Million dollar irishman

Chris McGale lived a life of ‘fight or flight’ and always chose to fight. His memoir tells of a remarkable journey from being bookies-runner at his family’s Irish pub, to mega-stakes gambling, and to a dazzling City career with the Wall Street giant Merrill Lynch. Along the way he nearly died in a collision with a lorry and his fundraising for the Omagh Bomb victims led to a nomination for the New Year’s Honours List. The story also traces the emotional conflict, return to education, and reconciliation between the author and his fellow-orphan sibling, Paul. Then at the height of his City career, The Million Dollar Irishman went on sabbatical and never went back. He had burnt out, doing too much of what he called “The too muches” – a never-ending cycle of long days, late nights, booze, gambling, and the compulsion to win. This is his life story.