Discover Duhallow Business Awards Supplement

Celebrate Local Innovation

awards return once again to Duhallow. The board and I are delighted that we are now in a position to once again have face to face events.

This is the 8th year of our awards, and it is important now more than ever to showcase our local businesses and to celebrate those amongst us who excel at what they do. As you read this supplement, I have no doubt that you will be amazed at the level of innovation and ingenuity applied by these entrepreneurs and in particular, the resilience that they and their staff showed throughout the pandemic.

finalists, and I don’t envy the job facing them over the coming few days to select just one winner in each category.

Since its inception, supporting local businesses and employment has been a key priority for IRD Duhallow. We now offer a suite of supports for local businesses from capital grants through LEADER and SICAP, to the great upskilling and talent work being done by our Skillnet programme.

In an era where we are now learning to live with Covid, it is truly fantastic to see our business

We are delighted to see such as huge level of entries for this year’s awards – we received over 90 nominations, the greatest number of nominations that we have had for any awards ceremony to date. Our judges have had no easy task to shortlist down to these 18

highlight on our calendar for many years, and they were sorely missed during the pandemic.

I echo what Michael has said; I too don’t envy the task facing the judges to pick a winner. I want to sincerely thank Catherine Evans, Michael John Kearney, Shane McAuliffe and Kevin Sugrue for judging this year’s awards. We are fortunate to have such a high calibre panel of judges for the event.

I would like to sincerely thank the businesses who came on board as sponsors for this year’s awards ceremony: AIB, Bank of Ireland, Duhallow Skillnet, Kanturk Mart, Kanturk Printers, McCarthy Insurance Group, SE Systems, Hot Country Music and Music Row Studios.

However, networking events such as this are an extremely important part of what we do. We are delighted to this year have Marty Morrissey to be our Master of Ceremonies. I’ve no doubt that the Marty Party will be rocking in the James O’Keeffe Institute on the 18th of November, so get booking your tickets and I look forward to meeting you on the night.

finalists, and the Discover Duhallow team and photographer Sheila Fitzgerald have put great work into putting together this wonderful supplement. We have also increased our social media presence and, with the support of Platinum Communications and Music Row Studios, we have worked hard to promote these awards and each of the finalists across digital channels.

The Awards ceremony and gala banquet dinner is set to take place on the 18th of November at 7pm and tickets are available on our website www.irdduhallow.com or by contacting our offices on 02960633.

Finally, to each of our very worthy finalists, I would like to say Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat!

It gives me great pleasure to see the return of our annual business awards. The awards were a

I think it’s fair to say that the real prize for everyone is the publicity afforded to each of the shortlisted

Michael Twohig, Chairperson of IRD Duhallow

Maura Walsh, CEO of IRD Duhallow

Nominee for Best Emerging Business

Duhallow Physiotherapy

(2018/19), Connacht Women’s Rugby and the victorious Galway Minor Hurling team in 2018. She is currently in her second season as physiotherapist with the Galway U20 Men’s Hurling team. Maria has developed a particular interest and expertise in women’s health and the management of ante and postnatal musculoskeletal conditions.

Duhallow Physiotherapy was started by husband-and-wife team Dan and Maria McCabe in 2020. The team are highly qualified. Dan worked full time for two seasons (2013 – 2015) in elite sport with Connacht Rugby. After this Dan spent nearly five years working in Galway City Physiotherapy, a busy private musculoskeletal clinic in Galway City. Here Dan treated

a wide variety of musculoskeletal and chronic conditions as well as providing exercise based classes.

During this time Dan has kept up his involvement in sports working with numerous rugby and hurling teams up to AIL and intercounty level.

Maria qualified as a physiotherapist from University of Brighton in 2012 and prior to this obtained a degree in Health Science & Physiology from Sligo IT in 2009. She has additional qualifications in manual concepts, dry needling, Pilates, and orthotic prescription. Maria has extensive experience working in large private practices in both her home county Longford and most recently, Galway for the last five years. Maria has worked with many elite, provincial and club level sports teams including the Irish Women’s National Hockey Team

The business is centrally located in the Primary Care Centre in Newmarket and employs five staff. Their client base is wide and varied from a 10-year-olds recovering from broken elbows and ankles to 90-year-olds rehabilitating from shoulder replacements. Generally, neck and back pain would be the most common injuries presented by their clients who are looking to improve their pain, functional impairments and overall quality of life.

