Tomás Keane, The Keane Partnership Niamh Boyle, Corporate ...

Who’s Who
In Public
Relations
Tomás Keane, The Keane Partnership Niamh Boyle, Corporate Reputations
SURVEY

The days when the PR consultant
resembled a hired gun, drafted in to
help manage a crisis or organise a
one-off publicity campaign, have
long gone, according to Tim Kinsella,
chairman of the Public Relations Consultants
Association. Nowadays, public relations
represents a key link in the
operations of many major businesses.
Says Kinsella: “If you are at a senior level
in the PR profession, you are liaising with
executives in client companies at pretty
much a peer to peer level. It’s rare nowadays
at a corporate level that
public relations firms are looked at only as
suppliers. They’re seen as key business
partners. Many companies depend on a variety
of stakeholders for their existence,
from the general public through to their
own shareholders and they put a big priority
on communications. They have to plan
ahead and know how what they do impacts
on those people and keep them informed.”
Kinsella is a principal in MRPA
Kinman, a leading corporate PR practice
formed from the merger of two firms in
2005. He likens a public relations consultancy
to an outsourced communications
department. An increasing number of
firms are these days opting to go for the
external route because of the advantages it
52
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Delivering The
Right Message
Public relations is less about spin doctoring and more about maintaining a
quality information flow between a company and its stakeholders, PRCA chairman
Tim Kinsella tells DICK O’BRIEN
confers. “What a large PR firm brings to
the table is a wide variety of expertise. If
you look at the bigger firms operating in
the market, you could have directors
skilled in public affairs, financial communications,
IT or healthcare. Around them,
they have teams of PR consultants with expertise
in that arena and who work with a
number of different clients,” says Kinsella.
“Bearing in mind the level of experience
they have, they can bring an awful lot to
the table in terms of helping companies
‘PR is mentally
and physically demanding’
manage the issues that they face. It’s not
spin doctoring and it’s not media manipulation.
In as much as we have a role in
communicating to the press and other
audiences, we also have a role in advising
and assisting clients about the realities
of dealing with the media. There are no
exceptions to providing accurate and reliable
information and if you can’t provide
it, you don’t and you explain why you’re
not providing it.”
Business Plus May 2007
As PR consultants become increasingly
plugged into their clients’ day-to-day
operations, they have also begun to pay a
higher degree of attention to their own
image. According to Kinsella: “One of the
things that is a bugbear of mine is that
there is still a lot of stereotyping about
public relations and what we’re trying to
get across is the absolute professionalism
of the business.”
The PRCA is backing words with deeds
by setting standards for its members. Says
Kinsella: “One of the key things that
PRCA members have adopted is the Consultancy
Management Standard. This is an
independently audited quality management
process and it serves as a hallmark
for professionalism to clients. In order to
be a member of the PRCA, you have to
gain the CMS. If you are dealing with a
CMS accredited firm, there are systems in
place to ensure that you get adequate
reporting on the time put in on your
account. There are proper financial and
accounting systems in place to ensure a PR
firm is doing what they say they’re going
do for you.”
The PRCA has 35 members who
between them employ 500 people and
generate fee income in the region of
€50m. Not all PR practices are PRCA

members. Most of the big firms are but
some leading firms such as Q4, Murray
Consultants and Kennedy PR are not.
There are at least 130 PR firms operating
in Ireland today so does the PRCA see
itself as a sort of blue riband group of
elite firms? Says Kinsella: “It is in everyone’s
interest that professionalism in the
industry is increased and that’s what the
PRCA is all about. The fees to join are
certainly not prohibitive, but bear in mind
that there are certain criteria for entry. For
example, the minimum size to become a
member is two people, including the PR
consultant.”
The other organisation in the sector is
the Public Relations Institute of Ireland,
which is responsible for the training and
development side of the profession. Its
Diploma in Public Relations is now seen as
one of the key points of entry into the
profession. Dolly birds can apply - but they
won’t get far. Says Kinsella: “I have been in
PR since 1992 and it is a tough profession.
It’s mentally and physically demanding and
it requires incredible attention to detail,
which many people can’t hack. Serving
your clients professionally and to the
maximum of your ability, and becoming a
business manager in the PR consulting
sense, requires a lot of zeal and an incredible
amount of hard work. Public relations
can be like the school of hard knocks, in
terms of how you figure out what it’s really
about and how you make a success of it
both for yourself and for your clients.”
So what should a small business look for
when hiring a PR firm? Kinsella says busi-
Tim Kinsella: “Public relations can be like the school of hard knocks”
nesses should ask themselves if they really
need PR before they do anything. “They
need to assess what the true need is rather
than just say that PR is something to do
for fashion’s sake. A business has to identify
their own target audience, what their
priorities are for business development
and to what extent communications has a
role to play in that. Only then, armed with
that information, should they go and talk
to a PR firm. SMEs really have to look
objectively at the news value of what they
do. Small firms that provide a more
generic type service or product will find
it most difficult to productively use PR
Business Plus May 2007
consultants,” he cautions.
Kinsella believes that the integrated
approach will begin to become the norm
going forward. “A lot of PR firms are now
offering fully integrated services that range
from advertising to research, literature,
promotions and events,” he said. The
PRCA chairman also anticipates more
consolidation in the sector. “There are
certain areas of the market that you simply
can’t tap into without scale. The economic
climate has been so buoyant that the need
for consolidation hasn’t been there. If
there’s any cooling off, that will change.”
Survey continued on page 54
53

Mary McCarthy (standing) and
Siobhan Molloy
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SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
JASON CLARKE
‘An ad hoc approach to public relations
doesn’t achieve long-term results’
Mary McCarthy
Weber Shandwick
Mary McCarthy is one of the most
experienced PR practitioners in
Dublin. She has been working in the
public relations sector for 24 years
and was a founding partner of FCC,
along with Eileen Gleeson. FCC was
bought to become the Ireland outpost
of the worldwide Weber Shandwick
operation and the practice in Dublin,
run by McCarthy and Siobhan
Molloy, is a regular award winner.
According to McCarthy: “Modern
day PR is about the all round
communication of a company’s
offering to its internal and external
target audiences. Without it, you are
not giving your company the best
‘Projects can lose an agency money’
Colm Cronin
Pembroke Communications
“What distinguishes our practice from
other PR firms is a team of top
consultants with specialist experience
in key areas rather than just providing a
general PR service. The main benefit of
a good PR programme is that it will
keep a client in touch with his
Business Plus May 2007
chance to achieve consistent success
and positive perception in the
marketplace. In today’s market, an ad
hoc approach to public relations
doesn’t achieve long-term results.
Companies and organisations are well
aware of the need for consistent
programmes and campaigns which
ensure continuous communications
results. The advantage of the retainer
fee structure is a commitment by the
client to maintain a focus on their
communications needs.
“Our senior people all have over 20
years experience in the industry and
have a strong track record. There is a
great team spirit, which I think is
underlined by strong retention of
people here.”
customers and ahead
of his competitors.
“The key
advantage of a
retainer is that the client gets better
value per fee hour, a more focused
team and an on-call 24-hour service.
Projects can eat up time unless properly
defined and lose an agency money.”

