Tributes have been paid to the estate agent Robert Ganly who died suddenly at home on Wednesday, February 16th, at the age of 66.
Mr Ganly was widely known in the business, primarily in the country homes and land market, and in premium house sales.
His family connection to estate agency began with James Ganly’s establishment of a firm on Usher’s Quay in 1847. His own long involvement in the property business began when he joined his father’s firm in 1973, having qualified from Rathmines College. He attended school at St Columba’s College, Whitechurch.
In 2007 the British firm Knight Frank Ireland bought Ganly Walters, and six years later Mr Ganly, as director of residential sales, led a management buyout of that business along with his wife, Sandra.
In 2015, Ganly Walters sold a network of rural Garda stations, country estates and farms. Two years later he sold Danes Hollow, the Howth home of Riverdance couple Moya Doherty and John McColgan, for €8 million, and he brokered the sale of Westport House in Co Mayo, for about €5.5 million, from the Browne family to the Westport-based Hughes brothers, hoteliers and businessmen.
In 2018 Mr Ganly surprised the industry by taking a business development role in the country homes and residential sales division of Sherry FitzGerald, thus ending the Ganly Walters trading name.
Des O’Malley, head of Sherry FitzGerald Countrywide, paid tribute to Mr Ganly’s “vast knowledge and impeccable credentials”, describing him as “one of the outstanding country house practitioners [with] an unparalleled knowledge of farmland and the history of country estates in Ireland.”
Tributes paid to Mr Ganly on rip.ie describe him as a true gentleman, and recall his “huge energy and professionalism”, “consistent good humour and decency”, “honesty, integrity, charisma, charm and … sheer class”. Colleagues refer to his sense of collegiality and his interest in shooting, fishing and vintage car rally driving, and make particular mention of his beloved dogs.
Robert Ganly is survived by his wife, Sandra, and their children Rachel, Hannah and Jonathan. His funeral service will take place on Friday, February 25th, at 11am at Christ Church, Taney, Dublin 14.
