TRIBUTES are being paid to a popular businesswoman after she passed away aged just 57.
Fiona McHugh was the former Sunday Times Ireland editor, before she co-founded a popular restaurant.
Now, tributes are pouring in for the successful businesswoman, who passed away from cancer.
Many friends and old colleagues shared their memories of her, and described her as a ‘super journalist’.
Tributes have been pouring in online since her passing was announced.
Frank Fitzgibbon, who worked with McHugh at the Sunday Times and later became the Irish editor said: “She was a very popular person, she was very good-natured and she was very generous.”
Journalist John Mooney wrote: “Very saddened to hear about the death of Fiona McHugh, the former editor of the Sunday Times (Ireland).
“Fiona was a super journalist and great editor. She was also an incredibly good colleague.
“Sincere condolences to her family and friends.”
Editor of the Sunday Independent Alan English said: “Rest in peace, Fiona McHugh. Gone far too young.
“I enjoyed working with Fiona at The Sunday Times back in the day and admired her brave decision to pack it all in to co-found Fallon & Byrne.
“Sincere sympathy to her family.”
Nicola Byrne said: “Professionally she was so brave. She broke ground in the newspaper industry as a woman editor of a national newspaper, and then again in the food business. She undertook every venture with the utmost integrity.
“In her personal life she was loyal and generous to a fault, and also great fun.”
Rory Godson said: “Fiona joined the raucous world of the Sunday Times Ireland from the super-structured world of Bloomberg, and very quickly became one of us. Later, the vision that she realised at Fallon & Byrne changed Irish food retailing for the better.”
She joined the Sunday Times as Irish business editor in 1998, before being appointed editor or the Irish Sunday Times in 2000, succeeding Rory Godson, which made her one of the first female newspaper editors in the country.
During her time in the role, she oversaw the Irish Times’ expansion, leading to record sales.
McHugh held the title until 2005, when she stepped down to co-found Fallon & Byrne, which turned out to be hugely popular.
Founded alongside her husband Paul Byrne and restaurateur Brian Fallon, the Dublin food business opened in early 2006.
The food hall, restaurant and wine cellar opened on Exchequer Street in a Victorian building that was previously used as a telephone exchange.
The business was inspired by New York delicatessens including Dean & DeLuca.
Her parents were Norrie and Frank McHugh, and she was born in Nicosia in Cyprus.
Her father was a diplomat, and as a result he moved his family around the Middle East.
After attending secondary school in Loreto on the Green, she graduated from University College Dublin after studying English and philosophy, going on to work as a journalist for Reuters, the Economist and Bloomberg.
Fallon & Byrne became an award winning Dublin establishment, known for the quality of its dining experience and the high-end retail offer.
McHugh and Byrne then exited the business by selling their 45 per cent stake in 2020.
This came shortly after its loss-making outlet in Rathmines closed after three years.
In 2019 the couple opened another restaurant, Lenehans Bar & Grill, on the site of the old Lenehans hardware shop in Rathmines before it closed in 2022.
She is survived by her husband and their three children, Kate, Rory and Jack.
