Ireland’s construction continues to produce excellence

Following an “almost total collapse” of Ireland’s building and construction sector during the 2008 global financial crisis, it has since rebuilt into a vibrant industry. 

The bursting of the property bubble formed in the early 2000s saw employment in the construction sector fall by more than 60%. But recovery has been steady since then, with Turner & Townsend (T&T) reporting in November that Ireland’s construction industry now show signs of stability. Housing remains the top performing sector, with private sector delivery now outpacing the public sector. The industry is also showing increasing commitment to sustainability and net-zero goals, the report states. 

Even during the height of the crash, the level of work produced by Ireland’s construction sector has continued to impress, with this highlighted in the list of previous winners of the CIOB Construction Manager of the Year in Ireland. 

The awards, which have run annually or biennially since 1993, was won in 2010-2011 by Donal McCarthy for the completion of the Dublin Convention Centre. The landmark building located on the banks of the River Liffey was designed by Pritzker award-winning Irish architect Kevin Roche, and features a stunning glass fronted atrium running the full height of the building - giving visitors panoramic views of the River Liffey, Dublin city centre and the Wicklow mountains. 

This tilted glass cylinder - 54 meters high and 39 meters in diameter - intersects the granite wall of the south facade, creating a partial parabola. The glass cylinder opens up to the activities inside and makes for a highly visible entrance.

Other projects across Dublin and Ireland have also taken out the highly regarded award. In 1999 and again in 2002, it was extensions to Dublin Airport. The first award, in 1993, was won by Paul Hackett, for the construction of The Square Shopping Centre in Dublin, at the time the largest shopping centre in Ireland. 

But it hasn’t always been the biggest projects that have won the accolades. Alan Barnes, of Collen Construction, was named Ireland’s Construction Manager of the Year 2019 as the result of his work on the Scots Church in Lower Abbey Street, Dublin. 

The work involved the erection of a complex seven storey exoskeleton steel frame around the existing church, providing new state-of-the-art office accommodation as part of planned expansion of existing office headquarters at Lower Abbey Street. The risks and challenges encountered on this project required ingenuity, dedication and construction management skills, delivered to an extremely tight budget and time frame.

Paul Campbell FCIOB, who has been involved with the awards since the mid-90s, including as the primary organiser and latterly as a judge for the completion, says the award has always recognised the best in the sector. 

“Contractors and developers like to be associated with excellence, and that's why they would put those sorts of projects forward for the award,” he says. 

The awards also recognise the work of the construction managers, who Paul says are often the unsung heroes of the whole process. 

“It does set you above your peers,” he says. “And I'm just looking down to some of the names here, of people who won it over the years, and they are now some of the top names in the industry, they've moved on to director level in many companies. It's also a real boost to your career. It's a very recognizable and prestigious accolade to win the award.” 

For those considering entering the awards, Paul encourages them to set aside the time to complete the entry. 

“They really have minimised the amount of work you have to do to enter into it,” he says. “And I really would encourage everybody to everybody to have a go.”