Eric Waterman (BEng, CEng) – Managing Director

Educated in UCC, Eric Waterman began his engineering career in the early 90’s. Upon returning from Libya, he founded a small Engineering Practice in 1996.
Since then the company has grown organically to provide consultancy in engineering disciplines such as structural, forensic, environmental and project management.

Throughout the years Watermans have maintained an interest in, and critically embraced, new technology in the built environment.
Watermans strongly subscribe to Continuous Professional Development and encourage and reward staff who further their education – from accounting to structural analysis.

In this spirit we hope to provide our customers with an enthusiastic, resourceful, and efficient service.

Jim Kelly (BE MSc CEng MIEI MICE Dip EM) – Director

Jim Kelly is a Chartered member of both Engineers Ireland and The Institution of Civil Engineers UK with over 40 years’ experience in the profession.

Jim has worked on numerous projects as a Civil and Structural Engineer and Project Manager in Ireland, the UK and Abu Dhabi, before joining Dermot Nestor in Cork in 1996.

He formed James Kelly & Associates in 2010 and was appointed director of Waterman Kelly in 2022.

Mark Hegarty (BEng, CEng) – Director

Since graduating from UCC with an honour’s degree in Civil, Environmental and Structural Engineering, Mark has built up to 17 years of experience as a consulting engineer. He has significant experience in the areas of structural design, civils & drainage design, energy efficiency design, planning permission applications, fire safety design, building regulation compliance and health & safety.

Mark has worked on projects in both domestic and commercial sectors, and has successfully overseen projects from conceptual design through to construction completion.

Dominic Keating – Health & Safety Manager/Surveyor

Dominic has 15 years of experience in consulting engineering. He is an IOSH qualified Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) and provides this service within Watermans.

He also has a Diploma in Geology and has a depth of experience across geologic issues, insurance, survey and mapping of large-scale solar panels, marine mapping, multi-unit development and legal mapping, Dominic’s experience is across both commercial and domestic fields and he has worked as part of large design teams and solo projects from drafting to completion.

He has worked with clients ranging from residential owners to companies and bodies such as Amarenco and The Department of Education

Catherine Clarke (BEng) – Project Manager

Since graduating from UCC with an honour’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Catherine has acquired vast amounts of project management experience in the delivery of small to large-scale infrastructure projects in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand over the past 15 years.

She has been site and office-based working on contract structures including alliances, public-private partnerships and design & build contracts. She has worked across all project phases from project inception to project completion, particularly across the roads and public transport sector.

Rory Bevan (BSc) – Project Director

Rory has extensive experience working in industry where he has worked on and led multidisciplinary projects involving Process, Civil and M&E engineering. These projects required an understanding of the working environment as well as the regulatory requirements involved in working on live manufacturing sites.

Rory has worked on projects with Heineken, Irish Distillers, Micro-Bio, Nutrition Supplies, Carbery Group and the National Maritime College of Ireland.

Tricia O’Sullivan (BA, MPlan, MIPI) Planner

Tricia has extensive project experience across a broad range of sectors including commercial, residential, retail, and industrial developments, working closely with clients to draw up site appraisals, the preparation of planning applications. Design Statements, Retail Impact Assessments, First-party and Third-party appeals to An Bord Pleanála including acting as an expert witness at oral hearings, writing submissions to Development Plans, Local Area Plans and Part 8 proposals.

Tricia is a Corporate Member of the Irish Planning Institute and has contributed to IPI committees, including the assessment of planning courses. She is a former Chair of the Cork Branch of the IPI.

Apart from a master’s degree in Planning and Sustainable Development from University College Cork, Tricia also holds undergraduate qualifications in the History of Architecture, Design and Modern Art and an IMI Professional Diploma in Management.

Since joining Waterman Kelly, Tricia works closely with team members and clients to develop project proposals, engage with Local Authorities to negotiate the planning consent process, and assist clients in meeting compliance requirements.

“I believe it is possible to achieve deliverable development proposals that integrate good design, flexibility and market opportunities in accordance with sustainable planning principles.”

John O’Brien – Senior Executive Technician

John has experience in many areas of Civil Engineering stretching over three decades. He has worked on numerous projects which required precision, dedication and diligence.

He has been responsible for not alone putting a project to paper but seeing the projects to their completion from site surveying, draughting, structural design, supervision, and final project completion.

John has worked on different projects with large scale companies across the commercial and industrial sectors including agriculture, protected structures, numerous primary and secondary schools, nursing homes and hotels.

Jack Cunningham (BEng) – Design Engineer

Jack is a recent honour’s graduate in Structural Engineering from Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). In addition to this, he also graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2018 from CIT.

Since graduation, he has been working with Watermans gaining experience in structural steel, concrete and drainage design for a range of developments across Cork City and County.

Anthony Coffey (BEng) – Design Engineer

Anthony graduated in 2015 from CIT with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and an Honours degree in Sustainable Energy.

Since graduating, he has built up experience in planning and building regulations compliance, pre purchase condition surveys in both domestic and commercial properties. Since joining Watermans in July, Anthony has gained experience in fire safety, civil and structural design.

Pádraig Hore BE(Hons) MIEI – Design Engineer

Pádraig graduated in an honours degree in Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering from UCC.

Since joining our team, Pádraig has accumulated experience in pre-purchase condition surveys for domestic properties and structural design.
Pádraig is hugely involved in athletics, outside of work, and he has competed at International level.