‘A new day throws up a
series of challenges’
Paul Allen
Paul Allen & Associates
Paul Allen has been in the PR business
for 25 years, offering a personal service
to a select client roster. The business
revolves around him and his personal
contacts around town. Says Allen: “I am
a great believer in getting out of bed
early and tackling the day ahead. A new
day throws up a series of challenges. By
close of business, it’s good to reflect on
the achievements and look forward to
enjoying the hard work translate into a
positive editorial. It is imperative to
continually revisit the core game plan to
ensure that you are fully briefed to
deliver the results that you are being
paid to generate.”
Allen believes that when companies
embark down the PR route, it’s
important for them to establish early on
what exactly what they hope to achieve.
He said: “Many clients simply feel that
PR can stimulate interest in generating
new business. It’s important to distil
these thoughts and focus on the
‘Results keep me in business’
Eugene Grey
Communications
Group
“What I enjoy most about
PR is being able to achieve
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
actual target audience, sometimes
substantiated by third party evidence
such as research etc. Depending on the
size of the firm, clients need to be ever
mindful of their communication style to
an array of stakeholders, be they staff,
positive measurable results. I’m fanatical
about that as results keep me in business,
pays the mortgage and fund my biggest
cost factor - three kids. We are a complete
communications agency providing PR
services supported by inhouse multimedia
technology production services and
industry-accredited training programmes.
Business Plus May 2007
suppliers or new business.”
Allen added that the key to the
running of his practice is “understanding
a client’s brief and providing a results
driven agenda with a commitment to
results, time and time again”.
Why should anyone use PR? Because in a
costly market economy of increasing
audience segmentation, it is essential
for companies to target their audiences
with specific messages to support
marketing, advertising and other related
activities.”
Survey continued on page 56
55

56
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘You can never guarantee coverage’
Ronnie Simpson
Simpson Financial &
Technology PR
“One of the core principles of marketing
is that you have got to remind your
target audiences so you need to get out
to the market on a regular basis rather
than doing one-off launches. The big
bang approach seldom works - it needs
to be regular. A good agency is close to
media and their needs and requests, so
media opportunities arise which project
clients will miss out on but will be
routed to the retainer clients.
“PR provides third party endorsement
and credibility in a way that no other
marketing tool can. A Eurocom survey
of senior executives across European
technology companies consistently finds
that PR is number one in terms of value
for money marketing tools. After 30
years in the business, I still get great
kick out of seeing a story we worked on
being covered well in media. But PR is
not advertising so you can never
guarantee coverage. If you do it
professionally on a regular basis, then
you get your fair share of coverage.”
We deliver.
Business Plus May 2007
‘Reputation is a company’s
most valuable asset’
Kieran O’Byrne
Hill & Knowlton
“A number of our clients only invest in PR
and do not use advertising or direct marketing.
Working for these clients we can readily
show how positive PR can affect their bottom
lines. For example, we launched Fertell, a
male and female OTC home fertility testing
kit. Through investing in PR alone, the brand
achieved sales of more than seven times per
capita here than in the UK in the same period
after launch. But PR should also be considered
as part of the wider marketing mix for
a number of reasons. Most importantly, PR
should be used to nurture a company’s or
brand’s reputation as this is their most
valuable asset but also the most difficult
to maintain. My favourite PR activity is
crisis management. This is where we in the
PR industry can really show our value to
our clients.”
Contact Puffin Moynihan
and David O�Brien for details
Dynamics PR
Adelaide Chambers
Peter St, Dublin 8
Tel. 01 483 0827 or
email info@dynamicspr.ie

‘Using new media is not
without its pitfalls’
Sharon Prior
Prior Communications
“The development of new media offers a
wealth of opportunity for the industry.
Blogs, wikis and the social networking
websites have enabled consumers to
publish their opinions, observations and
knowledge to a global audience with
relative ease and enter into dialogue on
any topic imaginable. Of course this
opens up a world of opportunity for PR
‘A retainer brings clients
continuity of service’
Rhona Blake
Fleishman-Hillard
“I believe our winning formula is having
the greatest mix of quality, experienced
professionals from sectors including
finance, tourism and travel, aviation, sport,
management consultancy and journalism
Fresh Thinking,
Influential Communication
• Sports PR
• Public Affairs
• Consumer Relations
• Corporate Relations
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
practitioners, who can use this media to
quickly reach important target audiences
with their clients’ message. Unlike
traditional forms of media which
typically offer one-way communication,
new media allows us to engage with
people, entertain them, and elicit their
opinions and valuable feedback.
“Using new media is not without its
pitfalls. Its very nature means that
people have the power to say what they
want, when they want and how they
want. It is not strongly regulated in any
way so is open to abuse and
• Sponsorship
• Media Relations
• Crisis Management
• Media Training
O’Herlihy Communications (OHC), 40 Eastmoreland Lane,
Dublin 4. Tel: (01) 6602744 Fax: (01) 6602745
Email: info@ohcpr.ie Web: www.ohcpr.ie
Business Plus May 2007
misinformation,
which can present
dangers to
reputations, one
of the
fundamental
concerns of
public relations
professionals. But
failing to rise to
the challenges and opportunities that
new media presents is simply not an
option for anyone who wishes to work in
the industry.”
combined with young fresh talent. A retainer
fee structure brings clients the advantages
of continuity of service and access to the
agency. For the agency, the retainer allows
consultants to build an in-depth knowledge
of the clients’ business and to suggest new
solutions and ideas as part of an agency
client team.”
Survey continued on page 59
57

58
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘Retainers facilitate quick decision making’
Nigel Heneghan
Heneghan PR
“What I enjoy most about this business
is developing a public relations
strategy from a blank canvas and
seeing it successfully implemented.
Public relations provides companies
with the opportunity to strategically
and tactically communicate to their
stakeholders in successful support of
their business objectives, in a costeffective
manner.
“The advantages of the retainer
arrangement are knowledge and
understanding of the dynamics of the
client’s business by the PR advisor;
the ability of the agency to deliver opportunities
to the client; close working
relationship; quick decision making;
24/7 access to the agency; budgeting.”
Business Plus May 2007
‘PR is about more than
media relationship’
Ian McClure
O’Herlihy Communications
“Public relations is now viewed as being
more connected to the way that clients and
their audiences think and operate. I enjoy
being in public relations when the results of
the campaigns that we devise far exceed our
client’s expectations and when clients tell us
that the results have improved their bottom
line. I especially enjoy when the impact of
these campaigns is the reason why new
clients ask us to work with them.
“Companies often have the impression that
public relations is simply about managing its
relationship with the media. It is about much
more than that. An experienced PR company
knows how to define and communicate key
messages and how to build brands. When
companies complain that they are losing sales
and that they only hear and read about their
competitors, it is often because their competitors
already know the benefits of engaging a
good public relations company.”

