Pearse Lyons grew his fortune by €200m in the last year
Dundalk-born Pearse Lyons is Ireland’s fifth richest man, according to the Sunday’s Independent’s Irish Rich List 2014 publication, which was released at the weekend.
The newspaper estimates that the former Pearse Park resident has a fortune of €1.8bn, having grown his wealth by €200m in the last year.
Lyons is known for his animal healthcare business Alltech, which has a base in Co Meath. Having first made a breakthrough working for Harp Lager in Dundalk, the 69-year-old has also returned to his roots with a brewing business in Kentucky and Carlow that has produced the likes of Kentucky Bourbon Ale and Stout.
Lyons’ ever-growing empire means he now stands behind only industrialist Pallonji Mistry and family, Brown Thomas owner Hilary Weston, telecoms boss Denis O’Brien and financier John P Grayken in Ireland’s Rich List.
He was also the fifth biggest riser in terms of wealth in the last year, showing he is going from strength to strength at present.
Martin Naughton remains in the top 10
Close behind Mr Lyons is Glen Dimplex owner, Martin Naughton, who came in in eighth place with an estimated fortune of €1.3bn – up €20m in the last year.
The former De La Salle College student has operations in Dunleer and Newry, while other assets include large portions of the IFSC and the Merrion Hotel.
In 21st place is beef baron Larry Goodman, who has an estimated fortune of €650m. This figure has dropped by €20m in the last 12 months according to the Rich List though as the Stabannon man has not gone unaffected by the horse meat crisis that rocked the industry last year.
Another local in the top 100 is animal pharmaceuticals boss Edward Haughey. The former Coláiste Rís student has an estimated fortune of €430m – up €10m n the last 12 months and is now regarded as Northern Ireland’s richest man.
Haughey, also known as Lord Ballyedmond, is the driving force behind Newry-based Norbrook labs, one of the country’s most successful animal healthcare and pharmaceutical companies.
The Moore family, whose father George hailed from Dundalk prior to his passing last year, are in 52nd place with an estimated fortune of €210m.
George Moore made his money from cloud computing and data capturing but the wealth he left behind has fallen by €30m in the last year. He is survived by his wife Angela and three children, all of whom are based in the US.
Meanwhile, the Superquinn brand may be gone but Feargal Quinn – who started the business in Dundalk in the 1960s, can still claim to have a €160m fortune, which is enough for 70th place on the list.
Despite the food market being a difficult and competitive place to be at present, his fortune is estimated to have rose by €9m in the last year.
Just outside the top 100 in 127th place is the McCann family, who between their involvement with Fyffes and Total Produce are worth €82 million – up €17 million on a year ago.
Colm Piercy of Digiweb
Meanwhile, Colm Piercy of Dundalk-based Digiweb is in 160th place, with an estimated fortune of €70m – up €25m in the last year.
Louth businessman Phelim McCloskey, who is behind the Mosney park which is now used as a refugee asylum centre, is a new entry in the list at 236th place with an estimated fortune of €45m.
Over the last 10 years, Mosney has received over €101m from the Department of Justice.
Close behind in 239th place is Boylesports owner John Boyle. Boyle has an estimated fortune of €45m, which is up €4m on last year as the company’s 192 betting shops continue to grow.
Meanwhile, Paul Ward of the IMC cinema group, which has a cinema in Dundalk at Carroll Village, has an estimated fortune of €41m, down €1m on last year. That was enough to earn him the title of Ireland’s 254th richest man.
Ray Coyle, a former St Mary’s College student, also makes the top 300 in 263th place for his success with Largo Foods, which produce Tayto, Sam Spudz and Hunky Dory crisps.
He has an estimated wealth of €37m, up €3m in the last year.
Finally, John Teeling and family, the former owners of Cooley Distillery who will shortly open a new distillery at the former Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, is 295th on the list with an estimated fortune of €25m, down €1m in the last year.
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