15/04/2002

Down-based accountancy firm celebrates 50 years service

Accountancy firm MB McGrady & Co has held a special luncheon to celebrate 50 years servicing the SME business sector.

Set up by Malachy McGrady senior (MB), the company was the first independent accountancy practice to be established in the market town of Downpatrick. Early demands for personal, financial advice led to the appointment of his brother Eddie and the opening of subsidiary offices in many other parts of County Down.

Now, with their sons, Mal and Conaill at the helm, McGrady & Co boasts a client base of over 1,500 businesses, from throughout Ireland and as far a field as England and the United States.

Paying tribute to the work of the founding partners at the special luncheon, Mal McGrady explained how the company had grown with the evolving SME sector by servicing their diverse individual needs, enabling them to become one of the most respected accountancy firms in south Down.

He said: "We are delighted to honour the outstanding contribution that McGrady & Co has made to the development of the SME sector over the last fifty years. Sound financial advice is a necessity for all businesses and we feel proud to be continuing with the professional one-to-one approach on which this practice was established."

Key speeches at the launch were also given by Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, who spoke about the importance of servicing the growing requirements of a very focused and competitive SME sector. Owen O'Connor, Chairman of Down Business Centre, also addressed the audience and talked about small business creation and development on a local level. (MB)

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