‘Crisis management is a
natural high’
Pat Walsh
Murray Consultants
“PR should add value to your business.
An agency will position its clients to
maximum advantage across a range of
audiences. For many of our clients, good
PR support is as critical to business
performance as legal or financial counsel.
It’s also about enhancing and
safeguarding a company’s most valuable
asset, its reputation. A good agency will
endeavour to influence a company’s
behaviour as well its reputation. Crisis
management is a terrific natural high.
It’s demanding but it teaches you an
awful lot about yourself, about business
and about life.
“Retainers can result in more
disciplined, targeted PR activity. A
retainer also represents a commitment to
PR and to the selected agency. However,
retainers can be inflexible and may not
suit ad hoc or indeed more intensive PR
requirements where project fees or
hourly rates may be more appropriate.”
‘We make a difference’
Ita Gibney
Gibney Communications
“Our clients receive professional advice
based on our years of experience at the
cutting edge of some of Ireland’s leading
national news stories. They also receive
advice on strategic positioning, answers to
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
their issues and assured handling
of all their requirements, based
on sound judgement and proven
expertise from our senior level
consultants.
“The company’s client service
teams are comprised of
established professionals who
Business Plus May 2007
JASON CLARKE
have experience in a range of sectors,
from financial, healthcare, retail,
marketing and a number of former
print and broadcast journalists. We
work alongside our clients as partners,
to provide win-win solutions. In short,
we make a difference.”
Survey continued on page 61
59

Marc Kelly
McConnells Fusion
“The growth of integrated marketing in
Ireland over the past few years has led
to a requirement for public relations
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SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘PR can be useful to
businesses with
small budgets’
activities to form part of that integrated
thinking. Another vital requirement
within the PR mix now is the ability to
accurately set measurable objectives for
all activities. Return on investment is
increasingly important so that everyone
involved believes that work undertaken
is delivering on a clear set of objectives.
“In such a crowded and competitive
marketplace, now more than ever it is
necessary to ensure you achieve standout
and maximise every available
channel to communicate with as wide
(or specific) a range of audiences as
possible. In some cases, PR can lead a
company’s communications strategy and
because it can be implemented very
quickly and cost effectively, it can be
especially useful to businesses with small
budgets. At the very least, PR will fill
the gaps in a communications schedule
that other types of marketing activities
cannot reach.”
Roddy Guiney
Wilson Hartnell
“Even after all these years, I still find PR
exciting and stimulating. To someone who
grew up in a media household, I have
always been fascinated how the news is
made and conveyed. It is wonderful being in
at the start of major projects and to see
them through to the finish.
“It can often be forgotten that PR is
Business Plus May 2007
Paul McSharry
FD
“FD has a genuine partnership philosophy.
The company has developed longstanding
and trusted relationships with our clients. We
value these relationships and always try to
test ourselves by constantly seeking to add
value to our product offering. This is very
important in a professional service business.
Reputations are slowly built but valued very
highly by successful businesses. Leading Irish
and international organisations appreciate
the considerable value in a long -term
investment in good communications.”
‘Good PR practitioners have a broad view’
4/6 Pembroke rd, D/4. Ph: 01 667 4525
Email: admin@europeaninstitute.ie SMS for info: 086 2640188
1 Year full and part time PostGrad, Diploma and Certificate courses
Public Relations * Event Management
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top 3 students in national PRII Diploma in PR in 2006
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‘Reputations are slowly built’
about a great deal more than media relations,
which, of course, continues in importance.
Good PR practitioners tend to have a
really broad view of the world, which can
add a dimension for clients who can often
be more inward focused. Retainers can be
beneficial for clients’ budgeting but more
and more clients are willing to look at other
models that better reflect the work,
particularly when it comes to projects.”

Eugene Grey Mari O’Leary
epitomises what successful, good,
solid PR is all about - servicing
the client’s PR needs and building
long-term corporate relationships
Amy Buckeridge I admire
Caroline Kennedy’s expertise, her
calm demeanour and quick
thinking and she has a brilliantly
creative mind.
Colm Cronin On the agency side,
Pat Keating Associates, and on
the inhouse side, the AA’s Conor
Faughnan.
Emma Kelly Kennedy PR, Slattery
PR, First Medical, MPRA
Kinman, WHPR.
Ita Gibney Jim Milton, Murray
Consultants.
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Peer Rated We
Mary McGovern Ronnie Simpson,
Mary Finan, Roddy Guiney.
Having worked with these people,
I can say they are hard to beat in
terms of sheer hard work and
utter professionalism.
Mari O’Leary If I were to select
one person I have always
admired, it would be Rhona Blake
of Fleishman Hillard.
Roddy Guiney Lots of people,
including Padraig Slattery, Jim
Milton and my former colleague
Ronnie Simpson.
Paul Allen Conor Faughnan of
AA, Barry Kenny of Irish Rail,
Vincent Wall of Dublin Airport
Authority, and Jimmy Quinn of
the Irish Road Haulage
Association. They are all
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Gibney Communications
Corporate & Financial PR
Newmount House
22-24 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 01 661 0402
E-Mail: info@gibneycomm.ie
www.gibneycomm.ie
asked leading PR consultants
who they rate around town -
apart from themselves and the
people they work with
masters of the ten-second sound
bite and have an ability to think
on their feet and deliver
plausible replies.
Tomas Keane Joe Murray
stands out as one of the great
professionals. Others who have
impressed me include Padraig
Slattery, Martin Macken and
Michael Patten.
Niamh Boyle Practitioners who
particularly stand out would be
Pauline McAlester of Murray
Consultants and Eileen Gleeson
of Weber Shandwick.
Sharon Prior Eileen Gleeson,
Padraig Slattery, John Saunders
and Roddy Guiney.
Rhona Blake The legendary PJ
Mara is somebody I have always
admired, and of course Mary
Finan, who blazed the trail for
women in this business.
Jane McDaid Internationally I like
the work being churned out by
Cake in the UK and I admire
Richard Edelman of Edelman
Worldwide.
Marc Kelly Brid Rosney,
ex-presidential advisor and head
of Communications in RTE.
Ronnie Simpson Guys I
would ring up sometimes are
people like Jim Walsh and
Roddy Guiney.
Nigel Heneghan Murray
Consultants and Q4PR.
Survey continued on page 62

