Mason Wealth’s Navan business is set to become part of Fairstone Ireland following the largest acquisition in Fairstone Ireland’s history. The transaction will bring the Navan financial advisory business into one of Ireland’s fastest-growing financial planning and wealth management networks. It will combine the local experience and established client relationships of Mason Wealth’s Navan branch with Fairstone Ireland’s wider resources, technology and investment in financial advice.
Mason Wealth Navan (previous Michael Cassidy Financial Services) has operated from 26 Market Square, Navan, since 2006, serving individuals, families and businesses in the town and across County Meath. Its founder, Michael Cassidy, is a Qualified Financial Advisor with more than 30 years’ experience in financial services. A prominent supporter of Meath ladies’ football and Simonstown Gaels GAA over many years, Michael has built a business with deep roots in the local community. That connection continues through Mason Wealth’s current sponsorship of Simonstown’s minor and under-20 teams.
Mason Wealth Group acquired the Navan business in March 2024. Since then, it has been managed by Ian Kennedy, a Certified Financial Planner™ professional with 24 years of industry experience and lifelong ties to County Meath. Mason Wealth Group has a 37-year track record, more than €450 million in assets under management, 18 staff, approximately 17,000 clients and €120 million in mortgage lending.
The acquisition by Fairstone Ireland encompasses three established businesses within Mason Wealth Group and adds four locations to Fairstone Ireland’s national footprint. Following completion, Fairstone Ireland will represent 20 firms and approximately €4 billion in assets under management.
Strong Meath Connections
Ian Kennedy, who manages Mason Wealth’s Navan business, said: “Taking responsibility for the Navan business when it joined Mason Wealth in March 2024 was a natural fit for me. As someone born and raised in County Meath, I was delighted to be back working with my own community – and the commute from Dunboyne to Navan is certainly easier than travelling to Leeson Street.
My connection to Meath runs deep. I was born in Kilcloon, played with Blackhall Gaels until 2010 and represented Meath through the underage ranks, including at minor level in 1995. I have lived in Dunboyne for more than 20 years and remain involved in the GAA, currently part of the coaching team of the minor football group at St Peter’s GAA Club, Dunboyne.
There is also a longstanding Kennedy family connection to Navan. My late father, Seamus, was a prominent national cyclist during the 1960s and 1970s, and he and my uncles were heavily involved with Navan Road Club. My uncle Michael Kennedy also ran a bicycle shop on Brews Hill, just up the road from our office, during the 1980s and 1990s.
As a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, with 24 years’ experience in financial services, I am proud to lead a local team that understands the people and communities we serve. Becoming part of Fairstone Ireland gives us an excellent platform to keep those local relationships at the heart of the business while benefiting from greater scale, expertise and technology”.
Paul Merriman, CEO and President, and Founder-designate of Fairstone Ireland, said: “Welcoming Mason Wealth Group to Fairstone Ireland is a hugely significant milestone for our business. This is our largest acquisition to date and represents a major investment in our future and our long-term commitment to the Irish market.
The addition of this office strengthens our presence in Navan and County Meath and brings another highly experienced local financial advisory business into our growing national network. It forms part of Fairstone Ireland’s strategy of partnering with established financial advisory firms that share its values, client-first approach and commitment to delivering sustainable, long-term outcomes. As demand for professional financial advice continues to grow, Fairstone Ireland is investing in businesses with strong local expertise and established relationships in communities across Ireland”.
