denis o brien super yacht

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Costa Palmas
• L’Atelier
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• Scott Dunn Travel
• Wilson Audio
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

8 Fascinating Facts About ‘Nero,’ a 295-Foot Superyacht Inspired by a 1930s Classic

We step aboard the star of this week's palm beach international boat show to glimpse behind the curtains of yachting's most interesting build., howard walker, howard walker's most recent stories.

• This 112-Foot Superyacht Has an Interior That’ll Make Your Manhattan Condo Jealous
• This 1967 Shelby GT500 Has Been Reimagined to Perfection. Now It’s up for Grabs.
• One of Ferrari’s Earliest Formula 1 Cars Is Now Up for Grabs
• Share This Article

It’s described as the “most head-turning yacht on the planet,” and this week, the classically styled Corsair Yachts Nero is the undisputed headliner at Palm Beach International Boat Show.

At just under 300 feet long, the beautiful hull is too lengthy for the docks at the main show area on the West Palm Beach waterfront, so it is being displayed to potential charter clients in the nearby Safe Harbor Rybovich superyacht marina.

Nero is at the show to entice charter clients (through Burgess Yachts) for summer cruises in the Med and winters in the Caribbean. With Nero’s British captain David McMorrow as our guide, Robb Report took a tour of this iconic superyacht, discovering fascinating facts about this so-called “Spirit of Corsair,” based on financier J.P. Morgan Jr.’s series of Corsair yachts in the 1920s and 30s.

Here are eight unknown facts about this remarkable vessel.

One Man’s Success Leads to Another Man’s Dream

Back in 2004, the British videogame entrepreneur and yachtsman Neil Taylor set out to find and restore a classic motoryacht in the style of American banking legend J.P. Morgan Jr.’s series of yachts named Corsair . Unable to find a suitable candidate, he took the bold decision to build his own, styled on Morgan’s last Corsair, the 350-foot Corsair IV (above) launched in 1930. Such was Taylor’s commitment and passion to the project that he designed both the yacht’s exterior and interior layout himself, only turning to U.K.-based IMT Marine Consultants for the naval architecture and hull design. Built under tight secrecy, the steel-hulled Nero , as the yacht was christened, was launched in 2008.

A Shipyard Was Created to Build It

Taylor had hoped to use a European yard to turn his dream into reality. But in the end, he formed his own company, Corsair Yachts, and signed a deal with China’s Yantai Raffles Shipyard to rent its entire facility and 400-strong workforce. He also pulled together a team of 30 specialists who had previously worked with pedigreed builders Lürssen, Benetti, and OceanFast for the most technical work. It was not a quick process: Taylor micro-managed every stage of the yacht’s construction, which took over four years. 

Plenty of Power and a Fake Smokestack

Nero is powered by a pair of slow-spinning, commercial-grade MaK/Caterpillar diesels, rated 2,333 hp each. Flat out, it can run at 16 knots, though Capt. McMorrow prefers to cruise at a more sedate 11 knots. With the fuel tanks topped off with 46,000 gallons of diesel, the yacht has a range of over 4,500 nautical miles, burning just 118 gallons an hour at 14.5 knots. To keep it stable in those Atlantic swells, the yacht has four Naiad fin stabilizers, a full keel and extensive ballasting. “She’s incredibly stable even in the roughest of seas, and remarkably quiet,” says McMorrow. As for that distinctive yellow and black funnel on the top deck, it’s just for decoration.

A Fitness Lover’s Dream

As part of Nero ‘s major refit in Genoa, Italy, in 2021, the cozy sundeck den, or “snug,” was transformed into a state-of-the-art gym. It’s filled with the latest Technogym equipment, including a multi-function Kinesis machine, treadmill, cross-trainer and cardio bike. Steps away is the 18.7-foot-long resistance pool on the foredeck, along with a Jacuzzi at the stern. Naturally, one of the crew is a certified physical trainer. The previous location of the gym is now a beauty salon and massage area. Nero ‘s teak-covered top deck, at over 200 feet long, makes a perfect jogging track. And when the yacht is under way, that forward pool is drained and becomes a garage for the yacht’s 16-foot Nautica RIB. 

The 2016 Refit That Changed Everything

When Neil Taylor sold Nero in 2014, reportedly to Irish billionaire and Digicel telecommunications founder Denis O’Brien, the yacht headed to the MB92 shipyard in Barcelona for an eight-month major interior refit. The yacht’s original interior designer, Laura Pomponi of Italy’s Luxury Projects, oversaw the process, and it involved an exhaustive process of refinishing all the golden, high-gloss walls, ceilings, furniture, and joinery to a more contemporary, Hamptons-beach-house style. That meant many months of varnish removal and complex lime-washing. The refit also included stripping over 4,000 pieces of brass hardware and refinishing them in silver. Reupholstering Nero ‘s multitude of chairs and sofas involved well over a mile of new fabrics.

