The death of Joe Horan on May 5th, 2024, has left a void in Irish corporate and public life. Though his work as a communications and executive coach was never in the spotlight, his influence extended across secretaries general of government departments, CEOs of our largest state agencies and Education and Training Boards, and leaders of some of the highest performing companies in the energy, legal, pharma, technology and financial sectors. Many senior people in these organisations, responsible for billions in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs, were shaped in part by Joe’s steady hand and sharp mind.
As the founder of Frontline Communications, he was a mentor, a strategist, and a trusted confidant to his clients, developing their communication and influencing skills. As Andrew Brownlee, CEO of Solas, puts it: “Joe was in many ways, a ‘horse whisperer’ for leadership, guiding countless individuals to positions where they could drive real change. I wouldn’t be the CEO today if it wasn’t for Joe’s help, and I wouldn’t have been able to set out so clearly the growth and transformation agenda that we have been able to realise over the last few years.”
Because Joe worked with unwavering discretion, there is no accurate count of the number of people and organisations he helped to grow. Yet through word of mouth, his influence spread. As Oonagh McPhillips, secretary general, of the Department of Justice says: “Joe used his sharp analytical mind, combined with empathy and insight to help so many people fulfil their potential. He was passionate about developing the public service and I will always be grateful for his support to me personally, and to many others I referred to him over the last decade or so, who found his unique approach very helpful.”
Born in Donegal on November 25th, 1951, and raised in Moate, Co Westmeath, with siblings John, Máire, Anne, Bríd and Martin, Joe attended the Carmelite College, later going on to study English at UCG, where he met Merci Fahy. They built a lifelong love and marriage that spanned more than 50 years.
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Joe’s professional life began with six happy years as a teacher at De La Salle in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. But he wanted to see something of life beyond the realm of education and so, in 1978, he moved his young family to Swords, Co Dublin and took the adventurous leap into the business world at Burroughs Corporation and later Nixdorf Computers. Throughout this time, he learned his craft as a communicator, in sales, negotiations and presentations. It was at Nixdorf that he met Bunny Carr and Tom Savage. This had a seismic effect on Joe and he joined Carr Communications. Five years later, he started his own firm, Frontline Communications.
Beyond his professional life, Joe was a man of deep warmth, generosity, and elegance. He was the consummate host. His passion for words and language extended beyond his coaching. He was a poet, a lover of Crosaire in this paper, and a man who appreciated the precision and beauty of a well-expressed idea.
In August 2023, Joe was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. Though his initial treatments went well, he achieved remission for only a few weeks in early 2024. In his final months, he faced his illness with characteristic strength and grace. His death last year was sudden and shocking.
Joe Horan changed lives, not by seeking the spotlight but by helping others step into it. His legacy lives on in the leaders he shaped, the friendships he nurtured, and the family he adored. He is survived by his wife Merci, children Rachel, David and Jane, their partners Chris, Sarah and Jonathan, and his granddaughters Lauren, Hannah and Grace.
Joe’s absence will be deeply felt, but his legacy remains—woven into the fabric of Ireland’s public and private sectors, in the decisions made by those he guided, and in the leaders who carry forward his wisdom.
