Mark FitzGerald marks 40 years in the business

Tempis fugit and all that. It may seem like no time since Mark FitzGerald shook up the Irish estate agency business with the Sherry FitzGerald brand, but last week marked his 40th year in the business.

And he didn’t just get one, but two, surprise celebrations to mark the occasion. On the day itself assembled staff surprised him with an afternoon tea celebration and a spanking new barbecue for his Mayo home– a spot where many Sherry Fitz staff have been hosted down the years.

On Friday at 25 Fitzwilliam Place, Fitzer was led into a throng of faces from Sherry Fitz past. They included former chairman Frank Belton, who recalled beating manners into Fitzer and the young lads back in the early days. There also were Tommy Lombard, Des O'Malley, previous board members and two former personal assistants. Longtime pal and colleague Simon Ensor spoke while Dearbhail, Fitzer's wife, brought the house down.

A whistlestop slideshow of career highlights recalled the launch of the countrywide franchise, the purchase of the new homes business from Ross McParland, expansion into the Rebel county, the move into the commercial space with the launch of DTZ, the flotation of Sherry Fitz in 1999 and the acquisition of London agency Marsh & Parsons in 2005 .

Famous utterances, fondly referred to as “Markisms” , including this chestnut: “When I started in the business the people selling houses were either mature and married… or dead.”

But a couple of great Fitzer moments were also overlooked, including the short-lived introduction of “lovely lady” air hostess-style uniforms in the 1990s for the selling agents – a notion that went down like a lead balloon.

Then there was the time he called for the rural relocation of elderly owners of large Dublin homes to free up the properties for young families.

Fitzer moments aside, he remains a visionary within the industry, passionate about property and respected by staff and peers in equal measure. Looking forward to the next 40.