Toppled Over in a Drydock

Preparing for routine maintenance work at the Amico & Co dry-dock in Genoa, Italy, in 2019, Nero tipped over on to its port side while the dry-dock chamber was being emptied. According to a report at the time by Italy’s Liguria Nautica website, six crew members suffered minor injuries after a hull support in the dry dock collapsed under the strain of Nero ‘s weight. Despite the 30-degree angle, the vessel was said not to have touched the concrete walls and was successfully refloated.

The Owner’s Suite Spans Two Levels

“It really is fit for a king, and to me it’s the jewel in Nero ‘s crown,” says McMorrow, describing the vessel’s sprawling owner’s suite. Located on the main deck, it spans the yacht’s full beam and features an adjoining lounge on one side with a big-screen TV, and, on the other, twin, over-stuffed sofas, and a private den with a desk and conference table. Separate his-and-hers marble-lined bathrooms have huge walk-in closets and dressing rooms. A staircase leads up into Nero ‘s private observation lounge with access to the pool on the foredeck.

The Mini-Me Tender

A classically styled yacht requires a classically styled tender. So Nero ‘s elegant 31-foot ’30s-style wooden launch was built by Corsair Yachts in China by the same craftsmen who constructed the mothership. And when Nero went in for its latest refit in 2021, the tender also got a new coat of paint and varnish, new upholstery and a mechanical overhaul. “It’s a piece of art. Guests love seeing this tender as it approaches a dock for pick-up,” says McMorrow, noting top speed is an impressive 30 knots. The launch features mahogany construction, teak decks, and a low-profile cabin to keep guests protected from the elements.

Read More On:

More marine.

Forget F1. A-Lister’s Are Getting Into the SailGP Racing Game.

This Luxe 157-Foot Catamaran Lets You Explore the Galápagos With a Personal Butler

This New 79-Foot Sailing Catamaran Is Like a Pied-à-Terre for the High Seas

You Can Now Play Padel Ball on the Deck of Your Superyacht

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Meet ‘Sarastar,’ the 197-Foot Superyacht With the Wildest Interior on the High Seas

Hermes Catamaran in Photos

More from our brands, fashion industry reacts to roberto cavalli’s death, coyotes’ name, logo to remain in phoenix while team relocates, rico wade, key outkast producer and member of organized noize, dies at 52, artists rejected from polish pavilion to stage independent show in venice, the best running water bottles according to marathoners.

The Stunning Ritz Carlton EVRIMA Yacht

Gliding Across Tokyo’s Sumida River: The Mesmerizing Zipper Boat

CROCUS Yacht: An 48 Meter Beauty by Admiral

PHI Yacht – Royal Huisman’s $45 Million Superyacht

• Zuretti Interior Design
• Zuretti Interior
• Zuccon International Project
• Ziyad al Manaseer
• Zaniz Interiors. Kutayba Alghanim
• Yuriy Kosiuk
• Yuri Milner
• Yersin Yacht

• Superyachts

NERO Yacht – Awesome $70 Superyacht

Inspired by J.P Ridley’s Golden Age CORSAIR IV yacht, the NERO’s design reflects chic styles and an opulent aesthetic on the water.

She was designed by Neil Taylor and built by Yantai Raffles Shipyard in China. She features interior design by Laura Pomponi.

Delivered in 2007 as an excellent replica of the classic 1930s superyacht, she is the epitome of luxury on the water.

NERO yacht interior

Neil Taylor commissioned the interior of the NERO yacht to reflect the appearance of J.P Ridley’s 1930s luxury vessel, CORSAIR IV. Laura Pomponi from Luxury Projects created the interior design.

She features deluxe furnishings and a contemporary style throughout the yacht, with subtle blue hues, lime oak, and sleek marble.

The head-turning vessel has accommodations for 12 guests in 6 cabins with one master suite, one VIP, two doubles, two twins, and two convertible rooms.

Accommodations for 21 crew members in 10 cabins ensure a luxury guest stay on the water.

The owner’s duplex is large and offers his and her bathrooms, a private study, an office, and a lounge.

The amenities include expansive deck spaces inside and out for sunbathing, relaxing, and lounging. The deck jacuzzi is perfect for sea views while soaking in the bubbles.

The yacht has a state-of-the-art gym on the sun deck that includes top-of-the-range equipment for pilates, yoga, cross-training, cardio bike, treadmill, etc. A qualified trainer is also on board to complement the fully equipped gym.

The yacht has a beauty salon on the upper deck, with a beautician and masseuse on board. Relaxing in the evening is easy with the state-of-the-art movie theatre on board.

The yacht features a pool and a host of swimming options that include water slides from the top deck and a swimming platform. The boat has a host of water toys, including jet skis and towable toys.

