North Tipperary Businessman Declan Kelly Joins David Beckham and Gary Neville to purchase Salford City FC.
As part of the acquisition deal, Mr Kelly, (founder of advisory business,‘Consello’ which has offices in Ireland), will co-chair the northern English club with leading UK financier Baron Mervyn Davies(former banker and Labour government Minister until May 2010). Both the latter, together with Mr Beckham and Mr Neville, are understood to have assembled several leading investors, before acquiring the club, following negotiations over a number of months.
The ‘Consello’ company is an Advisory and Investing Platform. The company claims to provides counsel to the most senior business leaders in the world on a wide range of corporate issues that impact their businesses. Their Investment business, Consello Capital, identifies high-potential mid-market companies and invests capital and expertise to transform their growth.
Declan Kelly.
Mr Neville and Mr Beckham had previously owned the club in partnership with others, with the club receiving, four promotions in just five years and narrowly missing out on this year’s League 2 play-off’s, last weekend.
The acquisition has been uniquely structured, through a members club made up of nine shareholders including Dream Sports Group(India’s leading sports technology company), Colin Ryan (Founder, Clipper Street Capital), Frank Ryan(Global Co-Chair, Global Co-CEO, and Americas Chair, DLA Piper), Nick Woodhouse(Executive Vice Chairman, Authentic Brands Group), and Shravin Mittal(Founder of ‘Unbound’).
Commenting on the overall acquisition, Mr Kelly has stated that this new ownership structure will bring the right mix to take Salford FC, to the next level, with the group comprising some of the best in the world at what they do; thus hopefully driving the club forward.
Mr Kelly, we understand will also be responsible for building out the club’s commercial operations within the UK and around the world, while drawing on the expertise of the broader investor group, made up of individuals with backgrounds in sports, entertainment, banking, law and technology.
Sky Football pundit; former Manchester United Captain and Salford City Co-Owner, Mr Gary Neville, is also Chairperson of ‘Consello Sports’ in the UK and a business partner of Mr Kelly.
Mr David Beckham, who celebrated his 50th birthday on May 2nd last, was a onetime native of Salford City, Greater Manchester, England.
The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but it is believed that the collective group have raised over $15m to boost Salford’s sporting and infrastructural ambitions, with each member expected to hold between a 5% to10% stake, in all totalling 80%, while the remaining 20% remains earmarked for other possible additional partners.
The new ownership group will take responsibility for the operations of the Club’s activities with immediate effect.
Speaking in Dáil Éireann the newly elected north Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD Mr Ryan O’Meara, has concurred that the town of Thurles is being strangled by traffic issues; requiring immediate attention for an inner relief road. Same, if funding was provided, would link the N62 at Slievenamon Road to the Mill Road, thus providing a third vehicle bridge.
Proposed Inner Relief Road for Thurles
[Funny that, VIEW HERE. Back in 2021, we here in Thurles were previously informed that funding had already been acquired.]
However, many residents believe that Mr Ryan O’Meara has been fed false or inaccurate information and most business leaders see the proposed inner relief road as further waste of public funding. An inner relief road already exists via the Mill Road, same entering and exiting south of Thurles at Turtulla Cross on the N62, which has seen 3 vehicles crash and be written-off, within the past 12 months.
Any new inner relief will only permit the exit and entering of vehicles closer into the town centre, with HGV traffic still required to travel to the four corners of Ireland, directly through our medieval streetscapes, which for the past 4 years have become a bottle neck, currently existing for all vehicles attempting to pass through Thurles town centre.
The only piece of common sense and perhaps even a small glimmer of hope was expressed by An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin TD, responding to our misinformed, raw recruit, Mr Ryan O’Meara. Mr Martin stated that the long queues of traffic being experienced, would become a thing of the past, if Thurles had a ring road/bypass and he would try to feed that into an expected review of the present National Development Plan.
As for Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Ryan O’Meara’s speech interjection in Dáil Éireann; same was perceived and smelled of the scent of a vote catching press release, same greedily accepted from his Nenagh office by local press, who were obviously experiencing a slow news day.
A former Tipperary native and financial advisor now residing at Richmond Avenue, Dartry, Dublin 6, who lost around €2 million of property investors’ funds in unauthorised stock market transactions has been jailed for six years.
Aged 52 years Mr William Kiely appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court earlier this year, but changed his plea to guilty on the 21st day of his trial. He pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly appropriating money from the accounts of Barrington Capital Ltd, between 2007 and 2010. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the theft involved $1.47 million and around €700,000.
Mr Kiely also pleaded guilty to knowingly carrying on the business of a company, (Barrington Capital Limited), with intent to defraud creditors between July 2008 and February 2010. He further pleaded guilty to falsifying a financial statement on March 12th, 2010.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mr Kiely set up a legitimate investment operation, the aforementioned Barrington Capital Ltd, to purchase commercial property in the United States of America. Following the 2008 global financial crash, he failed to return all of the money which had been intended to purchase property; instead and without investor authorisation used some of it on the stock market, which was unsuccessful.
Having heard the facts of the case on Friday last, Judge Elma Sheahan stated that Mr Kiely had a high degree of culpability; the financial losses they suffered and the impact on their emotional well-being were all aggravating factors in the case and the harm caused to the injured parties was truly significant. The court heard that much of the funds went towards lifestyle expenses unrelated to the business and Kiely had also paid himself an amount each month. Mr Kiely also falsified a financial statement back in March 2010, which set out expenses on the account and what was left, however, at this point the funds were completely depleted.
Mr Kiely received a six year jail sentence and has also been automatically disqualified from serving as a director of any company for five years.
Thurles Municipal District Enhancement and Painting Grant 2025.
Thurles Municipal District Council, is seeking to improve the streetscape and public realm of Thurles Town, Templemore Town and Roscrea Town, through supporting owners of buildings in improving and enhancing their properties and public areas generally, by such means as, but not limited to:-
Removal of inappropriate contemporary signage, fittings, and general clutter and replacement with shop fascia signage (with an emphasis on hand-painted signage).
Painting and general improvements to the frontages of commercial and residential buildings.
Erection of planters, floral hanging baskets, or other environmental improvements.
For those of you planning on heading to the shops this weekend, hereunder, please find opening and closing times of your main Thurles Town supermarkets, over this 2025 St Patrick’s weekend.
Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic: G. Willoughby.
St Patrick’s weekend 2025:
Aldi Opening Hours
DunnesStore Opening Hours
Lidl Opening Hours
TescoOpening Hours
SuperValu Opening Hours
Friday 14th
08:00-22:00
08:00 – 21:00
08:00-22:00
08:00-21:00
08:00-21:00
Saturday 15th
08:00-22:00
08:00 – 19:00
08:00-22:00
08:00-21:00
08:00-21:00
Sunday 16th
09:00-21:00
09:00 – 19:00
09:00-21:00
09:00-20:00
09:00-09:00
Monday 17th
09:00-21:00
09:00 – 19:00
09:00-21:00
10:00-19:00
08:00-10:00
“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, while enjoying this upcoming bank holiday weekend.”
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