Slideshare for OYW Chartered Accountants Ireland competition.

1. Why I have what it takes
to represent Chartered
Accountants Ireland at OYW
By Cathriona Walsh

2. Professional & Community
Contribution and
Entrepreneurial spirit

3. Contribution to the profession as part of CASSG
 In my position as secretary of CASSG for the current year I have given my all to raise funds for
our chosen charity Pieta House and to raise awareness of the society. As a small branch of CASSI
the committee has this year strived to grow and we have already had several very successful
events, most notably our March quiz which raised €1,790 for Pieta house, the largest sum raised
of all previous years.
 We have also put a big focus in the current year on supporting the students and bringing any
issues to CASSI and thus to national level in order to work with the Institute to resolve them.

4. I have set up a business in association with my family which is not only entrepreneurial and unique but
also has a huge part to play in the community. “Katie's Claddagh Cottage”, which we built in the
Claddagh in Galway, is the first authentic thatched cottage to be built since famine times. We have built
this as a museum, a perfect replica of how the Claddagh folk used to live. So many agree that it was a
travesty that no cottages of the old village remain so we are doing our best to right that wrong.
We also have an arts centre adjacent which sells 100% Irish unique products such as bog oak sculptures,
the only lanterns to be found made from limestone, Claddagh rings (the first time ever they have been
sold in the Claddagh itself) and much more. One of our big draws are the stunning gardens and the tea,
scones and baked goods that we sell in a relaxed atmosphere where the motto is "let's talk", ie no
technology allowed! Most people who have visited have stayed for hours and left as friends. This also
ties into the fact that we make the space available in the evenings for events, particularly those of the
charitable or community type.
My business and how I am using it to contribute to the
community

5. Several examples of community events that we have held to date include:
 Donated prizes to the Galway Bay Half Marathon.
 Christmas 2014 we organised a week long residency for Santa Clause where he brought joy to
many children and all proceeds went to Croí. We finished the week with a traditional music
session to raise even more for the charity.
 We have been involved with the Galway 2020 bid and provided much of the furniture for their
offices.
 Several months ago I organised for a group of disabled people with their carers who were
visiting from Limerick to come to the arts centre for a stone carving demonstration, lunch
and a performance by local musicians free of charge.
 Just last month I made the centre and cottage available to a local theatre group free of
charge to make a video promoting their organisation.

6. Entrepreneurial spirit to date and future plans
Establishing the family business, especially the process of obtaining planning for the cottage and the build itself has been very
challenging. However I have been very determined and never given up. Just by googling Katie’s Claddagh cottage Galway you will see
many articles on the lengths we have gone to to make this dream a reality. I have been doing all of the marketing, press and social
media activity singlehandedly since we started and have worked very hard. Therefore you can be sure that I would represent
Chartered Accountants Ireland very well in Canada in September.
Please follow some of the below links to see what we have achieved.
http://www.galwayindependent.com/news/topics/articles/2016/05/18/4119939-katies-claddagh-cottage-officially-opens-next-
week/
http://catherineconnolly.com/katies-cottage-claddagh/
http://thewildgeese.irish/profiles/blogs/a-new-thatched-cottage-in-the-claddagh-galway
http://www.remaxgalway.ie/the-authentic-claddagh-cottage/
http://connachttribune.ie/sod-turned-on-replica-claddagh-cottage-233/
http://thisisgalway.ie/culture-galway/katies-claddagh-cottage-claddagh-arts-centre/
Current and future plans:
 I have organised the first “Trad in the Claddagh” music session for this week and I will run many of these throughout the
Summer to give the community a chance to meet up in a unique setting for a nice evening as well as to promote our local music
and dance to the visiting tourists.
 Sunday June 12th is National Feast Day and I have arranged to host the local gathering where members of the community each
cook a dish and come together to eat and get to know one another.
 The local residents association have also organised a street festival for August 1st, much of which will be centred around our
premises.
 I have a huge passion for culture, history and community and incorporate them into all of the work that I do with Katie’s
Claddagh cottage.

7. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my elevator pitch and
slideshow. I would be honoured to be picked as your representative at the One
Young World Summit.
I hope that I have managed to convince you that I can make an impact and lead,
motivate and inspire others.
Go raibh maith agaibh!