William Donnellan grew up in the building trades. Having qualified as a carpenter in Ireland, and coming from a family of tradespeople, he has spent the past 14 years gaining direct experience in all areas of construction in Canada.

Under his leadership, IRL Group has established a solid reputation for work in concrete, framing and wood tackling commercial and residential projects throughout B.C. This past year, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) in B.C. recognized him with the 2022 Gord Stewart Workplace Health and Safety Innovation Award for his company’s use of an intelligent illumination safety system that makes workers more visible on a site.

In 2017, the Vancouver Regional Construction Association presented Donnellan with its U40 Excellence in Construction Award in recognition of him growing IRL from its starting point of three employees in 2009 to more than 70 working on projects across Canada.

On a parallel path to his construction company, Donnellan has also built up a hospitality division, which has benefitted from his skills in construction as it developed five Irish pubs in Vancouver.