The Million Dollar Irishman
It’s not often that I come across a book written by a man from Omagh, the small town in Northern Ireland that I call home. What’s more, that man in particular, Chris McGale, has an extraordinary tale to tell. The Million Dollar Irishman is a memoir of sorts, a story of loss, adversity, hustle and poignant reflection. It’s ultimately a story of a man who comes full circle, ready to continue with the perseverance that got him there in the first place.
The Million Dollar Irishman begins with the author having left a lucrative career in finance and moving on to reflect on the terrible injuries sustained in a near-fatal car crash which had taken place years earlier. As a man who was broken and had to be put back together again, McGale describes in detail the long road to recovery from the injuries that inspired the book’s name.
The author returns to his childhood in 1960s Northern Ireland. The family-owned pub in Omagh was home for the author, which presented an interesting environment to grow up in. A keen boxer in his youth, the author describes his success in the ring amidst his mother’s battle with cancer. McGale lost both of his parents before the age of 13, a heart-breaking blow which had a deep effect on him and his siblings. The chaos of growing up without parents is unimaginable for many and the effects of which were profound. Traditional education stalled with the author instead honing his skills at betting on horses, playing pool and gambling. McGale learnt to consume information from a range of sources, insights that could provide an edge, something that would come in useful later in life. Throughout the book, the author’s family reminded him that “education is easy carried”, something my own parents have told me time and time again. Securing a good education is a source of pride in Northern Ireland as many of that generation simply didn’t have the means or opportunity to pursue it.
McGale’s early years were set against the violent backdrop of The Troubles, just as things were really starting to get worse. The author recalls his experiences of interacting with British Army troops in the fields and of the murder of an Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier who the family had known well. A work accident took the author away from a career as a joiner to resume higher education which later led him to Queen’s University Belfast. With a degree in Economics with Accountancy secured, the author progressed from Belfast to Dublin and finally to London where raw hustle landed him job with Smith New Court (SNC) (later to become Merrill Lynch), one of the world’s premier investment banks. The author’s early days in London reminded me of my own, hearing familiar voices in a different land and the unbearable weight of suitcases while ascending and descending the stairwells of London’s Underground. McGale reminisces of the Irish litter man who helped him get to the office in The City of London on his first day which was wonderful to read.
The author quickly became a rising star at the bank, landing huge deals and breaking records along the way. Despite the success and long hours that are synonymous with finance, McGale always returned home to visit family and to watch Tyrone play. The author describes how life was good at this time, he had just married his wife Niamh in the Caribbean, the markets were ripe with opportunity and he was winning big on horses. Despite this, McGale’s tendency to place huge bets and in his own words, “winning and losing more every week than the price of a small house in Omagh” was unsustainable.
The book moves sharply to the tragic events of The Omagh bombing, which changed McGale’s hometown and the face of The Troubles forever. 31 people lost their lives that day with hundreds more injured. The author volunteered to help and quickly made use of his unique network and skills to raise funds for those who needed it. He lunched with CEOs and heads of state and watched Ireland play rugby with billionaires to secure the valuable donations that were needed to help victims and the town of Omagh. Despite the Dot-com bubble and its subsequent crash, McGale was playing the game and still winning, but the Merrill Lynch he knew was changing. Progressing in the firm seemed to be linked more to politics than to the actual value individuals generated for the firm. Not long after, the author left Merrill Lynch, never to return.
McGale closes the book with a heartfelt chapter that describes how he reconnected with his brother Paul, despite the strained relationship that had existed between them for many years. His brother had overcome a number of challenges, battled alcoholism and later became a chemistry teacher in Scotland. Sadly, Paul died in 2007 which certainly had a deep impact on the author. The pain and effects of loss have been constant themes throughout The Million Dollar Irishman, but this was particularly emotional to read.
I picked up this book because of its connection to Omagh, but that isn’t the reason that I would recommend it. It’s a remarkable piece of work from a first-time author who has crafted a truly authentic memoir of a man from humble beginnings who held his own in the cutthroat world of finance while balancing the trauma of a near death experience and the loss of those closest to him. From the close-knit town of Omagh to the bright lights of London, The Million Dollar Irishman is a remarkable story of dreams, success and loss that reminds us that life must go on no matter what, because we must.
You can find a copy of The Million Dollar Irishman: From John Street To Wall Street here.