Businessman Ben Dunne dies at age of 74

Mr Dunne died whereas on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, it’s understood.

The Division of International Affairs informed the Sunday Unbiased this afternoon it was “conscious of the demise of an Irish citizen in Dubai”.

He’s survived by his spouse Mary, with whom he lived in Castleknock in Dublin, and 4 youngsters, Caroline, Robert, Nicholas and Mark.

His son Robert paid tribute to his father.

“I’m going to overlook him in a method I can’t even describe in phrases,” he was quoted as saying by the Additional.ie web site. “My dad is lifeless. He had a large coronary heart assault and simply didn’t make it. Easy as that. General, within the remaining evaluation, he was a great and respectable man.”

Born in Cork because the youngest of six youngsters in 1949, Mr Dunne began out working for the Dunnes Shops household enterprise based by his father, additionally named Ben, with its ubiquitous St Bernard model.

In 1981 he was kidnapped and held for per week by the IRA, till a £1m ransom was paid.

His management of Dunnes Shops ended after the scandal wherein he was arrested for cocaine possession within the firm of an escort whereas on a golf vacation in Florida in 1992.

His sister Margaret Heffernan then took the helm on the agency.

That may additionally ultimately result in revelations of secret funds to politicians together with former Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil chief Charles Haughey.

The fallout would result in the McCracken Tribunal report and the long-running Moriarty Tribunal that led to the ruination of reputations in politics, enterprise, and Eire’s gilded social circles.

Mr Dunne went on to rebuild his popularity and based the profitable Ben Dunne chain of gyms.

Mr Dunne was a vastly flamboyant and in style character over many a long time, and as phrase of his passing started to emerge yesterday, the information was met with shock and disappointment.