1. Ryanair

Every year Ryanair carries over 113 million passengers connecting 200 destinations in 33 countries on a fleet of 350 Boeing 737 aircraft based at 84 different European airports. With a further 350 Boeing 737s on order, Ryanair plans to lower fares and grow traffic to ov...

2. Portwest

Founded in 1904, Irish company Portwest has become one of Europe’s most trusted names in workwear, personal protective equipment and safety footwear and leisurewear. In 2014, Taoiseach Enda Kenny launched a Portwest sales office and warehouse in Dubai. Portwest is now...

3. Aer Lingus

The airline, which was formerly owned by the Irish government, is now a part of IAG, which also owns Iberia and British Airways. Aer Lingus provides both long-haul and short-haul passenger transportation services and cargo services. The airline operates over 80 rout...

4. Dalata

Dalata Ltd was established in 2007 and launched the Maldron Hotels brand on 1st September 2008 comprising ten three-star and four-star hotels throughout Ireland. It now operates 40 hotels, including the 13-strong Maldron chain. In March 2014 it raised €265 million fr...

5. Doyle Hotels

The Doyle hotel group consists of eight luxury hotels in five cities in Ireland, the UK and US. Irish properties in the portfolio include The Westbury and The Croke Park Hotels in Dublin and the River Lee Hotel in Cork. There are three hotels in London, one in Brist...

6. Torski Limited

Torski Limited is the group behind the four-star Talbot Hotel Group and Wexford-based supermarkets Pettitt Supermarkets. Under the directorship of Desmond Pettitt, Bernadette Pettitt and Cormac Pettitt, the Talbot Hotel Group owns The Midleton Park Hotel and Oriel Hou...

7. Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Limited

Ocsas is the direct owner of a large number of subsidiary companies in the pub, hotel, investment and property sectors. The group owns Kehoe’s, the Stag's Head and the Grand Central Cafe bar in Dublin, the Quays in Galway and many other premises.

8. Staycity Group

Staycity Group is a privately held company offering quality short- and long-term lettings in central city locations. The Dublin-based company was founded in 2004 by Tom Walsh and his brother Ger starting with a single apartment in Dublin’s Temple Bar. It now operates ov...

9. Commidare Holdings

The primary businesses of Commidare Holdings Limited are in retailing and the operation of hotels. Located in the South West of Ireland, its related Garvey Group operates a number of businesses in the food retailing, leisure and hospitality industry include Benner's...

10. Aer Rianta

Aer Rianta International, or ARI, is one of the world’s longest-established travel retail companies. ARI designs, manages and operates duty free and duty paid airport retail outlets in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

11. Campbell Bewley

Campbell Bewley Group Ltd is the holding company of the Campbell Bewley Group. Bewleys is the biggest importer, roaster and supplier of fresh ground coffee to the Irish market. The company also owns the Rebecca's Cafes operation in Boston and the Java City coffee roas...

12. Air BnB

Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone.

13. McCabes Pharmacy

Behey Ltd is an investment holding company for Wembar Company Ltd, which operates a chain of pharmacies under the name McCabe’s Pharmacy. The company is an independent, family-owned Irish company founded in 1981 by Roy and Margaret McCabe. Today, the pharmacy is run by...

14. The Merrion Hotel

The Merrion Hotel on Dublin's Merrion Square comprises 123 rooms and 19 suites. It is controlled by businessman Lochlann Quinn, Glen Dimplex founder Martin Naughton and the Hastings Hotel Group, the Northern hotel company controlled by Billy Hastings.

15. Moran Hotels

Cobglen owns the Red Cow Moran Hotel in south west Dublin. It formerly owned nine other hotels, but these were acquired by the Dalata group in early 2015.

16. Club Travel

Club Travel is one of Ireland's longest-established travel agencies. It is headquartered in Abbey Street, and specialises in consolidated, cheap and discount airfares. It has been established for 41 years and is the single largest Travel Management Company in Ireland...

17. Dromoland Castle

Dromoland Castle is a five-star hotel and golf club in Co Clare and one of the best-known luxury hotels in Ireland. The castle dates back to the 16th century and is the ancestral home of the O’Brien clan, direct descendants of Brian Boru. Nelson Mandela and George Bu...

18. Tourism Ireland

Tourism Ireland was established under the framework of the Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998. It is jointly funded by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on a two-to-one ratio. It employs about 150 people in markets such as Great Britain, USA...

19. Carrigalines Heron Holdings

Carrigaline's Heron Holdings Ltd is a holding company for family supermarket and hotel firms based in Co Cork. Among these are Barry Collins' SuperValu in Carrigaline and Carrigaline Court Hotel. The company employs close to 300 people in Ireland.

20. Sunway

The Sunway Travel group is an Irish-owned tour operator. It was founded in 1966 as a small travel agency in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Its head offices are now in Dun Laoghaire.