Mayo woman named Irish Hotel Federation Employee of the Year

A Mayo hotel staff member has been named the Irish Hotel Federation's (IHF) Employee of the Year 2025.

The national award was presented to Ciara Faherty, an employee of the Westport Hotel Group at the Castlecourt Hotel, last night.

Ciara is a member of the Castlecourt Hotel’s sales and marketing team and won the Mayo county award last month.

The Castlecourt team sent a message of congratulations on its social media, saying: “This recognition is a reflection of Ciara’s dedication and passion to the hospitality industry.

“We are so lucky to work alongside someone as talented and inspiring as Ciara.

“Congratulations on this amazing achievement, and well done to every nominee for their exceptional contributions to the industry - your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Speaking after the county awards, IHF Mayo chair Declan Heneghan said the judges had highlighted Ciara’s passion for people with an ability and intuition for seeing what guests want before they know it themselves.

He also spoke about the very special customer interactions that hard-working front facing staff develop with customers and guests, delivering genuine hospitality and customer care every day.

Ciara received a big welcome home on her return to Westport today.