BLARNEY BREWING COMPANY TAPPED FOR NATIONAL ENTERPRISE AWARDS

BLARNEY BREWING COMPANY TAPPED FOR NATIONAL ENTERPRISE AWARDS

Independent brewery to represent Local Enterprise Office Cork City

Blarney Brewing Company has been named as this year’s representative for Cork City at the National Enterprise Awards 2026.

Selected by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City, the independent brewery will represent the city at the national finals, which celebrate some of the country’s best small businesses and highlight the work Local Enterprise Offices are doing to support emerging enterprises across the country.

The idea for Blarney Brewing Company formed when Pat Falvey, along with co-founders Ronan Russell (formerly of Blacks Brewery of Kinsale) and hospitality expert Duncan Blair had a vision of sustainability and profitability. 

After 18-months of preparation, they launched their beers in June 2025 (on-trade) and September 2025 (off-trade). The brewery, located on Commons Road in Cork city, has the capacity to produce up to 2,400 cans of beer per hour. The company plans to scale up production and has already acquired a site near Inniscarra Lake for the development of a larger zero-carbon brewery. 

Their sustainability plan drives savings across all emission scopes. Local electric vehicle deliveries eliminate direct fuel emissions, lowering distribution costs. Their pressurised hot water heating system and heat recovery from wort cooling processes drastically reduce electricity needs, cutting energy expenses. 

They also provide their spent grain from the brewing process to Glenbrook Farm free range pigs, minimising waste handling and disposal costs. Meanwhile, grain used in the brew process is sourced from Boortmalts, Minch Malt, who provide access to the world’s most sustainable malt, thereby reducing upstream impacts. 

Blarney Brewing’s new strategic site will take these benefits even further. On-site circular water management and solar PV will slash emissions and take them off-grid. On-site animals consuming waste grain will also eliminate waste.

Speaking about the awards, Pat Falvey said: “We’re rooted in Cork and we work with local suppliers wherever possible. Supporting our community and building something that reflects where we come from has been central to the business from day one. We’re delighted to have been selected to represent Local Enterprise Office Cork City at the National Enterprise Awards. It’s a proud milestone for our team and a reflection of the work that has gone into building the brewery in such a short space of time.”

The announcement was made during Local Enterprise Week 2025.

Dr Niall O’Keeffe, Head of Enterprise at the Local Enterprise Office, Cork City, said: “Blarney Brewing Company is a strong example of the innovation and entrepreneurship emerging across Cork City. Their business model also highlights the importance of sustainability and how measures can be adapted by all companies to enhance their green impact. The National Enterprise Awards are an opportunity to recognise the achievements of small businesses and the ambition driving them forward. Blarney Brewing Company demonstrates what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. We are delighted to announce the company as this year’s LEO Cork City representative for the National Enterprise Awards and we wish them every success at the national finals.”

Pat Falvey added: “I can firmly say we wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of Local Enterprise Office Cork City. We benefited from employment grant supports as well as capital grants which aided us to achieve our goals. I would strongly encourage anyone setting up a business to contact their Local Enterprise Office. There’s always someone available to answer whatever question you have.”