Three very different Irish millionaires turn their back on their day-to-day lives and go undercover in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Dublin, Cork and Dundalk. Their search, for genuine local Irish charities, brings them face-to-face with some of our most pressing social problems including suicide, poverty, drugs, disability and more. On their journey, they find extraordinary Irish people working selflessly everyday to help people in their own communities. Each millionaire then springs the ultimate surprise when they give them thousands of Euro of their own money and reveal themselves as a Secret Millionaire. Moving and compelling, this Irish production of the Secret Millionaire shows us the incredible difference people can make in their own communities and how successful people can make a positive change.
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.