Ciara Faherty, from Castlecourt Hotel’s Sales & Marketing team, Westport, has been named the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) National Employee of the Year. Now in its eight year, the award celebrates and recognises hotel team members who have made an outstanding contribution to their workplace. Michael Magner, President of the IHF presented Ms Faherty with her award at the IHF’s Annual Conference in The Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.

Congratulating Ms Faherty and the other 11 nominees shortlisted for the award, Mr Magner paid tribute to the high calibre of people working within our sector: “I am delighted to present Ciara with the IHF National Employee of the Year award. Her dedication, hard work and unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding service to her customers is truly admirable. Across the country, hotel and guesthouse teams go above and beyond to create memorable experiences for guests showcasing the best of what makes Irish hospitality so great.”

IHF Mayo Chair, Declan Heneghan said: “On behalf of all our members in Mayo, I would like to congratulate Ciara on winning this amazing award. Ciara is a fantastic ambassador for our hotels sector. She consistently goes above and beyond in delivering excellent when interacting with customers and guests. She is a testament to the thousands of hard-working front facing hotel team members throughout the country who deliver genuine hospitality and customer care every day. Well done Ciara.”

Director of Westport Hotel Group, Joe Corcoran said: “We are incredibly proud that Ciara has been named IHF Employee of the Year. This prestigious national award is a well-deserved recognition of her hard work, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. We are honoured to see her dedication celebrated at this level.”

Mr Magner also highlighted the regional Branch winners “A special word of congratulations to our 11 Branch winners also who we are celebrating here tonight. It is their passion and enthusiasm that set them apart to make it to this stage.”

He also took the opportunity to acknowledge the over 66,000 people working throughout Ireland’s hotel sector nationwide and emphasised the diverse range of career opportunities showcased in this year’s list of nominees and local Branch winners: “At the core of every hotel and guesthouse are its people and fostering their growth is key to our industry’s continued success. The IHF is committed to supporting individuals on this journey, and through our Quality Employer Programme and employee initiatives, we are aiming to secure hospitality as a career path of choice for people across Ireland.”

“There has never been a better time to start a career in tourism. With an ever-involving industry that has so many opportunities for professional growth and advancement. Speaking to our Branch winners to understand their backgrounds has been truly inspiring. The Employee of the Year award allows us to show our appreciation for the incredible people who bring world class Irish hospitality to life every single day.”

Winner Ciara first joined the Westport Hotel Group as part of the team at Portos Restaurant in 2014 and continued to work in the hotel while completing a degree of Business in Tourism and Event Management at ATU Sligo. Her strong work ethic and keen understanding of guest experience quickly became evident, paving the way for her transition into her current role as Over 55s Group Coordinator. In this role, Ciara is instrumental in both organising in-house operations and expanding the Over 55s market, curating new and engaging themed breaks tailored to this sector. Her background in the restaurant has been invaluable, allowing her to seamlessly build strong relationships with guests and ensure a smooth transition into her position. With guests arriving on Sunday and departing on Friday, Ciara oversees every detail of their stay—coordinating transport, in-house activities, and day trips across the three hotels.

Members of the Irish Hotels Federation nominated over 150 candidates who have consistently shown outstanding hospitality from their hotel/guesthouse to go forward for their regional IHF Branch awards.

The other shortlisted nominees for the award were:

• Nathan Sweeney, Hayfield Manor
• Tatkana Erinc, Harvey’s Point
• Marta Miranda, The Green O’Callaghan Collection
• Joanne Murray, Skeffington Arms Hotel
• Maud Dowd, The Rose Hotel
• Ciara Faherty, The Castlecourt Hotel
• Dimuthu Kankanamge, Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone
• Emma Reilly, Castle Leslie Estate
• Orla Seery, Sligo Park Hotel
• Emma Mai-Roche, Cashel Palace Hotel
• Italo Tucci, Great National South Court Hotel
• Lavinia Byrne, Glenview Hotel and Leisure Club

Tourism at a Glance
As Ireland’s largest indigenous employer, a vibrant and thriving tourism and hospitality industry is vital for the country’s economic well-being:

• Over 66,000 people directly employed across 940 hotels and guesthouses
• 270,000 livelihoods supported by Irish tourism & hospitality
• Regional employment – some 70% of tourism & hospitality jobs are outside of Dublin
• €12bn in revenue generated by tourism annually for the economy
• €3bn in taxes generated annually for the State by tourism-related activity

*Survey was conducted during February 2025 with results based on responses from 195 hotels and guesthouses across the country.

Visit Irish Hotels Federation’s website