Searing study of O’Reilly’s life and times

The Maximalist: The Rise and Fall of media mogul

Tony O’Reilly: ‘a relentless perfectionist’ Picture: Fran Veale

BIOGRAPHY: The Maximalist: The Rise and Fall of Tony O’Reilly

By Matt Cooper

Gill & Macmillan, €33.25

Reviewed by Andrew Lynch

Tony O’Reilly has always been fascinated by the life of Winston Churchill. When asked once to explain this by a BBC interviewer, Ireland’s first billionaire gave a highly revealing answer.

“Churchill was and continues to be an inspiration,” O’Reilly said. “He felt that he was very important, and I suppose that is ...