Obituaries

Tom Cavanagh: Businessman and philanthropist who gave most of his money away

Cork native owned the largest Ford dealership in the country while dedicating much of his time and money to charitable causes

Tom Cavanagh at the opening of the Cavanagh pedestrian bridge at University College Cork in 2020. It was name after him in tribute to his lifelong philanthropic dedication to the university, where he had once been a student. Photograph: Clare Keogh

Sat Oct 22 2022 - 00:00

Born: September 6th, 1931

Died: September 8th, 2022

Cork businessman and philanthropist Tom Cavanagh has died aged 91. The Fermoy native, who once owned the largest Ford dealership in the country, was the founder of Irish Business Against Litter and a supporter of social and educational projects, in particular those of his alma mater, University College Cork (UCC).

Over the years, Cavanagh’s business interests straddled many sectors, from directorships at Warner Lambert pharmaceuticals and Hickson Chemicals to the board of AIB and a member of United Property Holdings alongside prominent businessmen Loughlin Quinn, Dermot Desmond, JP McManus, Martin Magnier and Michael Smurfit. He also held a stake in the Conrad Hotel in Dublin for a time.

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Renowned for his passionate belief in helping young people achieve their educational goals, he maintained close involvement with the projects supported by the Tomar Trust, the philanthropic organisation which he and his late wife, Marie, founded in the 1980s.

The Tomar Trust build up its funds through investments from the sale of shares in Wheels car leasing company and Acorn finance company. It has dispersed over €85 million to youth-related causes in Ireland and beyond since its inception. In recognition of his generosity — some of which remained very private — Cavanagh was awarded the inaugural William Horatio medal for philanthropy at UCC in 2011.

Tom Cavanagh (centre) in 2003 with Pat The Cope Gallagher TD (left), presenting Mary Fitzpatrick, the town clerk of Cavan County Council, with a plaque awarding Cavan first place in the 2003 Anti-Litter League, organised by Cavanagh's group, Irish Business Against Litter.

Throughout his life, Cavanagh was very involved in UCC and was a member of the UCC finance committee, its governing board and a director of the Cork University Foundation. He was awarded an honorary doctorate at the university in 1995.

He provided finance for the new pharmacy building at UCC in 2006, and in 2020 the Cavanagh pedestrian bridge in the grounds of the university was named in honour of his lifelong commitment to the third-level institution.

He berated politicians for not taking a firmer stance against litter through legislation

“His generosity always had a purpose and he was adamant that value for money was obtained and that everything was for the benefit of the students,” said John O’Halloran, president of UCC.

In 1996, Cavanagh founded the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) as an alliance of companies with a shared belief that continued economic prosperity — notably in the areas of tourism, food and direct foreign investment — was contingent on a clean, litter-free environment. At the time, he berated politicians for not taking a firmer stance against litter through legislation. As the organisation evolved, its remit spread beyond towns to include city suburbs, waterways and beaches across the country.

Name and shame

Cavanagh was a driving force behind the success of IBAL and in 2002, he devised the anti-litter league to name and shame poorly performing areas so local authorities would give a higher priority to clean environment. His hometown of Fermoy was a consistent high performer in the anti-litter league.

“Tom Cavanagh was a man of great compassion, generosity and social awareness. He brought a business focus to cleaning up the country,” said Conor Hogan of IBAL.

In 2014, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and the then president of the Irish Hotels Federation, Michael Vaughan, awarded him for his services to the hospitality sector in Ireland. And in 2020, his contribution to the business and social fabric of Cork was acknowledged when he became just the third native Cork man to be inducted in the Cork Person of the Year Awards Hall of Fame.

Tom Cavanagh grew up in Fermoy, the eldest of three children of Bridget (née O’Connor) and Tom Cavanagh. Following his education at the Christian Brothers school in Fermoy, he moved to Cork to study business at UCC, after which he completed his higher diploma.

He was an accomplished athlete, hurler, footballer and basketball player. He won the “Best Sports All Rounder” award three times while at UCC. He kept the connection with athletics alive through his involvement with Cork City Sports and in 1975, he was chef d’equipe, leading out the Irish team at the World Student Games in Moscow. He also attended all the Olympic Games during his adult years.

Initially, he had no interest in cars. However, he built up the business to the point that it employed 300 people and became the biggest Ford dealership in Ireland

Following his studies, he began a teaching career and was about to go to the United States when his father became ill. His father’s subsequent retirement led to him taking over the family’s car dealership instead and becoming managing director at the age of 25.

Initially, he had no interest in cars. However, he built up the business to the point that it employed 300 people and became the biggest Ford dealership in Ireland.

He met his future wife, Belfast-born Marie O’Neill, at a Sigerson Cup match (third-level Gaelic football Championships) in Belfast in 1952. The couple married in 1956 and settled in Fermoy, where their four children grew up. A devout Catholic, he was also the chairman of the restoration of Cobh Cathedral and together with his wife, once had breakfast with Pope John Paul II on a visit to Italy through his involvement with this project.

Business skills

When still in his 60s, he made the decision to pull back from the front of house and delegated responsibility to various employees, to whom he later sold most of the business. His son Conor Cavanagh continued to run CAB car dealership in Cork City until 2021.

Utterly committed to philanthropy, he had a good eye for individuals who would benefit most from his financial support and business skills. Graham Clifford, who is the CEO of Sanctuary Runners, a community-based organisation that brings people together through running and walking, has received funding from the Tomar Trust. “Tom felt connected to the people whose ideas he supported and he brought his wisdom, experience and business acumen to their projects, allowing them achieve more than they could have without him. He empowered people and it was always a hand up rather than a handout,” says Clifford.

He played golf when staying in the family’s holiday home in Lahinch, Co Clare. He and his wife also travelled to Italy every year, where he enjoyed speaking Italian having returned to UCC to study the language in his latter years.

‘He had such a strong social consciousness and an interest in everything. He wanted to die a pauper and he had very few assets left when he died’

Although still engrossed in new projects, Cavanagh cared for his wife during her illness from 2013 until her death in 2017. He himself remained mentally alert and bristling with new ideas for improving life of Irish and immigrant communities right up to his death. His daughter, Maeve O’Shaughnessy, who now works for the Tomar Trust said: “He had such a strong social consciousness and an interest in everything. He wanted to die a pauper and he had very few assets left when he died.”

Tom Cavanagh is survived by his children, Fiona, Conor, Maeve and Ronan, 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, and his sister Máire. He was predeceased by his wife, Marie, and his sister Nuala.

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