Recruitment in Limerick
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Hartley People is a Munster-headquartered recruitment group that has recruited across Ireland since 2001. We support employers in Limerick City, Castletroy, Raheen, the wider county and the Mid-West with permanent, temporary and executive hiring, backed by a 150,000+ candidate network across the country.
Limerick at a Glance
One Munster-Based Group, Three Ways to Hire in Limerick
Permanent, temporary and executive recruitment. Whatever you need to hire in Limerick, one relationship with our team gives you access to all three.
Permanent Recruitment
- Professional permanent recruitment across industries, functions and seniority levels
- Recruitment on Demand, Career Services and Outplacement support
- SearchPLUS sourcing for hard-to-fill and strategic Limerick appointments
Temporary Staffing & Workforce Solutions
- Temporary staff for seasonal, project and high-volume Limerick requirements
- Recruitment Project Management (RPM) and Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
- Flexibility, cost control and compliance built in
Executive Search
- Senior, executive and confidential search for Limerick and Mid-West businesses
- Leadership assessment, succession planning and board-level appointments
- The LBR (Leaf, Branch, Root) sourcing methodology
Meet the Recruitment Team
You’re hiring a service delivered by people. Meet the recruiters who could be working your Limerick search.

Fergal Hartley
Joint OwnerFergal Hartley
Joint OwnerWith a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, Fergal Hartley is a highly regarded joint owner of prominent recruitment and staffing ventures, including Hartley People Recruitment & Training, Flexiforce, Clannad Care and Burton Sinclair. His entrepreneurial spirit has driven these companies to success, making them leaders in their respective fields. Fergal’s comprehensive background in talent acquisition, combined with strategic insight and a commitment to best practices as a Fellow of the National Recruitment Federation, positions him as an invaluable partner for securing top executive talent.
LinkedIn
Pierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre is an accomplished B2B International Director who works across functions, with over 15 years of experience across digital marketing, business development, and complex sales. With a strong background in Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Customer Success, and digital transformation initiatives, Pierre brings a wealth of expertise to executive search. His strategic insights, coupled with his commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence, make him a valuable partner for clients seeking visionary executive talent.
LinkedIn
Damien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentDamien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentWith nearly 30 years of experience across recruitment, training, business development, and customer relationship management, Damien McCleane is an accomplished professional with a versatile background in executive and managerial roles across diverse sectors. Also serving as Regional Manager at Hartley People, Damien combines his expertise in strategic recruitment, client partnership, and team leadership to drive excellence and innovation within the executive search landscape.
LinkedIn
Jessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJess is responsible for recruitment across supply chain, production, engineering and warehousing. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry, she spent four years in Australia furthering her career before returning home to Wexford. A positive and energetic member of the team, Jess is a keen supporter of Wexford hurling and enjoys baking, going to the gym and spending time with friends.
LinkedIn
Darren O’Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren O’Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren specialises in recruiting for IT, HR, agricultural and commercial sales roles. With previous experience as an Operations Manager and Partner and Client Relations Manager within the waste technology sector, he brings strong operational and people-focused expertise to his role. Based in Waterford with his wife and dog, Loki, Darren enjoys sport, travel and keeping active.
LinkedIn
Danielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistDanielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistAs an experienced Senior Talent Partner, Danielle brings extensive expertise and a genuine passion for connecting people with the right opportunities. She combines a professional and personable approach with a strong understanding of clients and candidates, building lasting relationships and identifying the right talent. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys home and interior design and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
LinkedIn
Brendan White
Marketing Manager
Nigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistNigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistHailing from Carrick-on-Suir, Nigel is responsible for recruitment across IT, research and development, hospitality, trades and service technician roles. With a strong interest in technology, he is often the first point of contact for technical support within the office. Nigel previously worked in radio, presenting sports news and his own weekly show on WLR. He is also an accomplished photographer, keen runner, rugby fan and enthusiastic gardener.
