The late Tony O’Reilly had a life so extraordinary that if you read about it in a book, you’d call it unrealistic, according to presenter Matt Cooper. 

Mr O’Reilly passed away yesterday at the age of 88 following a brief illness. 

His family said he was a “dearly-loved dad and a granddad”. 

“He lived one of the great lives and we were fortunate to spend time with him in recent weeks as that great life drew to a close,” they said. 

Mr O’Reilly was known for his early rugby career, extensive business endeavours, including inventing Kerrygold butter, and philanthropic work.

Tony O'Reilly and his first wife Susan and children Gavin, Cameron, Tony, Justine and Susan. Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Matt Cooper wrote in Mr O’Reilly’s biography The Maximalist that whatever the businessman gained, it was “never enough”. 

“He was dominated by a need, a drive, a greed perhaps, that would not let him rest and be content with great achievement,” he wrote. 

“The desire for more spurred him on continuously... he found it was quite possible to want too much.” 

Mr Cooper told The Anton Savage Show Mr O’Reilly truly led “the most extraordinary life”. 

“It was the type of life if you were to read it in fiction, you wouldn’t believe it,” he said. 

“Even if he ended up in reduced financial circumstances – not exactly poverty or on the breadline – if you look at the scale of achievement throughout his life, it’s extraordinary.” 

He noted that beyond his business endeavours, he started as a rugby player at the age of 18 in the 1950s. 

“He would’ve been the Brian O'Driscoll in his day,” he said. “The highest try-scorer in British and Irish rugby history.” 

His business interests included food, oil, television, telecoms and newspaper, including chairman of Heinz and CEO of Independent News and Media, now Mediahuis Ireland. 

Sir Tony O Reilly speaking at their business AGM in Dublin. 13/10/2004 Photo Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

President Michael D Higgins said there were “so many aspects of Irish life that Anthony O'Reilly touched in an innovative and changing way”. 

“It is understandable that the positive contribution in terms of utilising the Irish diaspora at a time of Ireland's difficulties, through the Ireland Funds and the impact which that made on a North/South basis, will be at the top of most people's list of the contributions that he made,” he said. 

“The leadership he gave in that action was at a time when Ireland needed to draw on all of the contacts and friends that it had.” 

The Ireland Funds has raised over $550 million (€505 million) for charitable causes since it was founded in 1976 by Mr O’Reilly. 

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