Hospitality on a Plate

Ciara Crossan is the CEO and Founder at WeddingDates, a leading online platform for wedding venues and couples in the UK and Ireland. With over 16 years of experience in the wedding industry, Ciara and her team have helped thousands of wedding venues and vendors on how to improve their business.Ciara Crossan grew up in Cork, Ireland and comes from an entrepreneurial family. From a young age, Ciara knew that the corporate world wasn’t for her and pursued her aspirations of becoming her own boss. Identifying a gap in the market for a more streamlined wedding planning process, she founded WeddingDates in 2008 with a focus on date availability for couples. Today, the WedPro platform solves capacity and conversion challenges for venues and vendors, and drives revenues with strategic insights and reporting.An avid networker who loves to learn, Ciara completed a Post Graduate Diploma in International Sales with Technological University Dublin in 2020. Her expertise has been recognised with multiple awards, including accreditation as a Thought Leader in International Hospitality Marketing by the All Ireland Business Foundation in 2019 and Ciara was named Business Woman of the Year at the Network Cork Ireland Awards in the same year. The new software product, WedPro was named as Best Hotel Technology Product at the Boutique Hotelier Awards in October 2023.An advocate for young entrepreneurship and in particular Women in Business, in 2018 Ciara was honoured to be chosen as one of 11 female entrepreneurs for the Vital Voices Global Ambassadors Programme, the goal of which is to accelerate women’s leadership and economic empowerment throughout the world. Outside of work, Ciara enjoys sea swimming, hiking and travelling with her 10 year old twin boys. Her passion for wedding hospitality is infectious, and she's dedicated to making the lives of events teams easier while boosting bottom lines.Ciara is passionate about supporting local businesses and women in entrepreneurship, and actively promotes these causes through her work at WeddingDates. Ciara's dedication to the wedding industry and her entrepreneurial spirit have made her a leading figure in the field, and a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Dawn Byrne is a seasoned professional in the hospitality industry, currently working as the Group Revenue Manager at Original Irish Hotels – Ireland’s Largest Collection of Independent Hotels. Having started her journey in hospitality during The Transition Year Work Experience programme, Dawn quickly rose through the ranks, showcasing her talent for delivering exceptional guest experiences and dedication to driving profitability Prior to her role at Original Irish Hotels, Dawn held various positions in Revenue Management within prominent hotel chains, honing her skills and expertise along the way. She brings a wealth of knowledge and a track record of success to her current role, where she oversees Revenue and System operations for a collection of unique and authentic Irish properties.She is known for her strong analytical and leadership skills along with an enthusiastic passion for the industry. 

Tom Randles, the General Manger of Randles Hotel , was born into the industry. The family have owned and managed the property since 1921 and Tom represents the third generation of the family to manage this iconic property. From sorting bottles at a tender age in the hotel, Tom has navigated his career since his Shannon College graduation, to be at the helm of this successful hotel. Having worked in France, Switzerland, Scotland and the USA, he brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the role. Listen here to his insights of his career path, how his career began, his current role, along with his vision and commitment to his guests and employees alike. The industry needs more like Tom in the sector.

Guy Thompson is the Hotel Director at Castleknock and Killashee, both part of the successful FBD hotel group. He has over 15 years’ experience in the industry working within the sales and marketing, along with operations and yield management. He is also charged with strategic development and ensuring the properties he works with achieve their potential. His career success is testament to how hospitality is more than just a job.

In our second Hospitality on a Plate podcast, sponsored by Guestline, Nicky shares his wealth of experience and knowledge for our listeners.Clare native, Nicky Logue is one of the industries’ leading lights. His involvement in hospitality began at the tender age of 13 in his hometown of Ennis. Since then, Nicky has carved a successful career both abroad and here in Ireland. He is recognised as a true ambassador for the industry, and is always willing to support and encourage those working in the sector.

In this episode we speak to Michael Hanly, GM of the Four-Star Cavan Crystal Hotel. This Leitrim native shares with us his first venture into the sector and his steady progression ever since.