When Dave first picked up the phone to call O’Neill & Brennan in 1997, he had no idea it would become a career spanning nearly three decades.
“I saw an ad in the newspaper, rang Martin, and the next day I was on site”, he says. “I’ve been here ever since.”
That same year, O’Neill & Brennan first began operating in Ireland. Nearly 29 years later, Dave remains part of our story, a reflection of the long-standing relationships, loyalty and mutual respect that continue to define us today.
For Dave, working in construction was never “just a job.”
“Working for O’Neill & Brennan Ireland for 29 years is more than just a job, it’s a huge part of my life”, he explains, “I started there as a young man and now at 53 years of age, I can honestly say the construction industry gave me the opportunity to build a good life through hard work, commitment, and experience gained over many years.”
Over the course of nearly three decades, Dave has witnessed Ireland’s construction industry evolve through every stage imaginable, from periods of rapid growth to economic slowdowns and regeneration.
“Over nearly three decades, I saw Ireland boom, slow down, rebuild and grow again,” he says. “I worked on all kinds of sites with great people, learned hard lessons, shared good laughs, and made lifelong friendships along the way.”
Like many long-serving operatives, Dave’s career has been built on consistency, resilience and pride in the work itself.
“We worked through sun, rain, snow and everything in between, with early mornings and late nights, but the work always got done.”
Throughout the years, Dave has worked alongside some of Ireland’s leading construction companies, including SISK, Walls Construction, Flynn, Bennett Construction, John Paul Construction and PJ Hegarty.
“The one that has been the most consistent throughout the years is PJ Hegarty, for which I will always be thankful,” he says.
But for Dave, construction has always been about more than the sites themselves. Being from Dublin’s north inner city, he has watched the city transform around him over the years, knowing he played a role in helping build it.
“The construction industry played a massive part in shaping Dublin itself”, he explains. “Being from the north inner city, there’s a special sense of pride when I look around and see the changes over the years – buildings, offices, apartments, schools and infrastructure that crews like ours helped bring to life.”
During his career, Dave became a SIPTU shop steward and was heavily involved in advocating for workers on site. He even helped push for the introduction of the Safe Pass programme in 2000, which later became a legal requirement across the industry in 2001.
“As a SIPTU shop steward, there were times management and myself has our differences,” Dave says, “but I always believed in standing up for fairness, respect and the workers on sit.”
Importantly, those differences never overshadowed the mutual respect that existed throughout his career.
“Normally a quick call to Brendan Kelly would resolve things straight away”, he says. “Even when opinions clashed, he listened to our concerns and found a solution that was acceptable to all.”
For Dave, that respect is one of the biggest reasons he stayed with O’Neill & Brennan for so long.
“Consistent work and mutual respect kept me here,” he says. “You don’t stay anywhere for 29 years unless there’s loyalty and respect for each other.”
“Looking back now, I’d say it gave me experience, friendships, pride in work we did, and a lifetime of stories.”
At O’Neill & Brennan, Dave’s story is not a reflection of one career. It represents the long-standing relationships that have helped shape who we are since 1997 – relationships built on trust, consistency and looking after people every stage of the careers.
