Family business
My family business is 75 years old this year, it’s fourth generation but growing up I never expected to get involved. I never worked there part-time and instead worked in a pizza restaurant. I studied politics and business at Trinity and then went travelling with my best friend, Suzanne Tierney.
We went to South America and Australia and then I headed to New Zealand. I managed a couple of music venues there and liked the late shifts, though it was high tempo – I would be too old to work that way now. An hour of clear-up and a social drink with colleagues meant I would head to bed at 2am and sleep in till 10am. During the day I volunteered in a rescue centre before my shift at 5pm.
When I came home for a holiday my family sat me down and asked if I would come into the business. My jaw hit the floor I was that surprised. I took a few months to decide. I loved New Zealand, but wanted to be close to friends and family and realised it was my best opportunity to come home; Ireland was just emerging from recession and things were bleak.