My Life Story: ‘I hope people leave Cork with a warm and fuzzy feeling’

Katherine Fitzpatrick is the Director of Destination for The VQ (Victorian Quarter) in Cork city.

We had a fascinating conversation in which Katherine gave me an insight into her diverse and unique journey.

From languages and translation work in the early part of her career, she followed a path of building partnerships and networks, connecting people, and making things happen on a national and global platform.

One thing that is quite clear is that Katherine is an incredible ambassador for the city of Cork, and through all of her work, she is constantly promoting Cork as a place where wonderful things can happen.

Here, Katherine shares her story, in her own words.

Q: Tell us a little about where you grew up, and what you imagined your future might look like when you were young.

I grew up in the south of England, the eldest of five children in a family that was proudly Irish (my dad was from Belfast and my mum was born in Liverpool).

I remember telling my classmates that I was seven-eights Irish, as seven of my great-grandparents were born in Ireland!

We used to visit our cousins here in Cork all the time during school holidays, and eventually we moved to Cork when I was 16.

We didn’t have a TV when we were growing up - a conscious choice on behalf of my parents, who instilled in us a love of books and board games instead of screens.

For a long time, I wanted to be a journalist or a foreign correspondent, and people also used to tell me I’d make a good newsreader, as I have a clear speaking voice and always got the part of the ‘narrator’ in the school plays!

Q: How did your career progress from those early days?

My interest in communication changed over time from an interest in journalism, to a real passion for foreign languages. I did French, German and Italian for my Leaving Cert, and over the years I’ve made attempts to learn a bit of Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese!

When I went to college, I still didn’t really know what I wanted to ‘be’, but I knew that I wanted to travel and to meet people from different places, so I did my BA in European Studies with French and Italian.

After graduating, I went to Italy to teach English for a year, followed by working for a season in the old tourist office in Grand Parade, which gave me a chance to use my languages, and then I managed my mum’s stall in the English Market (Alternative Bread Company) for a year, before doing a Masters in Italian Translation in Galway.

But after working for six months as a translator after finishing my Masters, I realised that sitting at my desk at home alone translating texts was not for me - I needed to be doing something that gave me contact with people… in person!

As luck would have it, I got a call one day from a good friend of mine from school who was working on a European project in Cork Chamber of Commerce. She was looking for another person to join the team (to make it a team of two!), so she asked if I’d come for an interview.

I wasn’t convinced that I’d be qualified, as I had no kind of business qualification, but Conor Healy (the Chamber CEO) took a chance on me, and I ended up working in the Chamber for over 15 years, finally ending up in the role of Director of International Relations.

I loved my time in the Chamber - the work was very varied, I got to build up a great network and work with stakeholders at local, national and international level. I met so many interesting people, learnt a lot, and got great opportunities to visit new places on trade missions and European projects, as well as work with foreign delegations, embassies, and international organisations, which is something I always thrived on.

A lot of my role involved selling and promoting Cork, and I was so proud to tell international delegations about how great our city and county are!

However, after 15 years in the Chamber, I felt it was time for a change, and although I hadn’t really intended to set up on my own, I have ended up working for myself, which suits me well as it allows me variety and flexibility.

I currently manage the VQ (Victorian Quarter) business association, I support Visit Cork’s sustainability initiatives for the tourism sector and fill the rest of my time with other projects that are broadly all connected under the theme of Destination Development and Promotion.

My business name is People Make Places, chosen because I am passionate about working with people and places, and the connections between them that make a place thrive.

I have always been attracted to the diplomatic sector, and if I’d chosen a different path after graduating, then I think I would have enjoyed working as an Ambassador.

A few years ago, in 2023, I was appointed as Honorary Consul for the British Embassy in Dublin, a role that actually allows me to step into this kind of work, albeit in a voluntary capacity.

I support the Embassy to make connections and build their networks in South-West Ireland, helping them to identify opportunities for potential UK-Ireland collaborations and projects across business, education, civic, research, and cultural sectors.

Q: Every journey has obstacles. What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how did it shape the person you became?

I definitely had a few moments early in my career where I felt that I was being treated as ‘the insignificant junior person in the room’, not by my colleagues, but usually by people who had no idea of what I did each day and how capable I was.

It’s difficult to stand up for yourself in those situations, particularly as young people can be insecure about speaking up, and I certainly found myself in rooms of people a few times who had no interest in anything I had to say but just liked the sound of their own voice!

I think time just changes your response to these kinds of situations, and I am much better now at keeping things in perspective.

The longer you are working, the more experience and confidence you gain and the less you care about trying to impress people who can’t be impressed!

Also, if I go into a meeting now, I will always try and make sure that I introduce myself to everyone in the room, including the more junior team members, and try to give them positive feedback and encourage them to speak up.

Q: Looking back, was there a particular person, opportunity, or decision that changed the direction of your life?

My Erasmus year in Siena changed the course of my life without a doubt.

I got the opportunity to study there for a year as part of my college course and met my future husband that year (although I didn’t know that at the time of course)!

We started dating when I went back to Italy to teach English in Florence after graduating, and a few years later I convinced him to come to Cork to learn English. He has been living in Cork now for nearly 20 years!

It is thanks to that relationship that I can now speak fluent Italian, as I speak it every day at home, and has given me the privilege of living between two cultures, Irish and Italian, that I love.

Q: Of everything you’ve achieved so far, what are you most proud of, and what makes that achievement meaningful to you?

When I finished college, I wasn’t really sure what I was qualified to be, and I didn’t have a lot of confidence that I’d be able to have a ‘career’, or what that might look like.

I think I’m probably most proud of the fact that I’ve managed to gain enough experience over the last 20 years that I can sustain myself now as a self-employed person without having had to do jobs that I hate, but actually really enjoying my work. It’s something that I would never have believed I could do.

Q: Your journey has taken you to where you are today, but what values, lessons, or sense of home have stayed with you along the way, and what advice would you give someone starting their own journey?

I learnt a lot of my values from my mum, who led by example when it comes to working hard, treating people with respect and never being above doing certain jobs - you earn your right to advance in a workplace or in your career by doing what needs to be done (including the rubbish jobs sometimes!) and seeing challenges as learning experiences.

Every job that we do is ultimately about communication and how we communicate is so important. A smile or a joke can change a conversation and I think it’s really important to try and have a sense of humour in your work too. I also truly believe that a positive attitude can change your luck.

I have done a lot of work over the years on diaspora projects, in particular engagement with the Irish diaspora, and that idea of a ‘sense of home’ is so interesting.

Throughout my entire career, I have spent my time promoting Cork, my home place, and also welcoming people to Cork from different places.

I think making people feel at home and welcome in your city or country is so important, whether they are moving here for work, returning home, or just visiting for a few days.

I hope that people leave Cork and Ireland with a warm and fuzzy feeling, because we all love to feel welcome, and who knows whether those people might one day end up doing the same for you? What goes around, comes around.