In this careers series, Martina Mulhall, Gold Star Careers, speaks with high-profile figures across a range of industries to explore the stories behind their success.
From early career choices to pivotal moments, challenges overcome, and advice for the next generation, every interview offers a personal insight into the many different paths a career can take.
This week we turn our attention to Stradbally man David Walsh-Kemmis.
He has never followed a straight career path, and that’s exactly what makes his story so compelling.
From working in IT with PwC to taking over his 13th-generation family farm, he’s since built Ballykilcavan Brewery into one of Ireland’s most respected rural businesses.
Along the way, he’s picked up eight national sustainability awards.
He has stood firm against multinational brewing giants, refusing to back down from exclusion from big-name festivals like Electric Picnic and competition from multinational brewers.
Instead, he’s carved his own path: focusing on national and international direct sales, local events, and creating thriving visitor experiences that celebrate Irish farming, brewing, and heritage. But David’s work doesn’t stop at the brewery gates.
He’s also a dedicated member of his local GAA club in Stradbally, helping to coach U-11s, supporting the Dads & Lads group, and even making his playing debut in the Junior C Championship at age 47.
David shares career advice, lessons from reinvention, and how backing yourself, even when the odds are stacked against you, can pay off.
1 – What was your very first job, and what did it teach you?
Summer jobs for me were always on the farm, but my first job after college was as a computer programmer with a large company called PwC in Dublin.
Probably the main thing I learnt there was how to work well in teams – how to listen to what other people wanted, how to communicate and how to track and report on progress in a project.
2 – Did you always know you wanted to work in this field, or did your career path evolve over time?
I reckon I’m on my third completely different career at this stage. If you’d said to me even ten years ago that I’d be running a brewery and working as a tour guide, I’d have found it hard to believe you.
When I left my IT job to take over the family farm, my intention was always just to farm full time. I found out quickly enough though that while farming is a wonderful lifestyle, it’s not the best career for paying the bills, so my wife and I decided to diversify the farm by opening the brewery, and using our own water and barley to make the beers.
The intention was always to add a visitor centre because we’re very lucky to have the unique setting of the 18th century farmyard at Ballykilcavan, and we achieved that in 2022.
3 – Was there a turning point or moment that shaped your career most significantly?
Really the main turning point in my career was when I left my IT job and took over the farm.
Everything else that we’ve done here since then has been based around trying to keep the farm viable in case our kids want to take it over at any stage.
4 – What’s one challenge you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
Probably our biggest challenge in running the brewery is trying to find pubs that are willing to stock the beers.
We do have some fantastic publican customers in and around Laois, but many pubs are too heavily controlled by multi-national brewing companies to be willing to stock a small local brewery.
Unfortunately, it’s just an extension of the system that keeps us out of the Electric Picnic every year and happens all over the country.
To get around it, we’ve switched the focus of the company from being a production brewery to being a visitor experience based around a brewery.
We’ll still sell beer to anyone who’s willing to buy it, and we’re very grateful for the support we get from some local festivals like Forest Fest in Emo and Greenfield in Athy, but we’re now looking to get as many people as possible to visit the brewery in person, whether that’s for a tour or for an event.
So far, that side of the business is going very well. We’ve gone from 820 visitors in 2022 to 3400 in 2024, and we’ll have over 4000 this year.
5 – How important were education and qualifications in getting to where you are today?
I would say that qualifications aren’t my top priority, but I really believe in the value of education and getting a good broad education.
I’m sure the Leaving Cert isn’t perfect, but one big advantage that I see in it is the fact that you’re doing a good spread of subjects – maths, languages, sciences, arts.
I’m still using my Leaving Cert French and German to run tours here in those languages, which is something I wouldn’t have had if I’d been doing a system like an A level, where I’m pretty sure I’d have picked three science subjects.
My computer science degree isn’t really relevant to what I do any more, though at least I’m not afraid of the many spreadsheets that I have to run the businesses, but the analytical skills I learnt on it are something that I feel I use every day.
6 – What does a typical day look like in your role—or is there no such thing?
It’s one thing about running and farm, brewery and visitor centre – there’s absolutely no standard day.
Almost all our tours are booked through tour operators, so I know exactly when a group is coming in and leaving, and I can plan my day around that.
I’m very lucky to have two great employees here, Niall on the farm and Joe in the brewery, so they do almost all the day to day operations and I manage the overall business and look after the finances, marketing, social media and PR.
There’s a huge amount of paperwork involved in all three enterprises, so I try and keep on top of that between tours.
7 – Who inspired or mentored you along the way, and what did you learn from them?
I’d say my biggest inspiration was my parents, who manged to teach me in such a way that it didn’t feel like they were teaching me, about the history and heritage of the farm and about running it in such a way that preserved its natural and environmental resources.
It meant that when we set up the business, we tried to design it from the start to be run in a sustainable way, and we’re very proud to have won eight national sustainability awards for the way we operate the brewery and visitor centre.
8 – What advice would you give to Leaving Cert students who aren’t sure what they want to do yet? Or to adults seeking a career change?
Never be afraid to change your mind on what you decide you want to do. I originally applied to do zoology in college, and then did a year of computing before changing my degree subject to computer science.
Since graduating, I’ve worked as a computer programmer, a farmer, a brewer and now a tour guide, and I think it’s important to always look at what you’re doing and if you need or want to change, then don’t be afraid to do it.
9 – If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. I always wanted to do everything perfectly, and actually I’ve found it’s much better to make quick decisions and occasionally get things wrong rather than agonising over every decision.
New Lager and Juicy Pale Ale.
Iain White – Fennell Photography.
10 – What’s next for you—any goals, projects, or new challenges on the horizon?
We’re never going to run out of projects to do here, it’s just a case of working out what to do next and how to fund it.
We’re definitely planning to add more events like the glamping for the Electric Picnic, and after that we’ll see where we go next.
Martina Mulhall, Gold Star Careers offers one-to-one or small group career advice, in-person or online, to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Follow on Instagram for updates and reminders about all things careers, or head over to the website to book a personalised guidance session.
SEE ALSO – Check out all of the other Martina Mulhall pieces here
