Dublin, Jul 14 (IANS): Shop staff formed a guard of honour for Irish fashion retailer Primark founder Arthur Ryan as his funeral cortege passed the chains first store here, the media reported.

Ryan, who died from a short illness earlier this week aged 83, opened the shop 50 years ago in Dublin, where it traded as Penneys, metro.co.uk reported.

Present day employees applauded in poignant tribute as the hearse carrying Ryan passed the store, on Jervis Street in central Dublin on Saturday.

Penneys had to change its name to Primark for European stores outside Ireland, as JC Penney, n American department store chain, owned the copyright to the name.

Ryan was chief executive until 2009, before stepping into the chairman's seat until his death.

He oversaw much of the expansion, including opening the first British Primark store in 1973.

Half a century after its foundation, Primark now has 370 stores across 12 countries, employing 75,000 people.