Deerpark Haulage closes in on 20 years in business
08/09/2025
Approaching 20 years in business, Deerpark Haulage Ltd in Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal is a leading bulk liquid transport specialist which services GO filling stations nationwide.
Established in 2006 by Joe and Priscilla Dolan, Deerpark Haulage has grown to run a fleet of 15 trucks and employs the same number of drivers. Twelve of the trucks are Renault, with one DAF, one MAN and one Mercedes making up the rest. As part of an ongoing replenishment programme, the company recently took delivery of a brand new Renault T-High powered by a 13-litre 520hp engine from McMenamin Commercials. It features a front air suspension, digital dash, comfort cab, Alcoa alloy wheels and much more.
“We bought our first new Renault in 2018 and are now at a stage where the fleet is almost completely Renault,” Transport Manager Davy Lyle says.
“The following year, we purchased a 17-reg Renault second-hand and we have stayed with the French brand ever since. Our local Renault dealer, McMenamin Commercials, are only up the road from us in Letterkenny and they give a great service. We’re very happy with the comfort, fuel efficiency and back-up service Renault offers. We have a modern fleet which always delivers the goods.”
Davy adds: “In addition, we operate a range of GRW bulk tankers which have 42,000-litre capacities and are supplied by Compton Tankers in the UK. We also have one TASCA tanker and four single compartment biofuel tankers. All vehicles are regularly checked and maintained to ensure there is no such thing as downtime for our customers. Every truck is on the road at least six days a week. Our drivers work five days one week and six the next.
“While most of the maintenance and repairs is carried out in-house or by the main dealer, we also avail of the services of local mechanic James O’Kane and Derek O’Connor in New Ross, where we collect biofuel from and haul it back to Derry about 15-times weekly.
“It goes without saying that all of our drivers are ADR qualified for the carriage of dangerous goods by roads. This ensures all your hazardous ADR cargo is handled safely and legally. Our drivers, who include Joe and Priscilla’s sons Joe Jnr and Kevin, are among the best in the business. They never let us down.”
Deerpark Haulage works exclusively for LCC (Lissan Coal Company) who they have grown in tandem with. Around the same time as the former was founded, LCC Group launched a joint-venture with Statoil to build the first oil terminal at Derry Port with the idea of importing oil directly to the north-west. The rest, as they say, is history.
“We’ve expanded with them,” Davy proudly states.
“We were fortunate to attract some work from them at the start and our relationship has blossomed since then. Initially set up to provide domestic coal to homes, LCC now supplies coal, oil, gas and related products to customers at home and abroad.
“We’re 20 minutes away from their oil terminal, so if loads come on at short notice, we’re available to do it. We’ve never had any problems; we’ve never had any insurance claims or any issues and we have managed to maintain a good relationship with their customers.
“We’re dealing with their customers in the Republic all the time and, partly for that reason, they have kept us in work and they haven’t really gone out looking for someone else to do it cheaper. I’m sure at some point they’ve had other hauliers coming in looking to price work but, fortunately, they’ve kept us going and hopefully it stays that way for the foreseeable future.”
Deerpark Haulage delivers fuel to the LCC Group’s ‘GO’ brand petrol stations in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. They are known for their modern, contemporary design and a focus on local operations. Indeed, most of the trucks and tankers are now kitted out in the brand’s distinctive red and white livery.
“There are about 15 ‘GO’ petrol stations nationwide and we service them all,” the affable Transport Manager explains.
“The furthest one south is in Ashford, Co. Wicklow. We also service a private petrol station in Wellingtonbridge, Co. Wexford and go on to New Ross from there for a biofuel collection from Green Biofuels Ireland.
“LCC branched into biofuel over a decade ago and we were contracted to haul it from New Ross back to Derry, which is a 900km round trip. These days, we are transporting 300 tonnes of biofuel per week.”
LCC Group has become a valued customer of Green Biofuels which is the leading producer of waste-based biofuel in Ireland. The company was founded by a group of visionary business people who shared deep concerns for the environment and were determined to make a difference.
Green Biofuels take non-food grade category one tallow from Irish meat producers as well as used cooking oil, that would otherwise be dumped, from restaurants, cafés, hotels and recycling centres all over Ireland and upcycle it into clean, efficient fuel that is added to diesel to reduce carbon emissions. Over half a billion litres of Green Biofuels’ upcycled biofuel is delivered through fuel pumps in Ireland every year – the equivalent of taking 20,000 cars off the road!
Looking to the future, Davy says: “LCC are still growing and looking at other sites and filling stations around the country, so we’re just hoping that we’ll be able to carry on and supply the demand that they require from us.”
As the successful family business continues to go from strength to strength, they would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support as well as their team for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Deerpark Haulage Ltd
Newtowncunningham,
Co Donegal.
Telephone: (074) 910 8892
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Trucker magazine July/August 2025, Vol 28-4