The exterior design of the NERO yacht is by Neil Taylor and is inspired by the elegance of the 1920s.

The vessel is truly outstanding on the water and features streamlined exterior lines and a classic appearance.

Rigging, a yellow funnel, a black hull, and a cream upper body give NERO a distinguished appearance on the water. She is a custom build from Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard in China and was delivered in 2007.

More recently, she underwent major refits in 2021, adding many more luxury features, including the furnishings in the interior.

Specifications

The NERO yacht is a high-performance yacht with a length of 90.1m, a beam of 12.03m, and a draft of 4.42m. She is powered by twin MAK engines, giving her a cruising speed of 14 knots and a maximum speed of 17 knots.

She has a range of 4500 nautical miles and a displacement of 1384 gross tons. The $70 million yacht has an annual operating cost of $4 – $7 million.

NERO features advanced stabilizers for ultimate comfort levels while onboard. She has won several awards for her impressive design features. 

Nero Yacht in Gibraltar

Do you have anything to add to this listing?

• Denis O’Brien
• Neil Taylor

Love Yachts? Join us.

Related posts.

GRACE Yacht – Incredible $140M Superyacht

SEANNA Yacht – Exquisite Craftsmanship $60M Superyacht

KISMET Yacht – Extraordinaire $200M Superyacht

ANNA Yacht – Charismatic $250M Superyacht

A look at the most expensive superyachts at the Palm Beach yacht show and their insane features, from basketball courts on deck to ice baths and saunas

• The Palm Beach International Boat Show kicks off later this week.
• Eight megayachts are expected to be on display for would-be buyers and charter customers.
• These are the show's biggest yachts — and how many millions of dollars they are going for.

The Palm Beach International Boat Show — the yacht world's flashiest event stateside — is returning this year with over 800 boats for both deep-pocketed potential owners and window shoppers to peruse.

While it's impossible to know what exactly will be on display until the show begins on Thursday, it's expected that eight megayachts — generally defined as ships over 60 meters long — will be docked at the show and at nearby marinas like the Rybovich Marina in the ritzy Florida town.

Some of these are for sale at eye-popping prices, but others are available to charter in case you fancy living like a billionaire for a week or two this summer (and if you have six figures to spare on a vacation).

These are the eight biggest yachts that will be at the Palm Beach International Boat Show and nearby marinas, in size order.

Nero: 90.1 meters

Price: From $497,000 a week (charter) Standout features: Pizza ovens, beauty salon, massage room, resistance pool

Reportedly owned by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien, Nero is modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship , and was built in 2007 and updated in 2021.

She now boasts a gym on her sundeck with multiple cardio machines and a beauty salon, and has an on-board beautician for manicure, pedicure, hair, and massage needs. There's also an upgraded movie theater, two new pizza ovens, and both a pool and a jacuzzi.

For those who want to go overboard, she has more than a dozen toys, including a waterslide, Jet Ski, and flyboard.

Victorious: 85 meters

Price: From $876,600 a week in the summer and $950,000 a week in the winter Standout features: Hammam (Turkish bath), wine cellar, wood-burning fireplace, children's playroom

Victorious brings a party vibe to the yacht show. With a beach club on board, a wine cellar, a cigar clubroom , multiple bars, and a lounge with a piano, the vessel is made for entertaining. Plus, there's a playroom and movie theater to entertain the kids.

For tamer charter clients, Victorious has a suite of wellness features such as a gym, massage room, beauty salon and hammam — perhaps a custom request of her owner, Turkish businessman Vural Ak.

She also boasts a treasure trove of water toys, including Jet Skis, jetsurfs, inflatable kayaks, and scuba equipment.

Casino Royale: 72 meters

Price: TBD Special Features: Infinity pool, helipad, private jacuzzi

Purchased and refitted by car dealer magnate John Staluppi last year, Casino Royale is the latest of his James Bond-inspired yachts (he's also owned an Octopussy and a Skyfall, among others).

Casino Royale has a helipad that turns into a dancefloor, an infinity pool, and a wellness center with a gym and sauna. The owner's cabin has its own deck, which features a private bar and jacuzzi.

Related stories

However, the boat's price isn't listed, and while she's not necessarily officially for sale, that might change depending on who's prepared to buy, Mr. Bond.

Talisman C: 70.6 meters

Price: $60 million (or from $567,000 a week to charter) Special features: Massage and beauty room, private library

Likely the largest yacht for sale (not just charter) at the show, the Talisman C is a 2011 six-bedroom boat. The owner's cabin comes with an en suite bathroom, dressing room, private library, and crystal chandeliers.

Amenities include a gym, a beauty room, oversized jacuzzi, and a fully equipped bar. Her crew of 19 includes a trained masseuse, and the toy room comes equipped with a wakeboard, eFoil , and WaveRunners.

