Back: Nick Meade, incoming President, CIBSE with Sean Dowd, Chairman, CIBSE Ireland and David Doherty, Vice-Chairman, CIBSE Ireland. Front: John McNamara and Kevin O’Rourke, who each received a Certificate of Appreciation and Dublin Crystal memento, and Pat Lehane and John Doherty, who were presented with bronze medals.
CIBSE Ireland Recognises Service to Industry
CIBSE used the occasion of the recent CIBSE Ireland Annual Lunch to recognise the long-standing service of four individuals to the building services sector in Ireland. A framed certificate of appreciation and an engraved Dublin Glass memento were presented to John McNamara (ex Sisk) and Kevin O’Rourke (ex SEAI), while bronze medals were presented to Pat Lehane, Publisher & Editor of Building Services News and John Doherty (ex McGrattan & Kenny). The latter two are also long-standing, and current, CIBSE Committee members. Nick Meade, incoming President of CIBSE and Sean Dowd, Chairman, CIBSE Ireland, did the honours.
This year’s lunch was the biggest by far with a capacity 320 consultants, contractors, product suppliers and their respective guests enjoying wonderful fare and availing of what has now become the most important social and networking occasion in the building services sector’s calendar of events. Unfortunately, space restrictions meant that many more were disappointed but the CIBSE Lunch Sub-Committee is already on the case and details of a larger venue for the 2015 lunch will be announced early in the new year.
Guest speaker was Gerard Hosford, a building services graduate from CIT, who now works as a senior mechanical engineer for Patrick Parsons Consulting Engineers in the UK. His address detailing his career progression and day-to-day work projects was extremely interesting but, more than that, it highlighted just how valuable a building services-related degree is from any of the Irish educational institutions.
The mood and atmosphere of the gathering was upbeat. It reflected an air of optimism that augurs well for 2015 and beyond, but was also realistic in acknowledging that there is much to do to, especially in the way of realistic tender prices and profit margins, to secure a sustainable future for the sector.