Royston Brady
Encyclopedia
Royston Mathew Brady is an Irish
businessman and former politician
who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
between 2003–2004.
He attended the Billie Barry stage school and appeared as an extra in the film Excalibur
in 1981, he was also an under age footballer with St. Vincents GAA Club.
He was educated by the Christian Brothers in St. Josephs in Fairview
and later studied in Athlone RTC, Louvain in Belgium and Boston College USA.
in December 2003 they currently live in Malahide
with their three children.
Brady is strongly associated with the Dublin GAA football team and a regular on Hill 16. His father won an All Ireland minor medal with Dublin in 1954.
in June 1997. He has served on a number of boards including Dublin Port, Dublin Tourism and Dublin Enterprise Board. 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. Brady left his job at as General Manager of Roganstown Hotel and Golf Club in North County Dublin after blowing the whistle on the practice of illegally charging customers for bar licences not purchased. Brady currently has three job proposals to mull over.
candidate. Aged 26, he was the youngest member of the council at the time. In 2000 he served as deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin and in 2003 was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin
.
Brady was one of Dublin's most successful and popular Lord Mayors
At his inauguration, he declared that he would be a people's mayor, insisting that Dubliners deserved better than a token figurehead. 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.
Brady worked to tackle homelessness in Dublin receiving a papal knighthood for his efforts. He also hosted a homeless couple's wedding in the Mansion House
to raise awareness of the plight of Dublin's homeless.
A Dublin football supporter, during his time Brady conferred the freedom of the city on Dubs legend Kevin Heffernan.
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
. Brady was accused by the media of using the incident to obtain the sympathy of the voters. He was later vindicated when the truth of the matter was revealed on 5 - 7 live, the RTE Radio programme, on Friday Jun 18th, 2004. Dave Mc Hugh, an RTE 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 16th May, 1974.
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."
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 polictics.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
businessman and former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
between 2003–2004.
Background and early life
Brady was born in Holles Street hospital on Dublin's southside and brought up in Artane, he was one of seven children of Richard Brady from Dublin inner city and Doreen Lynch from Clanbrassil Street. Richard Brady was a taxi-driver, showband singer and furniture dealer.He attended the Billie Barry stage school and appeared as an extra in the film Excalibur
Excalibur (film)
Excalibur is a 1981 dramatic fantasy film directed, produced and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Adapted from the 15th century Arthurian romance, Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory, Excalibur features the music of Richard Wagner...
in 1981, he was also an under age footballer with St. Vincents GAA Club.
He was educated by the Christian Brothers in St. Josephs in Fairview
Fairview, Dublin
Fairview is a coastal district on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland, in the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council. Part of the area forms Fairview Park, on land reclaimed from the sea.-Location and access:...
and later studied in Athlone RTC, Louvain in Belgium and Boston College USA.
Family and personal life
Brady married Michelle McConalogue from Carndonagh, County DonegalCounty Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
in December 2003 they currently live in Malahide
Malahide
Malahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
with their three children.
Brady is strongly associated with the Dublin GAA football team and a regular on Hill 16. His father won an All Ireland minor medal with Dublin in 1954.
Business life
Having trained as a hotelier in the US and Ireland Brady became Ireland's youngest general manager of a hotel when he took control of the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
in June 1997. He has served on a number of boards including Dublin Port, Dublin Tourism and Dublin Enterprise Board. 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. Brady left his job at as General Manager of Roganstown Hotel and Golf Club in North County Dublin after blowing the whistle on the practice of illegally charging customers for bar licences not purchased. Brady currently has three job proposals to mull over.
Political career
Brady was elected to Dublin City Council in June 1999 as a Fianna FáilFianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
candidate. Aged 26, he was the youngest member of the council at the time. In 2000 he served as deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin and in 2003 was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
.
Brady was one of Dublin's most successful and popular Lord Mayors
At his inauguration, he declared that he would be a people's mayor, insisting that Dubliners deserved better than a token figurehead. 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
Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell is a Senior Counsel in the Bar Council of Ireland and a former politician. A grandson of Irish revolutionary Eoin MacNeill, McDowell was a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party in the mid-1980s...
's efforts against crime and at one point referred to him as a bully giving the two fingers to Dublin.
Brady worked to tackle homelessness in Dublin receiving a papal knighthood for his efforts. He also hosted a homeless couple's wedding in the Mansion House
Mansion House, Dublin
The Mansion House on Dawson Street, Dublin, is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin since 1715.-Features:The Mansion House's most famous features include the "Round Room", where the First Dáil assembled on 21 January 1919 to proclaim the Irish Declaration of Independence...
to raise awareness of the plight of Dublin's homeless.
A Dublin football supporter, during his time Brady conferred the freedom of the city on Dubs legend Kevin Heffernan.
Brady was a candidate at the 2004 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
when he was falsely accused of lying about an incident involving his father's taxi being involved in the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
. Brady was accused by the media of using the incident to obtain the sympathy of the voters. He was later vindicated when the truth of the matter was revealed on 5 - 7 live, the RTE Radio programme, on Friday Jun 18th, 2004. Dave Mc Hugh, an RTE 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 16th May, 1974.
Possible return to politics
Having left Fianna Fáil Brady was publicly courted by Fine GaelFine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
leader Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
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."
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 polictics.