Robert Dunne, Son of Former Dunnes Stores Head Ben Dunne, Dies in New York
Robert Dunne, the son of the late Ben Dunne, former head of Dunnes Stores, has died peacefully in New york City at the age of 50. His passing occurred on August 1st, adn he will be laid to rest on Monday in Castleknock Churchyard, Dublin, following a Requiem Mass at St Mochta’s Church, Porterstown, Clonsilla.
Mr.Dunne was a respected lawyer and served as President Emeritus of the Brehon Law Society of New York. The Society remembered him with “deep respect and remembrance,” acknowledging his “unwavering dedication to justice” and “enduring commitment to the Irish-American legal community.” A month’s mind Mass will be held in New York on September 4th to honour his memory.
born and raised in castleknock, County Dublin, Robert Dunne received his education at Trinity College dublin and the London School of Economics. He began his career working at Dunnes Stores in the Ilac Centre, Dublin, before relocating to the United States to pursue a career in law.He is survived by his mother, Mary, and siblings Mark, Caroline, and Nicholas, along with his extended family. Tributes shared online recall his presence in Castleknock, his time at Trinity College, his work at the Ilac Centre, and his life in the US. One former acquaintance, Antoin, who previously lived in Manhattan, remembered his “infectious laughter and wit.”
Last year, Mr. Dunne spoke candidly to The Sunday Autonomous about growing up as the son of a prominent and often controversial businessman. he reflected on the challenges his family faced, including his father’s kidnapping by the Provisional IRA in 1981 and his subsequent arrest in Florida in 1992 following a panic attack linked to cocaine use. He also spoke of his mother’s unwavering support throughout these difficult times and his father’s ongoing struggles.
Mr. Dunne believed his father suffered from what would now be recognized as PTSD as a result of the kidnapping and emphasized the need for counseling. The events in Florida triggered an audit of Dunnes Stores accounts, ultimately leading to revelations concerning payments made to michael Lowry and the late Charles Haughey, and the subsequent McCracken and Moriarty tribunals.
It was the fallout from the Florida incident that inspired Mr. Dunne to study law, eventually leading him to establish his own firm in New York. When asked what he would say to his father, who passed away in 2023, he expressed profound gratitude and acceptance, stating, “You made lots of mistakes, but you owned all of them. Please no that I am nothing but proud of you.”