A great place to network and keep in touch

Past students of the Shannon college say, almost unanimously, that they had tremendous training there for their future careers.

Their four years at the college were a unique combination of theory and practice, including work practice abroad. They graduated with poise and confidence, ready to work in an industry that demands a high level of people skills. Business acumen and training are equally important and to this day, college graduates say that one of the most important factors was discipline.

Dick Bourke, general manager of Jurys Hotel and The Towers in Ballsbridge, Dublin, graduated in 1968. He says that Shannon was a wonderful experience, imparting the notion that the customer is king long before Feargal Quinn had thought of it.

The college imparted the best of Swiss hotel keeping traditions. Equally important is the fact that the graduates keep in touch. Most of his group from 1968 will be at the ball tonight.

Says Mr Bourke: "There's a terrific bond among the past students, which is itself unusual. I keep in touch with everyone from my graduation year and know how they are all getting on."

Mary Bowe of Marlfield House, near Gorey, Co Wexford, graduated in 1958. She remembers all the 21st birthday parties for the students, although when she celebrated hers, she was on work placement in Heidelberg, Germany.

The students in her time had a great social life; the night porter used to come round with a flashlight to make sure that all the boys were in bed by midnight! Saturday night dances in Cruises Hotel, Limerick, and sessions in Durty Nellie's at Bunratty were also high on the social agenda.

It wasn't all play; Shannon had a great work ethos. Says Ms Bowe: "I have very fond memories of the college and I would be happy to go through my four years there again."

Ronan Doran is a younger graduate, from 1994. Age 28, he's managing director of the Stillorgan Park Hotel in Dublin and the Talbot Hotel in Wexford. He says that the Shannon college is a fantastic place, with a great emphasis on the practical elements of hotel work, as well as international exposure. The business management training was invaluable for his present position.

Marie Foley is another 1994 graduate. She and her husband, Pat Chawke, have taken over the management of the Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney, a five star hotel that has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment programme.

She says that Shannon has a great combination of practical experience and business theory. "Anyone who's been to Shannon speaks very highly of it and there's great networking among the graduates."

Liam Griffin of the Griffin Hotel group graduated in 1970. He remembers playing hurling for Clare, a great preparation for his Wexford GAA days, and Jrgen Blum declaring that hurling was for madmen!

He also remembers Mr Blum taking classes on continental visits, including some second World War military cemeteries, something that made a great impact on the young man. He says that the Shannon college was an exceptional finishing school for work and life and that his time there has stood him in good stead in life and in sport.

PETER Malone is the former chief executive of the Jurys Doyle Hotels group and is still on the board there. He now has many other business interests, including the chairmanships of Hibernian Insurance, the Gunne property group, the CPL recruitment group and Bord na Mona.

He graduated from Shannon in 1970 and says it was a terrific grounding for his career, as good as any university. It was also a wonderful place for instilling a great sense of business, which has also been very useful in his subsequent career.

Rory Murphy, managing director of Ashford Castle in Co Mayo, graduated in 1964 and has been on the board of the Shannon college for the past 20 years. As part of his course, he worked in Switzerland for 18 months.

He says that these experiences were great personality developers, helping impart great confidence. In the old days, classes were smaller, even though today, that close bond between students and teachers remains intact. In earlier days at Shannon, there was more emphasis on food, beverages and hospitality, whereas now, it's also equally essential to have the business training.

Margaret Naughton, general manager of the five star Hayfield Manor Hotel in Cork, graduated in 1994 and says that she would go back to Shannon to do the four-year course all over again if she had a chance. Her work experience included Switzerland and the US. From her graduation year, quite a few people are now top hotel managers, like herself, here in Ireland.

Tom O'Connell, a graduate of 1976, is a brother of Darina Allen of Ballymaloe fame. He runs O'Connell's restaurant in Bewley's Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin. He says he draws on his student experiences in the Swiss industry to this day, while he also had great fourth year experience at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

He says that Shannon was a great time in every respect. At the time of his graduation, many of his fellow graduates were being lost to Ireland but that's all changed in the last few years, with Shannon graduates coming back in droves to work in the Irish industry.

That's just a taste of the innumerable top names in the hotel business in Ireland who are all Shannon graduates.

Many have got top positions abroad, such as David Wilkinson, who became general manager of the Dorchester Hotel in London in 1997 and Seamus McManus, appointed general manager of the Kahala Mandarin Hotel in Hawaii, often described as the world's most romantic hotel.

The Shannon graduate network circles the globe and everyone keeps in touch.