The Big Interview

‘Disney popped up and said, ‘Look, we’ve got Ratatouille, would you guys look at it?’’ – Colm O’Farrell, Deluxe Group

The entertainment space is on the up, but for the specialist fit-out company chair who works with some of the world’s biggest theme parks, there’s no drama

Colm O’Farrell, chairman, Deluxe Group, pictured at company HQ in Portadown, Northern Ireland: ‘There is a really rich and vibrant pool of people here now. It is a testament to the North because we are such a small place, such a skilled place as well.’ Picture: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker

Colm O’Farrell’s career has given him exposure to the world of dramatic entertainment.

As chairman of the Deluxe Group, a specialist fit-out company founded by his father in 1969, he has worked on projects including the Jurassic World ‘VelociCoaster’ in Orlando, the Ghostbusters ride in Dubai, and the Game of Thrones studio in Co Down.

More recently the group has finished an augmented reality giant-size version of the computer game Mario Kart at Super Nintendo ...