John Gilroy

What do you enjoy most about your job?

People are what make College Group the company it is. Every day, I am inspired by the passion and energy that everyone on the team brings to their work. Leading our people over the past 30 years – many of whom are still with us – has been a real privilege. Thanks to the team, we continue to be at the forefront of rendering innovation and have been able to grow into new and exciting areas such as biodiesel.

What do you love most about the industry you work in?

I’ve had a lifelong interest in science and engineering. Rendering is a very technical process and it takes a lot of skill to do right, at the heart of which is a scientific approach. But I’m also very passionate about sustainability and protection of the environment. Rendering creates a virtuous cycle which diverts what would otherwise be waste and creates something of value. The work we do is integral to the survival of the agri-food industry.

Riona Gilroy

What do you love about your job?

I love the energy and the challenge that every new day brings. The team truly inspires me and there’s an entrepreneurial vibe here even though it’s an established company. Because I work cross-functionally within the wider business a huge variety of work lands on my desk, which allows me to develop in many aspects of my role. What I particularly appreciate is that there’s a current of possibility and opportunity running through the company, which is really contagious!

How do you describe your job to friends and family?

Running the operations department, I deal with anything related to the day-to-day running of the business. I also oversee our people function, working with our teams and business unit leaders and helping them to care for and get the most out of their teams.

Julie-Ann O’Reilly, PhD

What do you love about your job?

I love the integration with other departments such as projects, engineering, etc., and the knowledge you gain by these interactions. I love the team spirit and the collaboration and focus towards a single goal. Mostly, I love the people.

How you describe your job to your family and friends?

I tell them all about the environmental benefits of biodiesel and how we take waste products and turn them into renewable fuel for transport. I explain that no two days are the same and you never know what challenges a day might bring!

Michael Condra

What do you love about your job?

It’s nice that my job is local but it has a global reach. I also love the travelling aspect of this job, visiting other rendering businesses and working with my customers to solve their issues.

How do you describe your job to your family and friends?

I always tell them exactly what happens here and how we transform the raw material from the agriculture sector into a valued ingredient for the pet food industry, aquafeed industry, the fertiliser industry and the energy industry.

Ita Brady

What do you love about your job?

What I like about my job is there is good variety of work and we’re working on something innovative that will make a difference. I love working with my team and really enjoy the atmosphere in the office, there’s never a dull moment. Every day brings a challenge and I like that I have new and exciting work and am never bored. I also love that the business is based in a community that I know well.

How you describe your job to your family and friends?

I tell them that I run the transport fleet and team for the College Group.

Lisa Clarke

What do you love about your job?

I love my job because everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to cooperation and shared goals. This creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other. The company cares about me as a person and my professional growth.

How do you describe your job to your family and friends?

I work with the team and key stakeholders to set the goals and major objectives of projects. I need to gain knowledge on the project and tasks in hand. The project is then planned and scheduled, parts are sourced and prices negotiated. Project installation teams are selected and I then inspire and motivate the teams to execute the projects efficiently and successfully.

Sean Carolan

What do you love about your job?

The ever-changing landscape in relation to new and interesting projects and the added self- satisfaction at their completion.

How do you describe your job to your family and friends?

I am the engineering manager. We have a team of ten fabricators and two design engineers. I am responsible for the organisation of projects in an efficient manner regarding time schedules, materials, machinery and men – with employee safety paramount at all times. I liaise with the relevant department heads regarding work schedules, trouble shooting, feedback, etc.

Jenny Mc Grath

What do you love about your job?

I love the great comradery and positive atmosphere. Everyone is willing to help out and get stuck in when needed. Also, I love that the company values its employees and is committed to the local community through its bursary and other donations. Every day is different and the company is constantly evolving and changing.

How do you describe your job to your family and friends?

I describe my job to others by saying the benefits are great, my colleagues are a great bunch of people and even though the environment is dynamic I never fell under pressure as I always have the right people to help me.

Shane Mc Cabe

What do you love about your job?

