Patrick O’Donoghue

Managing
Director

Patrick O’Donoghue is the Managing Director of the Killarney Convention Centre and Gleneagle Hotel Group.  His family have owned the Gleneagle Hotel since 1957.

Patrick trained in Hotel Management at Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin Institute of Technology and before moving back to Killarney he was employed in The Savoy, Zurich, Switzerland.  He has worked his way up through the ranks from Assistant Manager to Marketing Manager, General Manager and finally in 1991 he became the Groups Managing Director.  Patrick is very aware of customer focus and prides himself on spotting new trends specifically in the Conference, Meetings and Incentive areas.

He believes that through innovation and hard work, he motivates himself and those around him to do their best.  He is a creative teacher and excellent role model who is dedicated to his work.  Patrick maintains high standards for himself as well as those he works with, always quietly providing the necessary support to help staff and clients.  He is very proud of the Killarney Convention Centre and his team.

Breffni Ingerton

General
Manager

Breffni has worked with the Gleneagle Group for twenty years. A graduate of UCC, Breffni commenced work as the Accommodation Manager for The Gleneagle Hotel in 1997. Her professionalism and attention to detail propelled her career forward and in 2005 she became the first female General Manager of The Gleneagle Hotel.

Following the construction of the INEC in 2000, a separate conference and events department was formed to actively target business tourism. Breffni’s leadership, innovation and organisations skills made her the natural choice to head up this branch of the business. In 2011, Breffni implemented a rebrand of The Gleneagle Group’s conference facilities. As General Manager of Killarney Convention Centre, Breffni takes full responsibility for the sales, marketing and operational teams delivering and
excelling the clients’ requirements across the complex.

In 2010, Breffni and her team were awarded the prestigious Best In-House Event Team at the Events Industry Award for their handling of Google’s International Sales Conference and in 2013, they were awarded the EFQM 4 star Award for Excellence.

T: +353 (0)64 667 1551
E: breffni.ingerton@killarneyconventioncentre.ie

Cara Fuller

Corporate Sales
Manager

Cara initially joined The Gleneagle group in 1997, prior to this she worked in Dublin for the Jury’s Hotel Group.

At the Killarney Convention Centre Cara deals with all queries from DMC’s, PCO’S and large association, unions and corporate conference and event organisers. As a Killarney resident, with over 18 years’ experience of selling Killarney, Cara is ideally placed to advise on how the Killarney Convention Centre facilities, as well as Killarney as a destination can work best for each conference or event.

What Cara enjoys most about her job is how every day and every event are different. She enjoys building lasting relationships with clients, delivering on promises, exceeding clients’ expectations and winning repeat business from satisfied customers.  Cara also enjoys the challenge of pitching Killarney to new clients that are considering other national and international destinations. Once Killarney Convention Centre enters the bidding race she describes the thrill of moving up the ranks from outsider to making the short list as something she never tires of. Cara is passionate about how once a potential client comes on a site inspection they will fall in love with the people and destination of Killarney and find the enthusiasm and can do attitude of the on-site event teams as hard to beat.

T:+353 (0)64 667 1502
E: cara.fuller@killarneyconventioncentre.ie

Ann Shanahan

Corporate Sales
Manager

My primary role as Corporate Sales Manager is to heighten the awareness of Killarney Convention Centre and to maximise growth of business through new and existing clients. The development and nurturing of relationships with all current and new clients in the Association, Union and Corporate sector is paramount.

With twenty year’s experience in the hospitality sector, focusing on Sales and Marketing, I bring a wealth of knowledge, excellent communication and interpersonal skills to this role. As Sales and Marketing manager, I have gained the ability to build and secure long-term relationships, to promote and to present persuasively.

I am delighted to be part of the Killarney Convention Centre team. This allows me have the work-life balance that is so important to me and my family, leaving me passionate about my job. I love working with people to find the solution to deliver events that match or surpass their every requirement. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing my client, who has become a friend at this stage, enjoy their own event.

Should you be interested in exploring the possibility of bringing your next Association or Union conference to Killarney I would be delighted to hear from you.

T:+353 (0)86 856 4953
E: ann.shanahan@killarneyconventioncentre.ie

Andrew Spillane

Sales
Manager

My role in the Group is to attract Sports & Leisure Promoters, and Committees of Sports and Leisure Associations to host their events with us in the INEC in Killarney.

I also look to the European and World Sports bodies to come to Ireland and especially the Killarney Convention Centre to experience Irish hospitality at its best.

Most of the Irish Sports Associations are located in the City of Dublin, where due to population and proximity of Dublin Airport the tendency is to host their events in the City.

Based in the Dublin office my role is to persuade Committees to come on a site visit to Killarney and the Killarney Convention Centre and show what we can offer in terms of providing a vision for their event.

Killarney Convention Centre is a modern, highly flexible 2,500 seat venue with the capacity and smooth adaptability to host a wide range of sporting events, facilitating 100 Poker tables to 50 Pool tables, 100 Darts stands and catering to major sport events in the past, present and future.

Party Poker, Ladbrokes, Professional Darts Corporation, World Snooker, World and European Blackball Pools championships and Poker Star are just some of the clients who have hosted major events with us.

From first contact with the Client, no stone is left unturned to anticipate and exceed the client’s wishes and to offer suggestions on giving the “WoW “factor to every event, which really is the mission of the team at Killarney Convention Centre.

T:+353 (0)86 383 6008
E:andrew.spillane@destinationkillarney.ie

Mercedes Bagnall

Corporate Sales
Manager

I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years in a variety of roles from Bar Manager to Global Account Director, Restaurant Manager, Sales Manager, Trainer and lots of roles in between. All of my experiences help me understand more about what it takes to bring your idea to the team and create a successful event in Killarney for you. In my private life I help organise some fundraisers so I get to experience what it is to be a client also.

I have worked for an international hotel chain within the meeting and incentive business selling conference and event spaces around the world to professional conference organisers and venue finders. My role involved supporting clients looking for the right destination for their many and varied events. This was an exciting role and one that taught me a lot about the huge work that goes into any large events and how important the relationship is between the venue and client. I have also worked as Director of Sales & Marketing for the new opening of an International four star hotel and a variety of Sales Manager roles specialising in the corporate and meetings markets primarily in Hotels but also some restaurants and bars in Ireland and UK. There’s a famous football team in there but that’s a story for another day. The hospitality Industry has taught me lots and the great thing about this industry is that I am still learning.

My approach is energetic and driven by being very customer focused. I know that when we complete a successful meeting for you and your team it reflects well on all of you within your organisation and on us at Killarney Convention centre as a professional team. We understand that planning an event is hard work and it helps to have a team you can trust to deliver your goals.
I have always believed that customer retention is a sign of a job well done and the team at Killarney Convention Centre pride themselves on a high level of repeat custom.

I have my own family in Kildare and a sister with special needs, we run events to raise money for her school and home but we have always been involved in running Balls, Fete’s, Meetings, Horse shows and now I have a few children’s birthday parties to run. I am a graduate of the School of Hospitality at Dundee University, recently attended a Professional Diploma course in Digital Marketing with The Digital Marketing Institute and completed the Fetac Train the Trainer course. I am on the Fáilte Ireland Training panel and have guest lectured at DIT to the Master’s program.

I look forward to meeting you our new clients and old and showing you what Killarney has to offer and it has so much to offer that you simply can’t get anywhere else.

T: +353 (0)86 239 0550
E: mercedes.bagnall@killarneyconventioncentre.ie