Accounts just filed for Murray, one of the country’s biggest domestically owned public relations firms, show profits more than doubled last year to €1,067,260 after providing for depreciation and taxation.

The profits hike was partly down to a comparison to 2021 when profits had fallen sharply as a result of exceptional items including some linked to the early stages of Covid-19 as well as investment in the establishment of Sweartaker, a creative marketing agency, and the write down of a prior year intercompany loan.

Even so the results for the 12 month financial period ended 31 March, 2022 are up on pre-Covid levels and operating profit for the period was €1,242,637, up over 13pc on the prior 15-month period.

Murray, headed by Pat Walsh, provides strategic communications advice to a mix of national and international clients including Denis O’Brien’s Digicel, Paul Coulson’s Ardagh Group, Deloitte, Heineken and the Land Development Agency. New clients in the year included Applegreen and Corre Energy.

Over the past year it has made a number of senior hires including Paul O’Kane, who previously headed communications at DAA; Richie Oakley, the former editor of the Business Post; and Jo Lonergan, a former adviser to Minister Simon Harris. Post year end, the group appointed Aoiffe Madden as managing director of Sweartaker which is described as a complementary disrupter marketing agency.

Commenting on the results, Mr Walsh said the business was pleased to deliver double digit growth in revenue and profitability and to broaden its service offer through Sweartaker,

“Post reporting year end, activity levels remain high and we would expect to deliver another strong outturn for the year ending March 2023.”

Transaction volumes were up sharply on recent years, most notably across tech, energy, industrials, hospitality, property and financial services.

ESG, D&I and employer branding are noted as major areas of growth.