Meet Pádraig from Connemara. 

Pádraig is a well known Irish face and named as Galway Person of the Year in 2004, he is an even better known Galway face. His career journey has always been interesting and he has trained and worked as an accountant, teacher and solicitor, before becoming one of Ireland's most successful entrepreneurs. As if that isn't enough he is now an Independent Senator who was appointed to the Seanad by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. One of his roles is to chair a special Oireachtas Water Charges Committee. To see what else Pádraig is focusing on in his political life, click here.

Before life in politics Pádraig was one of Ireland's most successful entrepreneurs. In 1994 he purchased Aer Arann and set about laying the groundwork for a feeder air service for Ireland and the UK. Pádraig was named as Irish Entrepreneur of the year in 2003and served on the judging panel until 2014. He was even selected to be the subject of an entrepreneurship leadership case study by Harvard Business School. Pádraig was listed on the The Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated worth of €40 million but he disappeared from the list after Aer Arann ended up in examinership in 2010. A heart attack two years later was a wake up call and forced a change of lifestyle for Pádraig. He sold Aer Arann but retained shares in the ownerships of Aer Arann Islands, which flies from Connemara to the Aran Islands. 

Pádraig still serves on multiple boards across the country and has a Connemara based home care business, Casla Home Care, which aims to give high quality support and care to people in their own home. When we first spoke with Pádraig he was eager to help us with this project and despite a hectic schedule made sure we would have time to meet up properly. He is not just a very impressive Galway man but he is also a very kind and interesting one.