One of Ireland’s most celebrated entrepreneurs and generous philanthropists, Martin Naughton, has passed away at the age of 87, leaving behind a decades-long legacy of transformative contributions to business development, cross-border cooperation, education and the arts across the whole island of Ireland.
Naughton began his remarkable business journey in 1973, when he established Glen Electric in the border town of Newry. Just four years later, he pulled off a bold acquisition of a much larger British competitor, rebranding the combined entity as Glen Dimplex in 1977. Under his steady leadership, the company grew exponentially into a global multinational electrical goods giant, today boasting a portfolio of well-known household brands including Morphy Richards and Lec.
Rather than hoarding the wealth generated by his business success, Naughton channeled much of his fortune into supporting public good initiatives across Ireland. His philanthropic track record is marked by multiple landmark donations that have reshaped cultural and educational institutions. In 2001, Naughton and his wife Carmel gifted £500,000 to endow the Naughton Gallery at Queen’s University Belfast, a space that has remained a hub for artistic expression and public engagement ever since. Six years later, the couple contributed £1 million to the reconstruction project of Belfast’s iconic Lyric Theatre, cementing their support for Northern Ireland’s cultural sector.
The most significant of the Naughton family’s donations came in 2018, when they gave €25 million (£21.4 million) to Trinity College Dublin – a contribution that still stands as the largest single private philanthropic gift in the history of the Irish state. Academic leaders across Ireland have paid tribute to Naughton’s decades-long commitment to education and institutional growth.
Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, remembered Naughton as an “exceptional entrepreneur, philanthropist and lifelong champion of education”. He emphasized that Naughton’s vision, generosity and dedication to supporting higher education have created a permanent, lasting impact. “The Naughton Gallery continues to inspire creativity, culture and public engagement, while his longstanding commitment to our university has benefited generations of students and researchers,” Greer noted.
Dr Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College Dublin, echoed these sentiments, saying that Naughton’s legacy at the institution will be felt for hundreds of future students. “It’s been my great honour and privilege to have known such an inspiring and generous man,” Doyle shared in the college’s official statement.
Beyond business and philanthropy, Naughton – a native of Dundalk, County Louth – was a dedicated advocate for cross-border cooperation on the island of Ireland following decades of division. When InterTradeIreland, the trade promotion body established under the historic Good Friday Agreement, was founded, Naughton served as its very first chairman, helping lay the groundwork for greater economic integration between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.