TRIBUTES have been paid to Irish billionaire businessman and philanthropist Martin Naughton, who has passed away at the age of 87.
Co. Louth native Mr Naughton, who founded the Glen Dimplex electronics company, became ill while travelling in the US with his wife, Carmel.
A statement from his family on Saturday morning revealed he passed away at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
“Martin embodied the Irish success story,” said Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy.
“With vision and determination, he built Glen Dimplex into a global leader, showcasing the strength and ambition of Irish enterprise.”
Business and philanthropy
Mr Naughton was born on May 2, 1939 in Dundalk, Co. Louth and went on to study Mechanical & Production Engineering in Southampton, England.
After 12 years working as an Industrial Engineer and Plant Manager, he founded electrical goods firm Glen Electric in Co. Down in 1973.
Now known as Glen Dimplex and headquartered in Dublin, the company operates in more than 20 countries and employs in excess of 8,000 people.
It is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of domestic heating appliances and one of the most successful Irish companies in the history of the state.
In 1994, Mr Naughton and his wife established the Naughton Foundation to support worthwhile causes in the arts and education.
The foundation later created a scholarship to support Leaving Certificate students who wanted to study engineering, mathematics, science and technology at third level in Ireland.
Mr Naughton receiving his Honorary Doctorate from Dublin City University in 2017 (Image: Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie)Throughout the years of conflict in Northern Ireland, the couple worked to promote peace and reconciliation, hosting business leaders from both communities.
They also helped to negotiate cross-border trade and supported multiple all-Ireland initiatives in education, research, science, arts and culture.
In 2015, Mr Naughton was awarded a Knight of the British Empire (KBE) by the-then Prince Charles and a year later was awarded France’s highest honour, the Légion d’Honneur.
He has also received honorary degrees from Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University and the University of Notre Dame in the US.
In 2018, Mr Naughton received the Oslo Business for Peace Prize for his efforts ‘to promote the role of the private sector in contributing to peace and environmental sustainability’.
Last year, Pope Francis conferred the Order of Saint Gregory the Great on Mr Naughton and his wife in recognition of their philanthropy in the areas of education and the arts.
‘His contribution will live on for generations’
Meanwhile, Mr Naughton’s donations to Trinity College Dublin have helped built the state-of-the-art Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry.
Its aim is to support the education of engineers, computer scientists and natural scientists to find sustainable solutions to pressing global challenges.
“Martin Naughton’s legacy at Trinity will be felt for generations to come,” said Provost Dr Linda Doyle.
“It’s been my great honour and privilege to have known such an inspiring and generous man.”
The Ceann Comhairle also praised Mr Naughton’s philanthropy, saying she was ‘struck not only by his remarkable achievements, but by his warmth, humility and generosity’.
“His legacy extends far beyond business,” said Ms Murphy.
“Through his support for education and opportunity, he transformed lives and opened doors for generations of young people.
“Despite his success, Martin remained grounded, approachable and committed to Ireland’s future.
“He inspired others to use their achievements to make a meaningful difference.
“Ireland has lost not only a great entrepreneur, but a generous and compassionate citizen whose legacy will endure.”
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Simon Harris described Mr Naughton as ‘an exceptional businessman, an incredible philanthropist and an all-round thoroughly good human being’.
“He was witty, he was sincere, he was kind and his loss will be felt immensely by so, so many, most particularly his family,” he added.
“As the founder of Glen Dimplex, he built one of Ireland’s great manufacturing success stories from a small operation into a global business.
“In doing so he created and sustained thousands of jobs.
“Beyond his business achievements, his and his wife Carmel’s philanthropy through the Naughton Foundation and their support for education, the art and peace on this island left a lasting mark on Irish life.
“His contribution will live on for generations and generations in our country, in his generous charitable work through the Foundation, the Naughton Scholarship, the contribution to education institutions and of course his brilliant business legacy.
“My thoughts are with Carmel, their children Fiona, Neil and Fergal, the wider Naughton family and all his many friends and those that knew him at this sad time.”
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