Gar HolohanIreland’s Gar Holohan has been appointed as the Director of the Sports and Leisure Group within the International Union of Architects.
The organisation is the professional representative body for over 1 million architects in 124 countries around the world and Holohan’s elevation to the post is a mark of the high respect in which he and Irish architecture are held.
Holohan’s practice in Dublin has been a key player in building Ireland’s sporting infrastructure over the past 20 years.  As part of the group Aura Leisure operates leisure and swimming pool facilities around the country.
Holohan has been a key figure in the creation of the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown, as well as in the National Athletics Stadium in Santry, the sports facilities at DCU and the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin.
‘At a national level, the economic upturn means that more funding has been released to develop the National Sports campus towards being a real world leader,” said Holohan speaking to Sport for Business.
“Dave Conway and his team, as well as the governing bodies, are making great progress there and delivering something which will make a real difference to Irish sport.”
“On an international level, sports and leisure tourism is a massive growth area and one where smart facilities are being driven by some real innovation.”
“It is a crowded marketplace and the numbers of tourists and the value they bring are to the fore in planners eyes around the world.”