Uncovering a Hidden Menace

Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED

Few of us are presented with a problem so big it needs to be dealt with on a national scale.

When Aidan O’Connell discovered pyrite, he tackled it head-on, literally writing the book on how to deal with it. Today, he is an acknowledged expert in the area worldwide.

A hands-on pragmatic civil engineer, Aidan’s colourful career has spanned from his early days in the UK to running a successful small firm in Portlaoise for almost thirty years. In this packed half hour, he pulls no punches on pyrites' early days in Ireland and the processes he helped develop to tackle it. He also shares invaluable information on the challenges of engineering, moving up the ladder and what he sees in the immediate future.

TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE

03:27 The most insightful advice he ever received
06:09 The biggest challenge of his career
07:47 How he set industry protocols and standards
09:07 The problem with Pyrite
15:25 How he started his own firm
20:11 Competing with local councils
26:50 The one thing you must have to move up the ladder
27:50 Process of being named a Fellow of Engineers Ireland
GUEST DETAILS

Aidan is a Chartered Civil Engineer with additional qualifications in Geotechnical Engineering and Project Management. After starting his career in the UK, he returned to Ireland to establish his own firm AOCA in 1996, expanding to Dublin in 2014. Aidan is regularly called on as a civil/structural expert with particular expertise on Pyritic Heave. He also holds the honour of being a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-o-connell-91128b1b/
https://www.aoca.ie

MORE INFORMATION

Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer.
https://www.engineersireland.ie/

QUOTES

You're starting out as a civil or structural engineer but what you will be in ten or twenty years will not be what you started out as. I found that to be absolutely true.

You're not going to move up the ladder unless you go for chartered status. That's an absolute minimum that you need to be able to bring to the table. That gives you the credibility to be able to sign reports and sign documents that you are qualified, that you're recognized, to be able to do that.

I don't know where engineering in Ireland in the ten, five or even two years is going. The reason is that it's moving so fast and it’s direction can be confusing. It's all about speed, speed, speed, speed.