Every day brings a different challenge which makes my job interesting, and I work with a great team.

How do you describe your job to your friends and family?

I have worked with the College Group for 22 years, starting out as a production operator, and in recent years taking on the role of production supervisor. I am responsible for coordinating the process for the production team by supervising, organising, monitoring work flow, setting daily targets and addressing any issues as they arise.

John Gormley

What you love about your job?

I always say it’s never boring and always changing. There are so many interesting things happening all the time, plus the people I work with are all sound.

How do you describe your job to your friends and family?

I suppose I’ve been working at this business for so long that very few ask. But I would say I have an input in most parts of the day-to-day activities from staff, health and safety, environmental, etc.

Mariola Purgal

What does your job entail?

I look after the environment here, ensuring effective, efficient, and compliant operation of all utilities under the control of the environmental department and minimising the environmental impact of the company. This means dealing with interested parties, including certification and regulatory bodies. I identify legal and compliance requirements, which includes implementing and maintaining the EMS to ISO14001 standard and ensuring continual improvement. I monitor and interpret quality control analyses and environmental performance.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I like travelling and reading and am enjoying motherhood.

Mark Mc Entee

What do you love about your job?

Working at College Group offers me different challenges and tasks every day. It gives me great opportunities to be creative on problem-solving and engineering out problems.

How do you describe your job to your friends and family?

I would describe my job as a challenging and interesting role in the company.

Paul Brennan

What are the key skills required to do your job?

The main thing is probably the ability to work with tight deadlines and schedules in order to get a job or project completed. Teamwork is important, so you need good interpersonal skills too. Every day is different, you need to be able to manage the jobs you have to do, communicate with your colleagues, and solve problems quickly and effectively.

Outside of work, what do you like to do on your days off?

I am a family man and I enjoy spending time with my wife and son. I am also actively involved in my local football club, Kingscourt Harps, as a committee member and the manager of a senior team.

Anna Courtney

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The chance to further educate myself in a career I am passionate about while working alongside friendly and supportive colleagues is what I enjoy the most about working here at College Group.

What is the biggest misconception people have about your position?

People often understand the job of a lab technician to solely involve testing or analysing products. While this is true, a major part of my job also involves the setting up of the processing lab environment by organising and creating the necessary documentation and orders.

Dave Martin

What does your job entail?

I assist the operators to run the plant, cover the raw material intake, and keep the plant tidy and clean. I also deal with the chemicals on site, ensuring that they are stored correctly. As part of the health and safety team, I make sure PPE is worn and report any issues that may occur.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

On my days off, I like to spend time with my family and I enjoy going on hikes.

Bernie Price

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

It’s been nearly 30 years at College Group. Same company, same address, same place, many years, and so many changes. Watching something that started off as a greenfield site develop into what it is today has been so rewarding. I have held various positions over this time, keeping my work life interesting and challenging and always progressing. We’ve never stopped evolving, so my skills and knowledge have been developed and kept up to date at all times. It means a lot to me personally to be still working here today and part of such a great team.

How would your colleagues describe working with you?

That is a tough question! I would like to think that my colleagues regard me as professional and conscientious, confident thought my years of experience, not afraid of a challenge, and someone who enjoys taking on new things and is a team player. But I also want to be thought of as someone who is a bit light-hearted and not too serious. Someone approachable and basically nice to work with on a day to day basis. 

Connor McFadden

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I get to be involved with a diverse range of projects throughout College Group and which means no two days are the same. Work can be challenging at times, however when you work with people that’s been here 10,20 even 30 years it makes it so much easier. There is a big emphasis on having mentors guiding you as you progress through your career. This was a big help to me, as I found everybody approachable and this is vital for a new person joining our team.

 I also like the social aspect to my job, I get out on site and I get to meet team members from various departments.

Outside of work, what do you like to do?

I live in a very rural setting surrounded by fields, forests and lakes so I’m not short on finding outdoor hobbies, my firm favourites are cycling, kayaking and fishing.