Amy takes on position as advertising and marketing supervisor at Breaffy Resort
Amy Horgan is the new Marketing Manager at Breaffy House Resort.
Sun 5th Dec. 2021, 10:30 a.m.
Sun 5th Dec. 2021, 6:16 pm
By Tom Gillespie
Amy Horgan of COUNTY Cork has taken on the role of Marketing Manager at Breaffy House Resort, Castlebar, charged with promoting the 106 bed Breaffy House Hotel and the 100 bedroom Breaffy Woods Hotel.
Post-Covid, your task is certainly daunting. However, she is optimistic about the hospitality sector and believes the Breaffy Resort’s reputation will continue to attract visitors.
Amy started out in the hospitality industry about 10 years ago. She worked at the Middletown Park Hotel where she was the Marketing Director.
Amy took up the story: “I stayed in this role for about a year and then moved to management. I was the head of sales and marketing.
“In 2014 we were taken over by the Talbot Collection and they kept me and I became an area sales and marketing manager and then I managed all of their properties in Cork, Wexford, Dublin and Carlow.
“It was a great experience and a great experience. They really were a very good company because they took me through the different areas.
“In the 10 years I’ve worked for her, I’ve done operations, sales, marketing, weddings – everything.”
However, due to Covid, she was released. All group roles were removed from the company, forcing her to start her own consulting firm.
She continued, “That’s how I started talking to Wilson Bird, the general manager here at Breaffy Resort. When they closed he said they need someone to do their digital marketing and I took the role.
“I knew the Breaffy House Hotel very well because my husband is a Mayo man – Sean Corcoran of Cloona, Westport.
“We came here in December and I took on the role of Digital Manager and then started as Director of Sales and Marketing in October. I really enjoy the role. “
Breaffy’s weekday business is usually business and there are still lots of people coming for stay.
Amy added, “After Covid, everyone wants out. Our biggest selling point is that things are safe here. We have 101 acres on the property for visitors to enjoy. We have a lot of space. You are not in a built-up area. “
But the challenge facing the entire hospitality sector is what will happen in the next few weeks.
Amy continued, “We are confident about the next year and we already have a lot of strong wedding business on the books.
“The biggest thing is whether people go on trips abroad or stay here at the same level as before.
“We have a fantastic return reputation here. We have a lot of people who come back year after year and book before they leave.
“During Covid and Post-Covid, new people came in because Breaffy Resort was on the map. Fáilte Ireland has done a lot of work to really put the different areas on the map. The Wild Atlantic Way and Greenways are a big one too Attraction. “
She added, “We are concerned about our newlyweds where some people have changed their wedding dates three times. We advise couples to hold the church ceremony earlier. We have a fabulous wedding business because of our reputation. “
Amy graduated from CIT in Cork where she graduated with a degree in business administration and marketing. She then did her Masters in NUI Galway. She said, “That’s where I met my husband and we lived in Galway for four years. I worked at Toys’ Smyth headquarters, where I was a buyer for a while.”
South African Dean Diplock is the new chef at Breaffy Resort.
Amy said, “He’s a regular at Ireland AM and has brought some flavor to the food, including some South African dishes.”
Looking to the future, Amy said, “We have big plans for the next year. Our restaurant is getting a complete facelift. We hope to make it more glassy by introducing it from the outside. We have a polytunnel in which we grow our own little things and we have established a lot of new local suppliers.
“We have just become a member of Good Food Ireland which is a great achievement for the resort.”
Amy gave me a brief history of Breaffy House: “Dominick Browne of Breaffy was born in 1701 and died in 1776. It is possible that this man was behind the construction of the first Breaffy House.
“The style of the architecture is Victorian. There is no room here for the smooth skyline and straight facades that would be a feature of the Georgian style. Instead we have the typical sprawling asymmetrical style of the 19th century.
In 1927 we find some notable changes to the property – two new avenues leading into the house from Castlebar Road with a new gatehouse at each entrance, one of the cottages still standing by Lally’s house, the other cabin being by the new road was erected away. To the right of the bridge on the avenue leading to the house is an artificially created pond that was dug after 1900.
“In 1928, 400 acres, including the house, were sold to the Land Commission for distribution to local farmers. Part of the land went to the Ministry of Forestry and in 1962 the house and 40 acres of forest were brought in by Una and Michael Lee. The house was opened in 1963 as an A-Hotel.
“It partially burned out in 1969 and was rebuilt with additions to make an extended hotel.
“The Lynch Group bought Breaffy House in 2001 and traded very successfully with the addition of a fitness club, spa and pool and 60 bedrooms in November 2002.
“Breaffy Woods was built in 2006 and includes the renowned Breaffy Sports & Events Arena. The resort now comprises two lots on 101 acres of forest trails and beautiful forest trails known collectively as the Breaffy House Resort.
“On August 21, 2014, Breaffy House was purchased by Tirawley Ltd. The new owners recently carried out an extensive renovation program.”
Sun 5th Dec. 2021, 10:30 a.m.
Sun 5th Dec. 2021, 6:16 pm
