By Business & Finance 
Walter Walsh is the CEO and co-founder of SocialTies and a former inter-county Kilkenny hurler. Walsh spent 12 years playing for Kilkenny, during which he won three All-Ireland championships for his county. Following on from his hurling career, Walsh transitioned into business, co-founding SocialTies, a digital platform designed to connect community groups such as schools and grassroots organisations.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What was your first job?
I was teaching for the past 10 years up until the end of May this year. I spent the last 7 years teaching in Good Counsel College in New Ross, where I attended as a student.
What pushed you to pursue a career in this field?
It felt like quite a natural next step for me, given my background in hurling and having grown up helping to run the family farm, I’ve always had an interest in business. So when I was approached to get involved with SocialTies, it made a lot of sense. It was a chance to bring both sides of my interests together and work on something that actually benefits communities.
What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
I would have to say winning the All-Ireland in 2012 stands out as a very special achievement for me. Partially because we won it on my debut, but it also felt incredibly special knowing how much work that went into it, and sharing it with my teammates, my family and everyone who supported us along the way.
Career-wise, would you do anything differently?
No, I don’t think so. I believe that each piece of experience has taught me something useful, and I carry those lessons into the business today. My time teaching shows up in how I approach work now, from how I communicate with and support my colleagues and keep things moving in a positive direction.
In one sentence, how would you define success?
For me, success is about maintaining a fulfilling personal life while continuing to give back to the sport and communities that shaped my career.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Control the controllables – that’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever been given.
Whether it was preparing for a big match, managing the early mornings on the farm, teaching in the classroom, or now leading a growing tech company, I’ve learned that focusing on the things within my control is what consistently drives progress.
How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
Seeing the positive impact that SocialTies has already had within Kilkenny GAA has been a huge motivation for us since we launched. But I would have to say the biggest motivator for us has been putting money back into the communities through our community shared advertising model.
How do you handle adversity?
I think you learn a lot about handling adversity in sports. Losing a match or hitting a setback is never easy, but I do my best not to dwell on them. I just try to stay calm, focus on what I can control in the moment and take each step as it comes.
How do you relax?
I enjoy reading, having met former Tyrone footballer Mickey Coleman recently, and I am really looking forward to reading his book over the Christmas holidays. Staying active as well, I find being involved in sports helps me keep a clear head. I’m playing rugby with New Ross Rugby Club at the moment, which is really enjoyable and stress-free. I enjoy the rugby culture.
What are your aspirations for the future?
Eventually, we are hoping to have SocialTies rolled out all across the country, but our focus for the immediate future is launching the app in the surrounding counties of Kilkenny. From there, we want to build a steady momentum, strengthen our local partnerships, and ultimately make sure the platform is genuinely useful to the communities using it.
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