Resilience in Action: Garron Donnelly’s Path to Becoming a Linesman

Having joined IES Utility Solutions at 17, Garron Donnelly is now a qualified overhead linesman after just 10 months working through our Apprenticeship programme. Garron was the youngest in his cohort, but quickly earned the respect of his peers and mentors through his work ethic, attitude and determination.  

Garron’s journey to this point hasn’t been easy; after being diagnosed with leukaemia just before his seventh birthday, he spent over five years undergoing intensive treatment at the Children’s Hospital in Belfast. At one point, the effects of his illness left him unable to walk, but Garron pushed through, teaching himself to walk again. Following all his treatments and challenges that life through at him before even completing school, Garron went into the world of work looking for a hands-on role he could get stuck into.  

“After looking for a hands-on career with real progression, the IES apprenticeship stood out as a great opportunity for me to learn on the job whilst gaining recognised qualifications,” said Garron. 

Since joining IES Garron has worked on a wide range of live projects and has seen first-hand the impact this has on the public, particularly during restoration and fault response projects. When asked what his favourite type of project was to work on, he explained: “I really enjoy working on the overhead line projects, particularly if there is some complexity involved. I love the problem-solving element of them.”  

“It’s a great feeling to now be qualified. There’s a real sense of achievement after putting in the time and effort throughout the apprenticeship. It also brings more responsibility in my day-to-day role which has been really exciting for me.” 

“Garron is the kind of lad who just wants to be out there doing the work,” says Conor O’Neill, Director of Power at IES. “He doesn’t look for attention. He just gives 100% every day — and that attitude is rare, especially in someone so young.” 

When we asked what advice, he would give to anyone considering becoming a linesman Garron said: “Be prepared to work hard, stay focused on safety at all times, and take every opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues around you.”  

He may not ask for recognition, but Garron’s story deserves it. In a world full of noise, he’s a reminder that real strength often comes from those who simply keep going — not for praise, but because they believe in the value of resilience, humility and heart. Having Garron as part of the IES team is a real privilege, and we look forward to seeing him continue to grow.