Dr Gary McCausland, who also worked with bands like New Order and Happy Mondays, was ‘punk to the core,’ say friends
Dr McCausland’s funeral took place on Wednesday following his death last week.
He grew up in east Belfast and attended Grosvenor High, before studying at University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. He later completed a PhD in 2017.
In his most recent role, Dr McCausland helped company founders with their start-up businesses in his role at Invest NI.
Previously, his interest in the arts scene led him to get involved in driving the growth of arts venue the Black Box in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
And during a period living in England, he worked in production and marketing at record label Factory Records, helping launch the careers of bands like New Order and Happy Mondays in the US. He returned to Belfast in the mid-1990s.
A friend said: “ A punk to his core, Gary relished the challenge of smashing the status quo with creative and novel ways of selling records for the scrappy label, elbowing its way in amongst the established majors.”
Rich Dale, chief executive of NI tech company Flowlens, said a a stream of tributes on social media had shown his friend’s impact on the start-up world, and at a personal level.
Mr Dale said: “I’ve known Gary since 1999 and he has been both a friend and a mentor ever since. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today if it wasn’t for Gary’s never-ending support, relentless optimism, quiet determination, timely pints and sanity preserving perspectives.”
Dr McCausland had been the co-founder of Dream Ireland, a place for development of ideas.
He was described as an expert in creating opportunities for inspiration with a knack for “sniffing out enough cash to give these projects a fighting chance”.
Martin Neill, CEO and founder of Airpos in Belfast, said: “Gary was the first person to ever recognise my ideas backing me in an early tech music product when no-one else would give me the time of day.
“He believed in me, his enthusiasm and vision were unwavering. He changed my life….
“Endlessly pushing forward, always ready to go. The doctor of punk. Thank you, my friend.”
Gren Armstrong of Invest NI said: “I was delighted when Gary joined the High Potential Entrepreneurship team four years ago – we’d worked together before and I knew he was 100% the right person.
“’We have to support the entrepreneur’ was his mantra. His strength was in how he engaged with entrepreneurs and talked their language, while in parallel doing his best to get them the support they needed.”
Mr Armstrong said Gary had been “over the moon” to receive a promotion in June.
He added: “I’ve been really touched by the many comments from his friends and colleagues across Invest NI, founders and ecosystem partners since last Wednesday’s shattering news – the common themes were ‘great guy, always smiling, he understands us, determined to help… he was our friend’.”
A notice on Funeral Times described Gary as “dearly loved son of Myrtle and the late John McCausland”.
“Cherished brother of Paula and her husband Stephen, loving father of Joshua and Imogen, much loved uncle of Ryan and Jade and adored partner of Patricia.”
The notice adds that donations in lieu of flowers can be made directly to cancer charity Marie Curie.
News Catch Up – Wednesday 3rd September