Martin Dempsey was the face of his country in the international amusement industry. He unquestionably did more than any other single person to unify Ireland's games and gaming industry and present it as a cogent, national movement.
It was not that he ran the industry in Ireland, but he was always the person to whom one turned if you needed background information on Ireland’s coin machine industry. He did, indeed, represent Ireland on a number of international platforms, but it was as a journalist and businessman that he provided himself with the recognition to carry out that ambassadorial role.
Martin’s death at the age of only 57 has come as a great shock to the Irish trade and to many of us on the international stage. I knew Martin Dempsey from his arrival in the industry in 1975. He worked for a number of operator/distributors in Ireland before starting his own freelance public relations agency under MD Associates. That company was to have celebrated its 25th year as a publisher this year.
His decision to start a publication for Ireland, Fair Play, in 1985 was a surprise and I joined many who doubted that a publication for such a restricted market could succeed. Martin proved everyone wrong, however, especially when he’went international’ in 1992, with Coin-Op News, eventually amalgamating both publications in 1995. A combination of paper product, backed latterly by an enthusiastic email newsletter and, above all, his success with the Irish trade show, Am-Ex, was to carve out for MD Associates a strong position in the market.
I have always been a sharp critic of so-called ‘international’ publications, which fail their product and their advertisers by sitting at home during important overseas trade shows. Our own publication has steadfastly invested in its own product with a policy of taking it to the readers, but invariably we have found ourselves not alone…for our Irish colleagues would be there too. Either Martin or his indefatigable colleague Susan Feery would inevitably be seen on the show floor in Madrid, Düsseldorf, Rome or Las Vegas. For that, I have immense respect for the organisation they set up.
Martin himself was an imposing figure but essentially a quiet man. He had a keen, typically Irish twinkle of humour, which belied a keen brain and an acute observer of trade movements in many markets, but none more so than his domestic, Irish industry. He helped his compatriots battle governmental intransigence over its long-outdated gaming laws and has sadly left this world on the cusp of that movement’s success. He also freely gave his unique and highly experienced views on the Irish market to other trade publications - including my own - if it meant a better understanding of the Irish market.
His much-loved Am-Ex is being held next week (March 3-4) in Dublin. The best tribute that the industry can make to Martin is to be there.
Our sincere condolences go to his family, his wife Angela, sons Darran and Robin, daughter Ashling and brother Tony. The funeral was held in Kildare yesterday.
