Delivering excellence in transport and logistics 

06/08/2025

The Full of the Pipe Truckshow returned to Mondello Park on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13, and once again Kennedy International was there to showcase some of their magnificent fleet. 

The industry-leading specialists in national and international haulage are regulars at all the big shows, including the Waterford Truck Show, Tipperary Truck Show and Athy Retro Truck Show. Last year, they debuted two brand new Iveco 530 S-Ways at Full of the Pipe and will be bringing along the cream of the crop once again. 

“We have some new Volvos coming from Irish Commercials and if they’re here before then, they might make an appearance in Mondello,” says Operations Manager Jodie Prendergast. 

“It’s all-go in the transport industry, so it’s nice to be able to enjoy some downtime every now and again, and the truck shows are the perfect place to do that. We always look forward to Full of the Pipe and all the other shows here at Kennedy International.” 

Based not far from Mondello Park in Clane, Co. Kildare and fronted by the Kennedy family, Kennedy International is a wholly Irish-owned transport and haulage company that has been providing customers with transport and warehousing solutions for over 30 years. Its services range from the transportation of a small package to a pallet, multiple pallets to full loads. This service is provided with a modern fleet of over 70 trucks and 100 trailers. The trucks are a mix of Scania, Volvo, Iveco and Renault, while the trailers are made up of curtain-siders, low-ride tankers, flats, low loaders, refrigerated units and skelly’s. All vehicles – with the exception of those that are under warranty – are maintained and serviced inhouse to ensure there is no such thing as downtime. 

The company prides itself on its 100-strong workforce who are highly-skilled and have thorough knowledge of transport procedures. Its management team is available 24/7 to discuss any issues in relation to the smooth operation and transportation of goods. Kennedy International’s reputation in the industry is unparalleled for customer satisfaction with the objective at all times to satisfy its customer’s requirements. 

Kennedy International’s main services are container handling, tank services and international haulage. Located in Kildare, it is one of the largest container hauliers in Ireland, having the equipment, knowledge and expertise to ensure your cargo is delivered on time, every time. The transport specialist can offer a full logistics service for your goods, i.e. container unloading, loading storage and distribution throughout Ireland from its state-of-the-art warehouse. 

Kennedy International and its subsidiary TankTrans Ltd have vast experience in the carriage of both hazardous and non-hazardous liquids and powders. This combined haulage on ro/ro and lo/lo basis amounts to 60 years and is expedited by a large fleet of vehicles and drivers that possess a wealth of experience. 

Furthermore, Kennedy International offers a next-day delivery service throughout the UK, delivering everything from a pallet to full loads. All drivers are ADR-trained which allows for the transportation of hazardous goods throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. Kennedy International provides scheduled transport services collecting and delivering all types of goods throughout Europe. 

Jodie Prendergast is blazing a trail for women in the transport industry and was a popular winner of the Women in Transport award at the 2023 Irish Haulier of the Year Awards. Her success was all the more noteworthy considering she had only been involved in the sector for a little over two years at the time. Hailing from a farming background in Coon, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, the 28-year-old caught the transport bug while working in the Thistle Farm racing and stud farm in nearby Danesfort. 

“I worked in the racing yard from the age of 16. The work involved a lot of travelling to and from the UK with horses,” she recalls. 

“It gave me an insight into the whole transport business which I was very interested in. That led to me working in customer sales for Europcar in Kilkenny before joining Kennedy International in August 2021. I love it here. It’s a successful family business run by the Kennedy family who are always eager to nurture and develop talent. There are great opportunities to progress within the company. In particular, I’m indebted to Jack Kennedy for all the support he has given me. 

“In my role as Operations Manager, I deal with customers, drivers and workshop personnel on a daily basis. A big part of it involves building relationships with clients in Ireland, the UK and Holland. Every day is different and there is never a dull moment.” 

In addition to changing careers, Jodie completed a four-year part-time LL.B Law Degree in SETU Carlow. An old head on young shoulders, she also holds rigid and artic licences which come in handy from time to time. 

Jodie is hoping her award will empower more women to join the transport, logistics and supply chain industry. 

“We’re very female-led at home,” she explains. 

“I still live on the family farm with my mother Siobhan and four younger sisters Sammy, Lauren, Jackie and Ruby. We’re all very close and I hope I’ve made them proud. Transport is a male-dominated industry, but I just wanted to show that women can do just as good a job. It’s great to see more women in driving and transport management. 

“People don’t bat an eyelid at you anymore when they see you behind the wheel of a truck. It’s become normal and accepted, and that’s a great thing to be able to say. 

“At Kennedy International, we employ many females, including drivers, and are always on the lookout for more. But you have to have a passion for it. It’s a tough job – you work long and unsociable hours. It’s far from a 9-5 job. If you don’t have a passion for it, it’s not for you. 

“Another thing that could put women off driving is the lack of service areas and facilities along the road. There’s also the safety aspect at these stops which isn’t what it should be.” 

As Kennedy International continues to go from strength to strength, the Co. Kildare-based operation would like to take this opportunity to thank its customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as its top-class team for their hard work, dedication and expertise. 

See you all at Full of the Pipe! 

Kennedy International 

Storage Facility 

Blackhall, 

Clane, 

Co. Kildare, 

W91 XW13. 

Telephone: +353 1 836 5277 

Email: [email protected] 

Web: www.kennedyinternational.ie 

First published in Irish Trucker magazine July/August 2025, Vol 28-4