Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Richard Humphreys,
He was
educ UCD (Mechanical Engineering).
Auditor of UCD
Mechanical Engineering Society
(NOT Engineering Society).
BE
UCD 1959.
M.I.Mech.E. (Member of Institution of Mechanical Engineers).
C.Eng. (Chartered Engineer).
Worked for his relation
Aodogán O'Rahilly
in gypsum mines, Co.Cavan, as at 1960.
He met Deirdre in June 1960.
He worked in O'Mara family company
Donnelly's, Dublin, 1961-1963.
Stephen O'Mara
was Managing Director.
He started going out with Deirdre c.1963.
Move to Galway, c.1964 to 1971:
He moved to Galway c.1964.
Went into marble
business. He made souvenirs
as Irish Stone Ltd.
Move to Dublin, 1971:
In Oct 1971 he joined the
Gowan motor company
(later Gowan Group).
Gowan's had been founded in 1969.
They were
importers (and assemblers)
of Peugeot cars
for Ireland.
He was
Sales Manager and Development Manager,
Gowan motor company,
Dublin, 1971 to 1989.
Family moved to Dublin early Dec 1971.
He worked mainly in Gowan's offices on the
Long Mile Road
(start of Naas Rd).
The "Thomond" prototype:
In the early 1970s,
Richard made designs for a prototype car
with a novel high-visibility windscreen and seating design.
He built a full-size mock-up of the car.
He called it the "Thomond"
after the Thomond car
his father built in the 1920s.
He got
MBA
UCD 1975.
In 1975 Richard co-founded
Deerpark Tennis Club,
in
Deerpark,
Mount Merrion.
He was first Chairman.
List of Chairpersons starts with him in 1976 and 1977.
Deirdre went back to teaching think 1976.
In 1970s she did a
H.Dip.Ed.
(Higher Diploma in Education)
in TCD.
She worked for
Mrs. Milmo's
pre-school / primary school,
55 Ailesbury Road,
think 1976 to 1984.
Richard and Deirdre had a summer house on
Gurteen Beach
in Roundstone, Co.Galway.
This
house is now gone.
Deirdre did Dip.Cat. (Diploma in Catechetics) UCD.
She became an RE teacher.
Richard was involved with the
Pro-Life Amendment Campaign
which got the
Eighth Amendment
passed in
1983 to ban abortion.
He was a founder member of Family Solidarity
in 1983.
Deirdre taught Religious Education from c.1985 to c.2000 in
Mount Sackville
girls' secondary school,
Chapelizod, W Dublin.
(School is named after "Mount Sackville" lodge,
built for
George Sackville, 1st Viscount Sackville.)
Richard was spokesman for Family Solidarity in
anti-divorce campaign
1986.
He was a lifelong
Pioneer.
He sold 36 Pearse St in 1989.
His Gowan's job ended in company restructuring in 1989.
Had to get a new job at age 52.
Iceflo Systems, Limerick:
In 1990
Richard
joined Iceflo Systems,
a small engineering company, based in Limerick.
He was
Managing Director.
Then
CEO of Iceflo International Ltd.
Iceflo partnered with
McCann's Engineering
(soft drink dispensing equipment), Los Angeles (founded 1950).
Richard restored the
Old Town Hall, Limerick,
in 1992.
Charles Humphreys
also involved in the project.
Opened by
Desmond O'Malley
11 Sept 1992.
He was
President of MBA Association 1995.
Deirdre retired from Mt Sackville c.2000.
Richard set up Internet company,
"Global Pages",
later "Today's Pages".
Site created 2000.
Richard was
involved in Eurosceptic campaigns against the
Nice Treaty
in
2001
and
2002.
He was in New York on business when 9/11 happened.
See postcard
home on 15 Sept 2001.
He was
President of
Mount Merrion Residents Association
2004-2005
(formed 1935, said to be the oldest
residents association in Ireland).
He set up a Eurosceptic group, EUReform,
to campaign
against the
Treaty of Lisbon.
Public launch 11 Jan 2008.
See report
on EUReform,
RTE One TV,
1 o'clock news,
11 January 2008.
See from 16:03 to 17:36.
He only died a month after EUReform launch.
After his death the Lisbon Treaty would be
rejected
by the Irish electorate in June 2008.
Though they would then be made to vote again in Oct 2009.
Richard dies, 2008:
He died Wed 27 Feb 2008,
of sudden and unexpected illness,
St Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin,
age 70 yrs.
He was bur Saggart, near his parents' grave.
See
memorial page.
I did not get to do his DNA because he died too early.
Ancestry DNA was only launched in UK/Ireland in 2015.
I did his brother Niall's DNA.
Deirdre dies, 2024:
She
died 15 March 2024, age 87 yrs, at the Marlay Nursing Home, near Marlay Park.
She was bur Saggart with Richard.
See
Photos of Richard Humphreys.
See
Photos of Deirdre Flanagan.
Richard and Deirdre had issue:
Grave of
Richard and Deirdre, Saggart.
Photo 2024.
See 2008 photo (when it was just Richard).
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