Mary McGovern
McGovern Public Relations
“If I say to you I’m brilliant - that’s
advertising. But if someone tells you I
am great at what I do - that’s PR.
That’s the benefit of third party
endorsement. A company that achieves
positive positioning using PR -
whether it’s a campaign that positions
them positively before the trade or the
media - then it will find the environ-
62
‘We’re flexible on fee
arrangements’
Ray Gordon
MRPA Kinman
“We’re one of the fastest growing
firms in the country. We’re also one of
the largest Irish-owned PR firms. We
don’t have to answer to any other
shareholder for the decisions we make
and we have the freedom to decide
ourselves how best to grow and
improve the business. It’s presumptuous
to say that one form of fee
structure is better than another. It all
depends on the circumstances facing
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘Companies
couldn’t care less
where the spend
goes if it delivers
the results’
ment in which it sells a much easier
place to do business in.
“The lines between PR, marketing,
and advertising have blurred to
such an extent that companies seeking
out marketing solutions couldn’t
care less where the spend goes if it
delivers the results they expect. We
offer an integrated marketing solution
covering above the line, below the line
and through the line. Most of our
clients ask us to deliver an advertising
solution based on a PR-based communications
strategy. A lot of our work
covers a mix of all three activities. We
believe that delivers a more intelligent
mix from the client’s perspective.”
each client. We’re very flexible when it
comes to agreeing fee arrangements
with individual clients.”
We are a dynamic full service PR and Events Management consultancy delivering commercially
aligned programmes on target and on budget. Our expertise spans FMCG, healthcare,
beauty, corporate, financial services, public affairs, travel and technology sectors.
We have distinguished ourselves by our enterprising approach, our understanding of what
influences today’s marketplace and our commitment to securing outstanding results for
our clients.
We’ve grown because our clients trust us to deliver results, not just promises.
Business Plus May 2007
‘PR is not a quick-fix
to an issue’
Ann-Marie O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan PR
“The growth in the number of companies
offering support in various aspects of an
organisation’s needs has tended to blur the
communications core of our industry.
Public relations is not advertising. It is not
marketing. It is about working with clients
to bring communications solutions to them.
Engaging a professional PR consultancy
brings an objectivity and an external
insight to a client’s business.
“Engaging a PR consultancy is not a
quick-fix to an issue. Typical retainers
involve regular scheduled contact between
client and consultancy and this mechanism
means that the consultancy is up-to-date
on developments within the client’s organisation.
We have been successful in demonstrating
to multinational clients that the
importance of having local knowledge of a
market cannot be underestimated. This is
particularly true when it comes to negotiating
the Irish planning process.”
Fresher
Wiser
Brighter
Sharper
A: 106 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2 | T: +353 1 678 7990 | F: + 353 1 661 8931 | E: info@rdcommunications.ie | W: www.rdcommunications.ie

‘I get a high when a
plan falls into place’
Kathryn Byrne
Limelight Communications
“A whole new development in our industry
is online PR. Online media tools such as
blogs, podcasts and community boards all
offer new opportunities to convey our
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SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘Consistency is of the utmost importance’
Amy Buckeridge
Amy Buckeridge PR
“PR is available to everyone: even
startups can raise their profile in a
concentrated period of time. PR
delivers high value returns for a
relatively low investment and it
provides a solid foundation for more
advanced and long-term brand building
efforts. Consistency is of the utmost
importance and it’s worthwhile to build
a close working relationship whereby
Business Plus May 2007
the PR agency is an extension of the
client team.
“A well structured PR campaign can
result in the target market being
exposed to more detailed information,
as media sources tend to provide more
space and time for explanation of a
product or profile than other forms of
promotion. And in many cases, public
relations objectives can be achieved at
very low cost when compared with
advertising.”
clients’ messages. I love the diverse nature of
our work. I get such a high when a plan falls
into place - you succeed in achieving press
coverage, organise a successful event, see
your client’s objectives being met and the
impact that has on their business. Most of all
I love the interaction with different
personalities and learning about their
businesses.”
Survey continued on page 64
Outstanding
in Your
Own Field?
Isn’t it Time
You Told
Someone?
Your Partner in Corporate Communications
Media Relations Internal Communications
Event Management Brand Development Crisis Management
Executive Profiling Competitor Analysis
Tel: 01 250 0045 or email info@thekeanepartnership.ie
63

64
‘No day is the same’
Puffin Moynihan & David O’Brien
Dynamics PR
According to Puffin Moynihan: “PR is one of
the most effective ways of delivering your
key messages to your target market in a
credible and believable way - and you don’t
always need a huge budget. In the hands of
the right PR people, a good idea, some hard
‘PR is the most economical way to
reach mass audiences’
Brona Cusack
Plunkett Communications
“It is great to see that public relations is
being embraced by all levels of management
and appreciated for the benefits it
brings. I don’t believe I’ll ever lose the
buzz I get turning the pages of the newspapers
and finding the result achieved on
behalf of a client. PR is the most economical
way by far to reach mass audi-
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘PR should form part of all marketing strategies’
Emma Kelly
Elevate PR
“I have always been a media junkie - I
basically made my hobby my career. You
really learn something from every
campaign and client and even a decade
on, there is still a huge thrill in securing
quality coverage. Elevate is a young
energetic, savvy, innovative and
ences and create longterm
results. It helps
develop a stronger, more
controlled image of a
company, its product or
service. As an ‘outsider’,
a PR firm can be more
objective and provide a
valuable third party perspective
on what a com-
Business Plus May 2007
entrepreneurial firm that gives frank and
realistic advice. The firm has doubled in
size in the past 12 months thanks to new
business wins and our excellent team.
The market is very buoyant. PR is
beneficial for companies because editorial
endorsement is very impactful and leads
to good word of mouth. PR should form
part of all marketing strategies.”
work and exploiting the all-important black
book of contacts can achieve wonders for
your business and bottom line.”
David O’Brien added: “No day is the
same - you’re dealing with clients in
different industries, each with their own
specific issues or opportunities and it’s
rewarding to play an integral part in the
smooth running, growth and development
of their enterprise.”
pany is doing and how
best to communicate it.
“A retainer allows for
a more a strategic
approach to a client’s
PR requirements and
for an agency to be both
reactive and pro-active.
A retained agency can
establish stronger
client-agency relations
with more scope for
‘working as a team’.”

SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘Engaging a PR firm needs careful consideration’
Niamh Boyle
Corporate Reputations
“PR practitioners can use great
versatility in their art. One
moment you are sitting down with
a CEO, providing counsel on how
to manage a particular
communications issue or crisis.
The next you are devising ways to
build the reputation of a bright
entrepreneur. And later that day
you could be hosting a product
launch for a new pharmaceutical
drug that will impact dramatically
on patient choice.
“Engaging a PR firm needs
careful consideration and some
tough self-analysis in terms of your
specific PR needs. A good PR
agency can provide objective
judgment and counsel in relation
to your messages and
communications activities. They
can provide access to key
stakeholders that are currently
beyond reach, such as the media,
but also advocacy groups,
government, policy makers,
academics and potential partners.
The PR agency is also there for
you in times of crisis, when your
organisation is in the spotlight and
needs rapid communications
advice.”
Caroline Kennedy
Kennedy PR
“PR is buoyant at the moment. Over
the past 12 months, we have
doubled the number of clients, most
notably within the hospitality and
leisure sectors. Our clients are only
serviced by senior consultants with
sector experience. I think a retainer
allows for an extremely productive
long-term working relationship. It
also affords the agency a unique
insight into the client’s business and
vice versa, ensuring that the
relationship works harder and more
effectively for both parties.”
Business Plus May 2007
JASON CLARKE
Survey continued on page 66
65

66
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
JASON CLARKE
‘There is increasing client demand for
transparency’
Tomás Keane
The Keane Partnership
“The business environment is
changing and there is now greater
responsibility on businesses in terms of
their community, customers and stakeholders.
Effective management of your
relationship with the public will lead to
clarity and trust leading to greater
loyalty and enhance your competitive
edge. However if the business fundamentals
aren’t right, then no amount of
positive communications will save you.
Padraig Slattery
Slattery Communications
“There are two major advantages to be
had by a client who opts to go the
retainer route. Firstly and most
importantly, that client will constantly
be ‘on the radar’ of its PR consultancy
and so should be exposed to ongoing
communications opportunities, and also
be alerted to possible negative issues
which it should be addressing at an
early stage. It has been our experience
that clients on retainer get significantly
better value for the hours invested in
their account by the PR consultancy, as
Business Plus May 2007
“There is increasing client demand
for transparency of service fees and
proper measurement of performance.
In terms of the broader market place
there is still a lot of work to be done
in terms of proper accreditation of
PR firms, and it is also incredible
that we are still waiting for a register
of lobbyists to be established.
Personally, I really enjoy working
with people; the energy I get from
meeting some of the very brightest
business brains really drives me.”
‘Clients on retainer get better value’
opposed to a client who operates on a
project by project basis.”

