History

His journey in construction began under incredibly daunting circumstances. At just 15 years old, he emigrated from the hills of Glenties to the Scottish Borders to join his uncle in dry stone walling, living in a basic seasonal worker’s bothy. Mick later moved to the gruelling concrete gangs of Sir Robert McAlpine, working alongside fellow Donegal men on some of the UK’s defining post-war engineering projects, including Hinkley Point 1 Power Station, the Humber Bridge, and the Scunthorpe Steelworks. It was during these intense years that he earned his legendary industry moniker, “The Horse Boyle,” owing to his superhuman ability to drive high-production volumes of rebar and concrete. Throughout his early career, he proudly carried the operational titles of a “McAlpine Fusilier” and a “Kishorn Commando”.

Mick’s reputation as a tenacious leader and master negotiator was solidified in 1976 when he was promoted to manage 1,200 men in the construction of the Ninian Central Oil Rig at Kishorn on the west coast of Scotland. At the time, this massive project was the largest concrete structure in the world, and Mick’s absolute devotion to delivering it safely and on time cemented his legacy.

In his early 50s, Mick took the brave leap to establish his own company, founding MPB Structures in 1987 and over the course of his career, he contributed to major landmark projects but at the heart of Mick’s vision was a simple belief: put people first. He was deeply committed to supporting his workforce, creating opportunities, and maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and quality and today, his legacy lives on, guiding MPB Structures as we continue to deliver complex projects with the same integrity, ambition and care that he instilled from the very beginning.