On 23rd November 2023, Joe Byrne passed away peacefully in his 86th year. Joe was born in Clones Co. Monaghan on 30th January 1938. After moving to Dublin in the mid 1940’s he attended primary school in Synge St CBS and secondary school at Monkstown CBC.
On leaving school, he began his actuarial career in Irish Life in 1955 working under Bob Willis and Geoffrey Rowe. Joe became the first non-graduate in Ireland to qualify as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in 1962.
Whilst working in Irish Life, he met his wife Breda, and they married in 1962. They went on to have three daughters Bridgette, Maria and Jacinta and three sons Joe, John and Peter all of whom are qualified actuaries.
In 1966 he moved to Irish Pensions Trust to work in pensions and investment consulting. He was an active member in the profession and a founder member of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland in 1972 when there were only 17 qualified actuaries at the time.
In 1985 he set up his own actuarial consulting firm, which is now known as Byrne Actuaries specialising in pensions, investment, financial planning, trustee services and the assessment of damages. This became the largest independent Irish owned actuarial consulting firm.
Joe continued to work and attend the office until recent years. His actuarial dynasty includes his three sons all of whom work in Byrne Actuaries and his niece Kathy Byrne who has served as Honorary Secretary and on the council of the IFOA in the UK.
He was well known throughout Ireland as an expert witness assisting the courts and in the wider pensions’ community. Joe had many interests outside of work which included playing and coaching senior cricket for Pembroke CC and at interprovincial level for Leinster. He also played Gaelic football for Foxrock Geraldines into his late forties.
Joe will be missed by all of us who have had the good fortune to work with him.