PICS: Roughty Foodie and Trigon Hotels big winners at Cork Business Awards
Best Large Company and Overall Winners were the Trigon Hotel Group. Back row, from left: Kevin Herlihy, CBA President; Aaron Mansworth, MD, Trigon Hotels and John Cleary, JCD Group, award sponsor; Front, from left: Peter Loughnane, Eoghan Murphy, Carmel Lonergan and Roger Russell, all Trigon Hotels at the 2023 CBA (Cork Business Association) President's Dinner and Cork Business of the Year Awards which took place at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island, Cork.
Roughty Foodie and Trigon Hotels claimed the overall SME Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year respectively at the Cork Business Association’s ‘Cork Business of the Year Awards’, which were held at a black tie event in the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Manus O’Callaghan was named Champion of Cork for his unwavering dedication over the past 30 years to promoting Cork and its citizens through the Cork Person of the Month & Cork Person of the Year Awards.
Other award winners on the evening included The Chicken Inn who accepted the Best Cork Family Business Award, while IMART - International Mixed-Ability Rugby Tournament won Best in Tourism Arts and Events for promoting inclusivity and diversity through sport.
Best Cork Hotel was presented to The Kingsley, Best Cork VFI Pub went to Barry’s of Douglas, Best Cork Restaurant was picked up by Rare @ The Blue Haven Kinsale, and SOMA Coffee Company won in their category for Best Café.
ERA Downey McCarthy was recognized as the Best Professional Services Business, while HomeHak.com picked up the Best in Digital Business award for their unique online platform that seeks to address the chronic housing shortage by matching prospective renters to their ideal homes. Cork Harbour Cruises won the Cork’s Best New Business Award.
The Sustainable Business Innovation award went to Ballymaloe House for their decades-long commitment to reducing their carbon footprint through a zero food-miles policy, where possible and the installation of a solar farm onsite meaning that the business can be independent of the national grid when the sun shines.
“I would like to congratulate each finalist and winner, as these are the people who are at the beating heart of our city," President of the Cork Business Association Kevin Herlihy, said. "Each and every one of them demonstrated innovation, perseverance or overcame extreme challenges presented to them in the past year.
"We managed to ride the storm and emerge stronger after Covid, only to be plunged into greater uncertainty as a result of the war in Ukraine and the energy & cost of living crises that have ensued.
“We now need to be ready for the challenges that lie ahead. The uncertainty in the economy, rising inflation and global events mean we are still in unchartered territory. The theme of this years awards is “resilience and hard work” and Cork businesses have shown that in spades over the last twelve months.
The event, which was MC’d by Neil Prendeville, was attended by the Lord Mayor Cllr. Deirdre Forde, Tániste Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath TD, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Sen. Jerry Buttimer, CEO of Cork City Council Ann Doherty and over 350 members of Cork’s business community.