Joy: 70 meters

Price: From $650,000 a week Special features: Disco club, basketball court, onboard fitness instructor

Superyacht Joy testifies to the fact that owners want as many on-board experiences as they can get.

There's an expansive suite of fitness features, including a basketball court (don't shoot that hoop too hard!), a personal trainer on staff, boxing equipment, and a handful of machines. For post-workout winddowns, there's a spa with a steam room and onboard masseuse. And for entertainment, there's both an outdoor and indoor cinema, and a disco club.

Triumph: 65.4 meters

Price: From $707,600 a week in the summer and $650,000 a week in the winter Special features: Sauna, helipad, banana boat

This 2021 superyacht is named after Triumph motorcycles — a reported favorite of her rumored owner, British businessman Chris Dawson — and even has one on display as an art piece in the upper deck's lounge. The primary suite is 1,400 square feet and has its own study , and there's a sauna, an indoor-outdoor gym, a helipad, and a massage room spread among her six decks.

She boasts an "armada of water toys," including two kinds of Jet Skis, electric water bikes, and a banana boat.

Seanna: 64.5 meters

Price: $54,000,000 (or from $462,000 a week to charter) Special features: marble foyer, movie room, sundeck pool

The recently refurbished Seanna is available for sale and charter.

Her indoor-outdoor gym is on sea level so that passengers can take a dip after a session with the onboard personal trainer. There's also a sundeck pool, a helipad, a two-room massage facility, and, for the more cerebral guests, a library with an electric fireplace.

There are a number of toys on board, including a popular water trampoline and two WaveRunners.

Come Together: 60 meters

Price: $65,000,000 Special Features: DJ and videographer on board, ice bath, sauna

Next-to-new yacht Come Together is looking for a new owner after doing charters during the 2023 season.

The Beatles' influence is evident beyond the yacht's name, with guitars dotting the sky lounge and a crewmember who doubles as a DJ. There's also an outdoor cinema and bar for entertainment and an ice bath and sauna for the day after the party. The owner's suite has a private study and lounge, and each guest cabin has its own ensuite.

The sale includes a number of toys, like Jet Skis, kayaks, and Seabobs.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

• Main content

Accessibility Links

Bravo show offers new angle on Denis O’Brien yacht incident

T he reality TV show Below Deck Mediterranean is all about life on some of the most expensive yachts in European waters.

It charts the daily life of the crew members on the superyacht Home. Pivotal to this series is the relationship between the chief steward, Natasha Webb, and the chef, Dave White. Framing the drama was an incident when the yacht wobbled perilously after its stabilisers failed in the shipyard.

This was not the first time this had happened to Webb. She recalled being below deck in another yacht when something similar happened. Only that time it was on Denis O’Brien ’s superyacht Nero, which keeled over in September 2019 while being repaired at the Amico & Co refitting yard in Genoa.

Welcome to the Golden Age of Superyachting

NERO evokes the spirit of 20th Century yachting glamour and successfully combines this with all the luxuries offered on a modern-day superyacht.  Inspired by J. P. Morgan’s fourth imagining of his Corsair yachts, the last of which was launched in 1930, NERO honours a classic lineage.

Pairing classic style with contemporary sophistication, NERO’s aesthetic is unique in modern superyachting.  There’s no mistaking the source of inspiration for NERO’s majestic lines and handsome profile.  From clipper bow to counter stern, NERO’s proportions are beautifully balanced between her masts with a classic yellow stack top adding the final touch to her signature look. More than just a nod to the golden age of yachting.

THE ONBOARD EXPERIENCE

Step aboard NERO to experience the ultimate in quiet luxury.  By balancing her refined early 20th Century interior style with modern day comfort levels, the result is an idyllic setting for guests to enjoy.  NERO can accommodate up to 12 guests in the most exceptional comfort. There are exquisite interior and exterior lounge areas, a choice of formal and casual dining locations, a cinema, fully equipped gym and beauty salon, and an art deco cocktail lounge where a gin rickey can be savoured while contemplating this vessel’s inspiring stature.

LUXURY ON EVERY DECK

Guest and entertainment areas onboard NERO include her expansive sun deck with its Jacuzzi tub and 5.7m resistance pool, multiple alfresco dining and relaxing options as well as the formal dining room, spacious lounges, a cinema room, beauty salon and a state-of-the-art gym.

If staying connected is important whilst onboard, NERO has the latest AV/IT systems installed. NERO is a hub like no other.

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

NERO has an experienced and dedicated crew of 20 providing unrivalled hospitality to all her guests. Carefully selected for their qualifications and knowhow, the crew share a unique passion for yachting and are focused on delivering an unforgettable and first class guest experience.

NERO’s 20 strong crew includes a Michelin level culinary team, masseuse, beautician, fitness coach and water sports instructors.

