MOURNERS FROM Ireland’s business and professional services world came together yesterday to join the family of Alex Spain at his funeral service at the Church of the Assumption in Booterstown, south Dublin.
The ceremony was celebrated by Msgr Seamus Conway, who paid tribute to Mr Spain’s successes in his business life, as well as his long marriage to Maureen, in front of a packed congregation.
Attending from DCC, the firm of which Mr Spain was chairman for some 30 years, were founder and former chief executive Jim Flavin, as well as directors including current chairman Michael Buckley, the former chief executive of AIB.
In recognition of his time as managing partner from 1977 to 1984 of Stokes Kennedy Crowley (now KPMG), there was a strong attendance from the accountancy firm, including partners past and present. Former managing partners John Callaghan, Ron Bolger and Jerome Kennedy as well as present head, Terence O’Rourke, attended, in addition to current partners, including Brian Daly.
The former governor of the Bank of Ireland, and a former partner in KPMG, Laurence Crowley, was also present, as was Carl McCann, a former chairman of Fyffes and current chief executive of Total Produce.
Also in attendance were David Dilger, former chief executive of Greencore and former chairman of the Dublin Airport Authority; former managing partner of Andersens, Roddy Ryan; Gavin Caldwell, former chief executive of KBC Asset Management; and former director of the Bank of Ireland, Michael Meagher.
Friends from Dooks Golf Club in Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, performed a guard of honour for Mr Spain, and representatives from Milltown Golf Club, UCD Rugby Club and Blackrock College were also in attendance.
In addition to his roles at DCC and Stokes Kennedy Crowley, Mr Spain was also chairman of National Irish Bank from 1986 to 1998, and held a number of high-profile directorships.
He was chairman of Xtra-Vision during a tumultuous period ahead of its sale to Cambridge Investments in 1990. He was also chairman of Food Industries.
Mr Spain also served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1975-1976 and as chairman of the Financial Services Industry Association in Ireland.
