Sean Quinn is set to publish a book telling his life story.

The news was confirmed by Sean Quinn himself, in a meeting that took place at his home in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan late last week. The book, provisionally entitled The Sean Quinn Story will likely hit the book stands in April 2023.

In 2008, Sean Quinn was listed as the richest man in the Republic of Ireland, with his personal worth estimated as between €4.5billion and €5billion. Having begun his business career in gravel and cement – he had huge success with Quinn Cement – he diversified into hospitality via Quinn Hotels, as well as glass, plastics, insurance (in 2007, he bought Bupa Ireland, then the closest rivals to VHI) and financial services. At its peak, the Quinn group employed between 5,000 and 6,000 people.

However, the banking collapse in 2008 triggered a series of events which ultimately led to the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank – as a result of which Sean Quinn lost a fortune on the 28% share he owned in the company. The decision was also taken to call in loans of €2.8billion that had been made to him by the bank, on which he had to default.

The book, Sean Quinn promises, will contain never before seen documents and information in relation to these and other controversies going back over 20 years, that erupted into the public glare following the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank and its reconstitution as the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. In the intervening years, there has been a campaign to have Sean Quinn reinstalled in the company he created – but a series of protests and violent incidents, including the kidnap and beating of Kevin Lunney, plunged the campaign into disrepute.

Three men – Alan Harte, Alan O’Brien and Darren Redmond – were found guilty in relation to the attack on Lunney and sentenced to a combined total of 73 years in prison. The kidnap was master-minded by the well known criminal Cyril “Dublin Jimmy” McGuinness, who died as a result of a heart attack, when his home in England was raided by detectives.

Sean Quinn insists that he was not involved in any of the unsavoury incidents.

Hot Press has seen a rough draft of the book, which the businessman hopes will counterbalance the negative impression created by ongoing coverage in the media, much of which has been extremely negative.

He was also at pains to emphasise that he had no say – and played no part – in the publication of Quinn, the book written by Trevor Birney, and published recently by Merrion Press.

Trevor Birney also made the three-part documentary Quinn Country, which was recently broadcast by RTÉ.

Sean Quinn described the book as “anti-Quinn”. While he agreed to be interviewed for the related documentary, work on which began four years ago, before it was aired he also told Joe Finnegan on Shannonside Northern Sound that he could no longer support the documentary.

“This is my story,” Sean Quinn told Hot Press, “and I have decided to tell it my way. It seems that’s the only way I’ll get a fair hearing."