Later in life, Joe Veselsky 'thought about his parents and brother every day', said his grandson Nicholas Browne. Photograph: Ronan McGreevyThe death has taken place of Josef Veselsky, a Holocaust survivor born in the former Czechoslovakia who established a successful jewellery business in Dublin and became Ireland’s oldest man. “Later in life he said he thought about his parents and brother every day. Former Irish president Michael D Higgins with Holocaust survivors Tomi Reichental and Joe Veselsky. With watches scarce after war, Veselsky saw a business opportunity to buy watches from friends in Swiss industry and sell them to Irish retailers.

Source: The Irish Times January 04, 2026 19:52 UTC