The pair have recently diversified their services and have launched a suite of exercise classes in the CYMS hall in the town (Pilates and an over 50s circuit class). The couple identified a need in the community for exercise based classes for general health, encouraging people to become more active. The unique selling point of these classes is that they are designed and lead by Chartered Physiotherapists. The initial pilot sessions were extremely well received and you will be seeing more of these advertised in the future.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Emerging Business

Lush Loaves

What started as a lockdown hobby quickly developed into a busy business. Michael Drumm started his micro bakery, Lush Loaves, at the height of the pandemic from his kitchen in Newmarket. During one of the Covid 19 lockdowns

he started supplying a local cafe - Café Bia, Kanturk - only on Saturday mornings because he was working in a factory during the week.

Michael commented on how quickly the business took off from that point:

“I started making bread when my grandmother passed away and I loved her soda bread so much I started making it myself. But that quickly turned into making long fermented artisian bread. I absolutely found my passion without looking for it, it just happened. So from there it was just home baking these all types of French Italian and traditional types of bread. Café Bia saw my bread and asked me to supply them so from there my business grew and grew, until I had to decide if I was going to continue working in factories or take a chance so I and my wife talked about it and it was now or never moment.” In

2021 Michael handed in his notice to his full time job and took the plunge to go out on his own. His risk has paid off and he is now solely dedicated to making handcrafted bread and has grown his customer base to supply five shops, two cafés, and a local creche. A lot of hours go into making fermented bread - from mixing the dough to baking, it’s a 16-hour process. Food critics would say that the traditional methods that Michael implements with longer fermentation time allows for greater flavour development. He also stone bakes a majority of the loaves, making it a unique artisan product. Artisan bread is renowned as being easier to digest, because the enzymes have had time to begin breaking down the gluten in the flour while fermenting. His bread truly is a labour of love and everything is made and shaped by hand. He prides himself on not having machines or mixers in the micro bakery; “I hand mix everything in bulk, box, then I cut and shape everything every day, and slow cold ferment in the fridge until bake time in the morning.”

Michael has big ambitions for the company. He would love to operate on a larger scale whilst keeping true to his core values of hand crafted with no machines. Visit www.lushloaves.com to find out a bit more about where you can purchase Michael’s artisan baking.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Emerging Business

The Sibly Food Company

stores, markets, and shops across West Cork and Killarney. Now his wide range of products features his renowned energy balls to mouth watering cheesecakes, which are stocked in over 300 shops, cafés and gyms. His most recent accolade was winning the Grow with Aldi 2022 which means that Sibly products are now be stocked in all 151 Aldi stores nationwide. Sibly prides itself on a sense of Social Responsibility. In January 2022 they initiated a deal in which they donated 150 desserts per week to Cork Penny Dinners.

Matthew Collins did a €147 food shop and from his kitchen in Ballydesmond, he baked some products for a stall at Kanturk Christmas Market. From the success of that day, The Sibly Food Company was born. At the time, Matthew was 21 and

a full time student in University of Limerick studying PE and English. He professes to always have had an interest in food - “it developed further once moving out of home and having to become self sufficient in college. I began cooking for housemates and making snacks to bring to lectures, before being persuaded by friends and family to give a Christmas market a go.”

Initially, his customers were friends and family. His mission was to ‘feed as many people as possible, with food to make them smile.’ His reputation for quality products gradually grew amongst the Duhallow Community where more and more people contacted him directly for his range of products. Matthew began supplying multiple health food

The company also sponsors their local football team. Supporting local is extremely important to Matthew. He strives to support local producers, such as Kerry farmers; he purchases all of the fresh cream from Lee Strand Dairy, all the cream cheese in the cheesecakes hails from County Tipperary, and only Irish butter is used in all their products.

Each individual Sibly Energy Ball is made using Flahavan’s Irish Oats, coming straight from Waterford. All the packaging is produced locally and the transport undertaken by a Cork company, so it’s a true Munster affair!

Matthew has a clear growth plan for the future, and already in the short time since Sibly was established, he has 12 people employed. The company has a strong social media presence and you can check them out on facebook or visit www.thesibly.ie

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Established Business

Eamonn Tarrant & Sons Ltd

A staple of Banteer village, E. Tarrant & Sons Ltd was established in 1955 by Con Tarrant. Con set it up originally to serve the local community in Banteer and surrounding areas. If one was to witness a Škoda vehicle being driven along the surrounding roads, you can bet it came from E. Tarrant & Sons.

