When you think of business, Ireland might not be the first place that comes to mind. After all, New York City is home to Wall Street, San Francisco has its famed Silicon Valley, Dubai is a global business hub, and Hong Kong is a top international financial centre. Ireland, unsurprisingly, is more associated with its pulsating arts scene, lively pub culture, brimming cultural heritage, and dramatic landscapes you won’t find anywhere else.
But with this kind of atmosphere and its inherently progressive nature, why wouldn’t it attract internationally renowned companies as a prime base? The country made early strides in social reform, environmental initiatives, economic innovation, and, as Bonusfinder Ireland illustrates, online gambling as well. Many companies have and continue to capitalize on what Ireland has to offer. Here are just a few of the biggest brands in the world with offices around the Emerald Isle.
Apple
If you’re an Irish native or a frequent traveller to the country, you might have noticed that there are no official Apple stores in Ireland. Rumours claim it’s because of the EU tax dispute and perhaps because the company doesn’t believe it would garner enough customers in stores to warrant that move. That being said, one of Apple’s oldest campuses and manufacturing facilities has been located in the charming city of Cork for over 40 years. Since then, it has naturally expanded, featuring teams dedicated to logistics, AppleCare, and other sectors within the company. This branch famously stands as Apple’s European headquarters, and its employees represent 90+ nationalities.
Google’s offices are known to mirror the cheerful stereotypes of modern-day workplaces, with open and flexible spaces, playful design, and an emphasis on a non-traditional environment. Their Ireland campus is located in none other than the capital city of Dublin, within the historic Docklands district. Composed of four buildings and 47,000 square metres, Google has clearly solidified its growing presence in the area, housing marketing, engineering, sales, and finance teams and a vastly diverse workforce. Walk into the office, and you’ll find five restaurants, a pool, multiple wellness areas, more than 400 meeting rooms, a fitness centre, and 42 micro-kitchens. Each floor of the new main campus building, the Google Docks, represents a different theme that reflects the company’s values.
Microsoft
With offices in Dublin and Belfast, Microsoft boasts state-of-the-art spaces anyone would want to work in. The tech giant got its start in Ireland long ago, opening its doors in 1985. It all began with their flagship headquarters, One Microsoft Place—a 30,658-square-metre campus that employs what’s called a human-centric approach to design. Employees can interact within a carefully crafted space featuring a yoga pod, a music room, restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, a walking trail, two feature atriums with digital waterfalls and lakes, and more. Microsoft’s Belfast office also mimics that experimentative and innovative approach through a “Work Feels like Home” design with green landscapes, familiar living-room furnishings, and encouraging warmth. With so many people preferring to work from home today, these offices are certainly made to compete with the comforts of home.
Amazon
The massive operations of multinational tech company Amazon need headquarters to match, and the Vertium in Dublin certainly lives up to expectations. This “groundscaper” is a sustainable structure with six floors comprising 15,953 square metres of office space. Both the interior and exterior are striking, surrounded by 38 protected trees, 1,800 square metres of landscaping, and 2.8-metre floor-to-ceiling glass heights for incredible natural light during the workday. Every aspect of the structure, down to the bathrooms, was intentionally designed by architect Henry J Lyons. The office was originally built for its 1,400-strong workforce but continues to evolve and adapt to accommodate the creation of thousands more jobs.
Meta
Meta has effectively taken over the world since its inception. With offices in Latin America, North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and South Africa, its presence has practically reached every continent. Its first Irish office opened over 14 years ago, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the company decided to officially mark Ireland as a home to global operations with its new campus. Although Meta has sites in Cork and Meath for specific functions, this bright and busy office stands as its main hub, housing over 110 nationalities and over 2,000 employees. The layout functions like a fun, modern library, with colourful walls and staircases and a welcoming atmosphere.
Ryanair
Being a native Irish company, it’s no question that Ryanair has its headquarters in Ireland. Founded 40 years ago, Ryanair started just like any other startup—with a purposeful idea and founders who wanted to fill a gap in the market. Today, it is a widely successful ultra-low-cost airline with a humorous presence on social media. Reflecting their boisterous and fun social media presence is their headquarters in Dublin, with a giant ‘Welcome to the Madhouse!’ wall decal complemented by an illustration of The Joker. Along with an emergency exit slide connecting the lobby to the first floor, there are office spaces with highlighter-coloured accents, an air hockey table, and plenty of aeroplane-related imagery everywhere.
Accenture
Accenture is a Fortune Global 500 Irish-American consulting company with headquarters just a five-minute walk from Google’s offices overlooking Grand Canal Harbour. The Accenture offices are located at 1 Grand Canal Square, a mixed-use commercial space with various stunning glass facades. These glass panes toy with the changing lighting conditions and transform the appearance of the exterior, making it a delight to look at. Rather than go for the playful spaces that many companies try to emulate, Accenture sticks to a contemporary and simple aesthetic with plenty of wooden elements that instil calm.