News & Events

Small businesses in Galway, Dublin, Cavan, Sligo and Tipperary win at first-ever Local Enterprise Village Awards

Small businesses expected to generate sales of up to €1million at the Ploughing, according to Local Enterprise Offices

The achievements of small businesses were put in the spotlight by the Local Enterprise Offices at the National Ploughing Championships today as the winners of the first-ever Local Enterprise Village Awards were presented by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D.

Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices and judged by Enterprise Ireland, the six winners of the inaugural Local Enterprise Village Awards included small businesses and start-ups from Galway, Dublin, Cavan and Sligo.

Galway firm, Green Earth Organics, won the ‘Consumer Product’ category, while the ‘Consumer Service’ category went to The Irish Workshop in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

Scotts Irish Cider in Cavan were awarded the ‘Food and Drink’ category and two ‘Vision’ awards were presented to Celtic Gent in Fingal and to SUIP Manufacturing in Sligo respectively.

The ‘Visual Display’ award, which was judged separately by Guest Adjudicator and Journalist, Mairead Lavery, was won by Emerald Oils in Tipperary.

A total of 84 small companies, all of which are showcasing their products and services inside the Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships this week, took part in the awards competition.

Presenting the awards earlier today on a visit to officially open the Local Enterprise Village, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D. said: “It is a great honour to be asked by the Local Enterprise Offices to present the inaugural ‘Local Enterprise Village Awards’ to highlight the achievements of small businesses across the country, who contribute to Ireland’s rural economy.  I want to congratulate this year’s winners and I want to encourage more people to start their own business and become entrepreneurs, just like these winners have done.  More entrepreneurs and start-ups will lead to more quality jobs right across Ireland and support is available from your Local Enterprise Office.”

Kieran Comerford, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities is predicting that the small businesses inside the Local Enterprise Village will generate sales and orders worth up to €1million this year.

Speaking on the first day of the Ploughing, Comerford said: “Last year, small businesses and start-ups achieved sales and orders worth nearly €645,000 as a direct result of participating at the Ploughing. This year, thanks to the introduction of new measures, such as a dedicated product launch and demonstration area inside the Local Enterprise Village, we are predicting that this figure will be higher for 2016 and could be up to €1million, depending on overall visitor numbers.”

Representatives of Enterprise Ireland and local authorities were also on stage at today’s awards ceremony, which took place inside the Local Enterprise Village.

Further details around the Local Enterprise Village, which is at Stand Number 765, Row 32, Block 4,  are available through www.localenterprise.ie and by searching #localenterprise on social media.

ENDS

For all media information, please contact Engage Ireland

Sarah Bohan at: 087 65 39936 / office @ engageireland.com

 

Notes to Editor:

Photography Note: High resolution, reproduction-free images, are available from this awards announcement from Joe Keogh Photography (Joe Keogh: 087 934 7807)

Local Enterprise Village Awards 2016 (inaugural year)

Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices and judged by Enterprise Ireland

Award Winners

Visual Display Award: Emerald Oils (supported by Local Enterprise Office Tipperary)

Consumer Product Award: Green Earth Organics (supported by Local Enterprise Office Galway)

Food & Drink Award: Scotts Irish Cider (supported by Local Enterprise Office Cavan)

Consumer Service Award: The Irish Workshop (supported by Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown)

Vision Award:  SUIP Manufacturing (supported by Local Enterprise Office Sligo)

Vision Award: Celtic Gent (supported by Local Enterprise Office Fingal)

List of all small businesses taking part in Local Enterprise Village 2016 (September 20th – 22nd)