In the late 1980’s, Eamonn took over the business from Con, and in 1993, acquired the Škoda Franchise. Now, E. Tarrant & Sons

Ltd are one of the oldest Škoda dealers in the country. Connie is the 3rd generation family member that is at the helm of the business. They have a big local customer base but also have customers who travel from all around the country.

In the next five years, they hope to continue to grow, invest, and develop their business further. They want to maintain their local presence and staff - E. Tarrant & Sons Ltd employ 22 people.

This commitment saw the business win the Škoda Dealer of the Year Award for 2010 having already won it for 2008 reflecting

the company’s commitment to excellence for customer care and service provided across each department. E. Tarrant & Sons also enjoy a long-term relationship with Banteer GAA underlining their long term commitment to the local community. They are continuously adapting to the changing environment around them and are always investing in their staff. Three of their staff members recently represented Škoda Ireland in Norway at the International Škoda Challenge which was a huge achievement. They took the initiative to install PV panels to help generate their own power and were the first dealership within the VW group in Ireland to do so. They continue to adapt to the everchanging landscape of vehicles, and endeavour to keep up with this.

Sponsored By

The original premises in 1953

Nominee for Best Established Business

Irish Rollforming

Irish Rollforming was established in 2005. Founder Liam O’Sullivan developed a knowledge as a supplier to the construction industry. Through this, he identified a gap in the market for a cladding manufacturer that provided sheets at a reasonable price with quick turnaround. In 2014, their store expanded and has grown

to include all manner of materials. “All the elements of a single skin building, excluding structural steel, can be purchased in a single transactuion”

Irish Rollfoming

Ltd are supporting engineering contractors, steel erectors, and Agri-sector businesses.

At the core of their business is the customer, and they strive to provide the best in class products and customer service. They offer nationwide delivery and guarantee quick turnarounds on all of our orders to get you the products you need, when you need them.

Irish Rollforming is mainly in the engineering, construction, and

agricultural buildings space.

With their new IP Line coming onstream in early 2023, they expect that this will lead to substantial growth serving both our existing and new customers in Irish and the UK markets.

They hope to increase employment opportunities for people in local and surrounding areas in the coming years.

The team have had great success over the last 10 years, and this has allowed them to put in place growth plans that will protect and enhance opportunities for employment in the area and contribute to the community in which they operate.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Established Business

Ballyhass Adventure Group

everyone!

Ballyhass Adventure Group was established in 2005 and since then has become renowned in the outdoor adventure industry. With an extensive staff of 120, they cover a range of activities and courses - from life guarding and first aid to saunas and wake boarding, they offer over 20 different activities. Something for

What started as a marine leisure facility in Kinsale has evolved to two outdoor centres in Cecilstown and Coachford. They are run by the Mcarthy family with company directors Eoghan and Eddie, and support local, be it clubs or charities or offering employment opportunities. The quality of their staff is a huge point of pride, and as they grow this is only set to improve.

“The aim is to be one of the

leading outdoor experience providers in the country” and they do so through accessibility, affordability, and education.

“In a nutshell, you go as far, high, or intense as you want to go”, all with the motivation of their team in a welcoming and safe environment.

As modern life takes over, they want to see people take a step back to the great outdoors.

“Always enjoy what you do. Bring passion and fun to the job every day. A smile is worth so much and remember it could be everyone’s one and only chance to have an outdoor adventure experience this year. We are here to make sure you remember it. Join the Outdoor Generation.”

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Use of Digital Marketing For Business

Blumain Organic Skincare

Blúmain Organic sales come through their website, and they ship all over the country and to the UK. They also supply other salons and chemists with their innovative products where they also provide staff training.

Sinéad has recently started suppling other salons with Blúmain Organic Products and would love to grow this part of the business further, while providing luxurious organic treatments to a wider audience. She aims to start supplying hotel spas in the coming year, all while growing her customer base through social media. Sinéad would like to have Blúmain be a recognised brand throughout Ireland.

great results. Sinéad’s mother works alongside her on a full-time basis, and she would love to grow her team further in the coming years.

Blumáin Organic Skincare is based in Ballydesmond and proudly owned by Sinéad Collins. Sinéad is a beauty therapist and salon owner with a passion for skincare. She developed her own range of organic skincare products in 2014 as she wanted to offer her clients affordable, effective, and luxurious products that they would enjoy using and that would give them

Sinéad found that most of her clients could not afford the expensive skincare products on the market so set about to make her own. Her customers range from clients in their 20’s right up to their 80’s. Her range is all about encouraging customers to enjoy those few moments of daily selfcare, that skincare shouldn’t just be a chore.

