Many years ago, before my parents let me in the door of Willie Duggan’s, I fell in love with one building. It is, by far, my favourite building in Dublin (not that I have seen them all!). This building has seen so many days, so much history, and we happened to be part of it….even for a just a short time, I think this is where I truly saw the benefits of how Lighting Design can enhance Architecture.

I met Jan Battles a few years ago when we worked for the same Publisher. Jan was walking with the aid of a stick then and I thought privately to myself that it was more than a sprained ankle. Jan confirmed a few months later she had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease. Something I knew little of, only that everyone was doing the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ to raise money for ALS or Motor Neurone as it’s known in Ireland.

If I got a Euro for every time someone said to me ‘I couldn’t work with family, we’d kill each other’, I’d be a very rich woman! But unfortunately, I don’t but I thought I would give an insight into what makes my experience of a family business so precious….and exciting!

Helena Duggan has been part of the Willie Duggan team for many years and involved in many big projects from the development of our own catalogue to the building of our premise in Kilkenny city. Helena has been holding this business to account for our brand. She started her career with us as our Graphic Designer and made her way through the ranks to now having her hands firmly on our image.