Mari O’Leary
O’Leary PR &
Marketing
“Working in a
consultancy means
that you face different
challenges with each
client and because the
clients span from across different areas,
you are constantly opening new doors
and exploring new channels.
“O’Leary PR offers the experience
and strength of a large established
company with the flexibility and
personal service of a medium-size
agency. Many companies don’t realise
the potential that exists to communicate
to their audiences. Communication is
the key and PR, as a function within the
marketing mix, allows important
information to be communicated in a
detailed manner, leading to better
understanding among the public.”
Jim Walsh
Walsh Public
Relations
“Very often the best
approach for both
client and agency is
to have a
combination of an
agreed retainer, which is linked to predetermined
activities, along with a
project based fee structure. The agreed
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
‘PR creates brand fame’
retainer can cover specific activities such
as preparing proposals, attending
planning meetings or implementing
designated media actions. Additional
activities can then be structured on a
project basis. This allows the client to
be assured that its PR support is in
place, to manage its PR budget and
capture the true cost of PR in
implementing projects. It also ensures
that the agency becomes more focussed
and task oriented.
“Consider the PR agency as a business
resource, a source of knowledge and
support to help you achieve specific
business objectives such as positioning
your company as an employer of choice,
as a good corporate citizen, generating
greater pride among staff, leveraging
value from sponsorships or corporate
events or supporting increased interest
and knowledge of your product or
service among targeted audiences.”
Jane McDaid
Thinkhouse PR
“PR creates brand
fame. PR introduces
your brand to your
target audience and
allows your brand
interact with them - creating memorable
‘brand friendships’. PR creates column
inches, airwaves, click-throughs and
talkability for your product or service.
Business Plus May 2007
The end goal is always the same - to
create awareness that drives sales.
Today’s multimedia environment is
evolving so quickly and it’s exciting to
be continually challenged and to be
excited about communicating in new
ways. Alongside offering traditional
services and talents, Thinkhouse
continually deploys new media tools and
services for competitive advantage.”
Mary Crotty
Mary Crotty PR
“Ireland has a superb PR industry, which
is growing from strength to strength. The
PRCA and PRII are playing an integral
role in moving the industry forward,
through professional development and
increasing communication means
between practitioners. It is an exciting
time to be in communications.
“I enjoy the opportunity to be creative
and communicate on a daily basis. When
we achieve strong media coverage for a
campaign or hold a successful event for a
client, there can be a terrific sense of
achievement amongst the team. The
benefits of PR to a business are tremendous
- having a PR consultancy on board
means that you have someone representing
you who is in day-to-day contact with
the media, therefore maximising PR
opportunities for your business.”
Irish owned and managed, Murray Consultants is at the forefront of the public
relations industry and has an unrivalled reputation for excellence.
With clients drawn from leading Irish and international businesses and public
sector organisations, we are recognised as market leaders in corporate, financial
and crisis communications.
Murray Consultants also has dedicated public affairs, brand management and event
management units to meet the specialist requirements of our clients. Key sectoral expertise
includes energy, environment, healthcare, technology, retail, sport, tourism and leisure.
For further information, please contact: Pat Walsh at Dartmouth House, 1 Grand Parade, Dublin 6
on +353 1 498 0300 or email pr@murrayconsult.ie. www.murrayconsult.ie
Survey continued on page 68
67

Who’s Who In PR
LISTING CRITERIA
This listing of includes members of
the Public Relations Consultants
Association of Ireland (PRCA), along
with other firms which are engaged
in regular business-to-business and
business-to-consumer communication
activities. Description details were
provided by the firms.
(* = member of PRCA).
AE Consulting*
www.aeconsult.ie
Amy Buckeridge PR
www.buckeridgepr.com
(01) 674 4770
Established: 2004
Agency type: Full service boutique
agency, with focus on lifestyle,
consumer PR and event
management.
Staff: 6
Sample clients: Guess, Timberland,
Gant Time, Magee, Hession
Hairdressing, Meadows & Byrne, Ely
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public relations consultants range from full-service firms
offering the complete PR package to specialist operators
who provide a tailored, individual service. Here we list the
active firms in consumer, business to business, healthcare
and public affairs communications
Medical, Therapie.
Contact: Amy Buckeridge
Last year the agency relocated to
Clarendon Street and established AB
Inspired, a specialist wedding planning
company which complements the
event management side of the
business. Says the firm: “We don’t
take on all PR projects as it is our
ethos to commit 110% to a project
so we don’t spread ourselves thinly.”
Aspire PR
www.aspire-pr.com
Banks Love Marketing
www.bankslove.com
Bannon & Bannon
www.bannonandbannon.com
Bracken Public Relations*
www.brackenpr.com
Burrell Marketing & Publicity
(01) 676 1711
Business Management
Communications
(01) 483 0832
68 Business Plus May 2007
Business Talk
(01) 294 5494
bvisible Communications
www.bvisible.net
Carlton Baxter Communications
www.carltonbaxter.com
Carr Communications*
www.carrcommunications.ie
Casey Communications*
www.caseycommunications.ie

Castle PR
www.castlepublicrelations.com
Clarify Communications
064 39050
Comit Communications
www.comitmarketing.com
Communications Group
www.cgi.ie
(01) 667 4525
Established: 1992
Agency type: General public
relations.
Staff: 3
Contact: Eugene Grey
Communications Group is a
complete communications agency
providing PR services supported by
inhouse multimedia technology
production services and industry
accredited training programmes.
Over the past year the firm has
introduced a new multimedia
production suite to facilitate clients’
projects.
Corporate Reputations
www.corporatereputations.ie
(01) 661 8915
Established: 2004
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Agency type: Strategic marketing
and PR.
Staff: 6
Sample clients: UCD School of
Business, Sustainable Energy Ireland,
Schering-Plough, Rhodes D7, HSE,
Bolands Mill Property Development.
Contact: Niamh Boyle, Sinead
Doocey.
Since launching in March 2004,
Corporate Reputations says it has
experienced substantial growth in
building a solid client base and
establishing its reputation and
credentials in the marketplace. Says
the firm: “We treat every client as
unique and employ a phased
strategic approach that delivers the
most efficient and effective solutions
for our clients needs. We aim for an
innovative and creative strategy
with confident execution.”
Conway Communications
(01) 623 6426
Cullen Communications*
www.cullencommunications.ie
Curzon Associates
www.curzon.ie
D’Arcy Marketing & PR
(091) 568390
Delaney Communications
(01) 287 3821
Dennehy Associates
(01) 676 4733
DHR Communications
www.dhr.ie
Direction@JWT
www.ddfhb.ie
Drury Communications*
www.drurycom.com
Business Plus May 2007
Dynamics PR
www.dynamicspr.ie
(01) 483 0827
Established: 2001
Agency type: Consumer, corporate
and business-to-business.
Staff: 6
Sample clients: DSG Ireland, Four
Seasons Hotel Dublin, Alternatives.
Contact: Puffin Moynihan, David
O’Brien.
Notable developments at
Dynamics PR over the past year
include “moving to bigger and
better offices and attracting some
really talented staff”, according to
Puffin Moynihan. Says partner David
O’Brien: “We don’t over-promise
and we do deliver. We get on
with the job in hand so we’re low
maintenance to manage. We’re
creative, understand the notion of
strategy and avoid PR for the sake
of it.”
Edelman*
www.edelman.com
Elevate*
www.elevate.ie
(01) 662 5652
Established: 2001
Agency type: Consumer, corporate
and healthcare. Inhouse event
management expertise.
Staff: 12
Sample clients: Nokia, Carphone
Warehouse, Playstation, Diet Coke,
Dunnes Stores, Talk Talk, Mango,
Rosemount.
Contact: Emma Kelly, Mary
Crawford.
Elevate styles itself as a “young,
energetic, savvy, innovative and
entrepreneurial firm that gives
Survey continued on page 70
69

