Sabena Power, the matriarch of the family behind Paddy Power, left an estate valued at more than €861 million when she died in September 2025, according to documents published by Ireland’s Probate Office. The figure places her estate among the largest recorded in Ireland and offers a rare insight into the wealth linked to one of the country’s best-known business dynasties.
Sabena Power estate becomes one of Ireland’s largest probate records
The value of Sabena Power’s estate was disclosed in probate papers published this week. The documents show that the grant of probate attracted fees of more than €678,000. A grant of probate is the legal authority that enables an executor to administer and distribute assets under a deceased person’s will.
Probate valuations can include a wide range of assets, such as property, investments, land and family holdings. The total value may also change depending on market conditions, particularly where an estate includes shares or other investments linked to publicly traded companies.
Power’s estate followed that pattern. Her late husband, David Power, reportedly left an estate worth more than €400 million when he died in July 2024. The value associated with the family has been linked partly to movements in Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of Paddy Power.
- Sabena Power died in September 2025.
- Her estate was valued at more than €861 million.
- Probate fees exceeded €678,000.
- Her will divided the principal assets among her four children.
- Each of her 10 grandchildren received a €50,000 bequest.
How Sabena Power’s will divided the estate
According to the probate documents, Power’s assets were divided among her children. Her sons, William and Patrick, were each left one third of the estate. Her daughters, Shani and Tessa, were each left one sixth.
The will also included specific bequests for the next generation. Each of Power’s 10 grandchildren was left €50,000. The published figures describe the overall value of the estate, while the precise future value of individual holdings may depend on investments, property and other assets being administered.
From Tramore racecourse to the Paddy Power brand
The Power family’s involvement in betting stretches back to Tramore racecourse in 1895, when the family connection began with Richard Power. David Power joined the industry in 1970 after qualifying as a chartered accountant and working with his grandfather.
In 1988, David Power joined forces with fellow bookmakers Stewart Kenny and John Corcoran to establish Paddy Power. The business later combined with Betfair in 2016, creating Flutter Entertainment, now an international betting and gaming group.
Flutter’s portfolio includes Paddy Power as well as FanDuel, Sky Betting & Gaming and Sportsbet. The company’s share price and wider business performance can therefore influence how the market assesses wealth connected to the Power family.
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Sabena Power was also a leading racehorse owner
Although the family is best known for bookmaking, Sabena Power built her own public profile through horse racing. She was a successful owner and breeder whose racing colours were carried by two prominent sprint champions.
Sole Power and Slade Power
Sole Power won the Nunthorpe Stakes in 2010 and the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Slade Power captured the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup in 2014. Sole Power was also named Horse Racing Ireland’s Horse of the Year in 2014.
Tributes following Power’s death highlighted her lively presence at Irish racecourses and her support for local racing venues. Her involvement extended beyond individual horses, reflecting a sustained interest in the future and welfare of the Irish racing industry.
Other notable estates recorded by the Probate Office
The same probate publications also recorded estates belonging to two prominent figures from Ireland’s cultural and professional life.
Anne Madden le Brocquy
Artist Anne Madden le Brocquy left an estate valued at more than €6.5 million when she died in December 2025. She was widely recognised for luminous, large-scale abstract paintings that connected organic forms with abstraction.
Born in London to an Irish father and an Anglo-Chilean mother, Madden le Brocquy married the Irish artist Louis le Brocquy in 1958. The couple divided their time between Ireland and France and became an influential presence in European and Irish art. Louis le Brocquy died in 2012.
Madden le Brocquy died at her Dublin home aged 93. Her will divided her assets between her sons, Alexis and Pierre, while also providing monetary gifts to members of her extended family.
Engineer Nael Georges Bunni
Nael Georges Bunni, an internationally respected engineer from Howth, Co Dublin, left an estate valued at €7.16 million when he died in November 2025.
Over a career spanning five decades, Bunni became known for handling complex construction disputes as an arbitrator, mediator and conciliator. He worked on more than 140 major international cases, with individual disputes valued at up to $700 million.
He served as president of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland from 1987 to 1988 and later became global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He also served on the governing board of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration.
Bunni was born in Kirkuk, Iraq, in 1939. After studying at Baghdad University, Manchester University and London University, he moved permanently to Ireland in 1968.
What the probate figures mean
Probate records provide an official legal snapshot of an estate at the time it is administered. They do not necessarily represent cash held in a bank account. A reported valuation may include homes, land, shares, business interests, investments and personal assets.
For readers following Ireland’s business news, the Power case also shows how company ownership, family wealth and financial markets can intersect. The value of an estate connected to listed shares may rise or fall after probate documents are prepared.
Frequently asked questions
How much was Sabena Power’s estate worth?
Her estate was valued at more than €861 million, according to Probate Office documents published in October 2026.
Who inherited Sabena Power’s estate?
Her sons William and Patrick each received one third under the will, while her daughters Shani and Tessa each received one sixth. Each of her 10 grandchildren was left €50,000.
What was Sabena Power known for?
She was known as a member of the family behind Paddy Power and as a successful racehorse owner and breeder. Her horses Sole Power and Slade Power won major sprint races.
What is probate?
Probate is the legal process that confirms authority to administer a deceased person’s estate and distribute assets in line with the will.
Conclusion
The Sabena Power estate, valued at more than €861 million, is one of the most significant probate records reported in Ireland. It reflects the long-running commercial history of the Power family, the influence of Flutter Entertainment and Power’s own achievements in Irish horse racing. The accompanying probate records for Anne Madden le Brocquy and Nael Georges Bunni also underline the varied professional and cultural legacies represented in Ireland’s public estate records.
