Fortunes of Ulster's richest rise by a record £10 billion
Monday, April 28, 2008
By Claire McNeilly
Northern Ireland's wealthiest people saw their fortunes rocket to £10.7
billion last year, the highest increase ever recorded.
Statistics unveiled by yesterday's Sunday Times Rich List showed that the
province had one of the largest hikes in wealth of any British or Irish
region.
There was also a record six new entrants from the province onto the list of
the top 1,000 richest in Britain.
Heading up the Ulster rankings is Sean Quinn, the Fermanagh-based building
products and financial services magnate.
The 61-year-old billionaire and his family have seen their Derrylin-based
empire, which includes quarries, hotels, insurance and industry , prosper
and it is estimated to be worth a tidy £3.7 billion.
The Quinns were ranked top in Ireland and twelfth in the UK on the 2008 Rich
Lists.
The Quinn empire is followed on the list by the construction industry's
Kevin and Michael Lagan, thought to be worth £928m.
Brothers Kevin (58) and Michael (52) and their creation, the Belfast-based
Lagan Group, specialise in large construction projects across the world.
In third place locally is Lord Ballyedmond, sporting a £570m fortune,
principally derived from his Newry-based pharmaceutical company Norbrook
Laboratories.
The 64-year-old, who has property in Ireland, Cannes in France, and London,
has romped home at number 124 on the UK list.
All three front-runners have retained their positions from last year's
listing.
Of the new entrants, meanwhile, bookmaker Barney Eastwood and his wife
Frances, both aged 76, were ranked highest.
They sold their chain to Ladbrokes, but still retain many of the properties,
helping them to have amassed £190m and a place on list.
Fellow bookmakers, John and Kathleen Boyle, both 52 and from Newry, and
owners of Dundalk-based Boylesports, also made it past the £80m line that
allows entry onto the main British list.
Joining them is the Derry-born and Malibu-based actress Roma Downey (47).
Last year she married former British paratrooper Mark Burnett, who has made
£120m by producing reality shows such as The Apprentice in America.
Also making their debut are Armagh brothers Gerald and John Murphy, from the
£120m made from Ireland's largest vehicle recycling business.
The main UK list was headed by Lakshmi Mittal and his family, who are worth
£27 billion.
Top 10 billionaires
1 Lakshmi Mittal and family, Steel - £27,700m
2 Roman Abramovich, Oil and industry - £11,700m
3 The Duke of Westminster, Property - £7,000m
4 Sri and Gopi Hinduja, Industry and finance - £6,200m
5 Alisher Usmanov, Steel and mines - £5,726m
6 Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli, Pharmaceuticals - £5,650m
7 Hans Rausing and family, Packaging - £5,400m
8 John Fredriksen, Shipping -£4,650m
9 Sir Philip and Lady Green, Retailing - £4,330m
10 David and Simon Reuben, Property - £4,300m
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