Women in Business 2024: Josephine Hughes (Mullingar Park Hotel)

It may be difficult to believe it, but it is just over 20 years since the doors of the award-winning Mullingar Park Hotel opened to the public.

The woman at the helm, Josephine Hughes, who heads up a team of 120 people, has built it into one of Ireland’s leading conference venues while, at the same time, making it very much sought after for local events – everything from weddings to dinner dances; concerts to awards nights.

The original plan was never that Josephine should have to do it alone, but sadly, in December 2004, just 15 months after the Mullingar Park opened, Josephine’s husband and business partner, Seán, died suddenly.

The couple had three sons and a daughter and Josephine had to find a way of raising the children while continuing the smooth running of what had already become something of a landmark venue.

Fortunately, Josephine had even by that stage a lot of experience: “After school I studied hotel management in what is now ATU, Atlantic Technological University,” she recalls. “I then went to work in a hotel in London before deciding to head to the US, where I met Seán – who was originally from Sonna – and decided to move back to Ireland.”

The couple’s first enterprise here was the Newbury Hotel, which they operated for 10 years, until they built and opened the Mullingar Park Hotel. As an imaginative and innovative chief, Josephine keeps the hotel bang-up-to-the minute – and its success is a testament to her commitment and high standards.

Josephine concludes by saying: “While the pandemic was our biggest challenge, we utilised this time by renovating the hotel and we love welcoming our guests back to our new, luxurious and contemporary hotel. It’s an achievement I and all the staff are very proud of.”