LinkedIn
Eimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear graduated from WIT with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2018. Following several years in the insurance industry, including a period in Vancouver working with clients such as Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado, she moved into recruitment to apply her understanding of people and relationships to helping clients and candidates find the right opportunities. A Waterford native, Eimear enjoys reading, board games, Dungeons & Dragons, pub quizzes and jiu jitsu.
LinkedIn
Hannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah holds a Diploma in International Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Diploma in International Hotel Management from Shannon College of Hotel Management. Beginning her career in hotel management, she developed strong communication and problem-solving skills, along with a genuine interest in working with people. Her move into recruitment brings together her experience in business, hospitality and human resources, with a focus on understanding candidates and making the right connections.
LinkedIn
Tamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara brings extensive experience in operations management, customer service and team leadership, having worked in fast-paced, people-focused environments. She also holds a QQI Level 6 qualification in Human Resources and has a genuine passion for building relationships and helping people find the right opportunities. Outside of work, Tamara enjoys travelling, keeping active and spending time with friends, family and her pug, Harry.
LinkedIn
Tricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia brings energy and warmth to Flexiforce as Commercial and Operations Manager, Hartley People’s temporary recruitment division. A natural people-person, she ensures every interaction is positive and productive, and helps organise team events that keep morale high. With over 15 years as a trainer on FÁS-funded courses, she placed students into permanent roles before moving into operations with charities including Cycle Against Suicide and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Tricia joined Hartley People in 2021. Outside work, she is an avid sea swimmer along the Copper Coast and a proud Ironman finisher (Barcelona, 2019).
LinkedIn
Ashling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling started in reception at Flexiforce, quickly becoming the office’s go-to person for all things operational—a role she still holds alongside her work as Senior Team Lead and Talent Specialist. She has grown steadily through the business, gaining experience across multiple functions. Ashling enjoys supporting colleagues and clients, solving problems and providing guidance wherever needed. She takes pride in being a reliable point of contact for both the team and the wider business. Beyond work, she loves spending time outdoors with her young family, with a particular fondness for discovering new beaches.
LinkedIn
Kelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley works as Senior Talent Specialist and Compliance Coordinator at Flexiforce. With a diverse background spanning talent management, education, hospitality and the creative sector, she brings strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills to her role. After eight years in hospitality—including managerial positions in Cork and Waterford—Kelley moved into education, holding a Professional Master of Education in Art from UCC following earlier studies in Fine Art at Crawford College of Art & Design. In her current role, she focuses on candidate engagement, recruitment coordination and compliance, taking a proactive, people-centred approach to connecting talent with opportunity.
LinkedIn
Sean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean supports the Flexiforce Agency Staffing Solutions team as Talent Specialist and HR Administrator. He holds a Master’s degree in HR and is an Associate Member of the CIPD. Sean combines his academic background with a genuine interest in recruitment and HR, bringing both knowledge and enthusiasm to his role. Outside the office, he is a keen soccer fan and reigning champion of the company Fantasy Football League.
LinkedIn
Maureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen is a Waterford native and Talent Specialist with Flexiforce. Before joining the team, she managed the Pandora store in Waterford city and later completed a Diploma in Interior Design. Maureen combines her retail and design experience with a natural ability to connect with people, making her a valued member of the recruitment team. Outside work, she enjoys beach walks, sea swimming and spending time outdoors with her two children. She is also known locally as the lead singer of the band No Hot Ashes.
LinkedIn
Jessica Murphy
Talent SpecialistWant the Full Picture of How We Recruit?
This page is about recruiting in Limerick. Our Permanent Recruitment page goes deeper into the services, methods and specialist knowledge behind every permanent hire we make, across Limerick and the rest of Ireland.
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Our Services
How permanent recruitment works with us, from the first brief and shortlist through to offer, start date and aftercare.
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Our Methodology
Our 3E Approach, the market research we do before every search, and how SearchPLUS reaches candidates who never see a job ad.
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Industries We Recruit For
The sectors we hire into across Ireland, and the talent markets and hiring pressures that are particular to each one.
