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Chris Radburn/PA Wire/Press Association Images

“Tireless work in securing peace..”: Tributes for Edward Haughey, following crash tragedy

The 70-year-old businessman and former senator died in a helicopter crash in Norfolk. Three others also lost their lives.

Updated 23.10pm

TRIBUTES ARE BEING paid to Dr Edward Haughey — Northern Ireland’s richest man — after he was killed in a helicopter crash in England last night.

Two pilots and a site foreman at one of Haughey’s companies were also killed when the twin-engined AgustaWestland AW139 came down near the town of Beccles in Norfolk.

The 70-year-old, who was named as Lord Ballyedmond in 2004, was founder and chairman of Norbrook, a veterinary pharmaceuticals company. He was also a former member of Seanad Éireann, and a sitting member of the House of Lords.

Haughey owned Gillingham Hall, a stately home near the crash site. His personal fortune was worth around a billion euros, according to The Sunday Times newspaper’s Rich List 2013.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore described the businessmen as “a leading employer who brought many high-quality jobs to Newry in particular” whose influence “spanned both sides of the border”.

He took a great interest in Northern Ireland where he made his home and, whilst a member of Seanad Éireann, acted as a member of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body and on the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.

image

Edward Haughey pictured alongside former Taoiseach Charles Haughey at an event in 1996 [Photocall Ireland]

Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Paddy Burke said that alongside his success in business, Haughey “will be fondly remembered for his tireless work in securing peace on the island of Ireland”.

The Louth-born businessman and politician was appointed to the Seanad by Albert Reynolds in 1994, and again by Bertie Ahern in 1997.

Current Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin said this afternoon that his work in the lead up to the Good Friday Agreement in particular marked him out “as an important figure in the progress of peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland over the past two decades”.

Crash

Norfolk Constabulary received a call at about 7.30pm yesterday from a member of the public who reported hearing the noise of a loud crash.

Police were deployed to the scene and began searching the area, with air assistance. All four occupants on board the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene.

image

Police at a cordon on the A146 this morning. (Image: Chris Radburn/PA Wire/Press Association Images)

The BBC is reporting this evening that the businessman’s company Haughey Air Ltd. lodged a writ against AgustaWestland last year over concerns about the in-flight mapping systems of a helicopter supplied by them.

A spokesman for AgustaWestland said it could not comment on possible defects with the crashed helicopter, but that the company was investigating.

Investigation

The site of the crash was sealed off as police investigators carried out initial enquiries, while air accident investigators were also sent to the scene.

Early reports suggested that the helicopter may have been heading to Northern Ireland, though police refused to comment on its departure point or its planned destination.

Local resident Roland Bronk said it had been “very foggy” in the area at the time of the crash.

The crash site is 72 kilometres from where a US military helicopter came down during a training exercise in January, killing four crew members.

image

Forensic officers examine the wreckage [Chris Radburn/PA Wire/Press Association Images]

A statement on the Norbrook website confirmed the death of the company’s CEO, and the identities of the other three victims of the crash:

It is with sincere sadness and deep regret that the Company confirms our founding Chairman and CEO, Lord Ballyedmond, was one of four people who tragically lost their lives in an aviation accident at Gillingham, Norfolk, UK at approximately 7.30pm on Thursday 13 March 2014.

Norbrook management and staff also mourn the loss of their friends and colleagues Declan Small (Site Foreman), Captain Carl Dickerson (Pilot) and Captain Lee Hoyle (Pilot).

Our thoughts are with the immediate families and friends of the deceased who have requested privacy at this difficult time.

We take enormous pride in our Chairman’s extraordinary legacy in establishing Norbrook as a global veterinary and pharmaceutical industry leader. Management will continue to advance his pioneering vision with a renewed vigor and determination befitting his memory.

Additional reporting — Sinéad O’Carroll & AFP.

Read: Two men injured in a shooting in Ballyfermot

More: Teenager dies after car overturns, three other occupants uninjured

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45 Comments
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    Mute Marty from Sligo
    Favourite Marty from Sligo
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:45 PM

    I think Pat has every right to object to planning permission like any other citizen it’s all within the law.

