Michael Flynn (businessman)

Michael Flynn (born 1950/1951), also known as Mattress Mick, is an Irish businessman. He is the owner of Mattress Mick, a chain of mattress stores in Ireland.[2]

Not to be confused with Mattress Mack.
Michael Flynn
Born1950 or 1951 (age 71–72)[1]
Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Known forOwner of Mattress Mick
SpouseMargaret (d. 2023)
Children2

Career
A Mattress Mick store in Dublin

Flynn was born and raised in Dublin. His grandfather owned a shop on Pearse Street, which Flynn still owns today.[3] His father owned a fishing supply shop. Flynn worked for Royal Trust Company in Dublin before he started selling furniture, bottled gas and drapery.[4][5] He owned eight furniture stores in Dublin during the 2000s, but due to the recession he closed down his company.[3][6]

After this, Flynn began to focus on selling mattresses. He collaborated with Paul Kelly and director Colm Quinn to create the persona of "Mattress Mick", which he named his mattress stores after.[7][8] He recorded a rap song as Mattress Mick, which went viral.[9] Flynn's advertisements and videos as Mattress Mick have received media attention, including a song with Richie Kavanagh[10] and a Star Wars themed advertisement.[11] In 2015, comedian Stephen Fry commented that he "wanted to meet" Mattress Mick.[12] He was named as one of the most popular Irish accounts on TikTok in 2022.[13]

He has starred in ads for Lucozade Zero.[14]

Flynn was the subject of the 2016 movie Mattress Men, which he starred in.[15] The movie was nominated for the George Morrison Feature Documentary award in the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2017,[16] and went on to win the award.[17][18] A musical based on his life ran at the Liberty Hall Theatre in 2023.[19][20]

Personal life

Flynn met his wife Margaret (née Fitzpatrick) in the 1980s when she applied for a job at the Mace convenience shop he ran in Ringsend. The couple were married until Margaret's death in 2023, and they had two daughters.[21][19][22]

In 2019, Flynn revealed that he had been approached to take part in the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars.[23] He appeared as Donald Trump in an episode of Republic of Telly.[7]

Activism and politics

During the occupation of Apollo House, Flynn provided mattresses to the homeless people occupying the building.[24][25] As part of his business, Flynn has run the Mick's Community Chest initiative, which donates a sum of money to a charity every month.[26]

Flynn endorsed Jennifer Carroll MacNeill during the 2019 Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council election.[27]

Flynn revealed he had been approached to run for Dublin City Council with the aim of becoming Lord Mayor of Dublin, but he declined to run.[28] He denied rumours that he was planning to run in the 2018 Irish presidential election,[29] but has said he may run in the next presidential election in 2025.[30]

References
  1. "Profile Michael Flynn: Mattress monarch". Business Post. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  2. "'I had to get my name out there without much funding - so I created this character'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  3. Walsh, Kayla (2016-12-03). "Dublin Lives: Michael Flynn on journey to Mattress Mick stardom". DublinLive. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  4. Lynch, Donal. "Mattress Mick: Epic hair, quickie mass and a jilted bride: the world is his mattress". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  5. Kavanagh, Gráinne (2022-05-09). "10 GREAT things YOU MIGHT have in common with Mattress Mick". Meanwhile in Ireland. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  6. "Mattress Mick on never giving up". Think Business. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  7. Mitchell, Hugh. "Two Men in a Bed: the Story of Mattress Mick". universitytimes.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  8. Sihra, Dave. "Meet 2 Dubliners - Mattress Mick and Paul Kelly". Dublin.ie. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  9. Reporter, Standard (2014-10-15). "Irish mattress salesman 'Mattress Mick' fulfils dream of releasing". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  10. Brady, Sasha. "Mattress Mick and Richie Kavanagh's new music video is every bit as 'wtf' as you'd expect". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  11. Cullen, Clare. "The Farce is strong with him: Mattress Mick's new Star Wars-themed ad has to be seen to be believed". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  12. Drohan, Freya. "Stephen Fry 'wants to meet' well-known Irish salesman Mattress Mick". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  13. Butler, Rachel (2022-12-06). "TikTok honour viral sensations from 2022's top videos in Dublin". DublinLive. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  14. "Images of the Day". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  15. "There's a glitch in the mattress! Viral hit gets real". RTÉ. 2016-10-06.
  16. "Mattress Mick Has Bagged Himself An IFTA Nomination". LovinDublin.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  17. O'Connor, Siobhan (2017-04-11). "IFTA award winner Mattress Mick in talks to star in Mattress Men sequel". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  18. Fenton, James. "Mattress Mick Wins An IFTA As Global Domination Continues". Lovin.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  19. "Mattress Mick Couldn't Have Found Success Without Late Wife". 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  20. Libreri, Samantha (2023-04-27). "Musical about Mattress Mick opens in Dublin". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. Hourihane, Ann Marie. "'Everybody has to go to bed': the life and philosophy of Mattress Mick". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  22. "Mattress Mick Pays Tribute To Late Wife Margaret Who Died Following Short Illness". 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  23. "Mattress Mick not putting Dancing with the Stars to bed". RTÉ. 2019-10-15.
  24. Laverty, Alana. "WATCH: Mattress Mick Delivering Beds To Apollo House Last Night And Learn How You Can Help". LovinDublin.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  25. Holland, Kitty. "Apollo House: 'It is beautiful here. I would stay forever'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  26. Skelton, Darren (2022-04-13). "Mattress Mick's Deise Double". Waterford News and Star. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  27. "'I've just been endorsed by actual Mattress Mick' - FG hopeful's delight at celebrity bed salesman's backing". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  28. Delaney, Gary (2021-03-03). "Mattress Mick Reveals Being Asked To Enter Politics But Says Business Is Too Important". Nova.ie. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  29. Kinsella, Carl. "Mattress Mick officially rules himself out of presidential bid". JOE.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  30. Donohoe, Amy; Morgan, Karen (2021-11-17). "Mattress Mick may run for president of Ireland in 2025". DublinLive. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
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