The Donegal Enterprise Awards took place on Friday December 1st 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 Enterprise Award, was Living Green. Established in 2003, Living Green specialises in the cultivation and promotion of wheatgrass, and is also the largest producer of worms in Ireland and the UK, distributing live worms to tackle shops and smaller wholesalers in Ireland.
C & B Agri Enterprises Ltd – C-BIO was the runner up in the Best-Established Enterprise category. Adrian Boyle of Blistered Bread was awarded Best Start-Up and MedPro Scientific Ltd. won the Runner-Up Award in this category.
Irish Gap Year won the Best Donegal Enterprise Export Award, while McDaid’s Football Special won Best Donegal Enterprise Innovation Award.
Donegal Enterprise Awards 2023 overall winner, Neil Crossan, Living Green, with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Meabh Conaghan, Regional Director, West and North West Regions, Enterprise Ireland, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Entreprise Office, Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, Donegal County Council, Cllr Martin Harley, Cathaoirlech, Donegal County Council and Cllr. Kevin Bradley, Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny Municipal District. Picture: Declan Doherty
Awardees and special guests. Picture: Declan Doherty
Award winners Thomas Ellis and Áine Curran, Donegal Bees with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Seamus McDaid, Football Special, with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Trish Hegarty, Inis Communications, with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Isobel Sangha of the Donegal Natural Soap Company won Best Donegal Enterprise Green Award. Bon Appétit won The Food Coast Enterprise Award, while Ciara Shine of Shines’ Seafood was runner-up in the Food Coast category. Donegal Bees won Best Donegal Enterprise Digital Award and Trish Hegarty of Inis Communications was named runner-up in the Digital category.
Speaking about the awards, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Martin Harley, said: “Congratulations to everyone who put themselves forward for the Donegal Enterprise Awards this year, and to the overall county winner, Neil Crossan of Living Green.
“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.”
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 small business community in Donegal and the key 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 all of our finalists, and to our overall county winner, Neil Crossan of Living Green. We wish them all the best as they go forward now to represent Donegal in the National Enterprise Awards.”
Adding to this, Neil Crossan of Living Green said: “We’re delighted to have won the Donegal Enterprise Awards and are honoured to be representing Donegal in the National Enterprise Awards next year. We’ve been in business for twenty years and have grown and diversified in that time. I’d like to thank our hard-working team and the Local Enterprise Office Donegal, for our success and this recognition.”
If you would like to start up or expand your existing business contact Local Enterprise Office Donegal on 074 9160735, email info@leo.donegalcoco.ie or visit LocalEnterprise.ie/Donegal.
At a reception before the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2023 in Rockhill House, Letterkenny on Friday last were from left; Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems; Ciara Doherty, special guest and presenter of the The Tonight Show on Virgin Media Television, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council; Seamus McDaid, Football Special, awardee; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office; and John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council . Picture: Declan Doherty.
At a reception before the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2023 in Rockhill House, Letterkenny on Friday last were from left; Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems; Ciara Doherty, special guest and presenter of the The Tonight Show on Virgin Media Television, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council; Thomas Ellis and Áine Curran, Donegal Bees, awardees; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council . Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Ciara Shine, Shines’ Seafood, with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Eugene Gallen, Bon Appetit with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Isobel Sangha, Donegal Natural Soap Company, with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Ryan Allen, irish Gap Year with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Paul Carr, Medpro Scientific with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council. and Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Adrian Boyle, Blistered Bread with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council and Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, Dnegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
Overall award winner Neil Crossan, Living Green with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council and Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, Donegal County Council . Picture: Declan Doherty.
Award winner Barry Doherty, C&B Agri Enterprises Ltd. with John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine; Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Cllr. Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council and Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, Donegal County Council. Picture: Declan Doherty.
