The Secret Millionaire - 19/09/'11 - RTE 1 @ 9:35

Lady Chatterton

Episode one of the Irish version of "The Secret Millionaire" airs tonight. I was a big fan of the Channel 4 version so I'm really looking forward to seeing this programme.

Episode 1 of 3 - John Concannon

Millionaire benefactor John Concannon says goodbye to his comfortable lifestyle and goes undercover in one Ireland's most disadvantaged areas to find people who need his help. John will spend eight days in one of the poorest areas of West Dublin, where high unemployment drug and alcohol abuse are every day facts of life. He comes face-to-face with the realities of urban poverty in Ireland and unearths a hidden emotional trauma that will change his life forever. We meet those local heroes working tirelessly in their communities to help those in need in spite of rampant social problems now made worse by the economic crisis. Millionaire John Concannon proves that helping others can make a big difference in people's lives. His own experience stands out as he puts his day-to-day life behind him and engages wholeheartedly with the charities.

From a modest background John built up his plastics manufacturing company, JFC, into one of the most successful companies in Ireland. But John wasn't always wealthy. He dropped out of school at 13 to help his father on their small family farm in Kilconly Co Galway. In 1987, John came up with an idea that was to change his life dramatically and an appearance on the Late Late show gave him the boost he needed. JFC is now a plastics multinational empire. It produces products for the agriculture and marine industry and they sell globally. With factories in Ireland, the UK, South Africa and Poland, John now employs over 250 people including his brother and his four children.

http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/the_secret_millionaire.html

Sunnyisland

Its on rte 1 now,

He is in dublin 22, The part he is in is rowlagh/clondalkin.

Its not bad.

karl tyrrell

nice place for a midnight stroll,all right man wats story

baldbear

I'm well impressed. Fairly emotional stuff there. Its a fairly mad looking place!

Popsy

I must say I'm very impressed with the programme. RTE stuck to the Channel 4 format and its working very well.

While you see a lot of whats happening every day, its interesting to see an outsiders prospective on the issues they are raising. I've a feeling there will be tears by the end of the programme in this house

BuzzFish

Yea decent enough alright. Be interesting to see how much he gives who.

Apparently worth circa 30m

AG2R

Aye watching it.
Fair play to the Scobbie for giving him a hand

Sunnyisland

Clondalkin its self is a huge suburb with private and council estates and yes some of the estates in it are dog rough and some are quite nice :-)

Lady Chatterton

John seems like a real gentleman but the programme seems very set up to me. It was a stroke of luck that his taxi driver happened to be involved in a suicide charity and the carer he visited won a carers award last year.

Lady Chatterton

John isn't afraid of a bit of work in fairest to him.

Diddler1977

Some of these stories are so sad

Diddler1977

He seems like such a lovely man

Quazzie

MrsD007 wrote: »

John seems like a real gentleman but the programme seems very set up to me. It was a stroke of luck that his taxi driver happened to be involved in a suicide charity and the carer he visited won a carers award last year.

Who cares? If the producers did hand pick him because of his ties to Pieta house I'm only too happy as it leads to exposure for a very worthy charity.

Lady Chatterton

Quazzie wrote: »

Who cares? If the producers did hand pick him because of his ties to Pieta house I'm only too happy as it leads to exposure for a very worthy charity.

I completely agree. I'm delighted for all the charities involved.

cathalj

MrsD007 wrote: »

John seems like a real gentleman but the programme seems very set up to me. It was a stroke of luck that his taxi driver happened to be involved in a suicide charity and the carer he visited won a carers award last year.

Agree with you totally - complete set up,
The two ladies running the football team know well what's coming!!
Nice guy all the same.

JonathanAnon

AG2R wrote: »

Aye watching it. Fair play to the Scobbie for giving him a hand

Until he goes to look for his wallet later on.. Is that where the first million goes??

Great program all the same.. well done..

C-J

This guy gave us a talk in college. No airs graces or notions to the man. EXCELLENT programme, made me cry smile laugh and think. The country needs more men like John Concannon

COYW

I think all of the millionaires in it are connected to a charity and this programme highlights that charity. Don't see the harm in it at all. It gives the charity some airtime, which is a good thing.

JonathanAnon

Jaysus that woman liked that cheque for 5k a bit too much... I hope they took her passport off her before they left..

Sunnyisland

25000 well done john

bmcc10

wats the name of this guys company and what does he do??I think i met him.

AG2R

1k to save 1 person

Diddler1977

bmcc10 wrote: »

wats the name of this guys company and what does he do??I think i met him.

He has a plastics company

Avago

They've really found some worthy causes, and genuine people.
loved the knacker helping him dig out the ashes though - hilarious

Lady Chatterton

bmcc10 wrote: »

wats the name of this guys company and what does he do??I think i met him.

JFC Plastics

Richard Hillman

I didnt really like the C4 version but since its here i can relate to it a bit more and its great viewing. Im very disturbed by the treatment of those horses though. They are not well looked after despite they might say. You wouldnt see Frankel tied up to a fork in a field with hair all over the place and riff raff riding him through the streets and fields with glass. Disgraceful, they should be taken off them.

Great to see so many deserving causes get help. John Concannon is a fine man.

delynet

@bmcc10 www.jfc.ie

bmcc10

Ye is him...seemed like a real ordinary nice person then aswell..

tommytee

Apparently there is only 3 episodes, either our millionares are as tight as a gnat's chuff or we just font have to many of them since we imploded :-(
little bit staged I thought, but what the hell, good charities nevertheless.
T

dublinhead

I hope he crossed the cheques Great program well done.

el diablo

bmcc10 wrote: »

wats the name of this guys company and what does he do??I think i met him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INuxiv54k4k

He invented the "tree-in-wan" bucket for feeding calves.