Events organised across Cork for Enterprise Week

More than 20 events are set to take place across Cork this week under the banner of Local Enterprise Week 2026, with several high-profile speakers earmarked to deliver talks.

Running until Friday, the initiative of Cork County Council’s Local Enterprise Offices will see 25 events take place across the county, covering various topics including exporting, digital marketing, access to finance, leadership, and AI.

Speakers include Kilkenny Group CEO Evelyn Moynihan, entrepreneur Bobby Kerr, comedian Chris Kent, West Cork Distillers founder John O’Connell, and internationally acclaimed comic book artist Will Sliney.

They will also be joined by former naval captain Marie Gleeson, photographer Joleen Cronin, and Mark White, founder of Padel Tennis Ireland.

Featured events include ‘Local Talent to Global Success’, aimed at creative entrepreneurs, which will take place today from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Seachurch in Ballycotton, and ‘Future Proofing Small Businesses’, which will take place this evening from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at Charleville Park Hotel.

Events taking place tomorrow include ‘Getting Started with AI: A Human-Centric Roadmap for SMEs’ at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island, from 10am to 1pm and will feature a jargon-free workshop designed specifically for SMEs who want to use AI responsibly.

A ‘Leadership Insights’ event with Ms Gleeson will take place tomorrow evening at St Peter’s from 6.30pm to 9pm, where she will share insights across entrepreneurship, leadership and resilience.

Events taking place on Thursday include ‘Innovate to Elevate: Helping SMEs Grow in Challenging Times’ at the Inchydoney Hotel, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, featuring panel discussions with business owners; and ‘Rethinking Impact: Why Not a Social Enterprise’ at the Fota Education Conservation and Research Centre from 9.30am to 12pm, which will include a keynote from Giorgia Anile, founder of The Toy Library.

For more information on the line-up of events, visit: www.localenterprise.ie.