The Blúmain range of products are packed with organic essential oils and floral waters to give a spa-like pampering feel. Their products have all gained organic certification through the Irish Organic Association which assures customers of their quality and they have also won many awards throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. The majority of

Blumáin Organic Skincare has recently started working with influencers and affiliates through the likes of Instagram which has been very beneficial so ideally would like to find suitable brand ambassadors to grow her business even further.

Sinéad has developed this successful business from scratch, it is constantly evolving in order to keep up with the new beauty and skincare trends. Sinéad’s products have won awards and they are a labour of love. Sinéad says that “blood, sweat and plenty of tears have gone into the building of this business and it has come a long way”.

Sinéad finds that Digital Marketing and social media have been very beneficial to her business as she can easily relay her message through these channels. Find her online at her website, blumainorganicskincare. ie, or on Facebook and Instagram: @blumainorganicskincare.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Use of Digital Marketing For Business

Yumm Café

Petra Kriva opened Yumm Café in September 2019 having previously worked in Kanturk for more than 6 years as chef and pastry chef. Petra always had a dream to open her own café. Her aim was to create a different menu and sell products that nobody else was selling.

As well as opening Yumm, Petra also specialises in making cakes for special occasions alongside her successful busy café. She caters for birthdays, communions and all types of special occasions with her tiered stylish celebration cakes. During Covid, Petra switched her business to take away and specialised in sweet treats and attributes some of this success to social media. She says that people eat with their eyes first and were

very tempted by Yumm Café’s creations and travelled from towns and cities around the country to taste these special treats. Yumm Café customers range in age from children who love their speciality cookies, pancakes and waffles, to parents ordering celebration cakes and delicious coffee. Every product that they sell is baked in house and they also supply cafés in Cork city.

Yumm Café recently relocated to a new premises on Strand Street in Kanturk, this allowed them the opportunity to expand their range of products and to add a comfortable seating area. This new premises is stylishly decorated and very cosy and comfortable. In the future, Petra would like to continue serving delicious coffee, desserts, home baking and delicious food from their café in Kanturk, and to move into making breakfast and lunch. They hope to supply more shops and open another Yumm Café in the future. Petra is determined to keep improving and to keep learning and says that will be the key to their future success.

Social Media is a powerful tool

which has really helped Petra in her business. It is really working for her and has helped Yumm Café to reach a wider audience and become the success that it is. It takes a lot of work and time, but Petra believes that it is well worthwhile.

Find them online on Facebook @Yumm Cafe and on Instagram: @yumm_cafe_kanturk.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best Use of Digital Marketing For Business

Shaige Cleaning Services

respectable cleaning business that is everyone’s go-to when it comes to reliable, affordable cleaning in any industry (residential, commercial or industrial) within the whole Munster Province.

As a business, in the future they would like to be able to sponsor and be highly involved in local charity drives and fundraisers that will benefit those in need. They would like to be able to offer “free cleaning” in their community for those who are extremely overwhelmed or suffering with a mental or physical illness who are unable to do the bare necessities.

Shaige Cleaning Services was established by Mother Daughter duo Shan and Paige Hill who had recently immigrated from South Africa to Cork.

They started their business in the Duhallow region after discovering that there was a high demand for a reliable cleaning service, but with very few resources/businesses that could fulfil these demands in the area. They decided that it would be a fantastic opportunity to establish a business that could assist individuals and businesses within these regions with an affordable, reliable cleaning service.

Their customers vary from property management agents needing newly leased properties cleaned, to extremely busy individual professionals who are trying to juggle their workload,

family and personal responsibilities and require a helping hand around the house. Customers of Shaige Cleaning Services can be anything from a small corporate business, to a school.

They started the business with the aim to serve people and local communities in making life easier. Shaige Cleaning offers a large range of residential cleaning which is not frequently offered by local competitors within the Duhallow region; this includes residential deep cleaning, regular cleaning and end of tenancy and post-construction cleaning for new builds. Their services are extremely flexible and accommodating to support all clients customised needs/ requirements

They pride themselves in being environmentally sustainable and conscious of their impact on the environment and this is why they use and implement environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and methods.

They would love to see the growth of their small local cleaning business transpire into a large,

One of their biggest goals and motivations would be to 100% environmentally sustainable in all services and operations to ensure they’ve done their part in reducing our carbon footprint for the planet. Shaige Cleaning Services has come a far way from starting in the midst of the COVID pandemic to getting recognition in their local communities for a business that is known for providing an efficient, friendly and reliable service to anyone that has used our service. Shaige Cleaning Service has strived to make a positive impact on our community and environmental by being conscious of what they use and how they run their business.