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    Mute Daithi Ó Raghallaigh
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:50 PM

    @Marty from Sligo:oF course he does who would seriously want an apartment block looking down on their house.

    369
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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 11:07 PM

    @Marty from Sligo: and to tip off now with his tail between his louis copeland clad,legs….

    23
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    Mute Ger
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:51 PM

    Pat Kenny wrecks my head and I could fill this post with enough negative opinions to get it deleted but I have to say that I’m in agreement with him here. I’m familiar with the site and can’t for the life of me figure out how planning permission has been given for this development. There is no doubt that Kennys house and garden will be impacted and overlooked and it will drive the price of his house down. I don’t have sympathy necessarily, just in agreement with him.

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    Mute Manbackonboard
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:22 PM

    @Ger: I really like his radio show on Newstalk. Rarely does he discuss a topic that I’m not interested in.

    141
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    Mute Whoswho
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:23 PM

    @Manbackonboard: Rarely is anything he says of any interest!

    61
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    Mute Bobby Daly
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    Jul 23rd 2019, 9:52 PM

    @Whoswho: he knows politics inside out, very brainy man.

    1
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    Mute saoirse janneau
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:53 PM

    karma after how bitter his dispute with his neighbour went a few years ago.

    266
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    Mute Peter Hughes
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 7:28 PM

    @saoirse janneau: High court will throw it out, cannot have their toff neighbors getting upset now can they lol.

    30
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    Mute Greg Dunne
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:56 PM

    Poor auld pat hasn’t a great relationship with his neighbours. If he’s not trying to claim squatter rights on a patch of land owned by a neighbour, he’s objecting to planning for homes

    241
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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:00 PM

    @Greg Dunne: his neighbours are with him on this one

    87
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    Mute Darius Guppy
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:05 PM

    @James Wallace: actually the family he took to court after the land grab are the same family that used to own the house which is now being developed.

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    Mute Russel Steapot
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 8:57 PM

    @Darius Guppy: If that’s true it’s beautiful karma.

    Karma will always come back to bite you in the ass folks. Be nice to others.

    37
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    Mute Simon Palmer
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    Jul 23rd 2019, 10:34 AM

    @Greg Dunne: His neighbours opposed it too. The apartments will be overlooking their kids’ bedrooms.

    1
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    Mute Bobby Daly
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    Jul 23rd 2019, 9:56 PM

    @Russel Steapot: ye man because only bad things happen to bad people. Do you ever wonder what all those starving people in Africa done to deserve the life they have. You actually believe, what goes around comes around. Ha

    1
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    Mute Liam Meade
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:46 PM

    “Ahh! poor pat has t have human beings
    living beside him”

    198
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    Mute Whoswho
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:22 PM

    @Liam Meade: He doesn’t have a right if he’s going on about the housing crisis on his radio show and giving out about people appealing.

    62
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    Mute Peter Murphy
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    Jul 24th 2019, 6:51 PM

    @Liam Meade: And who knows ,perhaps these appartments might be used to house some migrants, you know the ones pat is forever telloing everybody else to accept with open arms. Oh the irony.

    9
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    Mute Wild Goose
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:00 PM

    I’m with Pat on this. It’s an outrageous decision and what’s the point of having a Planning Inspector if he is going to be overruled. Now what’s that whiff?

    120
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    Mute Bobby Daly
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    Jul 23rd 2019, 9:58 PM

    @Wild Goose: i smell an envelope full of cash

    6
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    Mute Josh Hanners
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:59 PM

    As Pat has such an aversion to people living near him, would he not buy a house in Donegal?

    125
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    Mute Gerry Ryan
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:15 PM

    After 40 years of propping up the established order faithfully it must be galling for Pat that the established order didn’t care.

    73
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    Mute Daithi Ó Raghallaigh
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 3:48 PM

    An Bord Pleanála never get it wrong. Don’t think any riff-raff will be moving in there, they will go for a small fortune.

    63
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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:26 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: Just because they will go for a small fortune doesn’t mean there will be no riff raff moving inn. What you meant was no working class plebs can afford them, right?

