Businessman Ben Dunne dies aged 74

The well-known Irish businessman Ben Dunne has died at the age of 74.

The former Director of Dunnes Stores, which was founded by his father, Ben snr has passed away while visiting Dubai.

He played a leading role in the growth of the supermarket empire and became one of Ireland’s best-known business figures.

In 1983, following the death of his father, Dunne took over the running of the family supermarket empire and a period of significant growth followed.

However, payments made by Dunne to two senior politicians, former Taoiseach Charles Haughey and former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry, led to his departure from Dunnes Stores.

In 1992, Dunne was arrested for cocaine possession and soliciting while on a golf holiday in Florida, which was eventually to lead to his departure from the company.

In the McCracken tribunal, it found that Dunne had knowingly assisted Lowry in evading his tax obligations and also criticised the payments to Haughey as being completely unacceptable.

On his way to visit a company store in Newry, he survived a kidnapping by the IRA in 1981. Reports at the time suggested £1.5 million was paid in a ransom.

He founded a number of gyms in Dublin where he lived, recording an operating profit of €3 million, following a difficult period for the industry during Covid-19.

The business returned to profit following Dunne shutting down six of his 12 gyms after exiting rent deals.

Dunne is survived by his wife, Mary, and their four children.