Find them online on their website: shaigecleaningservices.com, and on Facebook and Instagram: @Shaigecleaningservice.

Sponsored By

Nominee for Best in the Creative Industry

J&K Flower Studio

J&K Flower Studios is a family run business created by Kornelija and her mother Jurgita. The two set up in the summer of 2019, and are florists who cater to all kinds of events, big and small. They’re a charming duo, and view their industry with a refreshing approach -”There’s no such thing as competitiors, we’re all there to help each other stand out.” But all the same, their modern and creative designs help them just as

much.

They aim for and surpass the luxurious shopping experience. The store has fresh floral displays and promises a memorable and pleasant visit. Their unique handmade arrangements cater to all manner of events, customers, and budgets.

These designs are made with incredible dedication; Kornelija recounted about once staying as late as 3am to ensure perfect work.

Given the timing of their establishment, their early days were tough; Covid hit them particularly hard and the two were forced to close. To further branch out, they have started workshops for both adults and kids - they provide stations and materials for customers to learn the basics of their work. You’ll have the opportunity to learn your own arrangements, wreathes, arts and crafts, and a variety of DIY, all of which you can take home! This unique opportunity is sure to capture the joy and creativity of floral arrangement. Now that they’ve returned post Covid, the two are looking forward to the future;

“We are motivated to make our business the best in the industry, especially when it comes to events. We’d like to be known as the best luxurious florist around,” said Kornelija.

They hope to one day give their wedding clients the option of having their weddings planned from scratch, a unique service in the area, and an incredible undertaking.

Sponsored by

Nominee for Best in the Creative Industry

Baskets

Saille Baskets is keeping history alive and kicking!

Diane works alone in her studio in the boggy mountains of Banteer and she wouldn‘t have it any other

way. She’s been weaving baskets for over 20 years and in 2020, she took a chance.

She attended the Showcase in the RDS to see if her work was of interest to retailers throughout Ireland, and it went even better than she hoped. Not only were more than ten stores interested in stocking her work, but she walked away with an award for her contemporary honeypot basket; an incredible first step out for a new business.

When Covid closed doors, Diane took to the internet. On social media, she showed off beautiful baskets, heartfelt tokens of old Éire to send to loved ones with a note, all of this during a time when travel wasn’t allowed. “This kept my little business afloat during that tough time. I will always be thankful to them for that, and they were

equally as thankful to me making something very special and handmade for loved ones to mark an occasion. It felt very personal”. Diane prides herself on how carbon positive her business is. She grows the willow herself and no chemicals, dyes, or machines are used. There is no waste, as anything not used is composted. She’s also incredibly proud of the homeliness of it all. It’s a 100% Irish business: Growing and weaving is done here, and to round it all off, she uses An Post for their postage. Diane teaches these unique skills to those who are interested, sometimes even on a one-to-one basis.

She provides the materials, and students are welcomed to her studio for a full day in small classes of 7. It’s an incredible feat to see such traditions return and be passed along. The quality of Saille Baskets is beautiful and Diane often repaires old baskets too. In the future, Diane hopes to continue to supply shops throughout Ireland and the US, and expand the knowledge further through a basketry school or apprentices. Growth and supply of willow for other makers is also a possibility. Basketry is of course an art and she is looking for developing more contemporary art for exhibitions, as well as further her own knowledge through experimentation and learning from other cultures.

“I’m delighted to be shortlisted, it’s lovely to recieve recognition for my work and my small business.”

Best in the Creative Industry Award – sponsored by Kanturk Printers

Sponsored by

Saille

Nominee for Best in the Creative Industry

Sophisticuts Hair Salon

Mairead O’Keeffe opened Sophisticuts in 2010, mid recession, and they’ve only been on the up and up since then.

“I was just 25 years old! I don’t know where the time has gone, it’s been busy thankfully.” Mairead runs the salon with 2 employees in Newmarket. The business boasts customers from 2 to 90 from all over Duhallow, though their clientelle has started to venture from beyond the region. While this is no doubt a response to the skills of the team, it’s also thanks to the spread of new services they offer. Beyond the expected, they offer oxygen therapy, hair pieces, and even wigs. During Covid, Mairead did a course on hair loss and oncology aesthetics in an effort to help a long term client suffering with female pattern baldness and Alopecia. “Since we have opened back up after lockdown, it’s been all go with our new venture; doing scalp treatments with our new oxygen machine, there is a couple of these in Ireland and we are covering the North Cork area” Fast forward to 2022 and they now fit wigs for cancer patients, hair loss, and alopecia, a feat that is

challenging but rewarding. Such a service has never been offered locally and it has proved incredibly valuable. A local woman recently visited with her young daughter who has started Chemo, and the pair are delighted to have a service like this so close to home. “If it makes their lives even a fraction easier during this very hard time, it’s so worth having this service in Newmarket.”

