Feature
IRD Duhallow Mourns
By MAURA WALSH IRD Duhallow CEO
As 2023 was drawing to a close, Jerry Sheehan, the man responsible for setting up IRD Duhallow, passed away peacefully, comforted by his family. Jerry had led a very active life up to recently when health issues forced him to slow down. Jerry Sheehan has left an indelible print on the Duhallow landscape with significant economic, cultural, environmental and rural development legacies for the wider Duhallow region. Firstly, he founded Avonmore Electrical in Millstreet and developed it from an initial local service to agriculture and domestic clients in Millstreet into a multimillion-euro service and
Jerry hosting an IRD Duhallow function at the Millstreet Country Park
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Dr. Charlie Daly, Dept. of Food Science in UCC and Jerry Sheehan at the official opening of Duhallow Jerry and IRD Duhallow CEO Maura Walsh with Community Food Centre, the late Frank Healy, Ducon Concrete and Minister Boherbue Jimmy Deenihan manufacturing industry attracted world-class cyclists from all that provides over 100 over the country and further afield. high skilled jobs and has payroll Banteer Sportsfield hosted many injection above €6m annually into major events and Jerry meticulously the region’s economy. It services kept the records and press reports. and rewinds huge motors that drive This treasure trove has now gone the turbines for the ESBs power on display at the new Banteer Astro stations, pharmaceutical industries Turf Hub and Café. and Intel, the major dairy processing Along with Tim Lucey and Michael plants, cement plants, and other Doyle who also served on the industrial operations. They moved Board of IRD Duhallow with Jerry, to larger premises in Roskeen to the ownership of the pond field facilitate the increase. Jerry was was transferred from the trustees always open to new ideas and to Banteer Community Sports innovation and was ahead of his Committee. This transfer allowed time in that he travelled to trade shows in Europe and the USA where for major leisure, sports and recreation facilities to be developed he shared his ideas and expertise, in Banteer. I believe he was very through those international proud of Banteers achievements networks. He had a keen eye of winning the All-Ireland Pride of for innovation to further perfect Place Community Wellbeing Award the business he ran. Avonmore in 2023. Electrical was one of the first to attain ISO standards and the first to introduce precision balancing in the early 90s by installing the first computerised balance machine in the country thus raising the standard for all his customers. Jerry was a long-time member of the famed Banteer Sports, which was run to such a high standard that it became the qualifier for participation in the International A presentation to Minister for Olympic Games. The cinder cycle Agriculture Joe Walsh at Assolas track installed there was a first and House
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Issue 105 January 19th, 2024
