16 hours ago
Irish businessman Liam Lynch awarded Freedom of City of London
IRISH businessman Liam Lynch, founder of L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London.
After arriving in the city at the age of 17, Lynch laid the foundations for his business with the purchase of a single machine in 1977, going on to officially found his company in 1980.
Now headquartered in Hemel Hempstead with a fleet of more than 4,000 machines, the company is recognised as a leading provider of plant hire for Britain's construction industry.
In a post on the company's social media accounts, Lynch spoke of his affinity for the city where his business began more than 40 years ago.
"Arriving in London when I was 17 years old, I was full of ambition," he said.
"I saw that this was a place of opportunities, where dreams and ideas come alive.
"Today, Lynch has depots all over the country, including in Northampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Carlisle and Inverness, but back then, London was the only place I wanted to start my journey.
"Even now, London continues to inspire me. The city of London attracts great people and it rewards the ambition, innovation and hard work upon which it was built.
"I understand that opportunities to succeed exist nationwide, from London to every corner of the UK, but London is the city where I've chosen to base and grow the business from.
"I love this city, a proud moment."
Before moving to their state-of-the-art headquarters in Hertfordshire in 2018, L Lynch was previously headquartered in various locations across London.
From Dollis Hill, to Cricklewood, Queensbury, Wembley and Stanmore, the company moved across the capital as its success grew.
In the process, it has been involved in some of the city's biggest and most iconic projects, including the Jubilee Line, the Millennium Dome, the Olympic Park and the Elizabeth Line.
Its fleet is easily recognisable across the capital and the whole of Britain thanks to its iconic logo, designed by Lynch's son, Merrill.
He and brother Rob have both followed in their father's footsteps and are joint managing directors of the company, having started out in their youth helping to clean, grease and fuel machines on weekends and school holidays.
While most of the practical historic reasons for obtaining the Freedom of the City of London have disappeared, the honour nevertheless remains a unique part of the city's history.
Many people who have lived or worked in London have been proud to have been bestowed the honour.
Other Irish people to receive the Freedom of the City include Kelly Group founder Tim Kelly, community leader Seamus McGarry, London Irish Construction Network founder Frank O'Hare, current Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and activist Bernárd Lynch.
See More: L Lynch Plant Hire And Haulage, Liam Lynch