frank and realistic advice”. The
agency has doubled in size in the
past 12 months due to new
business wins.
FD*
www.fdireland.com
(01) 663 3600
Established: 1999
Agency type: Full service.
Staff: 18
Sample clients: Coca Cola Bottlers,
Vodafone, Airtricity, Setanta,
Oceanico Developments, Cisco,
Eason & Son.
Contact: Paul McSharry
FD International was acquired in
October 2006 by US-listed business
consulting firm FTI Consulting for
€200m. FD was also selected as PR
Week’s International Agency of the
Year. Says the firm: “The company
has developed longstanding and
trusted relationships with our
clients. We value these relationships
and always try to test ourselves by
constantly seeking to add value to
our product offering.”
Fleishman-Hillard*
www.fleishmaneurope.ie
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
(01) 618 8444
Established: 1990
Agency type: Full service, spanning
business communications, public
affairs, health, consumer and
brands, Brandignite (experiential
marketing).
Staff: 40
Contact: Rhona Blake
Fleishman-Hillard Dublin became
a fully owned subsidiary of FH
International at the end of 2006. In
the past year, the Dublin firm
established FH Digital “to provide
solutions beyond traditional PR
taking account of new media”. Says
the firm: “As the largest player in
the Irish market, Fleishman-Hillard
can provide real breadth and depth
of service to a wide range of clients.
The fact that we have won more
industry awards than any of our
competitors is testament to what
distinguishes us from other PR
companies.”
Frank Lewis PR
(064) 31108
Gallagher & Associates
www.gallagherandassociates.com
70 Business Plus May 2007
Gibney Communications*
www.gibneycomm.ie
(01) 661 0402
Established: 1995
Agency type: Corporate and
financial.
Staff: 15
Sample clients: Ulster Bank, BUPA,
McDonald’s, Aldi, AOL.
Contact: Ita Gibney
Says the firm: “Our clients receive
professional advice based on our
years of experience at the cutting
edge of some of Ireland’s leading
national news stories. They also
receive advice on strategic
positioning, answers to their issues
and assured handling of all their
requirements, based on sound
judgement and proven expertise
from our senior level consultants.
We work alongside our clients as
partners, to provide win-win
solutions. In short, we make a
difference.”
Grapevine Communications
Tel: 087 689 5930
Grayling
www.grayling.com
Harmon Communications
(01) 814 0800
Heneghan PR*
www.hpr.ie
(01) 660 7395
Established: 1990
Agency type: Full Service with a
focus on corporate, financial and
consumer.
Staff: 15
Sample clients: 3 Ireland, Beamish
& Crawford, Bioverda, Castrol,
Conduit, Epson, Glencar Resources
plc, Irish Distillers, IrishJobs.ie, NTR
plc, Oppenheim, Starbucks.
Contact: Nigel Heneghan
Heneghan PR merged with Park
Communications at the end of 2005.
The firm says the initiative has been
“very successful”. The firm adds:
“Our absolute focus is our clients.
We offer a very personal service and
we deliver positive results
consistently for all our clients, who
include some of the world’s leading
multinational firms and some of
Ireland’s leading companies. The
senior directors of the business are
‘hands-on’ and available at any time
to assist with client needs.”

Hill & Knowlton*
www.hillandknowlton.ie
(01) 662 6930
Established: 2003
Agency type: Full service, with
focus on consumer and corporate
technology, marketing, internal
communications, crisis
management, healthcare and
environment.
Staff: 10
Sample clients: Samsung, TomTom,
eBay.ie, PayPal, Ovagen, Macreddin
Golf Club, Mamut, Jackie Skelly
Fitness.
Contact: Kieran O’Byrne
Hill & Knowlton is one of the top
three consultancies in the world.
The Dublin office was established in
2003 and recently appointed two
senior executives, Malachi Quinn
and Una MacShane. Says the firm:
“The Hill & Knowlton ethos, teamed
with a focus on creativity smart
thinking and achievable results,
leads to a key client objective -
to positively affect our clients’
bottom line.”
Hopkins Communications
www.hopkinscommunications.ie
Host PR
www.hostpr.ie
IAS Smarts NI*
www.iassmarts.com
Ignite PR
(01) 862 7877
Inmedia Business Publicity
www.inmedia.ie
Inform Communications
www.informcommunications.com
K Capital Source
www.kcapitalsource.com
Kate Bowe PR
www.katebowepr.ie
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
Keating & Associates*
www.keating.ie
Kennedy PR
www.kennedypr.ie
(01) 476 2000
Established: 1992
Agency type: Consumer specialist:
fashion, hospitality, lifestyle,
property, FMCG.
Staff: 11
Sample clients: Brown Thomas,
Louis Vuitton, Merrion Hotel,
Danone, Edward Holdings, Monart,
Goffs, Clarks Shoes, Ashford Castle,
AT Cross, Town Bar and Grill.
Contact: Caroline Kennedy
Kennedy PR specialises in strategic
marketing and communications for
luxury consumer and lifestyle brands
and multinationals. Says the firm:
“We strive to achieve the perfect
combination of sound strategic
thinking and creativity.”
Limelight Communications
www.limelight.ie
(01) 668 0600
Established: 1998
Agency type: Boutique, with focus
on investor relations, awareness
campaigns, community relations,
event management.
Staff: 3
Sample clients: Great Western
Mining Corporation plc, Laois
Tourism, Dublin City Council, ECR
Ireland.
Contact: Kathryn Byrne
Limelight is in the process of
upgrading to a new CRM system to
better co-ordinate clients and media
contacts. Says the firm: “The life
blood of a successful PR agency is
the relationships it maintains. This
system will enable us to make more
effective use of the contacts we
have built up over the past nine
years.”
Limetree
www.limetree.ie
Business Plus May 2007
Mary Crotty PR*
www.marycrottypr.ie
(01) 661 8777
Established: 1983
Agency type: Full service.
Staff: 10
Contact: Mary Crotty, Derek Sherwin.
Says the firm: “The personal
service which our consultancy
provides is unique. Each account,
event or project is overseen by the
managing director. Also, each client
has an experienced, dedicated team,
which allows for strong working
relationships to be established.”
Mary Fitzgerald PR
www.maryfitzgeraldpr.ie
Mary Murphy Associates*
www.marymurphypr.com
McConnells Fusion*
www.mcconnells.ie
(01) 478 7886
Established: 1957
Agency type: Full service belowthe-line
division of McConnell ad
agency.
Staff: 16
Sample clients: (past & present)
Rotunda Hospital, Enterprise Irl,
Eircom, AIB, Sopexa, Hyundai,
Concern, Kellogg’s, Quorn.
Contact: Marc Kelly
Fusion was established in 2005
and headed up by Charley Stoney,
who combined three McConnells
companies into a single full-service
below-the-line agency. Says the
firm: “Our core specialist areas are
Survey continued on page 72
71