TENDERS, TOYS & ACTIVITIES

Not exactly what J.P.Morgan would have found on his Corsair yacht, but NERO sits firmly in the 21st Century with her enormous array of water sports equipment. There is something for guests of all ages, from a huge inflatable slide that will send you speeding from the sun deck into the sea, to a fleet of Jet Skis, SeaBobs, kayaks and even a flyboard to entertain even the most adventurous of your group.

NERO is served by three tenders. Her bespoke 9.5m Corsair limousine tender calls to mind the East Coast commuter boats of the 1920s and 1930s. There is also a 7.4m Zeta Elle tender and a 5.2m Nautica RIB.

ACCOMODATION

A spectacular duplex master suite with separate lounge, study, and his-and-hers bathrooms is the highlight of NERO’s accommodation.  The master suite is located on the main deck and enjoys direct access to the observation lounge and pool.

A stylish VIP suite is located on the lower deck, with a spacious bedroom, a private lounge space, a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub, his-and-hers sinks, and a separate shower.

The guest suites comprise four further doubles, with two that are convertible between twin and double arrangements.

Copyright Nero Yacht 2024

• Cars Database
• Moto Database
• Game reviews
• Compare Cars
• BAC Calculator  
• Testdrives archive
• Photo of the Day
• Glossary of automotive terms

Irish Billionaire’s Floating Heaven Is a 1930s’ Yacht Replica Sporting Ultra-Modern Luxury

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other. Full profile

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories

Subscribe to the newsletter

You can rent denis o’brien’s superyacht - for a price.

The latest issue of Boat International – “the global authority in superyachting” – has a report from on board Nero, Denis O’Brien’s vessel, the one that keeled over while being repaired in Genoa in 2019. “On a bright day... [Short citation of 8% of the original article]

About Denis O'Brien

Denis O’Brien is recognised as one of Ireland’s most successful businessmen for his achievements in the telecommunications field. He is also active in a number of other professional fields through his versatile entrepreneurship. Learn about Denis O’Brien’s professional beginnings, his philanthropic efforts and how he founded Digicel Group.

Early Life and Career

Education and Early Career

Communicorp, esat telecom.

O’Brien continued to build his career by stepping into the telecommunications field in 1991 with the formation of Esat Telecom after he met the founder of MCI, Jack Goeken, at the Dublin Horse Show. As the company’s Chairman and CEO, O’Brien led Esat to become the number two telecommunications company in Ireland having won a fixed licence. He floated the company on NASDAQ in 1997 at US$13 per share, selling it in 2000 to British Telecom (BT) for US$2.2 billion with a share price of US$100 per share; today the company is known as BT Ireland. One year later, O’Brien would begin his most successful business venture to date.

Founder and Chairman of Digicel

Today Denis O’Brien is the founder and Chairman of Digicel . He formed the company in 2001 with the goal of bringing modern telecommunications technology to untapped markets in the Caribbean, starting in Jamaica.

Having had his attention drawn by a friend to an advert in the Financial Times placed by the Government of Jamaica inviting tenders for two mobile licences that were up for auction, O’Brien dispatched a trusted colleague to Jamaica to take part in the bidding process and secured a licence for US$47.2 million. With a plan to take on the incumbent, Cable & Wireless, shake things up and ensure that everyone, everywhere could benefit from affordable access to mobile communications, Digicel launched with great fanfare in 2001 and an aim of attracting 100,000 customers to its network in the first year – a target it hit in its first 100 days.

O’Brien led as the Chairman of Digicel for 23 years, stepping down in January 2024. Under his leadership, Digicel expanded into over 32 markets in the Caribbean and across Central America. Today, O’Brien continues to serve Digicel as a member of their board of directors.

Entrepreneurship

Aside from Digicel and Communicorp, Denis O’Brien has many other professional interests that he has supported or launched. O’Brien bought the Irish utilities support company Siteserv in 2012, renamed it as Actavo, and helped expand it into the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, continuing business today. Fuel retailer Topaz Energy was also owned by O’Brien from 2013 until its sale to Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2015.

O’Brien owns two five star luxury resorts; Quinta do Lago resort in the Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal, and PGA Catalunya in Spain. He also owns the Beacon Private Hospital in Dublin, Ireland and a number of other private companies spanning many sectors.

Philanthropy

Denis O’Brien is committed to giving back and providing opportunities to those less fortunate. While Digicel provides telecommunications services to rural communities, the Digicel Foundation was founded by O’Brien in 2004 to further aid these communities. The organisation was formed to bring positive change to the regions that Digicel serves and with an overall aim of helping to create a world where no one gets left behind. O’Brien and the Foundation have initiated programmes and funded community projects in Jamaica, Haiti, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in the areas of education and special needs. With investments of over US$173 million to date that have driven positive outcomes for over three million people, famously, the Digicel Foundation has built 188 schools in Haiti and hundreds of classrooms in Papua New Guinea.