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What We Specialise In
All 19 specialisms, from accountancy and finance, engineering and life sciences to technology, sales and senior leadership.
All of it on one page. A few minutes’ read, then come back and talk to us about your Limerick hire.
Explore Permanent RecruitmentRecruiting Across Limerick & the Mid-West
Fewer than half of the people working in Limerick city and suburbs live there (Census 2022). The rest come in daily from the county, Clare, Tipperary, Cork and Kerry.
Hartley People, serving Limerick
From our Waterford head office
Unit 1B Cleaboy Business Park
Old Kilmeaden Road
Waterford, X91 DVY8
(051) 878 813
Get Directions→Tap the pin for contact details
Limerick City, County & the Wider Mid-West
Ennis sends more commuters into Limerick city than any other town, and Shannon, Nenagh and Charleville draw on the same people. We recruit accordingly.
The Industries Driving Employment in Limerick
Limerick’s economy shapes the candidate market we recruit into every day. Here’s what’s actually driving hiring across the city, the county and the Mid-West, and what it means if you’re trying to fill a role.
Biopharma & MedTech
Raheen and Castletroy hold one of the densest life sciences clusters in the country. Raheen has Regeneron’s large biologics campus and a Stryker implant plant dating back to 1972, while the National Technology Park is home to Johnson & Johnson Vision’s contact lens plant, Cook Medical’s European base and Edwards Lifesciences’ heart valve operation.

Semiconductors, Electronics & Tech
Analog Devices is adding a €630 million R&D and manufacturing facility at its Raheen campus, expected to bring around 600 jobs, and the project cleared a key planning hurdle in September 2026. At the National Technology Park, Carelon Global Solutions’ health-tech innovation centre added 100 engineering and data roles in 2024.
- €630m · Analog Devices, 2023
Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing
Manufacturing is Limerick’s largest employment sector. Census 2022 puts more than 12,500 resident workers in it, ahead of health and retail. Behind the big names sits a deep base of precision engineering, automation, tooling and maintenance work, and the same skills are in demand along the N18 at Shannon Free Zone and up the M7 towards Nenagh.
- 12,500+ workers · Census 2022
Financial & Business Services
Limerick is a serious fund administration centre. Northern Trust opened here in 2007 with 19 people and now employs more than 1,800 across Limerick and Dublin, running asset servicing, technology and corporate functions from the city. Shared services, payroll and professional services firms add further depth.
Heavy Industry, Energy & Port
West Limerick runs on the Shannon Estuary. Aughinish Alumina near Askeaton employs about 500 people, and Foynes had its busiest year on record in 2025, with tonnage up 10.8%. The 42km Limerick to Foynes rail freight line, a €151.5 million reinstatement, is due to open for freight in the first half of 2027.
- Foynes record year · SFPC, 2025
Education, Health & Public Sector
Health and social work is Limerick’s second-largest sector, with just over 11,500 resident workers in Census 2022. University Hospital Limerick anchors the regional hospital group, while the University of Limerick, TUS and Mary Immaculate College are major employers in their own right, as are Limerick City and County Council and the public bodies based in the city.
A Changing Limerick Changes Who You Compete For
Growth creates opportunity. It also creates competition for the people who can deliver it. That’s where we come in.
Opera Square is the clearest current example. Limerick Twenty Thirty is turning a 3.7-acre city-centre block into an office, library, hotel and civic quarter, with room for up to 3,000 jobs at full build-out. Its first building, One Opera Square, is finished: an €80 million, 106,000 sq ft office block for around 1,000 people, delivered with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
The rest of the site, including a 156-room Premier Inn, follows in phases, and the Cleeves Riverside Quarter is moving through planning across the river. It’s a multi-year build, but every floor that fills at Opera Square is another employer chasing the same finance, tech and operations people you’re trying to hire.
