Dawn Meats co-founder and agri-food entrepreneur Dan Browne dies
Dan Browne, the agri-food entrepreneur and businessman who co-founded Dawn Meats, one of the largest meat companies in Europe, has died at the age of 88.
Described as a pioneering figure in Irish agriculture, Browne, originally from Douglas in Cork, founded Dawn Meats along with brothers Peter and John Queally in 1980.
He served as the company's managing director for 27 years, developing the business into one of the leading players in the processing sector.
The company employs more than 8,000 staff in 12 countries and has an annual revenue of over €3 billion.
READ MORE
Browne retired from the role in 2007 but continued to be a board member of Dawn and a key adviser to the company's leadership.
Browne started his career as a research scientist with An Foras Talúntais (AFT) which later evolved into Teagasc.
He is credited with developing the State's national dairy research centre on a then derelict farm at Moorepark, near Fermoy in Co Cork.
In the 1970s, he left the world of research and joined the meat industry, becoming manager of the Cork Marts — IMP plant at Midleton, eventually going on to co-found Dawn with John Queally and the late Peter Queally.
'It is with great sadness that Dawn Meats announces the passing of its co-founder Daniel (Dan) Browne today at the age of 88,' Dawn Meats said in a statement.
'The board of Dawn Meats wishes to express its deepest condolences to Mr Browne's wife, Kay, and his family at this difficult time,' it said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Defence Force pay levels rise in bid to retain staff amid ‘poaching'
Defence Forces starting salaries for recruits who have completed basic training have risen by 49 per cent to more than €41,000 as the Government battles to retain staff amid 'poaching', TDs and Senators have been told. The pay of graduate cadets starts at more than €50,000, the Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security heard on Tuesday. Jacqui McCrum, secretary general of the Department of Defence said the Government was battling to modernise the Defence Forces and retain staff against private commercial operators who 'poach' Defence Forces members 'with an open chequebook'. Ms McCrum told the Oireachtas committee that retention of staff was especially challenging in relation to those working in air traffic services, particularly air traffic controllers. READ MORE Ms McCrum said this particular risk was 'crystallised' earlier this year in relation to a private sector operator 'close on our doorstep, effectively, in Baldonell, which was Weston'. She said there was 'potential there for them to poach our own staff, and that did materialise and certainly job offers have been made, and that's the position in which we find ourselves now.' She said the problem of staff being poached 'came to a very acute level just in May this year.' Among the potential measures to retain staff was a commitment scheme, similar to that which is in place for the pilots in which candidate undertake to remain with the Defence Forces for a fixed period after training. That 'could be potentially extended to the air traffic controllers,' she said. Ms McCrum said salary changes were also being introduced for air traffic controllers: 'We are going from something where there's a pay band of about €58,000 to €126,000," she said. 'With the service commitment scheme it will change from €85,000 up to €140,000 and that is quite a significant jump. But there are terms and conditions that surround that and they're being worked through at the moment'. The committee was also told Budget 2025 provided a record allocation of €1.35 billion for the defence sector, including more than €130 million for capability development investment. Some €55 million of this relates to essential aircraft projects including strategic reach aircraft; a light utility helicopter project and the acquisition of C295 military transport aircraft. However, Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell said an internal military report commissioned as far back as 2021 warned of the impending 'crisis' in personnel and this became a reality in October 2024. He was critical it was only this year the measures were being considered. Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said the 2021 report set out a series of recommendations of which a number of measures were adopted. 'However, despite extensive efforts, staffing challenges have persisted as a competitive commercial aviation market has targeted this highly specialised, highly trained stream within the Air Corps. 'While I wish to acknowledge the significant uplift in the remuneration package for the Defence Forces, in general over the last number of years, a disparity between the pay rates of highly specialised military personnel and their civilian equivalents remains. 'This disparity makes it extremely difficult to retain the services of such personnel, including trained air traffic services personnel. These are not excuses. This is the reality of the environment the Defence Forces and indeed the wider public sector are operating in. But be assured we continue to seek solutions to these challenges' he said.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
'Disgusted' Dublin icon Stephen Cluxton dropped to Parnells' second team in protest at how crisis club was run
