THE OPTIMISM, tenacity and perseverance that defined Michael Whelan's career and his life were ultimately overcome last year by cancer, but only after a battle that lasted over 25 years.
Michael was born in Athenry, Co Galway in 1932, the eldest son of Michael and Mary Whelan, prominent merchants in the town. From the day of his birth on May 1st - the locally celebrated "Lady's Day" - he was marked out as something special. Throughout his childhood, he excelled at a formidable range of activities, from scholastic achievement - he was considered joining the Redemptorist seminary at one point - to more worldly pursuits, notably snooker and boxing. All these interests were to prove invaluable as he went on to board in Castleknock College and later study law at UCD.
As a student in the early 1950s and as auditor of the law society in particular, Michael's heroic vision for Ireland's emerging state took shape. In spite of the economic difficulties of that post-war period, he had an unshakeable conviction that Ireland would establish a unique and powerful place on the world stage.
He had an equally profound confidence in his own capabilities. After qualifying as a barrister, and marrying Maureen Ryan from Oola, Co Limerick, he emigrated to Canada in 1955 to test his mettle on an international stage.
His early years as a corporate lawyer with Shell in Canada and later in New York opened his eyes to the potential of oil exploration in Ireland. If there were oil reserves on the continental shelf off Newfoundland, why not explore the same geological formations off the west coast of Ireland?
This was an insight he would put to the test years later with the formation of Aran Energy.
Always keen to return home to Ireland, he joined Air Lingus in 1959 to set up its New York office and the transatlantic route. He moved back to Dublin with Aer Lingus in 1962 and moved to Bord Fáilte as marketing director in 1965.
He might have continued to pursue his vision for Ireland in the public sector had his path not been traumatically altered in 1970 when he was involved in a near fatal car crash. Throughout his extended period of recuperation, his thoughts returned to oil and the idea that had been born in Canada years earlier became a plan. He established Aran Energy in 1973.
The story of Aran Energy, with all its legends of boardroom battles and international triumphs, may be written at another time. But even though Aran became the genesis for an entire Irish exploration sector, the story is mostly about the tenacity and perseverance of one man and his ability to remain optimistic and motivate others when defeat seemed inevitable.
One colleague tells the story of the day Aran was about to announce a successful licensing round for drilling off the west coast when the award was withdrawn at the last minute, crushing the already funded plans for the next three years. Rebounding quickly from the blow, Michael called a meeting of senior managers on the same day and announced, "We're taking over a North Sea company." Months later the City of London was stunned to hear the news that "green knight" Aran Energy had acquired Petrolex, a company three times its size.
Many battles followed and more were won than lost. The last battle for Aran came in 1995 when Arco made a hostile bid for the company and with a final flourish Michael persuaded Statoil to make a higher offer, increasing shareholder value and becoming a legend in Houston in the process.
For those who crossed swords with him in business, he was a vigorous but honourable opponent.
For those who knew him well, he was a charming, entertaining and generous friend. For those who loved him, he was and will always remain our hero.
BMW