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<h1>Spotlight on Eoin O'Sullivan</h1>
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<p class="summary" style="color: #000;">Over a year into his tenure as General Manager of the Culloden Estate and Spa, Eoin O'Sullivan looks back over his career which has taken him across the globe. </p>
<p>“I have been with Hastings Hotels for a year now, which has absolutely flown by!” Eoin explained.</p><p>“I have spent my entire career in Hospitality. After graduating from The Shannon College of Hotel Management I worked in The UK, London and New York. Back to Ireland, then onto The Turks and Caicos Islands, followed by Jamaica and Barbados.</p><p>“I built knowledge in various positions, and have been particularly involved in the development of new hotel and resort products from planning to opening.”</p><p>That breadth of influence has stood Eoin, and indeed The Culloden, in great stead, as the constantly challenging and fast moving world of hotel management and hospitality continually demands more and better. </p><p>“The hospitality sector is constantly evolving. I believe peoples’ perception of quality has changed a lot over the past 10 years, with most people now trading up to a more luxury product and as an industry we need to constantly focus on providing value – it’s not about price, its about ensuring people feel they have received value for what they have consumed.”</p><p>“Added to that social media has changed the way we receive feedback and the way we market to the public. Everything today is immediate and has changed the way we view things.”</p><p>For Eoin, that just adds to the flavour of the job: “Variety in running a hotel is the most enjoyable thing for me. No day is the same and because a hotel is constantly changing, you could say it is like a cruise ship made up of so many moving parts that all need to work together for it to sail. I am like the proverbial swan, calm on the outside, but paddling like crazy underneath!”</p><p>And the demands that come from co-ordinating those myriad moving parts dovetail seamlessly, it would seem, with Eoin’s personal and family life.“ I live here at The Culloden with my wife Michele and Archie our 7 month old Chocolate Labrador."</p><p>"Being here obviously helps a lot. I do like to be up early and get ahead of the day -a hotel is a 24 hour operation, 365 days of the year. No industry is quite like ours, so there is no real down time. There is no typical working week for me as I work to suit the business needs of the hotel. Hotel-keeping is like a vocation because it demands a lot of sacrifices on a personal level but gives so much back also.”</p><p>And when that personal life peeks through, Eoin has a similarly varied and packed schedule.</p><p>“We have two children Liam and Meghan, who are in College in Dublin – one in UCD and the other in the Irish Academy of Musical Theatre. We try and see them as often as practicable.”</p><p>A keen golfer; it is no surprise that a Munsterman has a passion for rugby: “ Yes, I have followed the Munster team for many years, although I am now enjoying getting to know Ulster Rugby and have had a few great evenings at the Kingspan recently.”</p><p>“I also am a bit of a foodie so like checking new restaurants. Belfast has a vibrant food culture that is constantly growing which is fantastic.” Looking to the future Eoin is very happy where he is, and as a legacy “I would say I would like to be known for being a good person to work for and that I have helped mould people in their careers to be better .I would also like to be known as someone who has added significant value to any business I have been involved in.”</p><p>This approach can be seen in those influences that have so far shaped Eoin’s career, from both the hotels worked at and the people worked with.</p><p>“ I am lucky to have been involved in some beautiful projects both here and abroad, namely Port Ferdinand marina and St Peters Bay in Barbados, Beaches Turks and Caicos, Regent Grand and Villa Renaissance again the Turks and Caicos and The Heritage Golf and Spa Resort in the south. And of the best of them there are a number of hotels that spring to mind: Sandy Lane Barbados is iconic, and Ashford Castle is the most beautiful place to visit. There is an hotel in Florence called Relaix de Santa Croche that is truly beautiful, and Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos is the most peaceful place I have ever stayed.</p><p>And the greatest influence: “I was lucky enough to work for a man called Harry Murray in the year that he was voted hotelier of the year UK back in the 80’s . He was an inspiration for me by his dedication to looking after customers and attention to detail. He is the MD of an Estate called Luckham Park. His was the best advice given to me, that you need to remain calm but be decisive.” </p>
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