Meet the Dragons

Sean Gallagher is co-founder and CEO of Smarthomes. Set up in 2002, the company specialises in pre-cabling new houses and apartment developments for the latest in communications and entertainment technology.

At age 19 he wrote down a life plan in five points: first, he wanted to become a farmer; second, he wanted to set up a youth club; third, he wanted to learn martial arts; fourth, he wanted to enter politics; and finally, he wanted to start his own business. In 25 years, he reached all his goals.

Committed to helping those wishing to set up their own businesses, Sean now spends much of his time presenting and giving motivational talks to aspiring or early stage entrepreneurs.

Bobby Kerr is CEO of Insomnia and has led the expansion of Insomnia from 17 to 50 shops, increasing turnover from €5 to €13 million.

With a background in catering, in 1997 Kerr became Director of Development of the Campbell Bewley Group with responsibility for the overseas development of the Bewley brand in the UK, USA and Japan. He also ran the product export department which involved the acquisition of the two American Cafe chains Java City and Rebecca's.

2008 has been a very busy year for Kerr, having sold 51% of Insomnia to The Icelandic Penninn Group valuing the business at €16 million. Kerr also spearheaded the sale of his late father's Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny for €23 million.

Born in Colchester, Essex in 1969. Sarah left school aged 16 with very few formal qualifications. She moved to Ireland in May 1994 to set up Needahotel.com. The company grew from one to 95 people within 10 years and sales of €100m. It was subsequently sold in 2006, to Cendant Corporation for c€60m.

Newman has since been involved in Newmac Equity with her business partner, Tom McEneany, looking for opportunistic ideas in Ireland and Belarus. Newmac Equity brings leading Irish companies to a number of Belarusian business forums to meet their Government contacts.

Niall O'Farrell, 43, is one of Ireland's most successful entrepreneurs with a myriad of businesses from men's fashion to property to smoothies. He is the man behind men's outfitter Black Tie. It's a high margin business with sales of over €6 million a year and 130 employees. He is also expanding his empire into London where he is behind Jermyn Street shirts in Piccadilly.

He has also developed an extensive property portfolio with many landmark buildings in London as well as almost every Black Tie premises in Ireland. His latest venture is a drinks and snack food business called Simply Direct.

At 18, Gavin Duffy set up a local radio station employing 20 people and by 1989 he had set up the country's first licensed provincial local radio station, LMFM, which he subsequently sold to UTV for €11 million.

In September 2007 his property portfolio was valued at c.€100m. He also successfully invested in a number of companies and start-ups and remains part owner of the HRM group of companies as well as running a Media Consultancy business Dorland, which he founded in 1992.