A leading Dublin auctioneer, Mr Fintan Gunne, died yesterday after a short illness at the age of 50. He controlled one of Ireland's largest estate agencies with 11 branches and a staff of 160. He also operated three livestock sales marts.
Mr Gunne, from Dundalk, started as a cattle salesman in his father's livestock mart in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, after leaving school at the age of 17. He took over the business when his father, Patrick, died at the age of 52 and in a short period acquired three further marts in the area.
Mr Gunne moved his estate agency to Dublin in 1981 and within a few years built up a highly successful business in both the residential and commercial property markets.
Gunnes is ranked among the biggest four estate agencies in Dublin.
In recent years Gunnes set up a joint venture property consultancy in London with the giant London agency Richard Ellis.
The partnership established a similar company in Belfast earlier this year.
Mr Gunne was the first estate agent to secure more than £1 million for a Dublin bar when he sold the Red Cow licensed premises on the Naas Road in 1988.
He acted for a large number of business people including Ms Margaret Heffernan, Mr Larry Goodwin, Mr Harry Dobson and Mr Pino Harris.
He sold Carysfort College to the State in 1990, acting for Mr Harris who had bought it several months earlier.
Mr Gunne was acknowledged as one of the most colourful and astute figures in the Dublin estate agency business. He was the prime mover in a recent plan to create a national warehousing centre on a 200-acre site near Clondalkin, which would have a direct rail link to Dublin port via the Phoenix Park tunnel.
Two of Mr Gunne's six children, Pat and Lorraine, are involved in the family business. He is also survived by his wife, Maureen, mother, Mrs Berney Gunne, Dundalk, and by one brother and four sisters. Another sister, Ruth, died about a year ago.