In this series, we introduce you to some of the people who make Redfaire what it is.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Based in Limerick, Deirdre Dineen is an Assistant Accountant. When she is not working on P&L,  GL, AP & AR, Deirdre can be found walking, hiking and mountain climbing.

Why did you want to work at Redfaire? 
What attracted me to Redfaire were the product/services offered along with the growth and success of the company.  I had read about the expansion thanks to winning the contract with Circle K and thought this sounds interesting. The more I read about this home-grown, Limerick company and its customers the more I wanted to work here.  I applied for the position of Assistant Accountant and within two days of applying I had the job!   
 
What is your role?
My role is to support the Financial Controller on a range of responsibilities including payroll, reconciliations/analysis and month end.  Tasks vary and include, key balance sheet reconciliations, monitoring reviewing and enhancing internal controls and everything else in between!  I like my role because I have the opportunity to learn new things and problem solve.
 
What does your typical day look like?
A “typical” day is determined by the week of the month or the time of the year.  In one way, this is good because it allows you to plan ahead, yet as we all know things do not always go quite according to plan.  A simple reconciliation which you think may take 10 minutes might evolve into a two-hour deep dive to solve, but that’s the fun of it as you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

 
What are your favourite things about the job?
I get to work with some smart, talented, funny and dedicated teammates. At Redfaire, there is a real understanding of the importance of a good work-life balance. My team knows that my passion for what can be a demanding outside activity has a positive impact on my job. Mountain-climbing teaches you a lot about setting and reaching goals, about time management and helps you to develop resilience and a positive can-do attitude. 

The location is also a real advantage for someone who loves the outdoors. I can leave my desk and in less than an hour be cycling along a country road or heading off on a mountain trail.

Tell us More?
My latest adventure was climbing Gran Paradiso which is the highest mountain entirely within Italy (4,061mts.).  It wasn’t easy and included a 4:30 am start and an eight-hour climb (up and down) with crampons and roped up. The view from the top,however,  looking down on the surrounding mountains and glaciers made all the hard work worthwhile.

I am already planning my next adventure  – I’m off to Nepal next April to do the Annapurna Circuit.  The total length of the route is between 160-230km.  The trail passes along paddy fields and into subtropical forests, several waterfalls and gigantic cliffs, and various villages. Annapurna Circuit has often been voted as the best long-distance trek in the world, reaching a climb of 5,416m at the Thorong La pass.