mellon's efforts in this regard have earned praise from many quarters including Nelson Mandela
and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In 2004 he was honoured by Dublin City Council
. He was awarded an Honorary
Doctorate in Philosophy by the Dublin Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Law from University College Cork.
Mellon has received international honours for his efforts to encourage the spirit of volunteerism. Cape Town
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who founded the Niall Mellon Township Trust to provide homes to impoverished communities in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's townships
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
.
Early life
Mellon grew up in Ballyroan, County DublinCounty Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. After finishing school, Mellon joined his father's personalised investment brokerage. At age 24, he set up his own mortgage company, and subsequently grew his property and financial services interests through the Niall J. Mellon Group. He carried out numerous development projects in the UK. His joint venture Office park Development at City Park in Glasgow (2001) was awarded 'Best Urban Redevelopment Project in Britain in 2006. He also built the tallest building in Wales at Meridian Quay,Swansea in 2009.
Charity work
In 2002, aged 35, Mellon began to spend most of his time working to help the poor. While on a visit to South Africa, he was moved by the poverty of some township communities near Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, and subsequently formed the building charity, the Niall Mellon Township Trust, primarily with his own funds.
Ubder his management this charity (Niall Mellon Township Trust) grew in a few years to become the largest charity supplier of subsidised housing in South Africa. In 2007 more than 5,000 homes were built by the charity. In November 2008 over 2000 volunteers formed Ireland's biggest ever overseas contingent when they travelled to the Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha is a partially informal township in Western Cape, South Africa, located on the Cape Flats in the City of Cape Town. The name is Xhosa for New Home...
township of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, where they built 250 new homes over the course of a week. At the end of 2010 over 14,500 volunteers have worked on his projects and the charity has now built in excess of 15,000 houses and provided homes for almost 100,000 south africans. Mr.Mellon is the voluntary chief execiutive of this organisation,a position for which he does not take any remuneration .. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
visited while in South Africa in 2008.
By the
Mellon's efforts in this regard have earned praise from many quarters including Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In 2004 he was honoured by Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
. He was awarded an Honorary
Doctorate in Philosophy by the Dublin Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Law from University College Cork.
Mellon has received international honours for his efforts to encourage the spirit of volunteerism. Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.