Pat McDonagh is the Managing Director of Ireland’s most successful indigenous quick service family restaurant group, Supermac’s. Pat started his career as a teacher and, having always had an interest in business, he decided to explore this further by opening his first restaurant outlet in Ballinasloe in 1978. Pat met Una very early on in the story of Supermac’s and both have been key and instrumental to the success story it has become today. The next outlet to open was in Gort and then Bridge Street in Galway City. The 1st venture outside of Galway was on O Connell St in Ennis.

With over 116 restaurants throughout the country, the company employs over 4,500 people nationally and has helped to establish up to 60 self-employed franchisees in their own successful businesses. The Group consist of the Supermac’s chain of family restaurants, The Plaza Group of motorway service stations and the Só Hotels Group. Pat & his wife, Una, are the owners of the Só Hotel Group that includes the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick, the Loughrea Hotel & Spa, the Charleville Park Hotel in Cork, the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise, the Athlone Springs Hotel and the Castle Oaks House Hotel in Castleconnell. Pat was recently awarded the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Industry and the Outstanding Contribution to Franchising Award by the Irish Franchise Association.