His philanthropy extends to many other organisations and non-profits as well. O’Brien worked closely with Concern Worldwide, an international humanitarian organisation working for a world free of poverty, fear and oppression. O’Brien’s own advocacy for human rights inspired him to become a co-founder of Front Line Defenders , an organisation that lobbies for increased protection for human rights defenders around the globe. O’Brien has shown his commitments to charity too with the Iris O’Brien Foundation, named for his mother, which splits its donations among various domestic and overseas causes. O’Brien is also Chairman of the Council of Patrons for Special Olympics Ireland, formed after the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games that were hosted by Ireland and chaired by O’Brien. These World Games have the distinction of being the most successful World Games ever.

Honours and Awards

Princess grace humanitarian award, award for outstanding achievement, honorary life president, national order of honour and merit, goodwill ambassador.

In 2010, the City of Port-au-Prince named O’Brien Goodwill Ambassador for his and Digicel’s role in helping to rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake that hit the country in January of 2010.

Honorary Doctor of Laws

In 2006, O’Brien’s alma mater University College Dublin awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his successes as a businessman and entrepreneur.

In 2015, The University of the West Indies in Jamaica awarded O’Brien an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his services provided to the Caribbean through Digicel.

Order of Jamaica

Lifetime achievement award, ireland entrepreneur of the year, irish america hall of fame.

Denis was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame at the organisation’s 2022 Business 100 awards lunch for his humanitarian efforts, particularly in regard to improving education in underprivileged communities.

Clinton Global Citizen Award

In 2013, The Clinton Foundation honoured O’Brien with the prestigious Clinton Global Citizen Award at the Foundation’s 6th annual awards ceremony for his work in Haiti following the horrific 2010 earthquake. O’Brien is also Chairman of the Haiti Action Network through the Clinton Global Initiative.

Contact Denis O’Brien »

Denis O’Brien on track to make over €100m profit in sale of Beacon Hospital

Deal marks further shrinking of businessman’s empire as australian financial services giant macquarie to pay €400m for facility.

Last month, Denis O'Brien saw his stake in Digicel fall to 10 per cent as a group of bondholders took control under a €1.57 billion debt-for-equity-swap. Illustration: Paul Scott/Irish Times Graphics

Businessman Denis O’Brien is estimated to be on track to make more than a €100 million profit before tax from the sale of his majority stake in the Beacon Hospital, with the deal coming weeks after he lost control of his Digicel telecoms group to a group of creditors.

Mr O’Brien is also due to be repaid almost €80 million in loans outstanding to the private hospital under the agreed sale. The profit estimate is based on a price of more than €400 million that the asset management arm of Australian financial services giant Macquarie is said to have agreed to pay for the Beacon.

Representatives for the Beacon, Mr O’Brien and Macquarie declined to comment on the value of the deal.

Mr O’Brien (65) acquired control of the Beacon in 2014 after buying, for an undisclosed amount, €105.4 million of loans tied to the business that were owed to Ulster Bank and units of the hospital’s then majority owner, US-based healthcare group UPMC.

Trump Media shares collapse, but remain wildly overvalued

Electric vehicles: is now the time for Irish drivers to buy?

ECB rates, Irish inflation and a long-abandoned hotel

Take chances and copy Gen Z: Five secrets of workplace success

The Jersey-based vehicle that Mr O’Brien used to take control of the Beacon, Linkbey Investments Holdings Limited, subsequently injected €94.9 million of equity into the Beacon in 2015, with €83 million of this used to replace debt owed to the businessman.

This put the company on a firmer financial position and able to take on loans from Bank of Ireland, which would grow from €13.8 million at the end of that year to €88.5 million by December 2022, said financial statements for Beacon Medical Group Sandyford Limited, the company behind the hospital.

[  Denis O’Brien’s Beacon Hospital sold to Macquarie for estimated €400m  ]

In 2016, the company borrowed €107 million from a unit of O’Brien’s Linkbey to settle a previous deal where a group of legacy investors could have taken a stake in the hospital. In the near decade under Mr O’Brien’s control, the Beacon would invest about €120 million expanding its facilities to now comprise 251 beds, eight operating theatres, three cath labs and four endoscopy suites, as well as acquiring the adjacent Beacon Hotel in 2020.

An Bord Pleanála granted permission last year for a €75 million redevelopment of the hotel, which would add 70 new beds.

At the end of 2022, the Beacon owed Mr O’Brien – who now owns 80 per cent of the business through another ultimate holding vehicle, called Sayum Holding Corporation – and minority shareholders, led by chief executive Michael Cullen and fellow hospital co-founder Prof Mark Redmond, some €98 million. Splitting the debt along the lines of ownership suggests O’Brien is owed €78.4 million.

Vision Capital vs IRES REIT: trouble brewing at Ireland’s largest private landlord

The deal marks a further shrinking in recent times of the empire O’Brien started to build three and a half decades ago.

