Kieran Eustace lives in the small village of
Newtowncashel, County Longford, Ireland. He was born November 28, 1936
in Newtowncashel to Patrick and Brigid (McNally) Eustace. He attended
Newtowncashel National School and Franciscan College in Multyfarnham,
County Westmeath. As a youth, Kieran played Gaelic Irish football and
helped his teams win numerous championship honours.
Kieran left secondary school in May 1955 to work on a
temporary basis in administration with the Longford County Council. Two
years later, in April 1957, he emigrated to England and joined Johnson
Matthey, part of the world renowned group of gold and precious metal
refiners based in London.
His first post was Storekeeper in the fine wire shop
stores but after a short period he advanced to the course wire shop with
responsibility for precious metals. After a couple years at this post,
he was transferred to the Wembley press shop as precious metals Stock
Controller.
During the mid-sixties, Kieran was transferred to the
position of Production Controller in the press shop where he remained
until 1973, when he was offered the opportunity to move to Dublin and
asked to set up a Johnson Matthey sales office there. The Dublin sales
office was opened in Grafton Street in 1975 with great success. He was
elected as a Brother of the Company of Goldsmiths of Dublin in the
mid-eighties and later elevated to Master Warden. In 1987, he was
elected to the board of the Corporation of Goldsmiths in Ireland, an
honour to him and to his company.
The Johnson Matthey business in Ireland expanded
rapidly with staff growing from one man to fifteen persons with Kieran
serving as Managing Director. Johnson Matthey’s Dublin activities
centered on the jewelry trade which accounted for approximately 65
percent of total business with the remainder coming from fabricated
metals and chemical products.
In December 1993, when Johnson Matthey sold its
jewelry products business to the Crookston Group, the Grafton Street
operation passed to Crookston Precious Metals and Kieran took an early
retirement. However he agreed to remain as a consultant to the new
Johnson Matthey operation in Dublin. This smaller, but impressive sales
office, supplied products to a rapidly expanding number of high
technology industries in Ireland. Kieran continued as a consultant for
the new company during the next four and one half years before "hanging
up his boots" for the last time on 31st July 1998.
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