PR, experiential, direct marketing
and promotions. As it forms part of
the McConnell group, the Fusion
team has an excellent understanding
of complementary disciplines,
including advertising, digital media,
media buying, brand planning etc.”
McGovern PR
www.mcgovernpr.com
(01) 846 4460
Established: 1982
Agency type: Full Service, with
focus on corporate, property, travel,
consumer issues, business to
business.
Staff: 8
Sample clients: XL Airways, Bosch,
Pivotal Property.
Contact: Mary McGovern, Sarah
Carberry, Shane Janssens.
McGovern PR won the Best PR
Agency of the Year in the
international category at the
International Property Awards in
London in November 2006. Later this
year, the firm will launch an online
marketing company www.onlinepr.ie.
Says the firm: “McGovern PR &
Marketing is renowned for its
imaginative concepts, creative
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
implementation and delivering results
that add real value to your business
or your brand.”
Montague Communications*
www.montaguecomms.ie
Morrow Communications*
www.morrowcommunications.co.uk
MQ Communications
(01) 453 9207
MRPA Kinman*
www.mrpakinman.ie
(01) 678 8330
Established: 2005 (merger)
Agency type: Full service, with
focus on corporate communications,
financial services including M&A,
health sector, IT, public information
campaigns.
Staff: 20
Sample clients: Irish Life &
Permanent plc, National
Development Plan, Wyeth, Lakeland
Dairies, IBI Corporate Finance, Topaz
Energy.
Contact: Ray Gordon, Tim Kinsella,
Stephen O’Byrnes, Laurie Mannix.
MRPA Kinman is one of the
72 Business Plus May 2007
largest Irish-owned PR firms. In the
past year, the agency has opened an
office in Limerick. Says the firm: “We
have all the resources and
experience you’d expect from an
internationally operated business -
plus the level of attention and
service which you’d expect from a
local owner-managed business.”
Murray Consultants
www.murrayconsult.ie
(01) 498 0300
Established: 1974
Agency type: Full Service, with
focus on corporate PR,
finance/investor relations, crisis
management, public affairs, brand
management and sponsorship, CSR,
event management.
Staff: 35
Sample clients: Davy, Elan,
Independent News & Media,
Cadbury, Heineken.
Contact: Pat Walsh
Murray Consultants has added a
number of senior executives to the
roster in the past year. The agency
regularly advises on corporate M&A,
was involved in Ryanair’s bid for Aer
Lingus, the sale of Eircom and
Tullow’s acquisition of Hardman
Resources. Says the firm: “Our staff
offer a combination of PR ‘know
how’ together with specialist media,
political and business sensitivity. We
have the capability to provide niche,
highly specialist, one-on-one advice
yet the scale and depth to deliver
intensive, large scale campaigns.”
Neary Marketing and
Communications
(01) 288 8646
Nikki Gordon PR
(087) 798 5759
O’Brien PR
www.obrienpr.com
O’Hea PR
www.oheapr.com
O’Herlihy Communications -
OHC*
www.ohcpr.ie
(01) 660 2744
Established: 1973
Agency type: Full service.
Staff: 12
Contact: Ian McClure, Rob Hartnett.

In the past year, company founder
Bill O’Herlihy became chairman and
Ian McClure was appointed chief
executive. Rob Hartnett joined OHC
as managing director. Says the firm:
“We develop trusted working
relationships and strategies which
deliver results and which take
problems away from senior
management and turn them into
opportunities. The members of our
management teams have all worked
as journalists and possess a greater
understanding of the media and
how it functions.”
O’Leary PR*
www.olearypr.ie
(01) 678 9888
Established: 1994
Agency type: Full service, with
focus on consumer.
Staff: 8
Sample clients: Electronic Arts,
Gallo, Boru Vodka, Raymond Weil,
C&C Wholesale, Hickeys Fabrics,
Heineken, Marston & Langinger.
Contact: Mari O’Leary
O’Leary PR attributes recent
growth to the increased number of
UK based clients the firm is working
with directly. The practice is also
organising more conferences on
behalf of a number of multinational
clients. Says the firm: “O’Leary PR
offers the experience and strength
of a large established company with
the flexibility and personal service
of a medium size agency.”
O’Sullivan PR*
www.osullivanpr.ie
(021) 489 1100
Established: 1981
Agency type: Full service, with
focus on public consultation, crisis
management and major event
planning.
Staff: 7
Contact: Ann-Marie O’Sullivan,
Robin O’Sullivan.
In February 2007 Ann-Marie
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
O’Sullivan was appointed managing
director, with Robin O’Sullivan
becoming chairman and remaining
actively involved with the company.
Says the firm: “We have been
instrumental in assisting
organisations large and small,
domestic and multi-national, to
establish and maintain their good
public standing. We offer clients a
unique and dynamic blend of skills
and competencies needed to fulfil
their public relations requirements.”
Paul Allen & Associates*
www.prireland.com
(01) 676 9575
Established: 1990
Agency type: Corporate and
political, with focus on crisis
management and corporate activity.
Staff: 6
Contact: Paul Allen
Paul Allen, who has been active
in the sector for 25 years, is
outgoing chairman of the Public
Relations Consultants Association.
According to Allen: “Our firm would
be acknowledged for our unrivalled
political contacts and our
commitment to delivering results
time and time again.”
Pembroke Communications*
www.pembrokec.com
(01) 649 6486
Established: 1980
Agency type: Specialises in
consumer, food and agriculture,
health and beauty, sponsorship
evaluation and management.
Staff: 10
Contact: Colm Cronin
Pembroke Communications is an
autonomous member of the Publicis
QMP Group, the third largest
integrated marketing
communications group in the
country. Says the firm: “We excel in
identifying and developing creative
campaigns, many of which we have
conducted for clients over a number
Business Plus May 2007
of years and across a range of
businesses, from ad hoc projects to
major strategic programmes. Our
approach to communications
extends to actually creating
preference for clients, their products,
services and ideas.”
Plunkett Communications*
www.plunkettcommunications.com
(01) 678 1460
Established: 2000
Agency type: Specialises in
consumer, corporate and healthcare.
Staff: 8
Contact: Sharon Plunkett, Brona
Cusack.
Plunkett Communications has
extensive expertise and large
portfolio in the travel and tourism
sector and is affiliated to Lotus
Network Group, an international
travel and tourism communications
network. Says the firm: “Our
mission is to deliver a professional
service that meets realistic client
objectives, through a combination of
strategic advice, creative thinking
and focused execution.”
PR1 Marketing Communications
www.pr1.ie
Practice PR & Events
053 942 9676
Presence Communications
www.presence.ie
Survey continued on page 74
73

