Dublin-based general contractor, John Paul Construction, has won the 2026 AWS Horizon Award in recognition of the company’s outstanding contribution to employment, international service expansion, and role in strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a world-leader in cloud infrastructure.
Founded in 1949, John Paul Construction is one of Ireland's most established and respected construction firms. The company delivers projects in the data centre, life sciences, residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors, and employs over 700 people across Ireland, the UK, and mainland Europe. This wholly Irish owned and managed business has enjoyed significant growth in recent years through investment in its own people and collaboration with its clients and supply chain partners.
Liam Kenny, Chief Executive Officer of John Paul Construction, said: “It is an honour to accept the 2026 AWS Horizon Award on behalf of everyone in John Paul Construction. This award will have particular resonance for the team members who have continued to work with AWS since our first project together over twelve years ago. The support of AWS has been instrumental in our evolution as an international technical contractor and today marks a notable milestone on that journey.”
Now in its fourth year, the AWS Horizon Award was presented to John Paul Construction by Niamh Gallagher, Country Lead for AWS in Ireland, at an AWS Business Breakfast in Dublin. The event brought together a range of companies, service providers, and stakeholders to discuss Ireland’s cloud infrastructure industry.
The event featured insights from Darragh O’Brien T.D., Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment & Energy, Chris Brown, Partner at KPMG, and a panel discussion about the future of digital infrastructure in Ireland with senior leaders from BnM, H&MV Engineering, and RWE.
Niamh Gallagher, Country Lead for AWS in Ireland, added: “The expansion of the data centre industry in Ireland has given Irish businesses the opportunity to develop world-leading products and solutions in the engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and construction sectors, expand their businesses internationally, and shine on a global stage. We should celebrate the success of companies like John Paul Construction, and honour the contributions they have made to enterprise and employment not just in Ireland, but around the world.”
In Ireland, AWS employs over 4,200 employees directly, and around 6,500 people in total across Amazon and AWS. According to a report by Indecon International Economic Consultants, there are also more than 3,000 working for AWS suppliers and sub-contractors. These numbers reflect real opportunities for professionals in Ireland's growing tech sector.
The report also found that AWS investment has enabled over 500 homegrown suppliers to expand and grow in Ireland and abroad. This includes major construction contractors, mechanical and electrical suppliers, professional services and a wide range of logistics services provided by local businesses. By working with AWS, many companies have been able to develop specialist, world-leading expertise, meaning those Irish firms are now market leaders in providing materials and services to data centres globally.
