Inside a Two-Day Corporate Retreat: The Kepak Group at Nucella Lodge

When the Kepak Group set out to bring colleagues together from across the globe, they chose to do it differently — not in a city-centre hotel, but at Nucella Lodge, one of our luxury homes overlooking Carlingford Lough. Here is how their two-day corporate retreat came together, and why a change of setting made all the difference.

The brief: bringing global teams together

Kepak's objective was clear — bring teams working all across the globe together to share insights, strengthen personal networks, and identify opportunities for future collaboration. That kind of connection rarely happens over video calls or in a conference room. It needs time, space, and a setting that encourages people to relax and genuinely talk. Nucella Lodge, with its exclusive-use privacy and sweeping views of Carlingford Lough and the Mourne Mountains, was made for exactly that.

Day one: a taste of the Cooley Peninsula

The group eased into the retreat with a visit to a local oyster company, getting a real taste of the area before heading into PJ O'Hare's — a much-loved Carlingford institution — for a meal together. Shared experiences like these, away from the formality of work, are often where the best connections start to form.

Day two: focus, leadership and team building

With everyone settled, day two turned to business. The team worked through their meetings in the calm of the lodge, followed by a leadership talk from Ray Goggins that set the tone for what came next — a series of outdoor team-building exercises that put the morning's thinking into practice. The day, and the retreat, wrapped up the way the best gatherings should: around a BBQ, with the lough and mountains as the backdrop.

Why exclusive use makes the difference

Throughout the two days, the team had Nucella Lodge entirely to themselves. No shared hotel lobby, no commute between sessions, no drifting off to separate plans. That continuity — meeting, eating, relaxing and celebrating all under one roof — is what turns a series of sessions into a genuine team experience.

In their words

“The event was well-organised and every small attention to detail covered. The event was held over a two-day period and absolutely everything was flawless. We would highly recommend this to other companies to consider this type of event versus the older stay-in-hotel type event.”

— Andrew Agnew, Kepak Group

Planning your own corporate retreat

A change of setting has a way of refreshing perspective and sparking the kind of conversations that rarely happen in a meeting room. If you are considering a corporate retreat or team offsite, our five homes near Carlingford and Omeath sleep from 20 to 32 — exclusive use of the house, about an hour from Dublin and Belfast, with catering, transport and activities handled by our team. We would love to help you plan something just as memorable. Email info@tranquilityireland.com to talk through dates for your team.