Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2002

Padraig O'Ceidigh, Managing Director
Aer Arann

Padraig O'Ceidigh, a fluent Irish speaker, was born in Spiddal in Co. Galway where he still lives with his wife and four children

He owns Foinse the National Newspaper in the Irish Language. The newspaper was set up in 1995 in Carraroe and is the most successful newspaper in the history of Irish Language newspapers.

In 1994 Padraig purchased Aer Arann a small airline serving the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland with a population of approximately 1,000 people. At the time the airline had never made a profit and had an annual turnover of IR£250,000, employing 8 people. He quickly realized that the national carrier Aer Lingus could not continue to provide the volume of services they were providing within Ireland and to the UK.

Padraig had a vision that a feeder air service would be required within the Irish domestic market. In 1998 a breakthrough came with the awarding of the PSO on the Dublin - Donegal route. Following this the airline was awarded five PSO routes which commenced in January 2001 this expansion necessitated the lease of 4 pressurised ATR 42 aircraft and Padraig was well on his way to establishing Aer Arann as the Regional Airline of Ireland.

Since then the airline has become one of the fastest growing regional airlines in Europe with a turnover in excess of €94 million and passenger numbers of1 million for 2004 representing an increase of 59% on the previous year. The airline now operates over 500 flights per week with a fleet of ten ATR aircraft across 17 UK, 6 domestic and 2 French routes and currently employs 340 staff.

In 2003 Padraig was appointed to the new Board of Failte Ireland by the Minister for Tourism, John O Donoghue TD

Aer Arann was also recently awarded the European Bronze Airline of the Year Award for 2004 by the European Regions Airline Association. Aer Arann was chosen from among 65 airline members throughout Europe to win the coveted bronze award and is the only Irish airline to have received the accolade.

Padraig and Aer Arann also actively supports local and national charities having raised approximately €400,000 in the past four years by organising and sponsoring a n annual half marathon on the Island of Inis Mór. The chief beneficiary of these fund raising efforts was Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin.

Padraig is currently a member of the Irish Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel and was a member of the 2004 World Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel.