Glen Dimplex founder Martin Naughton dies aged 87

Irish businessman and philanthropist Martin Naughton, who founded the Glen Dimplex Group, has died aged 87.

In a statement, his family said that he took ill while travelling in the US with his wife Carmel.

He passed away a short time later at Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle.

The entrepreneur, businessman and philanthropist founded the Glen Dimplex Group and the Naughton Foundation.

The Louth native founded Glen Electric in Newry in 1973, acquiring Dimplex four years later to form the Glen Dimplex Group. In 2016 he stepped down as president from the group.

He was awarded a KBE from the then Prince of Wales and France's highest national honour, the Legion d’Honneur, in recognition of his far-reaching philanthropy through the Naughton Foundation and his work for peace on the island of Ireland.

Pope Francis also conferred the honour of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great upon Mr Naughton and his wife Carmel in recognition of their outstanding philanthropy in the areas of education and the arts.

Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, has said that Mr Naughton was one of Ireland's "greatest entrepreneurs whose vision, innovation and determination built a world-class Irish company".

He said that Mr Naughton showed that an Irish manufacturing company could "compete, grow and lead on the world stage".

Trinity College Dublin also paid tribute to the businessman and philanthropist.

It college said that Mr Naughton was someone who believed that education and research "can transform society, and that investing in young people is one of the most meaningful ways to shape the future".

Provost of TCD, Dr Linda Doyle, said that Mr Naughton's legacy at the college will be felt for generations to come.