Last month, the businessman saw his stake in Digicel, which spans 25 markets across the Caribbean and Central America, fall to 10 per cent as a group of bondholders took control under a $1.7 billion (€1.57 billion) debt-for-equity-swap. Digicel was founded in 2001 after O’Brien netted about €200 million from his sale of Esat Telecom mobile phone group to BT Group the previous year.

[  Digicel completes restructuring that cuts O’Brien stake to 10%  ]

In 2021, the businessman sold the Communicorp media group he had set up in 1989 to secure the licence for Dublin radio station 98FM for a sum in the region of €100 million to Germany’s Bauer Media Group. By then, Communicorp’s stable included Spin1038, Newstalk and Today FM. Mr O’Brien had transferred his UK radio assets to a separate Isle of Man vehicle in 2017.

In 2019, the businessman received €43.5 million for his 29.9 per cent stake in Independent News & Media, as the publisher was acquired by to Belgium-based Mediahuis. The deal crystallised a €450 million loss for O’Brien, who shelled out an estimated €500 million-plus building the holding between 2006 and 2013.

[  You can rent Denis O’Brien’s superyacht - for a price  ]

Mr O’Brien sold fuel retailer Topaz in 2015 for an estimated €450 million to Canadian company Couche-Tard. He had picked up the business two years earlier by buying its €300 million of loans, from Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) for about half their original value.

The businessman’s remaining high-profile assets include Actavo, a construction and infrastructure services company once known as Siteserv, which he acquired in 2012 in a deal that involved IBRC writing down €119 million of company loans; his Quinta do Lago golf resort in the Algarve in Portugal; the PGA Catalunya resort in northern Spain; Ballynahinch Castle in Co Galway and a collection of other property interests.

• Sign up for Business push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
• Our Inside Business podcast is published weekly – Find the latest episode here

Joe Brennan

Joe Brennan is Markets Correspondent of The Irish Times

IN THIS SECTION

‘solarbration’ for eclipse tourists on the ground as air passengers crane for views, shed distillery in leitrim invests €10m to double whiskey-making capacity, ireland is ‘country of honour’ at china trade expo, glanbia plan for €750,000 chief financial officer retention bonus slammed, sydney attack: six killed and child hospitalised in shopping centre stabbings, catholic primary school in dublin switches to multidenominational patronage, provisional liquidators appointed to firm involved in building high-end homes, joe brolly and sinn féin are sick of experts. have any of them heard of brexit, harris scraps difficult proposals, aiming instead for focused approach to childcare, farms and business, latest stories, leinster v la rochelle: live updates from champions cup quarter-final, ‘get underage children off your apps’, tánaiste warns social media giants, harlequins stun bordeaux-bègles to seal champions cup semi-final berth, manchester city climb back to summit with convincing win over luton, adam idah on target as celtic secure comfortable win over st mirren.

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Information
• Cookie Settings
• Community Standards

The Thrilling Detective Web Site

Come on down these mean streets…

Dennis O’Brien

Created by herbert h. margolis louis morheim (1922-2013) and richard l. breen (1918-67).

“I rent out boats and do anything that means long odds and short hours. My sideline’s trouble.” — O’Brien explains his occupation in Roaring City

“ When you deal with these dames –you’re in the DANGER ZONE!” — tagline from Danger Zone

A ll things considered, easy-going DENNIS O’BRIEN (played by Hugh Beaumont) would probably rather just rent out boats from his shop on San Francisco’s Pier 23 at fifty bucks a pop. Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite keep the boats afloat, so he moonlights as a “troubleshooter”  in three episodic B-flicks from 1951. The down side is that, as a makeshift private eye, he has a shocking propensity for getting knocked unconscious and being framed for murder; variations on that theme being repeated in all three of his film appearances:  Danger Zone , Roaring City  and Pier 23 .

Many suspect that all three films are actually recycled episodes of a failed television show; each “film” containing two separate half-hour episodes slapped together and pawned off as feature films to unsuspecting theatre owners. Lending creedence to the TV theory is the fact that all three films made their debuts within a few weeks of each other, suggesting they were already in the can. My guess is that the filmmakers were betting heavily on Beaumont, who had just wrapped up playing Brett Halliday’s freewheeling private eye Michael Shayne in several films. They probably figured on striking while the iron was hot, rushing the films out while Beaumont still had some credibility playing a detective.

WAITAMINUTE! Beaumont had some credibility playing a detective?

Certainly, O’Brien works a wonderfully diverse group of cases. In Danger Zone , he’s hired to buy a specific saxophone case at an auction, while in his second adventure in that film he’s charged with escorting a young woman to a party on a yacht. In Roaring City , he’s suckered into placing a bid on a rigged prize fight, and is hired to pose as the husband of a wealthy socialite, while in the final film, Pier 23 , he’s called upon to protect a professional wrestler and convince a convict not to attempt escaping from Alcatraz. But invariably, O’Brien is played for a patsy, and usually ends up getting sapped and — just for good measure — accused of murder.

