Founded in 1937, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) is the national organisation of the hotel and guesthouse industry in Ireland. The primary functions of the Federation are to promote and defend the interests of its members. The IHF represents almost 1,000 hotels and guesthouses nationwide, employing over 65,000 people and is a key stakeholder in the Irish tourism sector.
Click here to view benefits of becoming a member of the IHF.
The IHF is managed by the following groups:
- The IHF staff including the President and the Chief Executive
- The Management Committee
- A network of Branches
- IHF Committees that are setup to tackle key issues
WHO'S WHO - IHF STAFF
Michael Magner
IHF President
The President of the IHF is elected by the members at the AGM and serves a 2-year term of office.
Michael Magner is the 40th President of the Irish Hotels Federation, succeeding Denyse Campbell. A native of Kileedy, Co. Limerick, Mr Magner is owner of the historic Cork's Vienna Woods Hotel. He has studied Hotel Management and holds a masters degree in Business in HRM from the University of Limerick. He began his career in hospitality aged 16 in Newcastle West, Limerick, going on to work at the Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel in Adare.
Mr Magner has been an active branch member of the IHF since 2006 and has served as Chair of the Cork branch, a two-year term as National Vice President, and as a member of the National Council and Management Committee. He currently sits as Chair of Cobh Heritage Trust and a Director of the Board of Visit Cork.
Paul Gallagher
Chief Executive
Mr Paul Gallagher is the Chief Executive of the IHF. With over four decades in the tourism and hospitality industry, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and senior leadership expertise to the role.
A past President of the IHF and former Chair of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), Paul was General Manager of Buswells Hotel, Dublin for 27 years. He is a Government appointee to Tourism Ireland as a Non-Executive Director and has previously served on numerous Government taskforces, including the Tourism Recovery Oversight Group, the Brexit Taskforce, the Advisory Group on Small Business, the Tourism Recovery Taskforce and Grow Dublin Taskforce.
Paul is a fellow of the Irish Hospitality Institute and holds a Master’s Degree in Business and Hospitality as a graduate of the University of Galway and Shannon College of Hotel Management.
Carol Bergin is Paul’s EA and can be contacted at berginc@ihf.ie.
Áine Hennessy
Marketing Manager
Irelandhotels.com & the Go Anywhere Gift Card
P: +353 1 497 6459
E: hennessya@ihf.ie
Holly Swaine
Marketing Assistant
Irelandhotels.com & the Go Anywhere Gift Card
P: +353 1 497 6459
E: swaineh@ihf.ie
Dervla O'Neill
IHF Skillnet Network and Learning Manager
P: +353 86 083 6626
E: oneilld@ihf.ie
Cassandra Haupt
Office & Projects Assistant
P: +353 1 497 6459
E: hauptc@ihf.ie
David Cullinane
Mags Leddy
Communications and Programme Officer
P: +353 1 497 6459
E: leddym@ihf.ie