Oisin Boyle of Adman Civil Projects has made the shortlist in the prestigious Construction Project Manager of the Year category at the 2024 Irish Construction Industry Awards. While this no doubt represents a significant personal accolade, the dedicated 32-year-old is quick to share the credit with his team.
A highly accomplished and driven young civil project manager with over twelve years’ experience successfully delivering industry-leading projects in both Ireland and Canada, Oisin Boyle of Adman Civil Projects Ltd. is one of five nominees in the running for the 2024 ICI Construction Project Manager of the Year award, which will be presented to the winner at a gala function in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on Thursday night, November 7th.
With a proven track record in managing complex civil engineering projects, including sports pitch construction, highway realignment, bridge rehabilitation, and clean water treatment plants, Oisin has successfully delivered numerous complex wind farms and infrastructure projects on time and within budget for Adman over the last six years.
Holding a Bachelor’s (Honours) Degree in Civil Engineering and committed to achieving chartership status with the ICE, the Donagh, County Fermanagh native has consistently demonstrated his ability to lead teams, manage budgets and ensure project completion on time and within scope. His roles with Adman have ranged from Senior Engineer to Site Agent, Project Manager and most recently his accolades have earned him a promotion to Contracts Manager, where he has successfully overseen multiple contracts at any one time worth up to €18 million. In his career to date Oisin has been involved in project valued between £200,000 and £90 million.
Oisin is known for his expertise in heavy civil works, including reinforced concrete structures, drainage, and pavement construction, as well as his ability to innovate solutions such as a cost-effective dewatering system on a major infrastructure project in Canada. He is adept at contract management, cost forecasting, and negotiating changes to enhance project outcomes. His leadership skills and technical knowledge have driven significant cost savings, improved project efficiency and delivered high-quality results.
Adman Civil Projects have also been shortlisted for the Civil Construction Project of the Year at this year’s ICI Awards for their outstanding work in delivering the magnificent Cushaling Wind Farm project in County Offaly, which was expertly project-managed by Oisin.
A great personal accolade to be shortlisted as Project Manager of the Year? “It is, surely. It was a bit of a shock to hear that I’d made the shortlist as I wasn’t aware I’d been entered. The Adman directors had put me in and it was a nice surprise. I had been involved in putting together the Cushaling Wind Farm submission and thought it was the only one we were working on. I certainly didn’t expect it and it’s a privilege to have your work recognised, even in a small way.”
As for the qualities that make a good Project Manager, Oisin comments: “It’s all about working with the team and building a good team. Every project is a team project and I’m only one small cog in it. We’ve built a great team over the past six years that I’ve been with Adman, great people like my colleague Niall Clarke who has worked his way up from graduate engineer to site manager.
“Those are the people who make all the difference and make my life a whole lot easier. Having the right team leaves you with more time to focus on planning and making sure the project runs smoothly. I always say a Project Manager plans for three months, a site manager plans for six to eight weeks, and an engineer plans and develops on a weekly basis.
“There are quite a few team members who have worked their way up with us through a four-year HLA apprenticeship, including two who got their Degrees and are site engineers with us now.”
To all intents and purposes, Adman is a great place to work, as Oisin confirms: “There’s no budgeting at Adman when it comes to the training and development of staff. When people come into the company at an early stage in their career, there is a real willingness there to further develop them and to adapt and move in line with new systems that are coming in on an almost yearly basis, which allows us to deliver exactly what our clients expect from us.
“The leadership in the group is a huge help. They promote initiative, encourage people to develop and provide opportunities to learn and develop your skills. You get to work on brilliant projects and ongoing training is provided to everyone. They really do provide great support and it’s like a family – a place where you want to work. This all comes down from the owners and directors, who are fully involved in the day-to-day running of the company.”
The Adman group of companies is a leading provider of civil engineering and construction services with a proven track record of service delivery for both public and private sector clients with operations in Renewable Energy, Utilities (Electrical), Infrastructure (Road & Rail) and Environmental Mitigation (Drainage and Flood Prevention).
Working from a modern, purpose built Head Office in Omagh, County Tyrone, the company has delivered high profile projects throughout Ireland for a diverse client base. This includes leading organizations such as CPD, Northern Ireland Electricity, Translink, Irish Rail, ESB Networks, ERG Renew, Statkraft, SSE, RES, Energia & ABO Wind, Gaelectric and AGR Group with services delivered under Design and Build, Framework and traditional contracts.
The company has experienced strong, steady growth since incorporation in 2007 and now directly employs over 150 full time staff across key disciplines including Civil & Structural Engineering, Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Estimating and Administration. This capability enables them to provide a highly effective and responsive service from the initial planning and design stages through to completion on time and budget
Awarded in December, 2022 by Statkraft, the €14.35 million Cushaling renewable energy project entailed the construction of a 50 MW wind farm. The scope of work included the construction of nine wind turbine generator (WTG) bases, totalling 948 cubic metres – an unprecedented scale in Ireland. The project also encompassed essential infrastructure, such as a 26-metre free span river bridge, 8.2km of access tracks, turbine hardstand areas and blade laydown areas for the 76.9 metre blades, which are the largest in Ireland to date.
Additional tasks include tree felling, management of sensitive environmental receptors and habitats, spoil storage management and integration with the local environment. The project required sophisticated water course management and construction of water crossings using various techniques, including box culverts, free span bridges and piped culverts. Modifications to the public road network were also necessary to facilitate the delivery of turbine components including the large blades. Furthermore, the works included the creation of a 3.2-kilometre amenity trail, footbridge and a public car park enhancing the project’s community integration.
Construction commenced on January 25th, 2023, with the project handed over on February 29th, 2024.
The Cushaling Wind Farm project, situated as it is on a cutaway bog with a watercourse running through its central area, necessitated advanced flood prevention techniques and innovative temporary works to manage peat layers and unstable ground. These strategies were crucial to the successful construction of various bridge structures within the project.
Given that the turbine foundation formations were below river level, high rainfall posed a significant flooding risk. To mitigate against this, a comprehensive drainage system was implemented as well as strategically placed stone bunds. These measures effectively protected both the construction site and surrounding areas from additional flooding, ensuring continuous progress and safeguarding the local environment.
“At 79 metres, these were the biggest blades that have ever been delivered onshore in Ireland. Taking into consideration the size of the foundations and infrastructure, this was a massive wind farm project,” Oisin notes. “One of my first projects with Adman was a wind farm with 42-metre blades, so that shows the direction we are moving in.”
Highly-regarded Project Manager Oisin Boyle and Adman Civil Projects successfully delivered this prestigious windfarm project on schedule and within budget, despite encountering significant challenges. This achievement underscores their award-winning commitment to precision, resilience and excellence in execution.
Adman’s reputation for industry-leading expertise and an unwavering dedication to quality continues to set them apart as leaders in civil construction.
Adman Group,
4 Bankmore Way East,
Doogary,
Omagh,
County Tyrone.
Tel: +44 (0)28 8224 2166
Email: [email protected]
Web: adman-ltd.com
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January, Vol 11 No 1
Adman Civil Projects, featured
