D. Dennehy Ltd celebrates 50 years of excellence
06/03/2025
Celebrating 50 years in business, D. Dennehy Ltd is a one-stop shop for all your truck and van needs. The family-run business received an early anniversary present recently when it was named Commercial Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year for Munster at the 2025 Irish Auto Trade Awards.
While vehicle recovery accounts for only a small part of its business, the award still meant a lot to D. Dennehy Ltd and its co-founder Peter Dennehy, who oversees part of the recovery division. Fittingly, Peter travelled to Dublin on October 13 last to receive the prestigious award which was presented during the Auto Trade EXPO and CV Workshop EXPO in the RDS.
“All the credit goes to my father for winning this award. He looks after the light recovery side of the business for us and no-one deserves it more than him,” managing director Ronan Dennehy proudly states.
“Having said that, we were still surprised to win Commercial Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year for Munster because it’s only a small part of what we do. We previously won the HGV Aftersales Award for all of Ireland in 2018 and the Munster award in the same category before that. Every award is appreciated and cherished.”
2025 is a milestone year for D. Dennehy Ltd which celebrates 50 years in business. It has been part of the fabric of business life in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork since November 1975 when it was established by Peter and his late brother Denis. The brothers had both worked in their father Denis Snr’s car dealership in Dennehy’s Cross. In fact, Denis Snr started his garage business as far back in the 1930s, so there is a family business tradition of three generations going back almost 100 years.
They were later joined by another brother, Finbar, who eventually became managing director before handing over the reins to Ronan in 2022. Incidentally, Peter, in the 1980ss, helped establish Dennehy Commercials in Kildimo – which later relocated to the Dock Road in Limerick – and continues to trade successfully as a Renault and MAN dealership under the guidance of his nephews Rory and David Dennehy.
Ronan, who has been involved in D. Dennehy Ltd full-time for 25 years, is joined by his brothers John, Will and Peter Jnr. They are supported by a 35-strong team who are the backbone of the operation.
“We’d be nothing without our people. They are our greatest asset and we’re blessed to have them at a time when good staff are very difficult to come by. They have played a big part in our longevity and success,” Ronan emphasises.
“Out of the original eight employees who opened the front door in November 1975, three of them are still with us... I think that says a lot about our people and how we love what we do,” he adds.
Starting out as a Hino dealership, D. Dennehy Ltd now represents the Iveco, Isuzu and MAN brands. The company specialises in new and used vehicle sales, CVRT testing, vehicle rental, servicing, spare parts and also boasts a dedicated crash repair centre with a commercial vehicle spray booth.
“We were Hino dealers from the outset and still supply Hino parts. We’re also still involved with the Harris Group through our Isuzu dealership. The Isuzu N series of rigid trucks and D-Max single crew cab pick-ups are among our best-selling vehicles,” the affable managing director explains.
“We’ve been main dealers for Iveco since 1994 and have sold a lot of the Daily vans, Eurocargo rigids and Stralis tractor units in that time. We had been doing aftersales for MAN up until three years ago when we took on the full franchise. MAN has a very good range offering. In addition, we have a van on the road delivering spare parts for MAN, Isuzu, Iveco, and Hino as well as trailer parts.
“Between MAN, Isuzu and Iveco, we have everything from a van to an artic. We have something for everyone which means we have a very broad client base in both the private and commercial sectors. Some of our regular customers include Southern Milling and Munster Joinery. We also have a dedicated paint shop that is authorised by Cork County Council.”
D. Dennehy Ltd has been synonymous with vehicle testing since the late 1980s when it operated as a DOE Centre. Today, it is one of the busiest CVRT (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test) test centres in Cork. The CVRT inspection, which is carried out on behalf of the RSA (Road Safety Authority), includes checking brakes, lights, markings, wheels and tyres, steering and suspension, chassis and underbody, tachograph, speed limiter, exhaust emissions, electrical systems, glass, mirrors and more. The family business has invested heavily in the latest equipment for testing all LCV and HGV commercial vehicles. The purpose of the test is to ensure that these vehicles are in good roadworthy condition throughout their entire life. Thirteen-week checks are also on offer.
D Dennehy Ltd’s testing facility is manned by vastly experienced and professional testers with the capacity to perform quick and affordable tests on all types of commercial vehicles, including vans, trucks, trailers, buses, coaches, mini-buses, ambulances, campervans and motorhomes.
Quality, consistency and unbiased vehicle testing are the core values of the Dennehy test team who are customer-focused, compliant, thorough and offer a comprehensive and friendly service. At all times, the test centre adheres to stringent guidelines as laid down by the RSA. Excellence in service and the highest possible standards are a given at D Dennehy Ltd.
Furthermore, the well-appointed premises is also an ADR test centre, which carries out the annual test required for vehicles / tankers that transport hazardous goods.
D. Dennehy Ltd's commitment to the commercial vehicle sector is unmatched, offering a comprehensive range of services to meet all your van and truck needs. As the award-winning company continues to go from strength to strength, it would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients and suppliers for their unwavering support as well as its expert team for their hard work and dedication.
Here’s to the next 50 years!
D. Dennehy Ltd
Tulla Green,
Carrigtwohill,
Co, Cork,
T45 EH29.
Telephone: (+353) 21 488 3300
Email: sales@dennehytrucks.ie
Web: www.dennehytrucks.ie
First published in Irish Trucker magazine January/February 2025, Vol 28-1
