Celebrating our Latest Employee Recognition Award Recipients

We know that our people are our greatest asset. They drive our vision to ensure the future sustainability of Ireland’s built and natural heritage. We are committed to developing their talents and promoting learning in a culture that values openness and diversity.

Our Living the Values recognition programme rewards employees who actively demonstrate our core values. Based on peer nominations, some of which are featured below, it acknowledges those who embody our values. We are delighted to share the latest award recipients of 2024 and congratulate them all.

Louise Stone, PA to CEO, 11 Parnell Square (pictured with Jaykob) “Louise is a great colleague, always helpful and supportive. In every interaction she has gone above and beyond. She is professional, trusted and cares for the IHT community. From her very first day, Louise has demonstrated all of IHT’s values in everything she does. She is professional in her dealings and has earned the respect of board members, colleagues and IHT partners alike – her integrity and sensitivity to a wide variety of situations and challenges supports the Trust’s value of being a trusted partner. Louise is thoughtful and considerate in how she assesses the demands of her job, ensuring that our team is supported and respected in all they do.“

Eamon Kehoe, Park Superintendent, Johnstown Castle Estate “Eamon is a wonderful ambassador and host for Johnstown Castle. While on duty he is very much customer facing within the visitor centre and on the grounds. He knows a lot of the members on a first name basis and always makes time to chat. First time visitors are given timely tips on navigating the estate and where he identified someone who is less mobile he is ready to offer them a lift to the gardens or castle. Eamon represents the IHT team in a great way. He is focused on putting the public interest first whether that is keeping visitors safe or providing a unique insight to a first-time visitor.”

Martina Carroll, Volunteer Coordinator, Fota House & Gardens:
“Martina always treats colleagues, volunteers and guests with the same level of professionalism and kindness. She is a very trustworthy colleague who always does as she says and always means well. She organises events for the volunteers and engages with other heritage sites in Cork to ensure we have an strong relationships that our Volunteers can benefit from as well.“

Jaykob Wood, Project Manager, 11 Parnell Square (pictured with Louise) “Jaykob recently joined the IHT project team and hit the ground running. He has led very well on the Sustainability project and has shown great adaptability as the project has developed. He has embraced and got to know the wider family of the Trust by working closely with GM’s on site and with the entire Dublin team. His patience and professionalism have greatly contributed to getting the sustainability project where it is today. He has also put his hand up to take ownership of additional projects or tasks which is great to see. Since joining he has proven to be an ideal person for the position within the project team.”

Alan McDermott, Maintenance & Facilities Assistant, Strokestown Park House: “Alan takes on any job and sees it through to completion in a professional manner. His understanding of all things mechanical is superb. But apart from this role Alan gets involved in all areas of the property assisting with events set up and the running of the event. Helping with grant applications. Dealing with the Agricultural Show and all that it brings. Coming in after hours to get certain tasks done while there are no visitors on the property or even to open or lock gates and meet contractors. All is done willingly and with a positive can-do attitude. He gets on with the whole team and is always up for helping in any way he can”.

John O’Driscoll, General Manager, Strokestown Park House “John is a long-time member of the IHT team and a long term servant at Strokestown Park. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that is so valuable to the team and to all the visitors that come to Strokestown. While it has been a difficult trading year in Strokestown John has led the team with great energy and focus to ensure costs are managed well and the customer experience is still a great one. His passion for what he does is clear for all to see and is particularly evident when he hosts groups and conducts house tours. He is a team player who is always looking out for the welfare of his team, he is great example to all of them, be it in the delivery of a best-in-class tour, providing great customer service or his passion and knowledge when talking about heritage and Strokestown.”

Lisa Kehoe, Senior Visitor Services Coordinator, Johnstown Castle, Estate, Museum & Gardens “Lisa is our Senior VS Administrator and Coordinator and she personifies all the Trust values – she is always very positive influence amongst colleagues and also visitors and contractors. She oversees the administrative work of the back office with great diligence and efficiency. She has worked tirelessly with Jennifer Kennedy the retail consultant in transforming the gift shop – assessing the stock, introducing new lines and helping with the redesign work. This has led to an increase in sales for the shop. She also completed the first aid responder course in April.“

Jenny Weir, Facilities/ IT Manager, 11 Parnell Square “She consistently goes above and beyond, offering solutions to maintain and enhance our ITC systems. Jenny demonstrates professionalism and a genuine willingness to assist others. Whether it’s troubleshooting complex issues or providing guidance, she approaches issues with a positive attitude and assured skill which we have trust in. Her collaborative spirit and dedication not only improve our workflows but also fosters a supportive work environment. Examples of this are resolving issues and providing a greater degree of security & efficiency with the traffic barrier operating system. Expanding the network capabilities to accommodate a photo booth offering at Christmas. General troubleshooting and resolution to personal IT and systems issues. This is very reassuring back-up for systems that enable us to operate efficiently. Jenny is deservedly worthy of consideration for the award for her knowledge, reliability and team player mentality.”

Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme The Irish Heritage Trust has successfully completed the Employer Excellence Programme with Fáilte Ireland recognising our commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work environment.