The builder behind the award-winning Clon Road & An tÁrd social housing development scheme in Ennis, County Clare – Gildoc Ltd. t/a Liam O’Doherty Building Contractor – has forged an unrivalled reputation for the consistent delivery of industry-leading excellence to local communities for three-and-a-half decades and counting.
The winners of the 2026 Building and Architect of the Year Awards were recognised and celebrated at a gala ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry on Thursday, April 23rd. On an unforgettable night that lauded the crème de la crème of Irish architectural and building excellence, the prestigious Social Impact Award went to Hassett Leyden Flynn for the truly iconic, community-enhancing Clon Road & An tÁrd housing development in Clare’s county town of Ennis.
Here, twelve new two-bedroom apartments provide secure homes for individuals facing housing insecurity. Delivered through partnership between Hassett Leyden & Associates, Clare County Council, St Vincent de Paul and Gildoc Ltd., the €3.95m development features universal design, independent access and low-carbon construction. This award-winning scheme demonstrates implicitly how thoughtful architecture and meticulous building can restore dignity and rebuild communities.
A man who prides himself on quality workmanship on every project delivered, Liam O’Doherty was delighted to be part of the Building and Architect of the Year award-winning team for Clon Road & An tÁrd: “Of course we were delighted,” he told Building Ireland. “It was our architect and engineer who got the award, but we built it.
“It was a rapid-build of twelve apartments, completed from start to finish in nine months, starting in January, 2023 and finished and occupied by the following October. The development was a brand-new building out of the ground on a derelict site that had been sitting idle for 20 years doing nothing.”
Gildoc Ltd. t/a Liam O’Doherty Building Contractor was developer and builder of Clon Road & An tÁrd. “We bought it, developed it and built it,” Liam confirms. “We invited Hassett Leyden Flynn to come in to do the design and we then opted to sell the scheme to St Vincent de Paul. While we could have gone to the private market with it, we decided to help the town and to show our trust in an organisation that we have great faith in.”
Social housing represents a key part of what Gildoc is all about, in keeping with the hands-on proprietor’s strong sense of community responsibility. Prior to Clon Road, a 22-unit social housing scheme was delivered on Ennis’ Limerick Road, while he has also worked for Inis Housing Association as well as dealing with pride with The Brothers of Charity in Clare.
“I like to think that as a company we do have a conscience, but we also do a lot of private work.”
This currently comprises up to 70 active in-build houses spread across two sites in Ennis (one of which is the site where Gildoc delivered the first six affordable homes in Ennis for Clare County Council), a block of four two-bedroom apartments on the Drumcliffe Road plus six smaller refurbishment jobs in various locations around the town.
“They are all filling out rapidly and are all private jobs where we are acting as both developer and builder,” Liam notes.
The genesis of the industry-leading contracting company that Liam O’Doherty runs alongside his wife Fiona goes back 35 years to 1991. Recounting the circumstances that led to him setting up on his own, the personable Clare contractor recalls:
“After qualifying as a QS, I went to England and worked in Kent and London. After coming home, I started out in the early days working on very small projects. The first really big one was a one-off house from start to finish for my current solicitor, John Casey. The business has grown steadily from there. I was a sole trader up until 1998 and then became a limited company.”
As for the key to the organic and viable growth of the company down through the years, Liam comments: “We pride ourselves on finish, finish, finish – and customer satisfaction. When I say that, I mean it. We have a really good interface with our customers and that’s why I get so much repeat business around Ennis and Clare, although we’ve also worked in Galway, Limerick and Tipp. The proof of the pudding is that every time houses go up for sale they sell out inside the first month.”
Liam has surrounded himself with an excellent team including 17 full-time workers – three office staff, two foremen plus trades, general operatives, drivers. “We’ve battled through two recessions and I didn’t let anybody go during the last one. You are only as good as the men and women around you and I’m very happy with the team we have at present.”
Contemplating what direction the company might take in the future, Liam continues: “We are a small to medium sized Contractor and we don’t want to go bigger. We are happy with what we do and very efficient with what we do. We don’t want to change it.”
Consistency and loyalty are traits that Liam values deeply: “Hassett Leyden Flynn have been our Professional team for the 35 years we’ve been in business. We also stick with the same auctioneer, David and Siobhan in Costelloe Estate Agents, and the same solicitor John Casey & Co and our accountancy team J W Williams & Co. I genuinely believe in showing loyalty and in return I expect loyalty back. That has been working for us and, again, we’re not going to change it.
“We have an outstanding relationship with Hassett Leyden Flynn and work with them on all our private jobs. As much as I praise the design team – and they truly deserve it! – I have to praise my exceptional trades too, because I honestly have some of the very best block layers, plasterers, boarders and roofers in Ireland and an exceptional groundworks team and Mech and Elec crew, under a great team of foremen Mike and James. They all flow together seamlessly, and their brilliant workmanship is reflected in every finished project.”
The magnificent, architectural and building award-winning Clon Road & An tÁrd social housing development in Ennis stands proud as a case in point!
Gildoc Ltd. t/a Liam O’Doherty Building Contractor,
Lahinch Road,
Ennis,
County Clare.
Tel: 065 682 2925
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, August 2026, Vol 12 No 8
