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Services & Supports
Communications Office
Press Release
TWO DISTINGUISHED FIGURES FROM THE WORLD OF BUSINESS CONFERRED WITH HONARARY DEGREES BY THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND AT NUI MAYNOOTH
18 May 1999
At a meeting of the National University of Ireland today, Tuesday 18 May 1999, at NUI Maynooth, honorary degrees will be conferred on two distinguished figures from the world of business. The Degree of Doctor of Laws will be conferred on Fermanagh-born businessman Mr Sean Quinn and on industrialist Mr Frank McCabe, recognising their achievements in national and international business.
Frank McCabe, a leading figure in national and international industry, was born in Ballybay, Co Monaghan. He received the Degree of BE in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin and a Degree of MSc from Clarkson University in New York. His early career was with ASEA in Sweden and after he obtained his Master’s Degree he was responsible for starting up General Electric Semiconductor in Dundalk, Co Louth, which went on to employ 1,800 people. He was subsequently appointed Managing Director of General Electric European Semiconductor and Consumer Electronics Business based in Ireland. In 1979 he was appointed Managing Director of Digital’s European Manufacturing and Engineering Operations, later moving to corporate roles in Digital in Massachusetts in the US. Frank McCabe joined Intel in 1994 as Vice President of Technology and Manufacturing, based in Leixlip, Co Kildare. In his concurrent role as General Manager, Intel Ireland, employment grew to over 4,000. He retired from Intel in February 1999. He was also part-time Chairman of Shannon Development from 1975 to 1985.
Sean Quinn was born the son of a small farmer, in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh. He formed his first company, Sean Quinn Quarries Ltd, in 1973, supplying washed sand and gravel to local builders and farmers. In the 26 years since its foundation, the company has been transformed from a local enterprise into one of the largest private companies in Ireland. Today the Sean Quinn Group employs over 1,500 people nationwide and has an annual turnover of £120m in its manufacturing, hotel and leisure, public house, insurance and other businesses.
Quinn Glass Ltd is currently in the process of building a new £60m container glass manufacturing plant in Co Fermanagh, which will employ 320 people, while Sean Quinn’s most recent project is the construction of a new £65m cement factory outside Ballyconnell in Co Cavan. Sean Quinn has made a major contribution to economic development at local and national level, successfully creating sustainable employment on a significant scale in a peripheral border region.
For further information contact:
Eileen Banks, Head of Communications, NUI Maynooth. Tel: 01-7083363