Former Allergan MD Colam O’Neill dies

BUSINESS LEADER The late Colam O'Neill is pictured in is office in Allergan just before his retirement in December, 2005. Pic: Cormac Ó Cionnaith


Colam O’Neill (67) was one of the most influential managers at the successful Westport plant

Edwin McGreal

Colam O’Neill, the former Managing Director of Allergan Pharmaceuticals in Westport, died this morning after a short illness. Mr O’Neill was 67.
A native of Dublin, he lived in Mayo since the 1970s, most recently at Moyhastin in Westport.
He is mourned by his wife Mary (nee Bourke), sons Finbar and Conor, daughters Aoife and Orla, brother Eoin, sisters Eithne and Caitriona, nine grandchildren, daughters-in-law Aisling, Gemma and Emma Joyce, son-in-law Tom Bourke, wider family and a wide circle of friends.
He was predeceased by his son Neill, former Managing Editor of The Mayo News, who died suddenly last October, and his grandson SeΡn, in June 2004.
Colam O’Neill was one of the first members of staff at Allergan Pharmaceuticals in Westport when it set up operations in 1977.
He worked as a manager from the outset, taking over from Jim Kiely as Managing Director in 1989. He remained in that role until 2005, when he retired.
Under Mr O’Neill’s leadership, the numbers employed by Allergan at its Westport base more than doubled, and to this day he is credited with turning Allergan into one of the leading companies in the west of Ireland.
Prior to working with Allergan, Mr O’Neill was a manager of Travenol in Castlebar (now Baxter) from 1974-77.
A keen golfer, the late Mr O’Neill was a former Captain and President of Westport Golf Club. 
He will repose at Navin’s Funeral Home, Westport, on Friday evening from 4pm to 7pm. His funeral Mass will take place in St Mary’s Church in Westport on Saturday at 12.30pm, with burial afterwards in Aughavale Cemetery. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílís.