Welcome to HSSCU’s Staff Focus!

We are delighted to introduce you to one of our Member Services Officers in our Limerick branch – Niamh!  Niamh takes care of our members both in branch and as a member of our Phones Team. No matter how you interact with HSSCU you will likely have met Niamh 🙂

Hi Niamh, firstly tell us a little bit about yourself!

Hi my name is Niamh Tuohy and I am from Ennis in Co. Clare. I would say I am a very active and outgoing person. I am married to Michael Hogan for 2 years and we have a fur baby called Crixus.

What led you to working in the Credit Union Movement?

I had worked in the leisure industry for the last 15 years and I felt a change was as good as a break. I felt this was going to be a new challenge for me.

You work in our Limerick office, which is the newest addition to HSSCU! How has this transition been for you?

I have to say, from the day I walked in the door to Mary and Geraldine I have always felt like part of family. We are a small office and we all get on great. There is not one thing the ladies won’t do for you or our members. Geraldine has now retired and Ciara has come on board as part of our team. 

What is an example of your general day in HSSCU?

I work from home two days and two and half days in the office. I can honestly say no days are ever the same. At home I usually login for 9am working on the phones team under Michael Murphy and I have to say I found the phones very different to the office, but I am really enjoying it now. All the staff on the phones team have been excellent to me, as I am not with HSSCU that long and definitely need help (and still do). In the office, I have to say I feel more comfortable, I work on the counter where I help members with their daily transactions, enquires and have the daily gossip and chats.

How have things changed since COVID-19?

Working from home. I have to say I am enjoying it, but it can be a little isolating at times. In the office, I feel our office is steadily getting back to normal.

How do you keep sane at this time?

So most people might think I am insane, but I get up at 5.30am and I mediate, read and exercise all before 6.30am. I think this is definitely helping me stay sane. Exercise is something I have always done so I do walk or run most evenings and since COVID myself and my husband do live workouts.

What are your guilty pleasures to help you through the pandemic?

Baking is my guilty pleasure. It must run in the family as my mother is a chef. I am one of the very few who loves to bake, but can honestly say I have never eaten a cake or bun.

What is your favourite thing about working in HSSCU?

I find that it is a family environment and every person is so helpful. No question is a stupid one and even if they have never met you they will try and help.

The Cork office seem to love donuts and in High St. we love our cream buns – do the Limerick office have any favourite treats?

I can honestly say the limerick office has no bad habits 😊

Do you have any shows or movies you’d recommend we watch to brighten up our days?

‘Virgin River’ and ‘Sweet Magnolias’.

Lastly: What, in your opinion, makes credit unions different to other places you’ve worked?

There is no swimming pool 😊 I didn’t come from a financial back ground so there is no way I could compare this to my last job. In my last job, I taught a lot of swimming lessons and fitness classes so I was always dealing with members, but in a very different way.

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Team HSSCU