Galway duo join Irish team off to 45th WorldSkills finals in Russia

Two Galway men are set to represent Ireland at the 45th WorldSkills Competition in Russia showcasing their talents in two very different fields.

Hotel management student Ruairí Grealish from the city and apprentice plumber Jack O’Donnell from Tiernea, Lettermore will be among 17 young Irish apprentices, trainees and students taking part in the event, which is known as the Skills Olympics. They will be up against 1,600 competitors from 63 countries taking part in 56 skills categories.

After taking the national title in the category of restaurant service, Ruairí has been training for months to prepare for the world’s largest education and skills competition, which is broken down in four different categories – fine dining, banqueting, bar/barista and casual dining.

For one task, he has to prepare a salad, a main course of Beef Strogonoff and dish up a cheese plate as well as serving wine to guests.

Another element involves designing a signature alcoholic coffee as well as creating a flambée – which is a dessert with alcohol cooked in a pan over a flame in front of diners.

Ruairí undertook the degree course at the Shannon College of Hotel Management that includes a year studying commerce at NUIG after working from a very young age in the hospitality industry – his parents Paul and Mary Grealish own the iconic King’s Head pub and restaurant on High Street.

“I’m training for the summer five days a week, 8.30am-5.30pm in Shannon College and then I’ve been doing placements at the weekends in Adare Manor and Waterford as well as doing bar and barista courses and we’ve had three team training weekends to learn how to deal pressure and nerves,” he explained.

“You do test projects on what you’re being tested on but there’s a rule of thumb that things can change by 30% so you really have to be prepared.”

Jack O’Donnell had almost finished his apprenticeship straight out of school with Terence McDonagh Plumbing and Heating in Tully when he was encouraged by his lecturers to enter the competition.

“We were put in front of this big long wall and had to plumb up basins, cylinders – all the things you would have to do in a house – they’re testing your speed and accuracy,” explains the 22-year-old.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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