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Bill Cullen via TV3
starting over

Losing brother and sister put business problems into perspective for Bill Cullen

The businessman became upset when discussing the deaths of his family.

BILL CULLEN BECAME visibly upset when talking about the deaths of his brother and sister who died in the same year that his business went into receivership.

The businessman and his partner Jackie Lavin appeared on Ireland AM this morning.

The couple spoke about their hopes for the future but also talked about the difficult times they’ve been through in the past with Bill discussing the deaths of his brother and sister.

Jackie stepped in for Bill when he became upset, saying:

His brother Aidan died from serious stress, just literally a week after the business was taken.

“He just had a heart attack at home one evening and it’s Bill’s youngest brother, he was only 54 and he left a widow and two lovely girls.

That put losing the business into perspective to be honest.

Bill then continued:

The stress on him was just too much and he just couldn’t take it.

“He was going to inherit the business he was running for me out in Swords.

That’s what killed him.  

Rebuilding

Cullen’s has now opened a new car dealership ‘Bill Cullen Premier Motors’ on the Naas Road.

Speaking about how the couple made it through such a difficult period, Jackie said that her mental strength played a huge factor.

“It’s who you are but you can learn it and I suppose you can garner it.

When things are down that’s when you really get to know what you’re made of.

Bill added, “I don’t take it as a personal failure.

“I could blame myself for doing things I shouldn’t have done, which was giving the banks everything we had and signing personal guarantees I never thought would ever come to match but it did and that certainly hurt”.

However he added that “The bigger thing then was the death of my sister and brother”.

 

Read: Apprentice boss Bill Cullen ‘delighted to be back’ selling cars again>

Read: Bill Cullen says ‘entrepreneurs have no future’ following hotel receivership>

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