As they move forward, the team aim to further their niche information with more knowledge on hair loss and hair loss

prevention. As well as this, they observe the ever evolving hair world, and are constantly upskilling with cutting and colouring techniques.

“It’s has been a challenge but it’s the most rewarding job when you see what it can do for a person when their going through so much.”

Sponsored by

Award

Nominee for Best Community Enterprise

community owned astroturf pitch facility for all sports in Munster, and with no other local facility of its kind in Duhallow, this provides an income stream to the Centre from rental to all sports groups locally and within the wider Duhallow area.

Banteer Community Sportsfield Ltd was formed in 1998 and develops local amenity/ facilities for physical and social activities for all ages. The group works hard to promote community physical and mental well-being by physical, sport, social and cultural activities. This work is achieved by close liaison with all local sports groups, youth groups, seniors clubs, schools, athletic clubs, Macra groups, St Joseph’s Foundation, Cope etc all of which use the Banteer Sportsfield/Park facilities as their base for their many and varying activities.

Over the past 25 years, the

group has developed numerous facilities, from lake fishing to outdoor gyms, and all of their facilities are created with as much accessibility as possible in mind. Local groups such as Youthreach and Cope use these facilities for day outings, particularly the most recent of their projects.

The Astroturf pitch and community building was a major €2.2m development.

The astroturf pitch opened in 2020 and is 131m by 80m with 400 Lux Floodlighting and is used by all sports throughout the year and in particular during the wet winter months when other regulation sized pitch facilities are unavailable. This facility was developed on the existing secondary grass pitch and the facility is used by a variety sports teams, even from the adjoining West Limerick and East Kerry areas. This is believed to be the first regulation sized

The new community building which opened this past summer includes new changing rooms, toilets, disabled facilities, spectator stand area, museum, café and a digital hub as well as a press box. The museum /exhibition area for Banteer sports memorabilia includes old articles, photos, videos outlining the historic achievements of the 100 years of famous Banteer Sports and preserving it for future generations. The café and digital hub facility is run by community volunteers. The whole facility also provides a social and meeting place for old and young, for clubs and friends, whether they’re going for a walk and a coffee or playing sports or visiting the children’s playground and park, and as more and more people have switched to remote work, their high speed internet has been invaluable.

The group aims to develop even more facilities at the venue to further improve the space. They work closely with younger members of the community to ensure the existing facilities are properly maintained and further development will happen going forward. Beyond additional building, they aim to maximise the use of the existing new facility by for example other uses such as training, lectures, and book clubs in the digital hub and cafe area.

Sponsored by

Banteer Community Sportsfield LTD

Nominee for Best Community Enterprise

beauty of it. The extension to the back now serves as a visitor and welcome space, and adds to the already magnificent size of the church.

The Cultúrlann MacAmhlaoibh is a unique enterprise - it is the first dedicated heritage and resource centre specifically for and by a Gaelic clan in their ancesteral home lands. But it is not just for McAuliffes.

The Cultúrlann MacAmhlaoibh,

which translates to McAuliffe Cultural Centre, stands where the protestent church once stood. Cultérlann’s are used as spaces to celebrate culture, language, and often serve as a space to express that culture.

Use of the old church has its own benefits - the size of the structure and the open space has turned to a stage and can easily be readjusted for a variety of activities. As well as this, the church is positioned on a hill, and when passing by, it’s hard not to be in awe of the scale and the

Since it opened its doors, it’s been home to just about everything from concerts and fairs to a Halloween celebration! The centre aims to encourage and develop and appreciation for our heritage, history, and language for all ages at home and abroad. The Wall of Remembrance is a key feature of the building. It tells the story of struggle, tragedy, and triumph for past McAuliffes that the living McAuliffes dare not forget. Future generations can add to this with tales of those now or those not even born yet.

The efforts to restore the building have been observed through the years and have been partially recorded online. While the chieftain, John Paul, sadly passed away in the summer of 2022 and did not get to see the finished project, the buildings restoration was born of his sheer love for the town. His presence lingers now in the building and the town, and the ripple of such a labour of love cannot be forgotten. His daughter Julie best summed it up when she said “there’s no price on the love of your homeland”.

