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22 Oct 2025
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22 Oct 2025
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Denyse Campbell, IHF President; Austin Delaney, IHF Midlands Branch Employee of the Year Winner; George Leahy, Hotel Manager for the Midlands Park Hotel and Barry Kennedy, IHF Midlands Branch Chair.
A senior bartender at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise is the winner of the Irish Hotels Federation Midlands Branch ‘Employee of the Year’ award.
Over 50 guests attended the event at a special awards breakfast in the County Arms Birr to celebrate and recognise 11 nominees from hotels and guesthouses across Kildare, Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath who have made an outstanding contribution to their workplace.
Austin Delaney from Portlaoise was congratulated on the 2023/24 award by IHF Midlands Branch Chair, Barry Kennedy. He said the judges highlighted Austin’s attention to detail, caring approach and love of hospitality when selecting him as the winner.
"Austin joined the Midlands Park Hotel 15 years ago and has been a steadfast member of the team through periods of change and growth within the business. Austin is loved by his colleagues and has served as a mentor to many, offering sage advice and encouragement. He is also a firm favourite with customers, who appreciate his keen memory, warm hospitality and humour," said the Awards statement.
The Midlands Branch wish Austin the best of luck in represent the region at the upcoming national IHF Employee of the Year Awards which will be held during the IHF's Annual Conference in February 2024. MORE BELOW PICTURE.
Pictured: (front row l-r) Denyse Campbell, IHF President; Austin Delaney, IHF Midlands Branch Employee of the Year Winner and Barry Kennedy, IHF Midlands Branch Chair. (back row l-r) Anton Chumak, Radisson Athlone; Anne-Marie Studdert, Bridge House Hotel; Amy Kelly Gorman, Clanard Court Hotel; Cathriona Murphy, Kilkea Castle Hotel; Gabor Fozo, Hodson Bay Hotel; Ita Kerrigan, Mullingar Park Hotel; Betty Mulrooney, County Arms Hotel Birr; Aggie Kulesza, Maldron Hotel Portlaoise and Nathan Green, Sheraton Athlone Hotel.
Mr Kennedy 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.
IHF Midlands Branch thanked the judges Bernadette Enright (Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board) and Daniel McCarthy (General Manager at Talbot Hotel Carlow), who had the difficult job of selecting a winner from the nominees.
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