07.03.10 Aileen completed her first ever marathon in Barcelona today in a most impressive 4hrs 40mins! A big thanks to all who supported her. Well done Aileen - but there would've been easier ways to take in the architecture!! 

16.02.10 Martin has been invited by QUB to take part in a 5 week Research Trip to India this July. We wish him all the best and look forward to his CPD presentation when he returns!

02.02.10 Our very own Paula Radcliff is taking part in the Barcelona Marathon on 7 March to raise money for Northern Ireland Hospice.  To follow her story and donate online go to JustGiving
Go Aileen!!!!

01.02.10 Nial O Neill is off to India later this month on an Invest NI Trade Mission. Visiting Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore  the aim is to carry out some market research and visit potential clients, seeking a strategic partner.
(opp. Naga Towers, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City)

04.01.10 DON staff were welcomed back to work today after the holidays with some slightly blurred (the photographer might say atmospheric!) photographic evidence of what was a very well behaved Christmas Party! 

20.11.09 Paul McMahon DON was present at the contract signing for Muire na nGael National School Dundalk.  Work has now started on site on the 11 classroom extension.

11.11.09 DON took a visit the Archaeological dig at the Skainos site today.  It was fascinating to see all the bones, artifacts and even a complete coffin that was unearthed.  All items have been meticulously catalogued and the remains will be carefully re-buried in a religious service.

16.10.09 DON have been shortlisted for Architect of the Year.  The UTV Business Eye awards are being held this evening in the Culloden Hotel so fingers crossed!
update: We were Runners Up! The guys are already planning for next year's event...

02.10.09 After months of hard work Stage 1 of Skainos is complete (hooray!) so we all went to the Bo Tree restaurant to celebrate and unwind over some lovely Thai food. Everyone was so exhausted though that a few quiet drinks after dinner was all we could manage.

01.09.09 Sam Dill, Assistant Architect and Grainne Wallace, Project Architect are the latest additions to the DON team.  Despite having witnessed us at both work and play they seem happy to stick around.
Whilst Sam seemed more than happy to pose for his picture Grainne is a little camera shy and preferred to stay in the background... for now.

28.08.09 Donnelly O Neill are over the moon today to receive ISO14001:2004 accreditation to add to our ISO9001:2008.  The practice now operates an Integrated Quality and Environmental Management System. Thanks to Nial and Tracey for making it happen.

15.06.09 Part I QUB student Martin Delaney has joined DON for a year's work experience.  After being thrown in at the deep end making a model of Skainos he is already working on a number of different projects. Asked for a quote to accompany his blog pic, Martin settled on "He's a lovely lad!"

12.06.09 Congratulations to our very own Aileen Parker who received a Masters in Architecture from Glasgow School of Art in June.  Timed perfectly to coincide with our field trip, the whole office were on hand to help with her celebrations!

11.06.09 DON's annual field trip took us to bonny Scotland this year.  It was a busy four days with plenty of buildings and interesting spaces to look at and questions to be answered.. such as, how many architects can you fit in a wall? ha ha

02.04.09 After months of intensive study to get his accreditation as a Conservation Architect, Director Paul McMahon has been awarded his RSUA Certificate in Historic Building Conservation.
Paul has great plans for DON Conservation, including it seems, work on La Sagrada Familia!

23.02.09 Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Michael McGimpsey cut the first sod of the new Children's Home at Rathfriland Road, Newry. This sod cutting ceremony marked the start of building work on the new Children's Home for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area.

Michael McGimpsey, Minister for Health said, "The new Children's Home brings a long awaited boost in available residential child care for children with complex needs in the wider Southern Trust area. Children will receive the latest in treatment and care in a modern domestic style facility with specially adapted en-suite rooms, therapy rooms and gardens."

Nial attended the official 'sod cutting' at DON's Childrens Home site. The new Home is designed with the end users in mind within the contraints and opportunities of the site. The building is bound to the sloping site by a solid vertical plane which also provides definition between public and private. The bedrooms and living areas are designed around a private sensory courtyard whilst the surrounding landscape is planted in wild grasses.

15.01.09 DON keep abreast of current housing legislation with an in-house seminar ran by NHBC on the Code for Sustainable Homes. Many thanks to Fiona, the NHBC trainer, for making the full day course both enjoyable and insightful. I think I can speak for all of us when I say talking codes doesn't quite seem so daunting anymore!

12.12.08 Keys of the new building at Henry Place which accommodates the Kinderkids Daycare and Mc Sweeney Buisness Centre were handed over last month to the Clients. The building was successfully finished ahead of time and on budget.

01.12.08 DON are delighted to welcome new Office Manager Tracey Preshaw to the team. Whilst we're all on our best behaviour to let Tracey settle in with the Christmas party looming she will soon realise what she's let herself in for!

19.11.08 After many years and several long weeks putting together all of the finishing touches we were delighted to deliver the Skainos planning application package to the Planning Service. Watch this space for further developments! www.skainos.org.

28.04.08 Portstewart Strand, run by The National Trust, is one of the top 10 visitor attractions in Northern Ireland. The recent launch of their new visitor facility on 28 April 2008 was a result of £450,000 investment in a bid to improve the visitor experience and promote repeat visits to the area. The project was part-funded by financial assistance administered by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board through the Tourism Development Scheme.

DON participated in the much anticipated opening of new visitors facilities at the Strand. DON have worked alongside the Trust in developing this sustainable building on a very unique site. Like the living beach and the sand-dunes the natural materials used in the building will change and develop in time and with the seasons. 

19.03.08 Barbara & Paul were a bit star-struck, but very happy to be given the opportunity to discuss Skainos with some very important, and interested guests!

25.02.08 Even during our 'free time' staff found themselves drawn unexplainably to walls! DON field-trip to Berlin.