The Mayo News

Local businesses were in festive spirits at the announcement of the Mayo Business Awards.

WINNERS ALL Winners at the Mayo Business Awards presentation night in the Downhill House Hotel, Ballina, pictured, front, from left: Cllr Seamus Weir, Cathaoirleach Mayo County Council; Audrey Robinson, President, Ballina Chamber of Commerce; Cillian Ó Mongáin, Eachléim, Gaeltacht Business; Geraldine Noonan, Knockranny House Hotel and Spa, Westport, Tourism/Leisure Award; Claire O’Connor, Castlehill Catering, Ballina, Services Sector; Padraig McGuire, Westport, Dial and Deliver, New Business Concept; Brendan Sugrue, Hollister, Ballina, Chamber Recognition for Industry. Back: Declan Glynn, Crean Ceramic City, Retail Premises Award; Tommy Griffith, Balla, PEL Recycling Equipment, New Business Award; Mike Malone, Malone Engineering, Innovation in Business; Michael Lennon, Westport Woods Hotel and Spa, Environment Award; Deputy Dara Calleary; Cathal Quinn, Presents.ie, Swinford, Retail Sector; Kevin McCudden and John Lavin, Top Level Roofing, Charlestown, Business Growth Award; John Marsh, Dillon’s Bar and Restaurant, Best Pub Award; Sandra Cribben, CEO, Ballina Chamber of Commerce and Cllr Padraig Moore, Mayor of Ballina.  Pic: Michael Donnelly

Mayo businesses glitter at awards

Áine Ryan

BUSINESSES from all over the county were in festive spirits at the announcement of the Mayo Business Awards 2007, held on Friday last, in the Downhill Hotel, Ballina. The ceremony, compéred by Ms Teresa O’Malley of Mid-West Radio, involved the presentation of 12 awards, presented to a wide variety of innovative and exciting enterprises.
Officiating, Mayor Padraig Moore welcomed the 250 guests to the north Mayo capital.
He said: “It is great to see an awards scheme such as this that recognises and rewards local entrepreneurs and businesses, especially in a county such as Mayo which has a very high level of entrepreneurs who are willing to invest in local job creation.”
However, in a subtle hint to the IDA – which has been much criticised for its delayed delivery of the town’s business park – Mayor Moore went on to praise other State agencies for their proactive roles in developing small businesses in the county.
“This is evidenced by the fact that more job creation was funded by the Mayo County Enterprise Board in Mayo in the last ten years than by the IDA. This does not take into account all the small business start ups and expansions that receive LEADER funding in the county,” said Mayor Moore.
The Mayor also praised local businesses for the jobs they had created in the past year, noting that such successes attracted little attention.
“Here in Ballina this year Penney’s and the Ramada Hotel created nearly 200 full-time and part-time jobs. If the IDA created those jobs we would have had coverage on the six o’clock news.
“Tonight is an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of everyone here involved in the retail and services sector for job creation,” he said.
The 12 awards were defined by two adjudication categories: those judged by written submissions, and those adjudicated on by a mystery shopper. 
The following is a list of the winners: Best New Business Award – PEL Recycling Equipment (Balla); Business Growth Award – Top Level Roofing & Cladding Ltd (Charlestown); Best Retail Premises Award – Crean Ceramic City (Castlebar); Customer Service Award Retail Sector – Presents.ie (Swinford); Customer Service Award Services Sector – Castlehill Catering (Ballina); Customer Service Award Tourism/Leisure Sector – Knockranny House Hotel and Spa (Westport); Environment Award – Westport Woods Hotel (Westport); Innovation in Business Award – Malone Engineering (Claremorris); Mayo Pub of the Year – Dillon’s Bar and Restaurant (Ballina); Best New Business Concept – Dial and Deliver (Westport); Gaeltacht Business Award – Cillian Ó Mongáin (Erris); Chamber Recognition for Industry – Hollister ULC (Ballina).
Sponsors were The Mayo News, Mayo County Enterprise Board, VHI Healthcare, The Connaught Telegraph, AIB, National Energy Assessors, Mayo Crystal, Mayo County Council, The Gleeson Group GMIT, IiBC, WESTBIC, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Days Hotel.
The Mayo Business Awards is a joint project supported by the Ballina, Ballyhaunis, Castlebar, Claremorris, Erris, Swinford and Westport Chambers.

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