The Investment Behind Limerick’s Growth
Limerick’s Talent Pipeline Runs Through UL & TUS
Limerick’s candidate market isn’t only about attracting experienced people in. It’s fed constantly by its own colleges. The University of Limerick places more than 2,600 students a year with a network of over 4,000 co-op employers, so many graduates arrive having already worked in a lab, plant or finance team. TUS adds engineers, scientists and apprentices from its Moylish campus, and designers from the Limerick School of Art and Design.
Mary Immaculate College trains many of the region’s teachers, and UL’s research centres and international students draw people from well beyond Ireland. Plenty of those graduates leave for Dublin, London or further afield, then start looking for a way back. Knowing where Limerick’s people come from, not just where they work today, is part of how we build a realistic search strategy.
Sometimes the Right Candidate Isn’t Here Yet
When a specialist role needs someone to relocate, the job isn’t the only thing on offer. Limerick offers career depth for less than Dublin or Cork, a regenerated riverside city centre, Thomond Park on match days, Shannon Airport 25 minutes away, and Lough Derg and the Ballyhoura hills close by.
The best targets are Mid-West natives in Dublin, the UK or abroad, and specialists who’d move for the right role. We know how to put Limerick in front of them.
From First Brief to Start Date
The same disciplined process behind every Limerick search, whatever the role.
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Discovery
Understanding the role, the team and the Limerick candidate market before we start.
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Search Strategy
Building the right approach around where your candidates actually are.
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Talent Sourcing
Combining local networks with our 150,000+ candidate database.
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Screening & Assessment
Structured interviews and motivation checks before anyone reaches your desk.
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Shortlist & Interview
A shortlist built for fit, not just volume.
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Offer & Onboarding
Support through offer, negotiation and start date.
Why Limerick Employers Choose Us
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Access
Direct access to Limerick candidates who aren’t actively job-hunting.
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Time
We manage sourcing and screening so you’re only meeting genuine fits.
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Expertise
Recruiters who understand Limerick’s key industries.
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Reach
A 150,000+ candidate network that goes well beyond the local market.
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Flexibility
Permanent, temporary and executive hiring from one relationship.
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Search Capability
SearchPLUS for the roles advertising alone won’t fill.
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People + Technology
Recruitment technology, run by experienced recruiters, not the other way round.
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Munster Presence
A Munster head office, not a Dublin desk working Limerick remotely.
What Our Clients Say
“Hartley People were recommended to us as we opened our Waterford office and were instrumental in putting together our team. They were attuned to the specifics of the role and after a brief calibration period sent us exactly the candidate that we look for. They approach recruitment as a partnership and have provided huge value to our company.”
Karl FinnPublicRelay“Hartley People have consistently sourced high calibre candidates for our business for more than a decade. Their recruitment team is always highly knowledgeable in their fields and their service is always excellent. They have become a key vendor for our business in relation to all of our recruitment requirements.”
Declan WalshKeltech Engineering“We have partnered with Hartley People for many years now and would recommend their services to anyone looking for support with their hiring needs. They have a strong track record of securing excellent candidates for us, using sourcing strategies that meet our business requirements and the requirements of the candidate.”
Jill DavidsonTirlánMunster-Based, Not Dublin-Bound
Hartley People has recruited from its Waterford head office since 2001. Limerick is about an hour and three quarters up the N24, close enough for our recruiters to come to you rather than manage you by email. Biopharma, medtech and engineering drive both regions, and we already work the Tipperary talent pool both regions share.
Unit 1B Cleaboy Business Park
Old Kilmeaden Road
Waterford, X91 DVY8
(051) 878 813
Get Directions→
Questions Limerick Employers Ask Us
Do you have an office in Limerick?
No. We cover Limerick from our head office at Unit 1B Cleaboy Business Park, Old Kilmeaden Road, Waterford, X91 DVY8, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes away via the N24. Our recruiters travel to Limerick to meet clients.
How long has Hartley People been recruiting?
Over 25 years. Hartley People was founded in Waterford in 2001 and has recruited across Ireland ever since, as a Munster-headquartered group with a second office in Dublin.