Prior Communications @
Marketing Network
www.marketingnetwork.ie
(01) 661 2112
Established: 1995
Agency type: Consumer and
brand PR.
Staff: 5
Contact: Sharon Prior, Aisling
Wynne.
Marketing services company,
Marketing Network, acquired PR
specialists, Prior Communications, in
February 2005. As a result, Prior
became one of only a handful of Irish
PR agencies to have a marketing
division. Says the firm: “As part of the
larger Marketing Network group, the
agency can also offer promotional
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
marketing, direct marketing and
multimedia initiatives.”
Project PR
www.projectpr.ie
Profit Marketing
(01) 801 0196
Q4 Public Relations
www.q4pr.ie
Rachel Dalton Communications
www.rdcommunications.ie
(01) 678 7990
Established: 2004
Agency type: Full service.
Contact: Rachel Dalton
Says the firm: “We have
74 Business Plus May 2007
distinguished ourselves as a result
of our entrepreneurial approach,
strategic insight, straight talking and
specialist skills. We have taken the
best practices of big agency
methodology and training and
combined them with the passion,
creativity and service ethos of a
smaller agency.”
Ronan Tynan Communications
www.ronantynan.com
Ross Communications
www.ross.ie
Setanta Communications*
www.setanta.ie
Simpson Financial &
Technology PR*
www.simpsonftpr.ie
(01) 260 5300
Established: 1995
Agency type: Specialises in
technology and knowledge based
industries, financial services and
business-to-business. Staff: 6
Sample clients: O2, Sun
Microsystems, BPI Telecom, Delta
Index, IT Alliance, Emex, Version 1,
Salesforce.com, NovaUCD.
Contact: Ronnie Simpson
Simpson FTPR believes its
combination of technology and
financial media capability is unique
in this market. Says the firm: “We
are honest with clients and media.
We do not make arrogant promises
but implement reliable, innovative
tactics, that have been proven to
deliver increased awareness, sales
leads, sales, market share and
HR/recruitment benefits.”
Slattery Communications*
www.slatterycommunications.ie
(01) 661 4055
Established: 1982
Agency type: Full service.
Staff: 30
Contact: Conor Dempsey, Ruairi
Keogh, John Redmond, Tom
McCabe.
Slattery says its has upped its
game in the past year by moving to
new, bespoke offices in Montrose.
Working with its international
affiliate Ketchum, the firm has
developed a professional
development programme for all
staff members. Slattery has also
commenced the process of
consulting with clients in a formal
manner on the quality and breadth
of service they receive. The firm
says all this has happened “in
order to remain relevant and
valuable to clients and potential
clients, attractive to staff and
potential staff and profitable and
competitive”.
Stakeholder Communications
www.stakeholdergroup.com
Sweetman Communications
(01) 820 5937
Text 100 Intl*
www.text100.ie
The Hall Company
(01) 660 9377
The Keane Partnership
www.thekeanepartnership.ie
(01) 250 0045
Established: 2003
Agency type: Corporate
communications. Staff: 5
Sample clients: Insomnia Coffee,
Smyths Toys, Hanly Group, Baker Tilly
Ryan Glennon, Whelan Corcoran
Smith, IIB Bank, Broker CRM.
Contact: Tomás Keane
The Keane Partnership has
recently commenced a three-year
business development programme
to establish three dedicated service
teams across professional and
financial services, property and
retail, and brand development. Says
the firm: “We get to know our

clients’ business and relevant
markets extremely well, enabling us
to ultimately develop expert
solutions to all their
communications requirements.”
The Pepper Group
www.pepperpr.ie
Thinkhouse*
www.thinkhousepr.com
(01) 478 4688
Established: 2001
Agency type: Consumer PR with
focus on youth.
Staff: 8
Contact: Jane McDaid
Thinkhouse says it is the only
Irish consumer PR agency that
specialises in youth
communications. Says the firm: “Our
team understands young ‘brand
fans’ and we engage with them in a
language and style that they
respect. Alongside offering
traditional services and talents,
Thinkhouse continually deploys new
media tools and services for
competitive advantage.”
Tony O’Brien Communications
www.tonyobrien.ie
Touchstone Communications
www.tstone.ie
Unique Media
www.uniquemedia.ie
Wall 2 Wall
www.wall2wallpr.com
Walsh Public Relations*
www.walshpr.ie
(01) 661 3515
Established: 1984
Contact: Jim Walsh
Agency type: Corporate and
consumer. Staff: 10
Contact: Jim Walsh, Caroline
Heywood.
In the past year, Walsh PR has
SURVEY: PUBLIC RELATIONS
broadened its service into new
sectors such as property and
nutrition. The firm says it also
increased the focus on providing
targeted PR, measurable results
and comprehensive evaluation.
Says the firm: “We believe that the
best results are achieved by
constant communications and by
combining the client’s company
and industry knowledge with the
communications experience of the
consultancy.”
Weber Shandwick*
www.webershandwick.com
(01) 676 0168
Established: 1989
Agency type: Full service -
corporate, consumer, financial,
healthcare, tech and public affairs.
Staff: 14
Sample clients: Abbey plc, BDO
Simpson Xavier, Fuji, Food Safety
Authority, Ikea, Irish Hotels
Federation, Oracle, RaboDirect, River
Island, Vintners’ Federation.
Contact: Mary McCarthy, Siobhan
Molloy.
Weber Shandwick has won 14
PRCA awards for the quality of its
work since the awards inception in
1995. In the past year, the agency
has built up a strong portfolio of
clients in the property sector including
Ikea, Player Square, Bridgewater
shopping centre and Belmayne. Says
the firm: “Our senior people all have
over 20 years experi-ence in the
industry and have a strong track
record. We are joined by young
professionals who bring innovation,
creativity and energy to the team.”
White & Associates
www.whiteassociates.ie
Wilson Hartnell*
www.ogilvy.ie
(01) 669 0030
Established: 1970
Agency type: Has six divisions -
Business Plus May 2007
Mary McCarthy (left) and
Siobhan Molloy
consumer, corporate, healthcare,
lifestyle, public affairs, sport.
Staff: 30
Contact: Roddy Guiney
WHPR is part of the Ogilvy PR
network, which is part of the
multinational WPP. WHPR has
consistently ranked among the top
three PR consultancies in Ireland
and has a blue-chip client list. Last
year the firm set up a Lifestyle
division which, they say, has been
“highly successful”. In 2006, WHPR
won the Supreme Award for
Excellence at the PRCA Awards for
its work on the Guinness All-Ireland
hurling championship campaign.
This was only the fourth time in 14
years that this award has been
presented.
75