We’ve recently welcomed five new colleagues to Inland and Coastal as we continue to grow our teams in Banagher, Ireland and Southampton, UK.
Anne-Marie Atherton has joined our Banagher headquarters as Project Engineer, alongside Maintenance Engineer Niall Lynch and student engineer Padraig Kelly, as well as Jamie Twamley, who takes up the role of Environmental Sustainability Engineer. In the UK, Smitesh Hankare has joined our Hamble office as Engineering Project Manager.
New additions in Banagher
Anne-Marie brings a natural curiosity for engineering and design. “I’ve always had a keen interest in engineering, figuring out how and why something works the way it does,” she says. “I’m always looking for a more efficient way of designing a product or completing a task.”
In her final year at college, Anne-Marie worked on Ireland’s first electric race car, designing an active aerodynamic spoiler. “It was a great achievement for me as it was a device I had not designed before and it also broadened my knowledge,” she adds.
Since joining us, she has been getting to grips with pontoon design. “I really enjoy seeing my work come to life. It’s very rewarding,” she says. “The biggest learning curve has been getting to know the terminology and particular way the parts need to be designed in order to create such a successful product.”
Jamie Twamley joins us as Environmental Sustainability Engineer, following a return to full-time education to complete a degree in Environmental Science and Climate Change.
“I have a strong interest in environmental protection and sustainability,” Jamie says. “When I saw the work Inland and Coastal was doing, particularly on Living Seawalls, it really stood out. It’s a practical way of improving biodiversity while still delivering effective marina systems.”
Jamie completed his college placement at a wastewater treatment plant, supporting environmental monitoring and compliance, and recently finished a thesis focused on biodiversity monitoring in wetlands.
“I enjoy seeing sustainability and environmental principles put into practice on real projects,” he says. “Understanding how environmental standards and compliance requirements fit into marina and coastal design has probably been the biggest learning curve so far.”
We’re also pleased to welcome Niall Lynch as Maintenance Engineer. Niall brings a varied background, having worked for around ten years in construction and engineering roles including Draughtsman, Site Engineer and Health & Safety Officer, as well as experience in retail and with the HSE.
“I needed a new challenge and a job that was busy and challenging most of the time – it has certainly proven to be that so far,” he says. “From speaking to locals, the general consensus was that Inland and Coastal was a good company to work for and that they look after their staff well.”
“I enjoy learning something new and challenging myself,” Niall adds. “It’s all new to me in many ways, so I’m learning something every day.”
Padraig Kelly joins us as a student Civil Engineer from TUS Athlone, carrying out his college placement in Banagher. Before starting his degree, Padraig worked in Banagher Precast Concrete, where he developed his interest in civil engineering while working in the concrete laboratory on projects including Silvertown Tunnel in London and Everton Stadium.
“Inland and Coastal was my first choice when deciding where to do my placement and I don’t regret it,” he says. “I still can’t get over how welcoming the staff were and how easy it was to settle in. I really feel my design skills have improved since joining and I’m looking forward to the rest of my time here.”
Growing our Hamble-based team in the UK
We’re pleased to welcome Smitesh Hankare as Engineering Project Manager to our Hamble office in Southampton. Smitesh previously worked with us during the Living Seawalls installation at Shoreham Port, where he was managing the Southwick Reef project.
“My interest in marine project management really developed during my time at the port,” he says. “Given my experience across piling works, marina construction and managing multiple stakeholders, Inland & Coastal felt like a very natural and well-aligned choice for me.”
Smitesh’s career has included underground and underwater metro tunnelling, bridge engineering and project management at Shoreham Port. There, he managed projects including Fishersgate Marina and Berth Zero, overseeing the installation of an 800 kVA shore power supply and refurbishment works on 50-year-old lock gates.
“Managing Fishersgate Marina and Berth Zero at the same time, and bringing both back on track, is something I’m particularly proud of,” he says. “I enjoy the challenge of handling complex situations and effectively identifying and mitigating risks.”
Commenting on the new appointments, our Managing Director, Ollie Shortall, says: “It’s great to welcome Anne-Marie, Niall, Padraig, Jamie and Smitesh to the business. They each bring different strengths and experience, and that’s important as our projects continue to grow in scale and complexity across Ireland and the UK.”
We’re delighted to have them on board and look forward to seeing their contribution to projects across our marina and coastal portfolio.