The scope of work undertaken from 2021 was extensive, including replacing windows, floors, the roof, and the top wall, along with an extension and a variety of facilities. The cultúrlann aims to thrive going to the future and to maintain its stamp as a cultural and social centre for the locality. There’s just as much hope that they’ll put Duhallow on the map!

Sponsored by

Cultúrlann MacAmhlaoibh

Best Community Enterprise Award – sponsored by McCarthy Insurance Group

Nominee for Best Community Enterprise

Tureencahill Community Group

Tureencahill Community Group CLG was formed in 2014 to maintain the rural school which closed due to falling numbers. They aimed to maintain the school building as a viable Community Centre within the wider Sliabh Luachra area, and to promote a vibrant, caring, and inclusive community spirit covering all age groups from babies to seniors. The building also offers community events, both educational and social.

With great help and dedication, particularly from chairperson Bertie O’Leary, the building has

been upgraded - heating, lighting, painting, storage space - and it is now an incredibly comfortable space. They offer a range of courses aimed at all ages and skill levels that assist mental and physical health, as well as give people a space to socialise. Classes include Yoga, Pilates, Bridge, Active Retirement, Computer, and a summer school as well as a broadband hub. Tureencahill Community Group is now part of the National Broadband connection point scheme. Locals and people from the wider community can avail of

superfast Wi-Fi in this dedicated hub. This proved an invaluable service during lockdown for many students, working and learning remotely in a safe socially distanced environment.

While Covid was very challenging, the Bridge club and Active Retirement group set up online events to keep in touch with their members which were very beneficial keeping personal contact alive during very isolating times. Their goals look to be coming to fruition with the establishment of Sheilann’s Early Learning Centre, which caters for preschool children MondayFriday 9am - 12pm.

It brings joy to the local community to hear the laughter of children in Tureencahill School playground again.

They hope to continue to be able to meet their aims and objectives in promoting a vibrant, caring community spirit covering all ages from babies to seniors.

Since the group was formed. the support received from the local and wider Sliabh Luachra area for all the activities provided at the centre has been tremendous, and the benefit the centre is to the area cannot be stated enough.

This centre is an effort of pure community spirit and the team and the services embody this - as the saying goes: “Ní neart go cur le chéile.”

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Nominee for Best Women Led Business

Mindview Clinic

Mental health has become less stigmatised in recent years, and as the discussions grew, the lack of services in rural areas stood out more and more. Sharon Clernon has a history in healthcare and a passion for mental health and wellbeing.

In 2016, she opened her private clinic, and in 2021, rebranded to Mindview clinic. She provides CBT skills to peoople of a variety

of ages and backgrounds, and works with them through a variety of mental health problems. She uses her social media platforms to educate people for free and this has built a trust with the community that has helped many reach out.

Sharon has over 20 years experience working within a variety of specialised mental health services and has many qualifications within the field of mental health. She is educated to a Masters level 9 and continues to up skill. She is an accredited cognitive behavioural therapist and provides mental health education and workshops to secondary schools, third level colleges including both students and tutors, corporate companies and other organisations. She provides comprehensive mental health assessments to the public where a treatment plan is provided whether it is to work with her doing CBT or a referral

to another appropriate service to fulfil the persons needs. She operates full time and has a huge number of referrals from GPs in the local area, thanks to positive client outcomes. “My aim is to work with clients, supporting them through their journey to developing positive changes and to have life long skills to manage the tough situations we can all encounter in our lives,” Sharon says.

Within all this, she has studied Compassionate Focused Therapy (CFT) and works to integrate this with CBT for the most effective treatments she can deliver. Her website has a huge number of testimonials from clients and workshop groups alike that sing her praises.

She is working towards delivering online mental health courses over the next 6 months, and this will provide CBT education and skills that can be accessed globally. Her goals include writing e-books on CBT skills for managing mental health problems, as well as expanding where she has staff trained as CBT therapists and qualified in other psychotherapies. The incredible cherry on top of this plan is to provide therapies to young children as there is a huge gap of services available for this group. She has worked incredibly hard over the years and having such a unique service is no small feat. The transition from psychiatric nursing to CBT has given her incredible insight and the ability to press forward in the industry. Find her online on her website; mindviewclinic.ie, and on facebook and Instagram @Mindviewcliniccbt

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sponsored by Bank of Ireland Group

Nominee for Best Women Led Business New Leaf Health Shop

homeopathy, iridology, CBT, and nutritional therapy - they truly treat every part of the body!

