Owen O’Callaghan: A hometown hero dogged by controversy

O’Callaghan’s reputation was marred by his dealings with Bertie Ahern, but few people in Cork cared about that

Owen O’Callaghan in front of Opera Lane in Cork city centre Picture: Barlok Photo
Tom Gilmartin leaves the Mahon Tribunal in June 2007 Pic: RollingNews

Owen O’Callaghan, the property developer who died last weekend and who was buried on Wednesday, was one of the most important individuals in the economic life of Cork over the last 50 years – and the many generous and glowing tributes to him since his passing reflected that appropriately. Those eulogies were deserved, but they were also incomplete.

Nobody would expect the formalities of ...