Brian Lawlor, group general manager of the O’Donoghue Ring Collection, has been elected chair of the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).
Originally from Wexford, Lawlor has a hospitality career spanning over two decades, having previously held the positions of general manager of the Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa and the Killarney Towers Hotel and Leisure Centre.
The O’Donoghue Ring Collection
The O’Donoghue Ring Collection has a portfolio of hotels, apartments, bars and restaurants, including the Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa, the Killarney Towers Hotel and Leisure Centre, the River Island Hotel, the Killarney Avenue Hotel, the Tan Yard, Café du Parc, and the O’Donoghue Public House.
The O’Donoghue Ring Collection was awarded the Operational Excellence in Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure accolade at the Operational Excellence Awards in 2023.
Presided over by a judging panel drawn from industry, academia, and the broader stakeholder community, the annual Operational Excellence Awards aim to recognise and reward the individuals, teams and organisations that have made a commitment to achieving operational excellence and business transformation.
‘Vital Contribution’
“Hotels and guesthouses throughout Kerry make such a vital contribution to local and regional tourism, which supports over 16,000 livelihoods throughout the county,” said Lawlor.
“I look forward to representing them and working closely with my IHF colleagues to engage with government and industry partners to address the challenges we face head on, including the very high costs of doing business within our industry.”
Background
Lawlor also worked as general manager of the Carriage House at Adare Manor.
He is a business studies graduate in hotel and catering management from Waterford Institute of Technology.
Tremendous Asset
“I want to congratulate Brian on his election,” said IHF president Michael Magner.
“His commitment to our sector and extensive experience are a tremendous asset to the IHF, as we continue to advocate for members at the highest levels of government.”
