Journalist who went on to become head of Toyota group

Denis Smyth, a former Meath Chronicle journalist who went on to become managing director of Toyota Ireland and the Killeen Motor Group, died peacefully on Tuesday 25th October at his home on the Hill of Skryne, aged 81.

Denis Smyth worked for the Meath Chronicle in the 1960s and ‘70s, primarily as a sports reporter, but also introducing the ‘Window on Youth’ column. There had been a journalistic tradition in his family, as his uncle Brendan Malin also began his career in the Chronicle before going on to the Irish Press and Boston Globe, and Maurice Liston, a famed Irish Press reporter, was married to his aunt, Eileen Malin. Denis’ nephew, footballer Liam Hayes would later follow into the profession.

Denis moved on to the Irish Press, before joining Irish Trade and Technical Publications. When he became deputy editor of Business and Finance, his brief included motoring.

A press trip to Japan at the invitation of Toyota led to his first meeting with Tim Mahony of Toyota Ireland. They got on well together, and with Denis also having done “a small bit of rallying”, he was offered a job. He joined Toyota Ireland in 1977 as dealer development manager.

By 1979, he was marketing and PR manager, and in 1983, he became sales and marketing manager. By 1986, he was sales and marketing director, and in 1989, he became managing director of Toyota Ireland. In 1994, he was appointed managing director of the Killeen Motor Group, which, as well as Toyota cars and commercial vehicles, included the Lexus luxury car division, and Toyota forklift trucks. When he retired from that role in 2002, he continued in a non-executive role as vice-chairman of the Killeen group and as a director of Toyota Ireland and Lexus Ireland.

With the traditional young reporter’s background of covering courts and councils when an essential qualification was good shorthand for taking down the quickfire verbal exchanges, Denis later said the high-speed Gregg proved very useful at the negotiating tables of Japan. His biggest satisfaction was when Toyota became market leader in Ireland.

Like many in Skryne, Denis enjoyed footballing success in the blue jersey. As a youngster, he was on the side that won the 1954 juvenile championship, and the 1956 under-16 championship, with his father, school headmaster Brian Smyth among the mentors. At adult level, he was on the Skryne team that became 1965 champions following a controversial final game against Kilbride. He was also on a Feis Cup winning team in the same year and also played Junior B with the club.

During Sean Boylan’s time as Meath manager, he was involved helping out in the background, as an ‘event manager’, organising hotels for functions and celebrations.

Golf was his passion, and Royal Tara Golf Club the focus of this. He was men’s captain in 1992, and president for its centenary year of 2006, an occasion which gave him “unbridled pride and admiration.” He was an efficient competition secretary, and chairman of a major sports-am charity event which raised €25,000 for charities in 2001. He was instrumental in the setting up of the Meath Golf Clubs Snooker League and a great supporter of it over the past three decades.

Putting his journalist expertise into use, he was part of a history committee that compiled a centenary publication of the Royal Tara club in 2006.

One of a family of eight of Brian Smyth NT and Emily (Malin), Denis was born in 1941, the second youngest of four boys and four girls who lost their mother in 1946. His Nobber native father had succeeded his grandfather, Patrick Malin, as Skryne principal. After primary education, Denis attended St Finian’s College, Mullingar, and during his Chronicle years was well-known for his dapper dress and Mini car. He and his wife, Brenda Russell of Navan, celebrated 50 years of marriage this year.

Deceased will be remembered a kind and compassionate man, who was helpful and generous, and did many quiet favours for people. He was a great communicator, and friend to many.

He is survived by Brenda; their sons, Russell and John; grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Clare; sisters, Mary, Margaret and Emily; brothers, Patrick and Brian, extended family, relatives and many good neighbours and friends. He was predeceased by his sisters, baby Eileen Teresa and Carmel, and brother, Sean.

Members of Royal Tara Golf Club provided a guard of honour at the church, where a funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Alo Connaughton, SSC, Dalgan Park, assisted by Fr Thomas O’Mahony, PP, Skryne, and Fr Brian Oxley. Fr Shay Casey, Longford, and chaplain, Technical University of the Shannon, Athlone Campus, Athlone, attended at the removal.