Meet Donal

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m Irish but have lived, studied, and worked in five different countries since turning 18, and travelled to many more!

I love being active and going on adventures. I’m a climber and trail runner in my spare time, and I love travelling to far flung places, at every given opportunity, seeing and experiencing new things.

Every winter you’ll find me and my mates making the 7-hour drive to the Scottish Highlands any weekend the weather is cold enough, to find an ice- or snow-covered mountain to climb – all whilst sleeping in the car or a hut in between. Type two fun!

I also love learning new things and reading a wide variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction.

 

When and why did you join Rhino?

 I first worked with Rhino as a contractor joining the software development team at the end of 2020. I was finishing my PhD at the time. Following the successful launch of numerous projects, we began talks for me to join full-time following the close of my studies. I started as Technical Director at the start of December 2021. That’s the when.

As for the why – I suppose I’ve always loved programming and the satisfaction you can get from it. I found while contracting, the Rhino culture, values and shared vision was one I could get on board with. I now face the challenge of creating a technical division alongside the marketing and events arms of the business.

 

What motivates you, personally and professionally?

I am motivated by anything difficult or challenging. In my personal life - climbing and trail running. In my professional life - finding neat efficient solutions to technical problems.

I also enjoy meeting and getting to know new people in both contexts.

 

If someone was to describe you using only one word, what do you hope it would be?

‘Adventurous’ maybe…

‘Integrity’ – that being if I could bend the rules to mean a word associated with me rather than a descriptive word. Integral and honourable don’t really carry the same meaning.

 

Sum up your biggest achievement?

I just finished writing my PhD thesis in particle physics – 50,000 words summarising four years of research. Writing it was hell on earth at times!

 

10 years: Where do you see yourself?

Somewhere in the greater ranges trying for a big unclimbed summit in Alpine style.

 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

Travelling at 18, I worked on a banana farm in northern Queensland in Australia for a few months. I spent my days with not much more than a machete and a pair of shorts - getting bitten by all sorts of spiders and avoiding snakes and crocs. Fun!

 

What 3 items would you bring on a desert island?

I’m a simple man: a machete, a file to sharpen it and ‘Becoming a Supple Leopard’ – a pretty practical book about mobilisation and the prevention and treatment of injury which has become my bible.

 

For Events, head over to : https://www.rhinoevents.com

For Group, head over to : https://rhinogroup.co.uk