Exceptional workmanship is a given with Gay Doyle Construction Ltd., who have been delivering breath-taking one-off new homes across County Kilkenny and beyond for more than a quarter of a century and counting. Building Ireland interrupted the eponymous founder / proprietor’s busy schedule to get an update on this industry-leading family business.
Since its inception in 1999, Gay Doyle Construction has developed a stellar reputation as a contractor of choice, having built a magnificent portfolio of immaculate, comfortable and efficient new homes for an ever-growing list of satisfied clients.
Gay’s solid reputation for consistently delivering outstanding workmanship on every project precedes him and this is one of the many reasons why his in-demand business continues to go from strength to strength.
Bespoke living spaces are the Gay Doyle Construction specialty and Gay and his skilled and vastly-experienced team invariably leave no stone unturned in ensuring that each and every house is handed over on time, within budget, and with a striking finish that meets, nay exceeds customers’ expectations.
When we touched base with Gay in early August, he was flat out, with a number of prestigious projects at various stages of completion. The Kilkenny contractor, whose background as a carpenter honed his keen eye for the most exacting attention to detail, agrees with our observation that quality workmanship is very much the time-honoured Gay Doyle Construction calling card:
“We have plenty of work ahead of us at the moment,” he confirms. “People really seem to appreciate the finish we put on houses and the service we provide. I’m always onsite myself and I provide a personal touch.”
By communicating closely with clients all the way through a project, Gay effectively short-circuits a lot of potential problems that might otherwise arise down the line, nipping them in the proverbial bud before they arise…
“You don’t want problems and you don’t want call backs,” he shrugs. “It’s important to talk to the client before a problem happens. If they want changes, then make the changes and sort it out as early as you can. It’s important to treat people right and to respect them.”
Alongside new builds, as a builder who likes a challenge, Gay also takes on the occasional largescale renovation. He reveals: “I like to do the odd decent renovation and I’m actually doing one at the minute close to my own home. It’s a complete top-to-bottom renovation. We gutted the house and will restart from scratch inside, with insulation and underfloor heating, etc. and everything else that’s needed to make the home as comfortable and efficient as possible.”
Gay has surrounded himself with a great team of tradesmen, who perform in line with the high standards for which Gay Doyle Construction has become synonymous, accurately reflecting the ethos and work ethic of the company on every site. “You’re only as good as the men who work for you and I’m very lucky to have some great help,” he continues.
“I’ve only a few lads working directly for me, including a superb carpenter who has been with me for more than 20 years. His name is Pa Connolly and he’s invaluable to me. Pa is a brilliant carpenter and having him around certainly takes a lot of the pressure off.
“I’m hands-on myself, too, and I have to say I still enjoy it – most of the time! I’d love to be back on tools doing carpentry the whole time, but just don’t have time for that. I still do some of the tricky stuff, but there’s nothing Pa can’t do and he’s a really great carpenter. I’m very fortunate to have a man like that working alongside me every day.
“My wife Noelle also plays a massive part in the business. She does all the bookwork and is a big help … only for her I’d be lost.” Gay and Noelle’s four children – Kelly-Ann, Aoife, Aine and John – also show a great interest in the family business and help out in any way they can.
“John is very interested in the building and will probably do something along those lines when he finishes school. He works with me all summer and on Saturdays and is a great help to me. I miss him when he goes back to school.”
In a normal year, Gay would build up to seven or eight new houses, predominantly in the greater Kilkenny / Waterford / Tipperary region. Some of the projects up and running at the time of writing included bespoke new builds in Carrick-on-Suir, Bennettsbridge, Dunnamaggin and in nearby Tullahought.
Keeping the work as close to home as possible is ideal and, in this regard, Gay benefits from his track record for delivering an outstanding finished product as a succession of satisfied local customers have recommended him to others through the most effective means of advertising of all: word of mouth!
“We tend to get a lot of high-end work and, as a carpenter by trade, I like to focus in on the finer detail,” he comments. “Our catchment area is generally from Waterford to Clonmel to Kilkenny and anywhere in between. About 20km or so in any direction. I aim for a maximum of 45 minutes travelling, which is better for everybody. You don’t want to be spending time on the road instead of onsite. If jobs are too far apart, too much time is lost. To get the best results, you need to make the most of your time.”
There are a lot of uncertainties in today’s world but Gay Doyle Construction Ltd. is a model of consistency. Gay has hit upon a winning formula and as the saying goes: if it’s not broken, why fix it?
“I’ve had the same subbies with me for the last 20 years. They are fierce important in producing the high quality of work we expect. It’s not that easy to get the right lads, so once you have them you tend to stick with them.
“I also try to deal with the same suppliers all the time because that way, if there’s a problem, you can go back to them and explain what happened and they will stand over it and sort you out,” he concludes. “Those long-term, lasting relationships with subcontractors and suppliers are very important to me.”
Gay Doyle Construction Ltd.,
Ballyhenebry,
Piltrew,
Kilkenny,
County Kilkenny.
Tel: 051 643271
Mobile: 087 2905677
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, November 2025, Vol 11 No 12
featured, Gay Doyle Construction
