Today the Ulster University community is remembering Father Myles Kavanagh CP, co-founder of Flax Trust, on the sad occasion of his passing.
Fr Kavanagh was a strong advocate for Ulster University, the development of our Belfast campus and the power of education to support social transformation.
Father Myles Kavanagh was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for services to the social economy by Ulster University in 2004.
He is remembered here by Professor Ken O’Neill, former Head of School in the Ulster University Business School:
Fr. Myles was a true visionary and a supreme entrepreneur - a man who could both dream the future and make it a reality. This rare combination of foresight and action set him apart.
It began in the early days of the Troubles, as he slept in his room in Ardoyne, a loud explosion woke him up. Simultaneously the ceiling of the room fell in on him. It was a bomb. As he struggled outside to the street, angry and opposing mobs had gathered.
These moments in the early 1970s changed his life. He saw opportunity in adversity, convinced that job creation could be a powerful force for peace. His belief that idle hands were the devil's workshop fueled his determination to create jobs and foster prosperity in North Belfast – for all the people, no matter what side of the divide.
And so it began. From his Crumlin Road base he set about developing a plan of action to generate employment by any means possible. The result is the Flax Trust – arguably the largest and most diverse social enterprise in Northern Ireland.
From the beginning, Myles knew the importance of building and nurturing networks of support at home and abroad – from academia, business, government and civil society, if he was to set his economic mission on its way.
One of first port of calls was the (then) University of Ulster. It was well over 40 years ago when I answered a phone call in my capacity as head of the Northern Ireland Small Business Institute (NISBI) at the University. “I want to give you incubation units for your new and young business start-ups” he said, “with low rents, short leases, seed funds and ongoing business advice.’’ This idea then became reality and Business Incubation Systems Ltd was formed.
He was a hard man to say ‘No’ to – not that we wanted to. He was the first to offer this form of support to new businesses, it was the forerunner of the current Local Enterprise Programme in Northern Ireland.
In no time he sought further help from the University. He wanted to create an initiative to search for and find successful business opportunities that were working elsewhere in the world and could be adopted by entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland (and preferably in North Belfast!). He recognised the value of the University’s global reach and especially in the USA where technology transfer might work. This idea became a programme called Novatech.
While we in the University were still taking breath after implementing these initiatives, he decided to set up his own form of business school which became the Brookfield Business School. Aimed at introducing school-leavers to business, he sought advice from Ulster University staff in determining the curriculum and in delivery.
While initiatives such as these are commonplace today, they were largely new and innovative in the 1980s in Northern Ireland and the UK as ways of supporting SMEs and offering paths to employment.
More was to come – he was never finished…
Into the new millennium, came the School for Social Enterprises in Ireland (SSEI). Recognising the growing potential of social enterprises to build community capability, create jobs for the disadvantaged and offer much needed services in local areas, he part-funded this joint venture between the Flax Trust and the University. Its aim is to build the organisational and personal capability of persons in ‘not-for-profit’ organisations in Northern Ireland.
Now 15-20 years later, this Flax Trust /Ulster University collaboration has awarded Diplomas from the University to approx. 300 graduates from over 150 social enterprises and community and voluntary organisations. It has hosted dozens of workshops, mini-conferences and best-practice events. In addition, SSEI students have visited SEs in the USA and their students have visited our social enterprises to explore collaboration opportunities.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the Flax Trust and Ulster University have acted as a form of trailblazing team: finding, designing and delivering the prototypes of new business models for others to follow. Despite failing health in recent years, he continued with the support of Sr Mary Turley (herself an Honorary Doctor) John Patterson and the rest of the Flax Trust team to drive the social agenda by encouraging greater engagement between social enterprise and environmental sustainability.
Through SSEI, these initiatives have empowered hundreds of individuals and organizations to make a positive impact on their communities.
Myles saw education and training as the bedrock of personal development and Ulster University was his ‘go-to’ institution. “They have the right balance between theory and practice, between thinking and doing” he used to say, “to equip students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the real world.”
From the devastation of conflict to the heights of entrepreneurial success, Fr. Myles's journey with Ulster University is a testament to the power of human spirit and the transformative impact of visionary leadership. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
Professor Hugh McKenna, former Dean of Medical School Development at Ulster University:
Father Myles Kavanagh was a true champion for Ulster University, generously sharing his long-held and well-established relationships with US politicians and business leaders, connecting Ulster with Academic partners and bodies across the Atlantic for global development.
He was forever looking to make introductions and forge connections for the benefit and advancement of Northern Ireland. One such introduction he made was when he introduced me to the former US Ambassador to Ireland and President / Chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the late Dan Rooney who supported the work of Ulster University and was latterly awarded an Honorary Doctorate.
He encouraged Tip O'Neill and his son and namesake to support the work of the University and today there is still a Hume O’Neill Peace Chair in place at Ulster.
He also laid the foundations many of Ulster’s projects with the American Ireland Fund or the American Irish Association and facilitated meetings with the CEO of Atlantic Philanthropies.
The Flax Trust, founded by Myles, funded important research at Ulster University on suicide among young men, a major problem in Northern Ireland.
We will remember his generosity of spirit, his pioneering entrepreneurship, his intelligence and wit for many years to come here at Ulster.
Professor Alastair Adair, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ulster University reflected:
Fr Myles was such a wonderful character. He worked tirelessly to promote economic investment in North Belfast and to build a better society for all people.
His vision of improved educational opportunities for people in North Belfast aligned so closely with the University’s vision through the Belfast campus development and his support and involvement in the campus development was both greatly valued and unwavering.
He was a tremendous fundraiser and greatly respected both here and in the USA. Anyone who knew him would comment on his tireless efforts and commitment for positive change. And yet, so much of the work he did was done quietly in the background.
That is testament to the man; he was only focused on helping others through bursaries, investment, education, housing – any way he could think of making a difference he would do it.
A person could not fail but be enthused by Fr Myles’ passion and compassion in equal measure.