Three hundred jobs will be created this year at Adare Manor in Co Limerick, which is due to reopen this autumn following a major refurbishment and construction programme by businessman JP McManus.
At a special reception on Monday attended by Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Patrick O’Donovan, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, local representatives and members of the McManus family, it was announced that the refurnished resort aims to welcome 60,000 visitors annually; contributing an estimated €15m to the local economy.
The jobs will include senior leadership roles, front office management, food and beverage management, assistant management, spa therapists, culinary team members of all disciplines and operational team members including receptionists, accommodation assistants, waiting staff, bar tenders, banqueting personnel and laundry assistants.
Applications are currently open, with a view to the first senior leadership appointments being made in May, and team members starting work from July.
The announcement, which will bring the number of personnel employed by the resort to over 350, is not the only recent boost to the local economy, with 670 construction workers currently on site.
Ongoing work
The ongoing work includes the major refurbishment and upgrading of the neo-gothic manor, along with the construction of a new bedroom wing. A new ballroom with the capacity for 350 people, a state-of-the-art spa, pool, relaxation room, boardroom and cinema are also in development.
Meanwhile, world-renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio is leading the redesign of the golf course, while the adjoining clubhouse and manor lodges will receive a full upgrade. The 800 acres of parkland, walled gardens and walking trails will also be enhanced, with over 2,000 signature trees planted.
Speaking to Irish Country Living, CEO Colm Hannon said they expect that “the core” of the new staff will be recruited from the region and that the impact of the project is already being felt, with “great excitement, great enthusiasm and great local support all round”.
“If I come through the village in the morning, and I see how busy the local supermarkets are, how busy the bars are in the evening with people who are working on the project, you know that in itself, even during the construction phase, has been really positive,” he said.
“I was in the barber’s getting a haircut the other day and he was saying he’s so busy with all the people who are here: everyone shares in the rising tide, which is great.”
Local TD Patrick O’Donovan described the announcement as a “landmark day” and as the largest jobs announcement in Co Limerick, outside of the city, in “probably 30 or 40 years”.
“To be honest about it, I don’t think you can really quantify it,” he told Irish Country Living, adding that he has already seen how the construction project has given many local people the opportunity to return home to work.
“And there will be opportunities again for people who have left the region, who have left the west Limerick area, to come home. These are going to be well-paid jobs in a fantastic environment,” he said.
“There’s going to be a fantastic economic spin-off for the wider community, but it’s not only about the jobs here. There’s a whole service industry that’s going to be created around the hotel. There’s going to be food required, there’s going to be every sort of supplies required, linen: the amount of spin-off that’s going to be generated here, I think it will generate a significant economic boost to the area.”
For further information on the job opportunities at Adare Manor, register your interest at https://adaremanor.talentplushire.com/jobs/ to complete the online application and assessment process.