There was great joy and sadness in Ballygarry this week as management, colleagues and friends gathered in The Pavilion for a retirement party for the venue's deputy general manager, Cathal Nugent.
Nugent is a native of Tyrone and moved to the south-west in the seventies to take up a position in Innishannon, Cork. He was then relocated to Kerry where he worked in The Brandon Hotel for many years before going on to run his own business, The Rose Tavern, where he was a fond favourite with locals. In 1988, he joined Ballygarry House to work with Owen McGillicuddy.
Ballygarry general manager Padraig McGillicuddy commented, “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Cathal for 30 years. We grew together through the years and he trained me when I was a young trainee. He has left a legacy of hard work and customer focus which is engrained in us all from his years of mentoring the team. He is a proud person, loyal, solid, and dependable, and a true gentleman who always did what was right for the hotel. He was loved by the staff and customers alike, and his love of Tyrone GAA was always one he threw in the face of us Kerry folk on a bad September. He had a fantastic sense of humour and a warm smile all day, every day.”
In a statement, the team at Ballygarry asserted that Nugent will be dearly missed but all who worked with him are grateful for his imparting so much and strengthening the hotel's management team before parting ways.
The Ballygarry team added, "We would like to wish Cathal all the best for the next phase and every success for everything that lies ahead. From all the management, colleagues and customers, we look forward to serving you now in your retirement. Bye for now Cathal!"
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
