PJ Hegarty’s first twenty-five years were shaped by resilience, craft, and an early commitment to doing things the right way. Founded in Cork in 1925 by Patrick Joseph Hegarty, the company started small, operating from a rented store on Meade Street. Those early years were not easy. Ireland was facing economic headwinds, and the construction industry was still finding its footing in a young state. Yet the company grew steadily by focusing on integrity, relationships, and the quality of its work.
This era laid the commercial and cultural foundations of PJ Hegarty. The projects delivered in these decades were not just jobs, they were signals of trust. Many were nationally significant, tied directly to the story of Ireland itself, and they established the standards that would define the company for the century to come.
1925
Patrick Joseph Hegarty established PJ Hegarty in Cork in 1925, building a young business on values of partnership, integrity, and craftsmanship. Operating initially from humble premises, he set a tone that still drives the company today: no shortcuts, no compromise, and long-term trust over short-term gain.
1928
Just three years after founding, PJ Hegarty secured work with Irish Distillers, then known as the Cork Distilleries Company. The first project involved repairs to Warehouse No. 4 at Green Distillery in Blackpool. This marked the beginning of what is now the company’s longest-standing client relationship, spanning almost the full century.
1929
In 1929, PJ Hegarty was awarded the contract for the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork, the first custom-built Garda station by the Irish Free State Government. Winning and delivering a project of this visibility at an early stage reflected growing confidence in the company’s capability and professionalism.
1934
The company’s work on Collins Barracks in Cork further strengthened its profile. The barracks had been damaged during the Irish Civil War and required major reconstruction. This project sits behind the scenes of national history, and PJ Hegarty played a pivotal role in returning a significant state building to service.
1939
With the onset of World War II, Ireland needed to protect its coastline. PJ Hegarty produced Coast Watching Huts for the Irish Defence Forces, casting the huts at its own premises before transporting them across the country. The work showed the company’s adaptability in a time of national urgency, and its ability to scale up with purpose when the state needed it.
1948
Post-war, PJ Hegarty delivered its first major production facility for Fry-Cadbury in 1948. Constructed in Rathmore, County Kerry, the Chocolate Crumb Factory produced the base ingredient for Cadbury chocolate and represented a leap in PJ Hegarty’s industrial capability. It was a milestone not only for the company, but for one of the world’s best-known food brands.
