Ben Dunne (businessman, born 1908) facts for kids

Bernard Dunne was an important Irish businessman. He was born on May 19, 1908, and passed away on April 14, 1983. He is best known for starting and leading a very popular chain of shops called Dunnes Stores.

Bernard Dunne's Early Life

Bernard Dunne was born in 1908 in a small village called Rostrevor in County Down, Ireland. His birth name was Bernard Dunn. He was the oldest son of Margaret and Barney Dunn. His father was a businessman who owned a restaurant and an auction firm. His mother ran a fabric shop and later a shipping business.

Bernard went to St Mary's School in Rostrevor until he was 14 years old. Even while he was still in school, he had many different jobs. He fixed bicycles, raised sheep, and even worked as a boot-boy. A family friend helped convince him not to move to the United States.

Starting a Business Career

In 1926, Bernard moved to Drogheda in the new Irish Free State. He started as an apprentice, learning how to work in shops. He worked at Anderson's and later at Cameron's Drapery store in Longford. It was after moving to Longford that he added an "e" to his last name, becoming Dunne.

In the mid-1930s, he moved to Cork. There, he worked as a buyer for Roches Stores, helping to choose clothes for men.

Opening Dunnes Stores

In 1944, Bernard Dunne decided to start his own shop. He left Roches Stores and opened a fabric shop with his friend, Des Darrer. Their shop was right across the street from Roches Stores on St Patrick's Street in Cork.

Bernard and Des worked together until 1952. Then, they decided to go their separate ways. Des Darrer took over their shop in Waterford and renamed it Darrers. Bernard Dunne kept the other shops and continued to grow his business, which he called Dunnes Stores.

Growing the Dunnes Stores Chain

After the first shop in Cork, Dunnes Stores quickly grew. Bernard opened a second shop on North Main Street in Cork. More stores followed in places like Waterford and Mallow.

By 1955, the tenth Dunnes Stores opened in Wexford. In 1958, the first store in Dublin opened its doors.

In 1960, Dunnes Stores started selling its own brand of products. The first was a ladies' jacket called St Bernard. By 1964, Dunnes Stores had expanded to sell groceries too. The company was doing very well, earning £6 million a year.

In 1972, Bernard Dunne bought two more large stores in Dublin, Bolger's and Cassidy's. These stores had 11 shops combined, which added even more locations to Dunnes Stores. In 1976, Dunnes Stores opened its first branch in Northern Ireland.

Bernard Dunne's Family Life

Bernard Dunne met his wife, Nora Maloney, while they were both working at Roches Stores. They got married in September 1939. Bernard and Nora had six children together. Some of their children, like Margaret and Ben, later worked in the family business.

Bernard Dunne passed away on April 14, 1983. He left behind a successful business that he built from the ground up.