Dunnes Stores ‘snub’ Cork mayor’s entreaty

Retail giant Dunnes Stores has been accused of “giving two fingers to the people of Cork”, after apparently ignoring the Lord Mayor’s request for a meeting to discuss the closure of one of its largest city stores.

Yesterday, the mayor, Sinn Féin’s Chris O’Leary, criticised the company for failing to acknowledge his correspondence, ahead of the closure, last week, of its North Main St outlet.

Mr O’Leary said he expected better from the company, given its historic links to Cork City — its first store was on St Patrick’s Street, having opened in March 1944, and founder, Ben Dunne, raised his family in the city’s historic Ringmahon House. This was refurbished by the Dunne family for the city’s Capital of Culture celebrations in 2005.