Summerhill native Larry Murrin is named chairman designate of Bord Bia

Summerhill native Larry Murrin has been appointed the new chairman designate of Bord Bia by the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Charlie McConalogue, succeeding Dan MacSweeney.

Originally from Garadice but now living in Dublin, Mr Murrin is co-founder and chief executive of Dawn Farms. Established in 1985, the company employs over 1,000 people across its four production plants in Ireland, the UK and Germany. He is chairman of his family business With Taste and is a partner in Dublin restaurants Fire and Sole and through With Taste owns and operates the Eathos chain of Cafés and patisseries in Dublin.

He is a past President of IBEC and was chairman of Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) for 12 years. Mr Murrin has also served on the Consumer Foods Board of Bord Bia since its inception. He has been appointed to numerous committees in the agri-food sector including Food Harvest 2020, Food Wise 2025 and the more recent Food Vision 2030.

Larry Murrin's father, Tom was a small builder and farmer at Garadice, married to one of the neighbouring Ryans, Anne, who operated a butcher business. He was the youngest of their family of three and was exposed to animal life, and slaughtering, at a young age. in the 1960s, the Murrins moved to Fairview in Dublin, where his mother opened a new shop, and Larry now lives in Clontarf with his family.

Shortly after leaving school, Larry started work in construction, but at 20, saw an opportunity to open a small coffee shop near the former Gaiety Green, now St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, a venture that started him onto the food business, and then catering, and providing cooked meats to supermarket chains, before branching into chilled pizzas.

With the support of his mother and sisters, and Waterford business men John and Peter Queally and Dan Browne of Dawn Meats, Dawn Farms was established, adding to their catering company.

Minister McConalogue says: “Larry Murrin has extensive experience across the agri-food sector and will bring a wealth of valuable expertise in leading Bord Bia in the promotion and marketing of our food, drink and horticulture products here and abroad. As Ireland’s largest indigenous exporting industry, the agri-food sector plays a vital role in Ireland’s economy with an export value exceeding €16 billion in 2023, representing over nine per cent of in value terms of Ireland’s exports. Bord Bia plays a critical role in promoting the sector by providing strategic insight, marketing, and promotional support to help the sector continuously improve and develop routes to market.

"I have no doubt that Larry will guide Bord Bia to continue to deliver on its aim to bring Ireland’s outstanding food, drink and horticulture produce to the world, thus enabling growth and sustainability of our food businesses and primary producers”.

Larry Murrin adds: “As a practitioner in the industry for over 40 years and having served on the consumer foods sub board of Bord Bia since its inception, I am delighted to become chairperson designate of Bord Bia. The agri-food sector is embarking on a new journey full of challenge and opportunity. My experience of working with and being a recipient of Bord Bia services for many years gives me the belief that we are safe in the hands of a progressive, knowledgeable, and ambitious organisation. During my term in office, I look forward to working with my fellow board members, CEO Jim O’Toole and his executive team to further the aims of the industry.”

Minister McConalogue also paid tribute to the outgoing chairman, Dan MacSweeney for the dedication and commitment that he gave to his role over the last six years.

"I commend him for his leadership and contribution to the organisation. His engagement with the board and sub-boards of Bord Bia, and with food businesses and producers across the agri-food sector was very important in supporting the agri food sector through a period of significant and numerous challenges."

The position of chairman of Bord Bia is for a period of three years and the appointment has been made following a competitive process managed by the State Boards service of the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Prior to formal confirmation in the post, there is a requirement, under Standing Orders of Dail Eireann and the Code of Governance of State Bodies, by which the Joint Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has the power to require the chairperson designate of a body or agency under the aegis of this Department, to attend before the Select Committee to discuss his or her strategic priorities for the role.