How Irish Construction Companies Conquered Data Centres

In 2021, I found myself in a small Swedish city called Gävle on a very cold October day. Gävle (pronounced Yev-leh), is about two hours north of Stockholm and has a population of just over 100,000 people.

Believe it or not I was there to play Gaelic Football that day. I was playing for the mighty Stockholm Gaels as went on to win the Nordic Championship against the home team, Gävle GAA. (Shameless brag).

RTE legend Des Cahill was there. Galway manager Padraic Joyce was also in attendance as well as many Swedish locals who came to watch the great game be played. It was a festival of football with GAA teams travelling from Odense, Lulea, and other places you’ve never heard.

What the hell is driving the GAA boom in Scandinavia? The same thing that powers the answer to your ChatGPT prompt - data centres.

Irish companies are building data centres all over Europe for the biggest tech companies in the world. Wherever they go they take their Irish staff with them.

Let’s take a look at the Irish influence in high-tech construction.

We need to set the scene a bit here. In the 1990s and 2000s, Ireland began attracting more and more foreign direct investment (FDI). Was it the access to the EU, an English-speaking workforce, or perhaps the double-Irish tax loophole? (We’ll never know).

But what is certain is that this inadvertently gave Ireland significant advantages in the growing data centre space.

As cloud computing boomed, the need for vast data storage and processing facilities became integral to the business models of major tech companies. Ireland, with its favourable business environment and strategic location, became the preferred hub for tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, who established their data centre operations there.

The 2008 financial crash was a turning point. With the domestic construction market collapsing and the housing sector in decline, Irish construction firms faced an existential crisis.

However, they quickly recognised the need to adapt. Many companies pivoted towards high-tech infrastructure, particularly data centres, tapping into a rapidly growing global demand. This diversification proved to be a lifeline, not only allowing these companies to survive but also positioning them as leaders in the international market.

In the early 2010s, firms like Mercury Engineering, Collen Construction, Sisk, and Kirby Group Engineering had become key players in the data centre sector, securing contracts with major tech giants. These companies were involved in large-scale projects across Europe, including the construction of hyperscale data centres for clients like Amazon Web Services and Google. The demand for these facilities grew exponentially, particularly as AI, cloud computing, and 5G connectivity started to reshape the digital landscape.

Take a look at this video to see how they actually go about building these things:

Aside from the fact that video is just objectively cool, you can see these guys know what they’re doing. The proof is in the numbers.

By 2024, Enterprise Ireland estimated that the cluster of Irish construction companies working on data centres generated over €2 billion in exports, further cementing the country’s reputation as a critical player in global tech infrastructure.

All of this means that Irish companies are winning big contracts abroad and bringing Irish people on this data centre journey with them. Wherever they get a project, Irish construction workers will have the chance to go with them.

Back to my experience in Sweden, it has not just become a potential destination for the next GAA Congress but also a major market for Irish construction companies in this space.

Irish construction firms have played a key role in shaping Sweden’s data centre industry, capitalising on the country’s cold climate, renewable energy, and sustainability focus.

Companies like Kirby Group Engineering, Suir Engineering, Sisk, Collen, Silverback, and Fexillon have contributed significantly to the growth of the sector, delivering advanced infrastructure for tech giants.

Sweden's data centre market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by AI, cloud adoption, and 5G, with an expected annual growth rate of 15%. Irish companies have been instrumental in overcoming challenges such as power availability and skilled labour shortages, leveraging their expertise to support this booming industry.

Kirby Group Engineering, which opened an office in Gävle in 2021, employs over 700 people in Sweden, while Suir Engineering’s Stockholm office has become a regional hub.

Data centres provide the computational power needed to process complex AI models and datasets. As AI grows, data centres are essential for supporting training, real-time analysis, and scaling AI applications across industries.

As the global data centre market continues to grow, with AI alone expected to drive $3 trillion in investment by 2029, Irish firms are well-placed to lead the charge in building this infrastructure.

Irish firms like the aforemention Mercury Engineering, Sisk, and Kirby Group Engineering are already providing cutting-edge solutions for these next-generation data centres, ensuring that they meet the stringent demands of AI processing while focusing on sustainability and energy efficiency. With the rapid growth of AI, these companies are set to play an even greater role in shaping the future of digital infrastructure.

In conclusion, the story of Ireland's success in the data centre industry is one of resilience and innovation. From the aftermath of the 2008 crash to the current AI boom, Irish construction companies have not only adapted to the changing landscape but have become global leaders in the building and management of high-tech infrastructure. As the demand for data centres continues to rise, particularly driven by AI, Irish companies are well-positioned to remain at the forefront of this critical sector, with a future full of opportunities on the horizon.