New Year Q&A - Paddy Dunican (Kilbeggan Racetrack)

1. What are your stand-out memories from 2021?

The continuous successful rollout of the vaccine is helping greatly to protect many people’s health and wellbeing from the Covid-19 pandemic, which is easing many people’s fear and has enabled us to return to a new normality of freedom.

I used the opportunity during lockdown to further my education by completing an MBA, which has empowered me with knowledge and skills, to deal with the new ever-changing challenges ahead for business, particularly with the economic effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the world economy.

2. Are there any changes in our ‘new normal’ that you feel are worth keeping?

I believe the accelerated transformation in digital technology during the pandemic, with many people and business now adopting a more cost-effective, seamless, contactless and safer digital experience to communicate and conduct business will remain part of the new normal.

3. Where did you holiday in 2021 – and why did you choose there?

I went on holidays in November and I chose Lanzarote because of; (a) warm sunny climate in the wintertime, (b) I felt it was relatively Covid safe and (c) the reasonably short flight.

4. What hopes do you have for 2022?

I hope that the continuous advancement in medical research and development will prevent the further spreading of the Covid-19 pandemic, thus protecting people’s health and wellbeing and that we will be able to welcome large crowds back to Kilbeggan Races in 2022

Paddy Dunican is an auctioneer and manager of Kilbeggan racetrack.