The Donegal Enterprise Awards took place last Friday in Rockhill House and celebrated the resilience and brilliance demonstrated by Donegal businesses across a range of sectors over the past year.
Organised by Local Enterprise Office Donegal, the awards celebrate the achievements of Donegal’s small business community as they grappled with a host of challenges.
This year’s overall county winner and the winner of the Best-Established Business Award was Silver Strand Rope Works Ltd, a rope, string and strapping manufacturing business run by Patrick McLaughlin (pictured above) which offers a wide range of products to both local and international markets. Judges were impressed with Patrick’s success to date and the business’s global ambition to scale and grow.
Pictured are (front left) John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney, Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, (back left) Gareth McGlynn, Niche SSP Ltd, Caroline Friel, Ample, James Grant, Shannon Porter, The Milk Bar, Northfox Facilities Services Ltd., Ryan Allen, KRM Gap Year Ltd., Eugene Gallen, Bon Appetit, Jenni Timony, Fit Pink, Thomas Ellis, Donegal Bees, Kieran Molloy, Conall Sweeney, MOSAIC Digital Solutions, Jon Geary, Little Mammas, Danielle Loughrey, Diorite Ireland Ltd., Patrick McLaughlin, Silver Strand Rope Works Ltd., and Caitlin Nic Gabhann, Baltrasna Ltd., at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Irish Gap Year was the runner up in the Best-Established Business category. Eugene Gallen of Bon Appetit was awarded Best Start-Up and James Grant’s Northfox Facilities Services Ltd. won the Runner-Up Award in this category. Niche SSP Ltd. won the Best Donegal Enterprise Export Award, Caroline Friel from Ample won Best Donegal Enterprise Innovation Award and MOSAIC was awarded runner up in this category.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Ryan Allen, KRM Gap Year Ltd., with the Runner-Up Best Established Donegal Enterprise Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Conal Sweeney, MOSAIC Digital Solutions for Early Education,with the Runner Up – Innovation Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Eugene Gallen, Bon Appetit, with the Best Start Up Donegal Enterprise Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Thomas Ellis and Áine Curran of Donegal Bees won Best Donegal Enterprise Green Award, while Diorite won the Donegal Engineering Cluster Enterprise Award. Little Mamma’s won The Food Coast Enterprise Award, while Shannon Porter of The Milk Bar was named runner up. Molloy and Sons Weaving Ltd won The Creative Coast Enterprise Award, Caitlín Nic Gabhann won Best Donegal Enterprise Digital Award and Jenni Timony’s Fit Pink was named runner up in the Digital category.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Gareth McGlynn, Niche SSP Ltd., with the Best Donegal Enterprise Export Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Caroline Friel, Ample, receives Best Donegal Enterprise Innovation Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Conal Sweeney, MOSAIC Digital Solutions for Early Education,with the Runner Up – Innovation Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Danielle Loughrey, Diorite Ireland Ltd., with the Donegal Engineering Cluster – Enterprise Award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
Speaking about the awards, Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin, said: “Congratulations to everyone who put themselves forward for the Donegal Enterprise Awards this year, and to the overall county winner, Patrick McLaughlin of Silver Strand Rope Works Ltd. The Donegal Enterprise Awards are about showcasing the innovation, creativity, and development potential across the micro and small business sectors in Donegal. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it’s the businesspeople of Donegal who have the vision, strength, and determination to build scalable enterprises that make our local economy thrive. I wish the finalists and winners continued success for the future.”
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Caitlin Nic Gabhann, Baltrasna Ltd., with the Best Donegal Enterprise Digital award with (from left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, in attendance at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. The Donegal Enterprise Awards is part of the National Enterprise Awards scheme and celebrates the achievements and recognises the success stories of small business owners. Photo by Joe Dunne
Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney (C), presents Jenni Timony, Fit Pink, with the Runner Up – Donegal Enterprise Digital award with (fr0m left) Garry Martin. Director of Economic Development at Donegal County Council, Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise,and John McLaughlin, CE of Donegal County Council, at the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2022 in the Rockhill House Estate, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. The Donegal Enterprise Awards is part of the National Enterprise Awards scheme and celebrates the achievements and recognises the success stories of small business owners. Photo by Joe Dunne
Adding to this, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise Donegal said: “The Enterprise Awards has been running for over 20 years in Donegal. They celebrate the strength, resilience and innovation of the small business community in Donegal and the role they play in our local economy. It was great to see such a high standard of applications coming through this year, and it’s a very positive indicator for the future of business in the county. Congratulations to everyone who put themselves forward for the awards, and to our overall county winner, Patrick McLaughlin of Silver Strand Rope Works Ltd. We wish them all the best as they go forward now to represent Donegal in the National Enterprise Awards.”
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