Dundalk born hotelier, businessman and philanthropist Martin Naughton has died at the age of 87. He founded the Glen Dimplex Group and the Naughton Foundation. Mr Naughton passed away while travelling in the United States with his wife Carmel.
Martin Naughton brought the massive 2012 Notre Dame vs. Navy college football game to Dublin by leveraging his deep philanthropic ties, his position on the University’s Board of Directors, and a strategic vision to boost Ireland’s post-recession economy. Working alongside former Coca-Cola president Don Keough, Naughton utilized decades of personal capital to orchestrate the historic event.
Hotelier and industrialist Martin Naughton has died. Martin Naughton co-owned the five-star The Merrion Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. He and business partner Lochlann Quinn held a joint 50% stake in the hotel alongside the Hastings Hotel group e owned the property as part of a joint partnership. His 50% stake was shared with fellow businessman Lochlann Quinn, while the remaining 50% was owned by the Hastings Hotels group.
Through his involvement with the hotel, he also held a stake in the prestigious, two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud located on the premises
In recognition of his massive boost to Irish tourism at a time of existential pressure, he received the Presdients award from the Irish Hotels Federation some years ago Martin Naughton received the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) President’s Award in r2013 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the tourism sector and broader Irish society r. Martin Naughton received the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) President’s Award and was recognised at the annual IHF national conference in March 2013 in Killarney in a tribute delivered by Michael Vaughan.
He was specifically honored for his immense instrumental contribution to Irish tourism, notably his leadership in organizing the massive Notre Dame vs. Navy American college football game in Dublin in 2012, which brought unprecedented international visitor numbers and revenue to the Irish hotel and tourism industry. At the conference, high-profile dignitaries including the minister for tourism Leo Varadkar and leadership publicly recognized Naughton’s extensive impact on local hospitality and economic growth
Emerald Isle Classic
Naughton served on the University of Notre Dame’s Board of Directors starting in 1991. He co-founded the university’s Ireland Council, giving him direct access to key athletic and academic decision-makers. Naughton co-funded the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at Notre Dame. This transformed the university into the epicenter of Irish-American connectivity.
Following the 2008 global financial crash, Ireland’s tourism sector was badly battered. Naughton pitched the game not just as a sporting event, but as a “soft power” networking engine designed to bring thousands of high-spending American tourists to Dublin. He coordinated directly with the Irish government, bringing Taoiseach Enda Kenny to Notre Dame to toast the fixture and guarantee state-level hospitality support.
The efforts culminated on September 1, 2012, when the Emerald Isle Classic kicked off at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. The game drew 50,000 fans, including 35,000 traveling American spectators. At the time, it was heralded as the largest single transatlantic movement of Americans outside of wartime. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish dominant forces secured a 50-10 victory over Navy.
The legacy of the game was institutionalized through the creation of the Keough-Naughton Trophy. It is a stunning Waterford Crystal piece shaped like an American football that the teams compete for whenever they play on Irish soil
Naughton’s initial 2012 initiative laid the groundwork for college football to become a recurring, multi-million-euro tourism staple for Dublin
The Louth native established Glen Electric in Newry in 1973 and acquired Dimplex four years later. He stepped down as president of the group in 2016. Mr Naughton received numerous honours for his business achievements and philanthropy.
He supported education and the arts through the Naughton Foundation. Trinity College Dublin and other organisations paid tribute to his contributions.
The family of Martin Naughton shared in a written statement “He took ill while travelling in the US with his wife Carmel.”
Danny McCoy shared “Mr Naughton was one of Ireland greatest entrepreneurs whose vision innovation and determination built a world class Irish company.”
Linda Doyle shared “Mr Naughton believed that education and research can transform society.”
