PJ Hegarty was delighted to win Contractor Tourism & Hospitality Project of the Year for Midleton Distillery Experience at the 2024 Irish Construction Industry Awards which took place at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on Thursday, November 7.
As one of Ireland’s leading building contracting firms, PJ Hegarty is no stranger to winning prestigious accolades and this one was especially satisfying given its long and successful association with Irish Distillers Ltd (IDL), and the fact that both are celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2025. The project brief included the complete redevelopment of the existing Midleton Distillery Visitor Centre to create an immersive and engaging whiskey experience.
It transformed the existing building into a 1,295m2 world-class, multi-sensory Irish whiskey destination that can welcome over 200,000 domestic and international visitors ahead of Midleton Distillery’s 200th anniversary in 2025. This encompassed new whiskey tours and tastings, modern retail facilities, a new café, workspaces and significant conservation and restoration efforts of historic structures. The project commenced in January 2022 and PC was awarded in September 2023.
Launched in 2014, the Irish Construction Industry Awards recognise, encourage, and celebrate original and innovative contractors, businesses, teams, consultants and projects that demonstrate excellence in the built environment. The judges commended the project’s approach to sustainable craftsmanship. Delivering on the vision of the client and their design team, the conservation and restoration of the existing structures and features – some of which date back to 1794 – set this project apart, along with PJ Hegarty’s sustainable and circular economy approach to reusing materials.
“It was a fantastic project to be involved with,” enthuses Eamonn O’Shea, who was contracts manager on the award-winning project.
“I’ll be 25 years with PJ Hegarty’s next June and 13 of those have involved working almost exclusively on Irish Distillers projects. Needless to say, we’ve forged a strong partnership and we’re proud to once again be involved in another successful project delivery. Irish Distillers wanted a world-class facility which was duly delivered thanks to the collaborative approach of the main stakeholders.
“It would be remiss of me not to mention Aidan O’Callaghan, Contracts Manager, and Donal Hurley, Project Foreman, as well as the entire PJ Hegarty team for their significant input.
“Irish Distillers Ltd and PJ Hegarty are celebrating 200 and 100 years in business respectively in 2025. Both are successful Irish companies which continue to go from strength to strength.”
The Midleton Distillery Experience project involved the complete strip-out of existing and demolition works, followed by installing new M&E systems. Significant structural changes were made, including forming large opes in the existing masonry walls to facilitate the new layout, replacing ground and first-floor slabs, and constructing two new stair cores within the existing building. Restoration and conservation of original distillery buildings dating back to 1794 were pivotal, using like-for-like materials and modern construction techniques.
New add-ons included a café and additional stair and lift core, constructed with steel structures and charred larch cladding. Extensive internal fit-out and finishes were carried out, including installing solid oak and repurposed whiskey barrel parquet flooring. An immersive auditorium and modern retail facilities were added to enhance the tourist experience. A temporary brand home was established to maintain tourist access during construction, with a segregated walkway for safe pedestrian passage. Additional works included a new ESB substation, significant roof replacements, and replacement of existing drainage systems.
PJ Hegarty successfully delivered this ambitious project, ensuring the historic fabric of Midleton Distillery was preserved while creating a new state-of-the-art tourist experience.
The redevelopment of the Midleton Distillery Experience presented a unique challenge – to significantly enhance the visitor experience while preserving the centre’s status as one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions since its opening in 1992. The heritage works required careful planning and restoration of the original distillery, the only self-contained 18th-century industrial complex of its kind in Ireland or Britain. This project highlighted PJ Hegarty’s skills, expertise, adaptability and alignment with IDL’s commitment and strategy to maintain the distillery’s history.
One of the key strategies adopted was a collaborative approach from the outset, involving the client, project managers, CSA architectural and engineering consultants, experience and finish architectural consultants, and specialist lighting and audio-visual consultants. This collaboration was essential, especially given the complexities of working with older structures. The project required flexibility, as the design and construction could only progress once the building was exposed and thoroughly explored.
The roof work was an early and critical task, initially scoped to replace one kiln roof (approximately 100m2) partially. However, further investigation revealed the need for 1,600m2 of remedial works, including some total truss replacements. This significant increase greatly impacted the internal refurbishment schedule and budget. Nonetheless, PJ Hegarty worked closely with the client and design team to schedule the works, minimising the impact on the programme and cost.
Specialist architectural joinery elements, including bespoke timber finishes, copper finishes, integrated LED lighting, and AV screens, required a meticulous design and approval process. The main contractor’s strategy of holding regular design workshops and producing numerous full-size samples ensured all stakeholders could review and approve the details, facilitating informed decision-making and maintaining the project’s high standards.
“There was nothing uniform about the build. It required a lot of conservation work and that’s where our knowledge and experience from having worked there before proved invaluable,” Eamonn says.
“A strong team was needed and was fully supported all the way through by the Midleton Campus Director David Byrne.”
As the project progressed, the scope expanded significantly with additional enhancements, such as the ‘Wonder Wall’. The collaborative approach to revising programmes and budgets ensured smooth account settlement and project handover.
The project was delivered within the revised budget and completed by the extended deadline, reflecting PJ Hegarty’s ability to adapt and manage complex redevelopment projects effectively. The successful project delivery has ensured that the PJ Hegarty team continues to work with IDL on a wide range of projects to further enhance Midleton Distillery as a world-class distillery and tourist site.
A key innovation in this project was repurposing oak from historical whiskey vats and barrels. The bar counters and tables were crafted from oak from an old whiskey vat at IDLs’ Fox & Geese bottling plant in Dublin, while several timber parquet floors were made from repurposed Jameson Whiskey barrels. This sustainable practice reduced waste and ingrained the old with the new.
Managing construction in live conditions added to the project’s complexity. The team maintained tourist access through segregated walkways, ensuring the visitor experience continued uninterrupted. Emergency access routes were also preserved, and communication with the client and local management was crucial for minimising disruptions to daily operations.
Unforeseen challenges, such as the extensive additional roof work and the need to reroute critical services, were navigated with expertise and flexibility. The project team adapted to these challenges while maintaining budget and timeline. Early identification and resolution of issues allowed for informed decision making and ensured the project’s successful completion.
Key health and safety initiatives implemented during the project included 1,670 safety observations recorded, which played a crucial role in identifying potential hazards and implementing corrective measures promptly. 146 regular audits and inspections ensured ongoing compliance with safety standards and regulations. Communication and continuous education were also integral to PJ Hegarty’s EHS strategy.
PJ Hegarty & Sons (Head Office)
Davitt Road,
Inchicore,
Dublin 12,
D12 CH22.
Telephone: +353 (1) 455 6270
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.pjhegarty.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March 2025, Vol 11 No 3
