Recently-appointed Fulfilment & Warehouse Manager, Eoin Murphy, is gearing up for a busy few weeks ahead as plans for this year’s Tour de Tirlán step up and he and colleagues prepare for the major fundraising event in early September.

The father of two celebrated 25 years with Tirlán last year, starting with the Coop when it was Avonmore Waterford. He’s as active in his downtime as he is in the busy work role and revels in the voluntary work he does within his community as a camogie coach at weekends. He also enjoys the time he spends with his wife, Mary, a primary school teacher, and their two daughters, Sarah and Katy.

“I was with the company 25 years last March. I started off as a seasonal operator and worked my way up through the ranks in various operation management roles in Ballyragget, including a stint at the old Norefreeze facility. I did some cheese grading for a while and then moved to Belview in 2015, 10 years ago now. Prior to commencing this role I was Operational Readiness Planner (ORP) lead on Project Topaz and Change Manager on Project Symphony. In January 2024 I took over from a former mentor of mine, Mark Shortall who retired from this role in May. He’s was so highly regarded not alone in the business but in the wider industry, I’ve big shoes to try to  fill.

“Tirlán is a great place to work. I have found it to be a safe and professional place to work where you can share your views and not be afraid to voice them. There’s great camaraderie and whether you work remotely or in the office,  there is back-up and support. Everyone is valued and works together.

“In a role like this, you need the entire team working together. In early 2024 there were serious challenges posed by the Red Sea crisis. Ships were being attacked on route through the Red Sea and this caused real danger to the vessels but also added delays and detours to our customers product.

“These delays caused challenges for customers  in terms of tariffs, surcharges and timings. It created huge logistical challenges but working together with our internal and external stakeholders, we worked through these. I am privileged to have great people on our team, who are able to handle such crisis’s and challenges.”

This is the 13th year that the charity cycle will run and Eoin has big hopes. “It’s an event that is getting bigger and better every year. Not only does it raise significant funds for worthy charities, it is also a great social occasion for all involved. The work that goes in from people on the Tour de Tirlán committee through to our cycle day volunteers is phenomenal and it’s now an annual event that people look forward to every year.

“Tirlán is a massive organisation with people spread across so many different sites. It’s great to get everyone together for this event and to promote cycling as a leisure and pleasure pastime for people. It’s great to get out on the bike after a busy week and get out in the fresh air. It’s always a great few days and we’d encourage anyone who hasn’t yet registered to do so.”