12.03.2018

Ciaran Gillespie 1955-2018

We have received the sad news of the death of access industry veteran Ciaran Gillespie, following a battle with cancer. He was 62 and would have been 63 in April.

He passed away peacefully on Sunday in Blackrock Clinic in Dublin and leaves behind his wife Therese and daughters Robyn and Stephanie.

Gillespie was born and grew up in Ireland but moved to Canada where he was first introduced to the access rental industry. Then at the end of the 1989 he returned to Ireland to establish a Dublin branch of Northern Ireland’s Elevation, in partnership with Elevation’s owner Robin Ardil. The company ran into difficulty and filed for voluntary liquidation at the end of 2003.
Gillespie remained in the access business, teaming up with Feargal Donoghue to establish a new venture - Boom and Platform Hire - which operates from two locations in County Wicklow and County Cork.

His funeral will take place on Thursday morning at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church, Foxrock for 11.00 Requiem Mass with burial thereafter in Shanganagh Cemetery.

Ciaran Gillespie was certainly a character, a bit of a rogue if truth be known, but he was also a shrewd and determined operator and built two significant businesses since returning to Ireland. He could have been accused of being overly a bit competitive the first time round, sometimes chasing deals beyond the point where they made commercial sense often through taking a deal too personally.

Saying all that he had a gentler and more humorous side that could take a little getting used to. He had hidden depths and you could not help but smile when he gave you one of his knowing smirking glances, especially while pushing you for a special deal. He was above all a gentleman, a good man with a determined and strong character.

It is sad to see the premature passing of another powered access rental pioneer. He will certainly be missed.