Hotelier Francis Brennan to launch homewares range

Irish hotelier and television personality Francis Brennan is set to bring a "breath of fresh air" to Dunnes Stores' home collection later this month with the launch of a range of branded bed linen and homewares products.

“Francis Brennan the Collection” will be launched by Dunnes on September 29th in “select” stores and online. A “peek” at his range is available on the Dunnes website and includes a range of towels, candles, soaps and toiletries.

In addition, a video shows the hotelier making up a double bed in a woodland setting at Dromquinna Manor in Kenmare, Co Kerry, which is run by his brother John Brennan.

Best known for running the five-star Park Hotel in Kenmare, Mr Brennan has become a TV personality in recent years through the RTÉ programme At Your Service and his guided tours to Italy and India. He has also written a couple of books and launched his own website.

‘Affordable luxury’

His collection is being tagged as “affordable luxury for the savvy shopper” by Dunnes, which is better known as a value-for-money retailer. However, the secretive family-owned company has been moving upmarket with its grocery, fashion and homewares products.

Dunnes has already refurbished a number of its stores.

Dunnes has also partnered with a number of well-known designers to upgrade its fashion and homewares sections. These include fashion designer Paul Costelloe, former Kerry footballer Paul Galvin and Offaly designer Carolyn Donnelly.

No comment was available from either Mr Brennan or Dunnes Stores yesterday.