What are the best recruitment agencies in Limerick?
Rather than make that claim for ourselves, we’d point to what’s verifiable: 25+ years recruiting across Ireland, a Munster head office, and a track record in the industries that drive Limerick’s economy. We don’t have a Limerick office, and you should judge any agency on its own history and presence, not marketing copy.
What industries do you recruit for in Limerick?
We recruit across 19 specialisms in Limerick, including Life Sciences, Engineering, Manufacturing, Technology, Accountancy & Finance, HR, Sales, Logistics & Supply Chain and Executive Appointments, reflecting the industries that actually drive employment in the Mid-West.
Do you recruit across County Limerick, not just the city?
Yes. We recruit across Limerick City and its suburbs, Newcastle West, Kilmallock, Adare, Abbeyfeale, Rathkeale, Askeaton, Foynes, Croom and Caherconlish, and into the wider commuter market including Shannon, Ennis, Nenagh and Charleville.
Do you recruit for companies in Raheen and the National Technology Park?
Yes. Raheen and the National Technology Park at Castletroy hold many of Limerick’s biopharma, medtech and semiconductor employers, and knowing who works where across both is central to how we search.
Do you recruit in West Limerick (Newcastle West, Foynes, Askeaton)?
Yes. West Limerick is a different market from the city, built around the estuary and local manufacturing, so we look for candidates who actually want to work there.
Can you help us find candidates from outside Limerick?
Yes. We combine knowledge of the Limerick market with a 150,000+ candidate network and national sourcing, reaching people in Clare, Tipperary, Cork and Kerry, Mid-West natives ready to come home, and international talent.
Do you provide permanent recruitment in Limerick?
Yes, through Hartley People Recruitment: permanent hiring across all 19 specialisms, delivered from our Munster head office.
Do you provide temporary staff in Limerick?
Yes, through Flexiforce, part of the same group: temporary staffing, high-volume recruitment and workforce solutions for Limerick employers.
Do you recruit for life sciences in Limerick?
Yes. Limerick has a large biopharma and medtech base, and quality, validation, process engineering, automation and manufacturing roles are a core part of our work for the sector.
Do you recruit for tech companies in Limerick?
Yes. Semiconductor, electronics and software employers are a major part of Limerick’s economy, and we recruit process, equipment, test and software engineers as well as the technical managers who lead them.
Do you recruit engineers in Limerick?
Yes. Manufacturing is Limerick’s largest employment sector, and experienced engineers, maintenance technicians and operations leaders are rarely actively job-hunting, which is where our market knowledge matters most.
Do you provide executive search in Limerick?
Yes, through Burton Sinclair, our specialist executive search business, and through SearchPLUS for senior and hard-to-fill appointments within Hartley People Recruitment.
How do you find passive candidates in Limerick?
Through our 150,000+ candidate network, direct sourcing, LinkedIn Recruiter, market mapping and referral networks, combined with recruiters who understand who’s actually working where across Limerick and the Mid-West.
Can you help with difficult-to-fill Limerick roles?
Yes, through SearchPLUS, our specialist sourcing solution for difficult-to-fill, strategic and mid-to-senior appointments where advertising alone won’t reach the right candidates.
What does a recruitment agency in Limerick cost?
Fees depend on the seniority and complexity of the role and which service is involved: permanent, temporary or executive. Get in touch and we’ll talk you through pricing for your specific requirement, no obligation.
How quickly can you start a search?
It depends on the seniority of the role and how niche the requirement is. We’ll give you a realistic timeline once we understand what the hire needs to achieve.
Who Do You Need to Hire in Limerick?
Tell our recruitment team about the role, team or workforce challenge. We’ll talk through the Limerick candidate market, the people you need and the recruitment approach that makes sense for your business.
- 25+ Years Recruiting in Ireland
- 150,000+ Candidate Network
- Permanent | Temporary | Executive
Discuss My Limerick Hiring Requirement
Fill in a few details and a member of our recruitment team will be in touch.