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    Mute Owen Lynch
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:09 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: There is riff raff there already.

    34
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    Mute Irish big fellow
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:13 PM

    What % will be social housing?
    I suppose none. Why is that the case?

    47
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    Mute John R
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:32 PM

    There are a number of very strange decisions coming out of An Bord Pleanala. They reject the views of the local authority and they reject the views of their own inspectors. The justification they appear to offer is very vague unlike the rejections offered by the local authorities and their own inspectors. The problem is simply this. If people feel that an appeal board can make arbitrary decisions without reference to established facts, evidence and precedence then public support will collapse. Ultimately local authorities must determine how areas are to be developed. Now we have An Bord Pleanala making very fundamental decisions with no democratic accountability. One may not like the approach of certain local authorities but this is not to way to better development.

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    Mute Paul A Whelan
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 7:33 PM

    @John R: agree completely.

    17
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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 7:06 PM

    Delighted, this man earned most his money from us, yet he would not want any of us living near him, god bless the board

    49
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    Mute Wild Goose
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 7:36 PM

    @John Murphy: No need for that at all you narrow minded moron.

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    Mute Anna Kavanagh
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:55 PM

    The issue here is that it is the second time this month that An Bord Pleanála ignored their inspectors’ reports and granted Bartra Property planning permission. Earlier in the month after a protracted planning struggle they granted Bartra permission to build a number of housing units at Bulloch Harbour.

    https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/housing-development-at-bulloch-harbour-in-dalkey-gets-go-ahead-1.3944131%3fmode=amp

    45
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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:13 PM

    @Anna Kavanagh: The planning inspector ignored on two occasions involving the same company? If that doesn’t raise a bad smell nothing will.

    84
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    Mute Eimear
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 7:19 PM

    @Anna Kavanagh: maybe some kick back going to that developer… twice in one month but Sus

    15
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    Mute Aidan Mccullough
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:50 PM

    This must be a shock for Pat. The old boy network normally looks after it’s own.

    41
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    Mute Gary Stevenson
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:59 PM

    So in lay man’s terms,who ever lives in these apartments will be looking down on the Kenny’s,

    42
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    Mute Paul Brierley
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:09 PM

    Must be very high tides down that neck of the woods in you can anchor your boat to Pats house!

    39
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    Mute Jointheclubtoo
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:17 PM

    @Paul Brierley: They are walking on the Plank.

    13
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    Mute sean de paore
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:47 PM

    Pat is excellent on Newstalk. Unlike those two morning fellas and Dr Kelly.

    39
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    Mute Count Craicula
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 6:49 PM

    Could he not just have claimed squatter’s rights on the plot?

    30
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    Mute Top Horse Shop
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 4:33 PM

    Something smells a bit “fishy ” about
    this one !!!

    34
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 8:16 PM

    I can sympathise with him ——-It must be terrible to have to face the prospect of having lots of ordinary people living all around you.

    29
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    Mute Bass demon
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 11:03 PM

    Any of these privileged toffs in these leafy areas would object to a garden shed being built in the neighbouring garden most of them have acres of land around them that is unused and unnecessary ,It’s about time that planning authorities started cracking the whip and approved new developments in these zones as most working and middle class areas are are over developed with very little room for any more accommodation to be built.

    24
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    Mute Joxer23
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:45 PM

    Can understand Pats concern at the invasion of the privacy of himself and his neighbours and there is also the matter of the destruction a lovely little stretch of coastline

    24
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    Mute Sportmad
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:32 PM

    This seems to be the Practice in planning all over Limerick have a few high rise planning applications in residential areas but the lack of road network in areas does not matter I seen a plan near me that will see the traffic increase by over 500 cars beside a school that is already in chaos with cars.
    The council have no say over it..
    Networks need attention in all planning applications but never are.. feel sorry for Pat..

    17
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    Mute Robbie Clancy
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    Jul 22nd 2019, 5:09 PM

    Why did I already have my mind made up before I even read the article.

    15
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    Mute Ken Mac Iomaire
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    Jul 23rd 2019, 10:55 PM

    Pat stop spending money on legal fees pack up and just leave the country already.

    7
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