Cork women recognised at Network Ireland Businesswomen of the Year awards

Wed, 23 Sep, 2026 - 06:04

Mary Corcoran

Cork’s Laura Howard and Ciara Crossan scooped national awards at the Network Ireland Businesswomen of the Year awards at the weekend.

The annual awards aim to recognise outstanding women from across Ireland.

Almost 600 applications were received for this year’s awards across Network Ireland’s 17 branches, with more than 100 finalists progressing to the national awards in Galway.

Laura Howard, Trinny London, won the Advanced Career Employee of the Year Award at the Network Ireland Businesswoman of the Year Awards. Pictured on the left Laura is receiving her award from Emma Wilson, Network Ireland. Photograph: Patrick Browne

Laura Howard, who recently appeared on The Traitors Ireland, was named Advanced Career Employee of the Year. She is a Regional Sales Manager with Trinny London and has more than 15 years’ experience in global luxury retail across Ireland and the UK. She leads high-performing teams, drives commercial growth and builds strong customer experiences. Laura is also a volunteer Board Director with Synergy Credit Union, bringing governance expertise alongside her passion for leadership and development.

Ciara Crossan was named Networker of the Year. She is the founder and CEO of WeddingDates, Ireland’s leading wedding technology company, where she has spent 18 years building and scaling the business.

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A passionate networker and connector, Ciara champions women in business, mentors emerging entrepreneurs, and forges meaningful relationships that create lasting impact across the wedding and hospitality industries.

In all, eight awards were bestowed on women from around the country at the awards ceremony. The other national award winners were:

STEM Professional of the Year: Niamh Shaw, Dream Big Space & Science Communications, Louth Branch
Creative Professional of the Year: Kim Whyte, Pawpear, Waterford Branch
Emerging New Businesswoman of the Year: Shannon Kearney, Squared Map, Carlow Branch
Solo Businesswoman of the Year: Natasha Hughes, Natasha Hughes EQ Coaching & Consultancy, Wexford Branch
Early Career Employee of the Year: Leah Maguire, Eolas Money, Tipperary Branch
Established Businesswoman of the Year: Joanne Sweeney, Digital Training Institute, Galway Branch

Majella Galvin

of DNG Galvin, a member of Network Ireland West Cork was 'Highly Commended' in the Networker of the Year category at the awards.

Majella said that being Highly Commended at national level was a huge honour for her and for DNG Galvin.

"Networking is a big part of what I do every day. For me, it’s about connecting people, supporting them and bringing the right expertise together to make things easier.

"Over my six years as a member of Network Ireland, I’ve met so many amazing and inspiring businesswomen who have supported and encouraged me along the way. It has really helped me grow in confidence as a businesswoman, and I think that’s the real power of networking – the people you meet, the support you give each other and the opportunities that come from those connections," she added.

RTÉ broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan was also honoured on the night with the Tricia Murphy Memorial Award, which recognises outstanding contribution and achievement.

One of Ireland’s best-known broadcasters, O’Callaghan has been a leading figure in Irish broadcasting and current affairs for more than four decades and has presented RTÉ’s Prime Time since 1996.

The awards followed the Network Ireland National Conference, held at Dexcom Stadium earlier in the day.

Karen Ronan, National President of Network Ireland, said that the finalists this year reflect the extraordinary breadth of female talent in Ireland today.

“I want to congratulate each of our eight national winners on this very well-deserved recognition. The standard across all of the categories was exceptionally high and reaching the national final is a significant achievement in itself.

“It has been particularly special to bring almost 500 women from across Ireland together in Galway, a city with such a strong tradition of creativity, innovation and enterprise. Our theme this year, ‘Building Bridges’, has been reflected throughout the day, in the connections made between our members, the ideas shared on stage and the conversations around the opportunities and challenges facing businesses today.

“I am also delighted that we have had the opportunity to recognise Miriam O’Callaghan with the Tricia Murphy Memorial Award. Miriam has had an extraordinary career in Irish broadcasting and is a very fitting recipient of this special award.”

AIB, Network Ireland’s longstanding official partner, supported the national conference and Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Geraldine Casey, Managing Director, Retail Banking at AIB said: “AIB is proud to continue its partnership with Network Ireland and to support the 2026 National Conference and Businesswoman of the Year Awards. Both events will demonstrate the innovation, resilience and ambition of women in business across Ireland, and their contribution is felt within their companies, their communities and the wider economy.

“Bringing 500 businesswomen together in Galway creates an important opportunity to exchange knowledge, build relationships and celebrate achievement. We look forward to recognising this year’s outstanding finalists and celebrating with them in Galway.”