But for Hugh Beaumont, the low-budget leading man, it was probably good training. He would go on to TV stardom a few years later as the ultimate paternal patsy, Ward Cleaver, in Leave It to Beaver .

Back in 1946, Jack Webb starred in a radio show  Pat Novak for Hire , where he played a guy who rented boats out of a small office on Pier 19 in San Francisco, and moonlighted as a sort of freelance trouble shooter. A year later, Webb starred in Johhny Madero, Pier 23 . Madero rented boats out of a small office on Pier 23 in San Francisco, while moonlighting as a sort of freelance trouble shooter.

Coincidence? I thought not… so I did a little digging…

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Turns out the films were apparently recycled by Herbert H. Margolis and Lou Morheim from a half-dozen half-hour scripts they’d written (along with Richard L. Breen) for the Pat Novak  radio show. But the plan wasn’t to rip off a failed television project–no, producer Robert L. Lippert’s plot was to release the films, and then chop them up for television.

Margolis was an American radio, film and television writer and producer. Not many facts about his career and history are known. He wrote several movies, including Smuggler’s Island , For Men Only and Ma and Pa Kettle , and both the movie and TV versions of The Wackiest Ship in the Army . Other TV credits include Gilligan’s Island and Mike Hercules , an unsuccessful 1956 TV pilot, featuring a San Francisco private eye played by… Hugh Beaumont?

Morheim was also a writer and producer for radio, film and television, and frequently co-wrote with Margolis. He worked on several top television series of the 1960s and ’70s, as well as several feature films, and is best known for his television work on The Outer Limits , The Big Valley ,  Combat  and Ironside , and for feature films such as  The Magnificent Seven , The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms , and yes, some of the Ma and Pa Kettle movies.

And yes, Richard L. Breen was a Hollywood screenwriter as well. He started as a freelance radio writer, before turning to film. He won an Oscar for his work on the screenplay to the 1953 version of  Titanic  , and was nominated for A Foreign Affair , and Captain Newman, M.D .  He also wrote the scripts for the 1953 noir  Niagara , starring Marilyn Monroe, and the P.I. flick Tony Rome , based on Marvin Albert’s private eye, and starring Frank Sinatra.

• “I really enjoyed these.” —Robert J. Randisi
• DANGER ZONE |  Buy the DVD (aka “Pier of Peril”) (1951, Spartan Productions) Premiere: April 20, 1951 Based on radio scripts from Pat Novak for Hire Adapted by Herbert Margolis and Louis Morheim Screenplay by Julian Harmon Produced and directed by William Berke Starring Hugh Beaumont as DENNIS O’BRIEN Also starring Edward Brophy, Richard Travis, Pamela Blake, Tom NealVirginia Dale, Ralph Sanford, Paula Drew
• ROARING CITY  |  Buy the DVD (1951, Spartan Productions) Premiere: May 4, 1951 Based on radio scripts from Pat Novak for Hire Adapted by Herbert Margolis and Louis Morheim Screenplay by Julian Harmon Produced and directed by William Berke Starring Hugh Beaumont as DENNIS O’BRIEN Also starring Greg McClure, Edward Brophy, Richard Travis, Joan Valerie, Wanda McKay, Rebel Randall, William Tannen, Anthony Warde, Abner Biberman, Stanley Price
• PIER 23 |  Buy the DVD (aka “Flesh and Leather”) (1951, Spartan Productions) Premiere: May 11, 1951 Based on radio scripts from Pat Novak for Hire Adapted by Herbert Margolis and Louis Morheim Screenplay by Julian Harmon and Victor West Produced and directed by William Berke Starring Hugh Beaumont as DENNIS O’BRIEN Also starring Edward Brophy, Richard Travis, Ann Savage, Margia Dean, Mike Mazurki, David Bruce, Richard Greenleaf
• Forgotten Noir: Collection 3 |  Buy the DVD This budget priced collection rounds up eight moldy oldies, including both Danger Zone and Pier 23 .
• Forgotten Noir: Collection 4 |  Buy the DVD This budget priced collection rounds up nine more moldy oldies, including Roaring City.

Report respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Herbert Margolis
• Hugh Beaumont
• Louis Morheim
• Richard L. Breen
• San Francisco
• Trouble Shooter

2 thoughts on “ Dennis O’Brien ”

I’m in a group that performs old screenplays and puts them up on Spotify. Check out the “Retro Radio Players” podcast. We’re interested in reading “Pier 23”…any idea where we could find the script? Thanks John

Sorry, no idea at all… but the Retro Radio Players thing sounds like fun. Have you done any private eye shows yet?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from the thrilling detective web site.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading