Skibbereen firm to create 75 new jobs by end 2020 as former secondary school is refurbished

THE Irish ambassador to the US, Daniel Mulhall, officially opened the new Spearline headquarters in Skibbereen today.

The event was attended by over 200 guests and the technology company has announced ambitious growth which will see a doubling of its workforce, some of the jobs to be located in the former De La Salle brothers secondary school.

Ambassador Mulhall said he applauded the company for this rapid growth and for its success in servicing clients all over the world from its base in West Cork.

‘It is an example of an innovative and dynamic Irish company with ambitious plans for the future. As ambassador, I have always made it a priority to support Irish companies in their export effort and wish Spearline well for the next phase of its development,’ he said.    

Cllr Joe Carroll, deputising for Cork’s county mayor, said the building was steeped in history.

‘It has played a central role in this town of Skibbereen for more than 170 years,’ he said.

‘That such a personal link has been retained between the personnel of Spearline – the chief executive and many team members are past pupils – and the town of Skibbereen, is something very special. It is fitting that this building, which operated for so long as an educational facility, should now be used for technological advancements and innovation. It is encouraging to see Spearline’s successes as a major employer locally, nationally and internationally.’

Speaking at the event, co-founder and chief executive officer Kevin Buckley said the new building was opening following a multi-million euro investment.

‘This move allows us to stay true to our roots and create employment,’ he said. ‘By the end of 2020, we will have doubled our workforce with the creation of 75 additional jobs, half of which will be here in Skibbereen. We have plans to expand across the entire business – development, product, support, sales, marketing, customer engagement, operations, HR and finance. As our global customer base increases so, too, will our team.’

Speaking about its ongoing support of Spearline as it continues to expand, Enterprise Ireland’s southern director Martin Corkery said that, by cultivating its global footprint, Spearline is creating opportunities and regionally-based jobs.

‘This is a company with global ambition, working hard to expand in new markets and deliver success in business. We very much applaud the efforts of everyone involved in reaching this stage and in delivering additional employment to Skibbereen through the opening of Spearline’s headquarters,’ he said.

Terri Kearney, Skibbereen Heritage Centre manager and local historian, referred to the importance of restoring the 173-year-old building.

‘The old school building, now renovated and reborn as Spearline's new premises, opened as a national school during the Great Famine where the children were fed, as well as educated. The building was later a base for other schools which taught diverse subjects including Greek, Latin, and art. This old school building has been the scene of many dramatic events over its long history, including a riot during the Great Hunger in 1846 and a tragic accident in the early months of the Civil War in 1922,’ she pointed out.

Spearline is a technology company that proactively monitors phone numbers for audio quality and connectivity globally. It is headquartered in Skibbereen and has offices in Waterford, Romania and India.

The Spearline platform enables enterprises and telecoms service providers to test connectivity and quality on global telecoms networks. Spearline has conducted millions of test calls worldwide and has global network coverage operating a 24-hour service, every day of the year.