'Thanks to Mary, I learned what true partnership means, and what real friendship is'

'Mary was always thinking ahead and, over time, our relationship grew far beyond business. In every phone call and meeting, she was as much a friend as a trusted professional — always listening, always problem-solving, always generous with ideas.

When I first sat down with Mary Hopkins 35 years ago, she wasn’t yet the prominent business figure she would become — though you could already sense the spark.

At a time when Cork’s business world had very few women in leadership, Mary was undaunted. She planted the seeds of Hopkins Communications in a male-dominated industry, and through her vision, determination, and heart, she grew it into one of the most respected agencies in Cork.