Situated in the heart of Killarney, Co Kerry, Gleneagle is the perfect venue for family breaks and entertainment. Hotel and Tourism touched base with its General Manager John Dolan to hear all about what is one of the country’s top hotels as well as his personal success having been named ‘General Manager of the Year’ at the prestigious Irish Hotel Awards.
A third-generation family business, Gleneagle Group was originally founded in 1957 and today remains under the guardianship of the O’Donoghues, led by Patrick O’Donoghue.
It’s headquartered on the Muckross Road, Killarney, Co Kerry, where Gleneagle stands as a testament to excellence, offering world-class hospitality and unparalleled accommodations.
It also boasts the largest entertainment arena in Ireland outside of Dublin – Gleneagle Arena – and has 279 inviting bedrooms as well as 32 self-catering apartments.
Altogether, Gleneagle is currently operating with a team of 450 staff, has a diverse range of offerings and is a sought-after destination for conferences, meetings, socials, weddings, concerts and family vacations.
Its General Manager John Dolan has been an integral part of the team for 18 years.
Prior to his move to Killarney all those years ago, the Manchester native spent much of his working life based in the Middle East and Asia and immersed himself in the hospitality industries in those parts of the world, he also spent time learning his trade in places like in Switzerland, Bermuda, Egypt, Dubai before moving to Australia.
Hotel and Tourism caught up with John recently to hear more about his background, business at the moment at Gleneagle and the award success which he says he’s “over the moon” with.
“While I was in Asia I worked in Korea, Guam and was involved in opening up a 600-bedroom hotel in Taiwan.” He then moved to Osaka in Japan, “while I was in Japan, my daughter was around three years of age and one of the guys that I used to work for in South Korea, had returned back to Ireland and opened up The Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon.”
“So, I used to work for Ciaran Kelly in Asia and he asked me to come back and work for him in his hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. That’s how I ended up back in Ireland and I can honestly say that my first year back was a culture shock after being in Asia. It was very interesting to say the least.”
“While I was in Carrick-on-Shannon, we had up to 100 weddings a year and we won the best wedding venue three years on the trot. The hotel was small and I felt I needed a bigger challenge having always worked in large properties. I ended up accepting the position of General Manager here at Gleneagle.”
The move on John’s part was born out of him seeking a bigger challenge in his professional career.
Since becoming the General Manager at Gleneagle, his tenure has seen a monumental refurbishment of the property.
John’s meticulous attention to detail, commitment to quality and visionary mindset have ensured that every aspect of the property exudes luxury, from the tastefully designed rooms to the inviting self-catering apartments.
In 2021, the Gleneagle Hotel and Apartments upgraded from a three-star hotel to a prestigious four-star standard, which itself had been a huge motivator for John from the moment he assumed the role.
“The hotel I worked in in Japan was a 525-bedroom hotel and we were doing around 650 weddings a year, huge banquets and conferencing. So what really moved me on was the challenge. I needed a bigger challenge when I came to Ireland and Gleneagle offered that for me,” John outlined.
“It was a huge undertaking in terms of different values around driving different types of business. You’re going from conferences to concerts and, at that time, we also had 75 two-bedroom apartments attached to the hotel.
“So, that worked better for me. It kept me occupied and kept my brain active to say the least.”
“Coming into this hotel at the time, the challenge was obviously to get it over the line from a three-star hotel to a four-star hotel and we achieved that in 2021.”
Fast-forward to today and business is very much thriving at Gleneagle.
2024 saw it enjoying a hugely impressive 80% occupancy and, according to its GM, business on the books is looking very positive for the rest of this year and, furthermore, he says that the signs are “extremely good” for 2026.
This past October saw the above remarkable feats recognised on a national scale when John Dolan won overall ‘General Manager of the Year’ at the prestigious Irish Hotel Awards 2024.
The ceremony, which took place at the Johnstown Estate Hotel on October 22nd, saw the giants of the Irish hospitality game convening at the Enfield venue to celebrate the awards which honoured the best and the brightest in the industry.
Speaking on his own award success, John described it as “a special accolade” and was quick to credit the Gleneagle team above all else.
“I was absolutely over the moon,” he stated. “I think it was back in 2015/2016 that I was runner-up for the IHI Award as Manager of the Year. So, I never thought I’d actually achieve it, but to achieve it has been a dream.”
“It’s a special accolade and you only get it through hard work and continually elevating yourself, being innovative, having the customer focus and just being passionate about what you do. I think the passion reaps its rewards and I think getting this reward, as the Hotel Manager of the Year, has been nothing but brilliant for me.
“It’s been recognised by the team here as well and, I always say success only comes with the team around you. You can’t do it on your own.”
So, with all of that considered, the burning question to ask the man that knows is: What has been the secret to the continued success of Gleneagle?
How has a property which, from modest beginnings as a small country-house hotel that opened in 1957, stood the test of time and remained very much the heartbeat of Killarney down through the decades?
“If we look at our repeat business here, we have about 88% repeat business, which is phenomenal,” the General Manager stated.
“We have something for everyone. We’re not just a family hotel – we’re a conference destination, an entertainment venue and a place where every guest, no matter why they’re here, feels looked after. That variety is what makes Gleneagle so unique.”
“So, again, it’s all those different segments that we’re able to offer and all those different touch points that guests can really enjoy. I think that’s actually helped us a lot because we’re a diverse business.”
That diversity, as well as John’s exceptional leadership, are qualities which have certainly stood to this hotel over the past two decades.
Since ‘Day One’, the General Manager has recognised that the heart of Gleneagle’s success lies in the happiness of its guests and, looking at the coming months and also towards next year, John says he’s eager to keep on the same course.
“My hopes and wishes are that we continue successfully and that the business continues to grow, which I’m sure it will. Again, it’s down to the team that are here at Gleneagle.
“We’re in a people business and I truly believe that when you’re looking after the people that work for you, you can make great inroads to success,” he concluded.
Gleneagle
Muckross Road,
Killarney,
Co Kerry (V93 V6WF)
General Tel.: +353 (0)64 663 6000
Res Tel.: +353 (0)64 667 1550
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Hotel & Tourism Magazine, Summer 2025, Vol 1 No 1
