Enrolment into the College of Fellows

Ciaran Murtagh, Deputy General Manager, Slieve Donard Resort Hotel & Spa

Ciaran had an early taste of the hospitality industry working for his grandfather, a publican in Belfast during the troubled times of the seventies. On leaving school Ciaran took up a trainee management programme in Fitzpatrick’s Killiney Castle Hotel in 1977 from where he graduated in 1983.He then joined the Trust House Forte Group in East Anglia where he spent several years progressing to general management positions. Having spent some time with the Select Country House Group of hotels, he returned to The County Arms Hotel in Birr, Co Offaly.In 1991, Ciaran returned to Northern Ireland, first to Burrendale Country Club before joining The Hastings Hotel Group in 1993. Ciaran is currently General Manager at The Slieve Donard Resort and Spa in Newcastle, Co Down which hosted The Irish Open Golf Tournament in 2015. He has been heavily involved in the various developments in the resort over the years as well as the rebranding exercise following a £16 million development programme in 2006 which helped the hotel win many awards and place it amongst the leading hotels in Northern Ireland.

Sean O’Driscoll, General Manager, Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry.

Sean is a Fellow Graduate of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology where he received an Honours BA in Hotel & Catering Management. Following this, he joined The Great Southern Group and worked as Assistant Manager at The Great Southern Hotel - Dublin Airport, Parknasilla - Co Kerry & The Corrib Great Southern - Galway.

Sean moved to Killarney in 2004 and spent seven years as General Manager at the newly opened Brehon Hotel. In 2008, The Brehon received the Hotel & Catering Gold Medal Award for Best Four Star Hotel in Ireland. He was awarded the Young Hospitality Manager of the Year from the Irish Hospitality Institute.

In 2011, Sean became General Manager of the 5 star Muckross Park Hotel & Spa. During his time here, he has doubled revenues and created over 40 new jobs.

Sean, currently National President of SKAL Republic of Ireland, has previously served as Chairman of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotel Federation in 2010 and 2014. He has also served on the National Council of the Federation for five years, chairing the Employment Committee; was a member of the County Tourism Forum in Kerry for four years and chaired the County Tourism Marketing Committee.

Adrian Cummins, CEO, Restaurants Associations of Ireland

Appointed Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland in 2009, Adrian, a graduate of NUIG, has grown the Association to one of Ireland’s largest and most effective business representative bodies.

In 2013 he spearheaded the KeepVat@9% campaign for Tourism carrying this through to 2014 and 2015. Adrian, through his work in the RAI, has also founded the Annual Foodie Towns Award, a competition highlighting the excellent produce, restaurants, talents and foodie destinations in Ireland.

As Ireland’s elected representative on the Executive Council of HOTREC (the umbrella association of national trade associations representing the hotels, restaurants, cafés and similar establishments in Europe) since 2012, Adrian actively campaigns on European Hospitality & Tourism issues.

Adrian formerly held the position of Chief Executive of Marketing English in Ireland and the Irish Hospitality Institute. He currently sits on the boards of the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, Food Safety Authority Catering Forum, Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, National Hygiene Partnership Committee and the Irish Academy for Hospitality and Tourism.