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Wednesday, 15 August 2007
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Galway Profile – Cathy Cullen
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Occupation: Managing Director, Citylink
Location: Briarhill, Tuam Road
Favourite thing about Galway: The people of the city
Worst thing about Galway: Nothing at all!
Name: Cathy Cullen
Occupation: Managing Director, Citylink
Location: Briarhill, Tuam Road
Favourite thing about Galway: The people of the city
Worst thing about Galway: Nothing at all!

Cathy Cullen has been living in Galway for nine years and says that the city is now her new home. Originally from Dungannon, Cathy says she settled in very easily and was taken aback by the wonderful welcome she received. And of course, she soon became accustomed to the traditions of the West.

“I moved to Galway nine years ago to work for American Express. I found it very easy to settle in Galway as there are lots of people of my age group around here. I’m still a blow-in, but I got such a welcome! The first week I was down here, I was invited to the stations in someone’s house. Now we don’t have the stations in the North but I asked someone what it was and they said it was mass in a house. So I told my mother and she was delighted! Well I tell you, I called her the next day and said I had never drank as much in my life! It was the biggest party ever, I had never been so hung over before,” Cathy says.

Following her night at the stations, Cathy settled in well and made lots of friends in the city. Unfortunately, following the September 11 disaster in America, corporate travel in the West suffered. As a result, American Express offices in Limerick and Galway closed, with operations being centralised in Dublin. Cathy was left with a decision to make: should she stay or should she go.

“They came to me after September 11 and asked me if I would move to Dublin as there wasn’t a job down here. But I just said ‘I like Galway; the West is for me!’ and I decided to stay. I took some time for myself and after a year and a half, a position came up as Customer Service Manager for Citylink and from the day I started I’ve loved it.”

Although Cathy had no previous experience in the bus industry, she took to the position very easily and later found out that she had family connections in the business.

“When I went into the coach industry, I found out that my granduncle Frank, who I knew as a property tycoon, had actually been the first man to set up a passenger bus service from the North into Dublin. That was in the 1920s. He went on to work in Cork and service all the routes that we are servicing now. He operated out of 2 St Patrick’s Quay in Cork and we operate out of 8 St Patrick’s Quay, so I was absolutely shocked!”

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