Location: Stand number 765, Row 32, Block 4

Supported by Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities

Carlow: Tumbledown Media www.freddybuttons.com

Carlow: IAS Laboratories www.iaslabs.ie

Cavan: Scotts Irish Cider www.scottsirishcider.com

Cavan: Stop & Stare Designs Co www.stopandstare.com

Clare: Fun Affordable Gifts www.funaffordablegifts.com

Clare: Western Herd Brewing Co www.westernherd.com

Cork City: Rebel Chilli www.rebelchilli.com

Cork North and West: O’ Callaghan Hurleys

Cork North and West: Ocean Bloom www.oceanbloom.ie

Cork North and West: Chart Datum www.chartdatum.ie

Cork South: Barbara Hall Creations www.barbarahallcreations.ie

Cork South: Lifekitchen.ie www.lifekitchen.ie

Donegal: North Atlantic Seaweed Products www.salviesea.ie

Donegal: Lanky Yanky Studio

Dublin City: Delish Melish www.delishmelish.com

Fingal: Periwinkle Design

Fingal: Giftcentre www.giftcentre.ie

Fingal: 65 Hurls www.65hurls.com

Fingal: Celtic Gent www.celticgent.com

Dublin South: Access Education Ltd www.primaryschools.ie

Dublin South: Little Pharma

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Dalkey Handmade Soaps www.dalkeyhandmadesoaps.ie

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Melanie Hand Designer Jewellery www.melaniehand.com

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: The Irish Workshop/ TIW Ltd www.theirishworkshop.com

Galway: Collerans Butchers

Galway: The Galway Food Company www.thegalwayfoodcompany.com

Galway: Green Earth Organics

Galway: Friends and Family Trees

Galway: Aran Island Cheeses

Kerry: Kerry Signature Furniture www.kerrysignaturefurniture.ie

Kerry: Taste Kerry www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: O'Donnell`s Bakery www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Skellig Pantry (Smoked Trout) www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Lorge Chocolatier www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Rolf's Fine Food www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Camo`s Bistro www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Oilean Chocolates (Chocolate Pops) www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Killarney Toffee www.tastekerry.ie

Kerry: Ring of Kerry Apple Farm (Apple Juice) www.tastekerry.ie

Kildare: HACI Ltd, Hose & Coupling Ireland www.hcirl.com

Kildare: Nadicom www.geneticdetection.ie

Kilkenny: #tastekilkenny Stand

Kilkenny: Mooncoin Homegrown Beetroot www.tastekilkenny.ie

Kilkenny: Bernie's Farmhouse Desserts www.tastekilkenny.ie

Kilkenny: Goatsbridge Trout Farm www.tastekilkenny.ie

Kilkenny: Highbank Orchards www.tastekilkenny.ie

Kilkenny: Shellumsrath Free Range www.tastekilkenny.ie

Laois: Flavour Safari

Laois: Rose & Alice Handcrafted Soaps www.roseandalice.com

Leitrim: Chef Sham Sauces www.cottagerestaurant.ie

Leitrim: Artwood www.artwood.ie

Limerick: McAdare www.mcadare.ie

Limerick: Lubdub Foods www.lubdubfoods.com

Longford: Kaber Performance www.kaberperformance.com

Longford: Go Oats

Louth: Duinn Designs www.duinndesigns.com

Louth: Finca Skin Organics www.rosacea.ie

Mayo: Cuinneog Artisan Dairy www.cuinneog.com

Mayo: Monaghan Bros Bar Furniture Manufacturers www.barfurniture.net

Meath: E. Finnegan & Sons www.finnegansfarm.ie

Meath: Cara Mara Seaweed www.caramara.ie

Monaghan: Pollock's Pickles & Preserves www.pollockspickles.com

Monaghan: Shanks Engineering Ltd - Farmhitch www.farmhitch.com

Offaly: De Mad Food Company www.demadfoodco.com

Offaly: Deanery Furniture www.deaneryfurniture.com

Roscommon: Projects 5 creations www.beltlock.ie

Roscommon: Derrycashel Crafts www.woodenclocksroscommon.ie

Sligo: Clo's Chocolates www.closchocolates.ie

Sligo: SUIP Manufacturing www.suipco.ie

Tipperary: Emerald Oils www.emeraldoils.ie

Tipperary: Tactile Text

Tipperary: Premium Fire Products

Waterford: Embermats www.embermats.com

Waterford: The Tipperary Kitchen

Waterford: Coffee House Lane www.coffeewarehouse.ie

Westmeath: DBee Press

Westmeath: SoulSnacks www.soulsnacks.ie

Wexford: Wexford Food Family www.wexfordfoodfamily.com

Wexford: Naturally Cordial www.wexfordfoodfamily.com

Wexford: Wexford Home Preserves www.wexfordfoodfamily.com

Wexford: O’ Neills Dry Cure Bacon www.wexfordfoodfamily.com

Wicklow: Pacefeeder www.pacefeeder.ie

Wicklow: Toby Wagons www.tobywagons.com