By Michelle Crean

For almost four decades Geraldine Tangney has been one of the friendly faces in the Gleneagle Hotel but this week she decided to hang up her uniform.

It was an emotional day on Tuesday for the Duty Manager from Ballyspillane as she bid farewell to her colleagues and bosses after a wonderful career after 39 years there.

Geraldine started in the Gleneagle Hotel in 1982 first as a waitress before working her way up through to management.

"It was very emotional, a bit nostalgic," Geraldine said when speaking to the Killarney Advertiser this week.
"I was talking about it [retirement] for a while. It didn't even feel like 39 years. It hit me really for the last time crossing the car park going in to work on Tuesday."

Geraldine was 24 when she started her career in hospitality and has been behind many of the big events in the hotel over the decades including AIMS which would have crowds of over one thousand to serve over four days. She was also delighted to end her career serving President Michael D. Higgins after a recent stay at the hotel.

She said she has seen many changes during this time as the hotel grew.

She also worked for four generations of the O'Donoghues, first with Mrs Sheila O'Donoghue, Maurice and Margaret, Patrick and Eileen, and more recently their son Peter.

"I worked with four generations of O'Donoghues, they are a lovely crowd. I saw the INEC being built, and I have a lot of fond memories of the people I would have worked with. One of her colleagues she'll miss - but will see often is Maura O'Connor, who also has 39 years service with the hotel.

"Maura and I have worked together for 39 years, we started around the same time," she added.

Being retired means the 63-year-old will now have more time with her partner Ger, as well as a chance to visit her children and grandchildren more often including her son Bryan in Sydney and his two children, her daughter Valerie and grandchildren in New York, and she's very excited for the birth of her eight grandchild in Barraduff which her son Ivan and his wife are expecting any day now.

"I did the Ring of Kerry many times as well and I still have the bike so I might do that again," she said.