Grand Slam golf star Rory McIlroy retains ranking in Sunday Times Rich List as province's wealthiest named including a new entry
Golfer Rory McIlroy has been named as Northern Ireland’s wealthiest person under the age of 40 in this year’s edition of The Sunday Times Rich List.
McIlroy, who won the Masters at Augusta last month to complete a career Grand Slam, retains his regional ranking for young people with a £260m fortune, according to the publication.
However, topping the list overall in Northern Ireland is Lady Ballyedmond and family, who own Norbrook Pharmaceuticals, with wealth of £922m. This is an increase on £8m on 2024.
Manufacturing mogul Martin Naughton and family with £825m are in second place, followed by food suppliers Robert and William Barnett and family with £647m.
Ranked fourth and fifth respectively are Michael Loughran and family (fuel), £530m and Eoin McCann and family (concrete), £462m.
Meanwhile, making his debut on the list, which is published online at https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list and in the print edition of the newspaper on Sunday, May 18, is auctioneer Derek Keys with an estimated wealth of £400m.
Robert Watts, compiler of the list, said: “The Sunday Times Rich List is changing. Our billionaire count is down and the combined wealth of those who feature in our research is falling. We are also finding fewer of the world’s super rich are coming to live in the UK.
“This year we were also struck by the strength of criticism for Rachel Reeves’s Treasury. We expected the abolition of non-dom status would anger affluent people from overseas.
"But homegrown young tech entrepreneurs and those running centuries-old family firms are also warning of serious consequences to a range of tax changes unveiled in last October’s budget.
“Our research continues to find a wide variety of self-made entrepreneurs building fortunes not just from artificial intelligence, video games and new technologies but also mundane, everyday items such as makeup, radiators and jogging bottoms.
"We know many of our readers find these people and their stories inspiring — especially the many who had tough starts or setbacks to their lives and careers.”