Earlier this year one of Dublin's oldest GAA club, Parnells, was liquidated. The club, serving the parishes of Coolock and Artane, had been in financial difficulty for some time, having been ordered to pay a redundancy lump sum to 11 staff members who were not given work after the start of the Covid pandemic. However in 2008, Parnells GAA club sold lands near Dublin Airport for €22 million, making it the wealthiest of Ireland's 1,610 GAA clubs. Last night's Prime Time investigation detailed the club's precipitous fall. For a period in the last decade the club, chasing a first county title since 1988, was synonymous with the recruitment of inter-county stars from outside Dublin. Internal club documents – seen by Prime Time – show the scale of money allocated to some within the club. One player received almost €20,000 over a 16-month period – €8,050 for coaching and €11,600 for travel and subsistence. A number of years later, a coach was paid €16,820 in travel and subsistence payments over a 9-month period. However, the most successful inter-county footballer at Parnells (or any other club for that matter) is nine-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton - Parnells through and through. Just as Dublin were beginning to dominate, he took the unusual decision to drop down to the club's second team. As the goalkeeper has never been one for speaking to the media, his reasons for doing so were never made clear. However Prime Time last night revealed that in late September 2014 Cluxton wrote a letter to all members of the club executive. He outlined the reasons why he had taken the highly unusual decision to regrade down, to play for the club's second team. He also detailed his "frustration at the direction in which the club is being lead". The letter stated: "I don't agree with the policy of head-hunting players" and "I don't agree that county players are treated to various perks". He added that he was "disgusted with the tax situation having to be settled in the manner in which it was" and "I am disgusted that the club is now in debt".
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Tributes paid to Dawn Meats co-founder Dan Browne, a pioneer in Ireland's agri-food industry
Tributes have been paid following the death of a pioneering figure in Ireland's agri-food industry, Dan Browne, who co-founded global food giant Dawn Meats and helped grow it into a €3bn-a-year business. Mr Browne, who came from a farming background in Douglas, Co Cork, died peacefully at University Hospital Waterford on Tuesday, surrounded by his family. He was 88. The board of Dawn Meats — which today has annual revenue of €3bn and employs 8,000 people globally — led the tributes, describing Mr Browne as a visionary leader in Irish agriculture who made a profound impact on the agri-food and meat sectors. 'He was a remarkable leader and visionary, serving as Managing Director of Dawn Meats for 27 years and developing the business into one of Europe's leading meat processing companies,' the company said. 'He was also a valued member of the board of Dawn Meats and through his wise counsel, he continued to play a key role in the further success of the company. 'Through his work at Dawn Meats and his wider contribution to agriculture and the agri-food industry, Mr Browne leaves a lasting legacy and he will be greatly missed.' Mr Browne began his career as a research scientist. He worked with An Foras Talúntais, the agricultural research institute, initially at the grassland research centre at Johnstown Castle, Wexford, before moving back to Cork in 1959, where he developed a national dairy research centre at Moorepark, outside Fermoy. As the third scientist hired at Moorepark, he played a central role in developing it into a world-class research centre over the next 15 years. In 1974, he left research to join the meat industry, becoming manager of the Cork Marts IMP plant in Midleton. In 1980, Mr Browne co-founded Dawn Meats in Waterford alongside John Queally and the late Peter Queally, serving as managing director for 27 years. Under his leadership, the company rapidly expanded into one of Europe's top meat processors. He retired as managing director in 2007 but continued to serve on the board and advise senior management as the business grew to employ over 8,000 people in 12 countries, generating more than €3bn in annual revenue. The company sources grass-fed cattle and lamb from over 40,000 family farms for processing at its 11 Irish and 13 UK sites, exporting to more than 50 countries. It processes approximately one million cattle and 3.5 million sheep annually. In 2011, Mr Browne received an honorary doctorate of science from UCD, his alma mater, in recognition of his vision, innovation, and outstanding contribution to agriculture. He chaired the board at Teagasc from 1993 to 1998, led Bord Bia from 2008 to 2011, and had been chair of Waterford Airport since 2010. Mr Browne is survived by his wife Kay, children Paddy, Aoidín, Colm, Niall, and ten grandchildren. Niall has served as CEO of Dawn Meats since 2007. His requiem mass will take place at 11am on Friday at St Mary's Church, Ballygunner, Waterford, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Read More Cork publican Benny McCabe hails city revival with opening of The Fountain bar
