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Dynasty: Scandals, Triumph, Turmoil and Succession at the heart of Dunnes Stores SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2025
SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2025
The real story behind Dunnes Stores, the most quintessentially Irish shop of all, and the family drama behind it
This is the story of the extraordinary family behind one of Ireland's most famous businesses, Dunnes Stores, over three generations and covering nearly 80 years of retailing but going back as far as the 19th century.
With drama worthy of the popular TV drama Succession, a real-life Irish family drama shows the children of a dominant founder argue as to who should run the supermarket empire after his death and take the money from it, and how they dealt or not, with addictions and ill health, including alcoholism.
This is the story of excess, success and failure.
The real story behind Dunnes Stores, the most quintessentially Irish shop of all, and the family drama behind it
This is the story of the extraordinary family behind one of Ireland's most famous businesses, Dunnes Stores, over three generations and covering nearly 80 years of retailing but going back as far as the 19th century.
With drama worthy of the popular TV drama Succession, a real-life Irish family drama shows the children of a dominant founder argue as to who should run the supermarket empire after his death and take the money from it, and how they dealt or not, with addictions and ill health, including alcoholism.
This is the story of excess, success and failure.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2025
86 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 23, 2026
A different read for me but thoroughly enjoyed it.
As a fellow dunnes shopper, it was interesting to find out more about the family behind the store.
As a fellow dunnes shopper, it was interesting to find out more about the family behind the store.
December 13, 2025
Fascinating read
Fascinating read. Expertly researched by a top drawer writer, who mixes the personal side of one seriously dysfunctional family…with the incredible business acumen of the Dunne family.
They’ve had a huge impact on shaping modern Irish society.
Positively, through providing affordable food and clothes to the nation plus driving competitiveness to domestic industry. And negatively, by turbocharging political corruption and keeping a heel on their workers rights.
I’m glad I only had to work there part time during the 90’s! They were not nice to work for and I hope workers rights and conditions have improved since then.
Fascinating read. Expertly researched by a top drawer writer, who mixes the personal side of one seriously dysfunctional family…with the incredible business acumen of the Dunne family.
They’ve had a huge impact on shaping modern Irish society.
Positively, through providing affordable food and clothes to the nation plus driving competitiveness to domestic industry. And negatively, by turbocharging political corruption and keeping a heel on their workers rights.
I’m glad I only had to work there part time during the 90’s! They were not nice to work for and I hope workers rights and conditions have improved since then.
January 8, 2026
This was a really interesting read. I didn't know much about the Dunne family other than Ben Dunne Jr.'s drug habit, his kidnapping, and his gym empire. There is a lot more to this family than just Ben Dunne!
This is my first Matt Cooper book, too. He writes very well, keeping it light but engaging. While he speaks about the dark parts of the Dunne family history and dynamic, he never twists the knife, and I liked this. It didn't seem like an exploitative telling of the family history, but I did finish the book feeling a little unsatisfied, and I'm not entirely sure why.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I certainly would.
This is my first Matt Cooper book, too. He writes very well, keeping it light but engaging. While he speaks about the dark parts of the Dunne family history and dynamic, he never twists the knife, and I liked this. It didn't seem like an exploitative telling of the family history, but I did finish the book feeling a little unsatisfied, and I'm not entirely sure why.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I certainly would.
January 9, 2026
Very well wrote book about a fascinating family and business. Considering the Dunne family do so little in the public spotlight and didn't contribute directly to the book, Cooper did a brilliant job chronicling the lifes and times of the Dunne family and Dunnes Stores empire
November 25, 2025
As the bank manager said to Charlie, "It's a great little nation."
December 28, 2025
Enjoyable read, nice mixture of business and colourful anecdotes concerning the main characters involved. What a mad family.
January 21, 2026
Excellent book really well done
Very irish , business and society, politics
But a nice span over decades
Very irish , business and society, politics
But a nice span over decades
January 22, 2026
oh my god this is such a good book i love love love love so interesting always kept me going because like one second it’s tax law and the next it’s “oh the ira?” but ye would recommend
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews