Gabriela Rodrigues, sous-chef at the Clanree Hotel, in Letterkenny, has been announced as the 2023/24 Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Donegal Branch’s ‘Employee of the Year’.
The announcement was made at the IHF Donegal Dinner Dance, an annual celebration of Donegal’s tourism sector, held in Harvey’s Point.
Noel Cunningham
The judges highlighted Rodrigues’s work ethic, passion for the culinary arts, and positive attitude when selecting her as the winner.
Noel Cunningham also received a special honour from the IHF Donegal Branch, in recognition of his contribution to the local tourism industry.
Expert Panel
At the event, IHF president Denyse Campbell spoke about the importance of recognising excellence and “shaping brighter futures” for people in the sector by supporting future leaders and keeping teams motivated with opportunities for career progression and development.
The expert judging panel comprised Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin (Atlantic Technological University) and Deirdre Fitzsimons (the IHF’s director of people services), who selected a winner from the nominees.
‘Best Of Luck’
‘The members of the IHF Donegal Branch now wish Gabriela Rodrigues the very best of luck as she goes on to represent them at the upcoming National IHF Employee of the Year Awards which will be held during the IHF’s Annual Conference in February 2024,’ noted the IHF in a statement.
National Organisation
Founded in 1937, the IHF is the national organisation of the hotel and guesthouse industry in Ireland.
The federation represents almost 1,000 hotels and guesthouses nationwide, employing over 65,000 people, and it is a key stakeholder in the Irish tourism sector.
Current President
The president of the IHF is elected by its members at its AGM, and s/he serves a two-year term of office.