The team are a varied family that all have their own skills to offer extra value to the business; Mairead is one of Ireland’s leading female ultramarathon runners and inspired the expansion into sports nutritional products, which have been lucrative online.

The manager Charlotte has been working with New Leaf since 2012 and has extensive web and marketing skills as well as product knowledge.

Terena has been on board since the opening day and has a vast wealth of knowledge about the products.

Sinead is a nutritional therapist and gives great advice in the Charleville store.

The key to progress is filling in the gaps - Mairead O’Keeffe did just that. After noticing the need in the area, in 2012, Mairead O’Keeffe opened the first New Leaf Health Shop. With her years’ of experience and vast knowledge in the field, she soared above and beyond. From this humble beginning spawned a second store, an extensive online store, and a team of six staff dedicated to education, information, and assistance.

The online store in particular has been a rising star. Originally, she used this to help promote the business and to interact with customers, but the store evolved from Mairead’s own good

intentions. “A lot of people in Duhallow were phoning me up as they couldn’t make it into town and so I would post them out.” The website now boasts regular sales with a whole host of information - from recipes, regular product updates, and competitions. The store itself shows off a variety of items, everywhere from skin care to crystals and everything in between.

Beyond this, they also manage a wellness therapy centre - this unique space oiffers courses such as yoga, pilates, crystal workshops and many more, and welcomes guests in a variety of wellness areas throughout the year.

New Leaf is not only women led, but offers unique services that aim to support and assist women. In particular, they work with Susan Sheehan who supports menstrual health, fertility, and healing. The team offers further variety ranging across Hypnotherapy, Holistic therapies, kinesiology,

Irene is a hypnotherapist and quigong teacher with a fabulous talent for merchandising and a knowledge of the products.

Last but not least, there’s Niamh who focuses on stock rotation and pricing. Together they make this business stand out from competitors and strive to create a happy environment to support the health of the community.

As they go forward, New Leaf’s team aims for more visibility, more branches, and an even more successful online store.

Health is wealth as they say, and in a world of turbulance, control over your health and wellness is the greatest gift we can be given. New Leaf offer this in spades with mind, body, and soul at the forefront of their knowledge.

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– sponsored by Bank of Ireland Group

Nominee for Best Women Led Business

Curious Minds

Childcare is not a one-size-fits-all industry and finding somewhere that’s close and suits your needs can be a trial.

In 2009, Marie O’Mahoney was approached by a Millstreet local who highlighted the need for a preschool and afterschool in the area. With the support of the Millstreet Community Council, Curious Minds opened in January 2010. Since then, they have opened full daycare services in Dromagh and Tullylease National Schools, and as recently as 2021, they continue to adapt to the community. The preschool numbers were expanded to 66 daily and the afterschools moved across to the GAA Hall. All services are thriving, with all of them reaching or near their full capacity.

They have been accredited by Early Childcare Ireland with the highest Award for quality, Siolta Level 4, Healthy Ireland and Irish Business Foundation 2021 and 2022 Childcare Service of the Year for Co. Cork.

But there’s no sign of slowing! They plan to open a baby and toddler room in 2023 to meet local needs. “With local services with waiting lists out to 2024/25, there is a real need”.

The group continue to increase their quality of care as new methods and ideologies come into practice regularly.

They pride themselves not only on their ever expanding and diverse clientelle, but also for their flexibility and costs. Their booking system helps them stand outchildcare needs can be adjusted on a weekly basis to suit each individual family. Throughout the commuinity, they are well known for working behind the scenes to support families in every way they can. Parents regularly offer

compliments to the team, and reviews online reflect this.

“It is serving small communities and working within those” she said, and this is reflected in the goals and dedication they display. “It is an absolute honour and privilege to be included in the best woman led business category for this prestigious award,” Marie said, on behalf of the team, “a lot of hard work and dedication over the past 12 years has been dedicated to growing Curious Minds in Millstreet (2 locations), Dromagh and Tullylease so far. I am very fortunate to have a strong team of 25 whom I work alongside each day along with our families and children past and present whom without this shortlisting and success would not have been possible.”

There is interest in opening other services in rural schools and communities, and they are already veryt involved with numerous charity and fundraising events. With such a tightknit team of 25 who work so well with families of all kinds of needs, it’s easy to see Marie’s aspirations of a home away from home style service coming to fruition as she and her team continue to go above and beyond what is expected or required.

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