It’s that time of the year again as The Sunday Times Rich List has been released, revealing the richest people in Northern Ireland.
The annual list of the wealthiest people in the UK features 350 individuals and families, which together holds a combined wealth of £783.5 billion, representing about a quarter of the UK’s total annual GDP.
Sir Elton John, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, JK Rowling, Charlotte Tilbury and Sir Lewis Hamilton all appear in the annual survey. The minimum entry level dips to £340 million, another indicator of a subdued year.
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In Northern Ireland, pharma heiress Lady Ballyedmond and family top the rich list. The wealth of the family of the late Eddie Haughey, the founder of Newry-headquartered Norbrook Laboratories, is estimated at £898m in 2026, which is down from £922m last year.
Second on the list is Michael Loughran and family, who own a fuel distribution and petrol station group, which turns over more than £1 billion a year. The Northern Irish family transferred £89.8 million to the Isle of Man last year. Their current wealth is estimated at £770m, up from £530m on 2025.
Only one famous face from Northern Ireland made the list for the richest people under under 40, golfer Rory McIlroy. The Holywood man has an estimated wealth of £325m.
But who are the people topping the table in Northern Ireland, and how did they make their money? Below is a guide from the Sunday Times on who each person is and the source of their finances.
Lady Ballyedmond and family
Lady Ballyedmond with her husband the late Lord Ballyedmond(Image: Pacemaker)
A trained solicitor and former lecturer, Lady Ballyedmond is the richest person in Northern Ireland, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.
She is the widow of veterinary medicine tycoon Edward Haughey. He founded Newry veterinary pharmaceuticals firm Norbrook and was killed in a helicopter crash in 2014.
Born Mary Gordon Young in December 1947, she attended Newry High School before training as a solicitor and becoming a part-time lecturer in law at Queen’s University Belfast.
She married Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond, in 1972 and inherited his wealth following his death in 2014. According to The Sunday Times, Lady Ballyedmond has recently moved to Italy.
The estimated wealth of Lady Ballyedmond and her family is £898m in 2026, down from £922m in 2025.
Michael Loughran and family
Michael Loughran
The second richest person in Northern Ireland, according to The Sunday Times Rich List, is Michael Loughran and his family.
Michael Loughran is the owner of Cookstown-headquartered energy company LCC (Lissan Coal Company), a home heating oil and coal supplier. The company also owns and operates the GO petrol station chain which operates throughout Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The fuel distribution and petrol station group turns over more than £1 billion a year. The Sunday Times Rich List said the family’s estimated wealth in 2026 is £770m, up from £530m last year. The Loughran family transferred £89.8 million to the Isle of Man last year.
Robert and William Barnett and family
William Barnett from W&R Barnett
Robert and William Barnett and family are the third richest people in Northern Ireland, with an estimated wealth of £715m this year, up from £647m in 2025.
They lead the Belfast-based business, W&R Barnett, which is among the UK’s biggest family-owned firms. The family-owned holding company was founded in 1896 as a grain merchant.
The company now specialises in agricultural commododities like grains, sugars, and animal feed. William is the fourth generation of the Barnett family to lead the business, alongside his father, Robert, who is chairman.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List, said: “For nearly 40 years the Sunday Times Rich List has analysed the fortunes of Britain’s most affluent people. We believe understanding where wealth lies and where it is being accumulated is a vital part of a functioning democracy.
“Over the years our research has told us a lot about our country, charting the way a generation of largely self-made entrepreneurs overtook the old money of the landed gentry.
“This year’s edition shines a light on fortunes made from artificial intelligence, driverless cars and crypto-currencies as well as baby milk, make-up, hoodies and other everyday items. We know many of our readers find those rags-to-riches stories of entrepreneurs who started out with little more than a laptop and an idea particularly inspiring.”
The Sunday Times Rich list is available online from today, and in a special 76-page edition of The Sunday Times magazine with the newspaper on Sunday, May 17.
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