Network Ireland West Cork officially launched its Business Woman of the Year 2019 Awards yesterday evening in AIB Bandon. The event, entitled ‘Presenting the best version of you and your business’, was sponsored by AIB. The guest speaker was Catherine Moroney, Head of Business Banking at AIB Bank, and the event included advice from Adrienne Harrington, CEO at The Ludgate Hub, Network Ireland Secretary and Network Ireland West Cork Ex-Officio, Ciara Wilson, Network Ireland Business Awards Coordinator, and Caroline Murphy, Owner of West Cork Eggs and 2018 Winner of Best Emerging Business on both a national and local level. Entry to the business awards is open to Network Ireland members and the winners of the Network Ireland West Cork awards will be announced at a flagship event on Friday, May 31, 2019 in Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, Co Cork.
Photography By Dermot Sullivan
This year, there are eight categories in the Network Ireland Business Woman of the Year Awards including: Small SME – 10 employees or less, Large SME – greater than 10 employees, Emerging New Business, Employee – Rising Star, Employee – Shining Star, Social Enterprise, Arts and STEM.
Speaking at the launch of the Network Ireland West Cork Business Woman of the Year Awards, Catherine Moroney, Head of Business Banking at AIB Bank, said, “AIB has been involved in supporting Network Ireland for over six years now. I highly recommend putting your business forward for the Network Ireland Awards. The support and experience you will get from the ecosystem around the awards will contribute significantly to you personally and to your business’ growth. The profiling of your business through the awards can only be positive. The Network Ireland West Cork theme for 2019 is ‘Be Fearless’ – I would add – ‘Be Brave’ and go for it.”
Photography By Dermot Sullivan
Speaking about her success last year, Caroline Murphy, Owner of West Cork Eggs, said, “I cannot recommend strongly enough to everyone, please enter these awards. Network Ireland is an amazing group of women and you may think that these awards are not for you or your business, but they are exactly the awards for you. By entering these awards I took a fresh look at my business and realised how far we had come and also what we had to do next. By entering and winning I managed to get West Cork Eggs out there to people who would never have heard of us and strengthen my brand through the power of this network. The support and encouragement I received, from start to finish and still today, has been overwhelming and has been huge in building my confidence as a businesswoman. If your customers are women, if you are a woman in business who is doing a great job, then enter these awards, you really have nothing to lose and who knows what you might gain!”
Photography By Dermot Sullivan
Speaking about the Network Ireland West Cork business awards, Ciara Lucy, President of Network Ireland West Cork said, “The Network Ireland Business Awards are a fantastic opportunity for Network Ireland West Cork members to showcase their achievements and businesses on both a local and national stage. In keeping with our #BeFearless theme for 2019, I am strongly encouraging members to #StepUp, have pride in their work and enter the awards. Since we began Network Ireland West Cork almost a year ago, we have seen membership figures rise to over 100, which demonstrates the interest from businesswomen in the locality to be part of a supportive and innovative environment. The network is a platform for celebrating the women in business and the awards programme is one of the key benefits on offer to members.”
Photography By Dermot Sullivan
Network Ireland Business Woman of the Year Awards celebrate the excellence, professionalism, vision and leadership of members. By entering the Network Ireland Business Awards, members have the opportunity to win locally through their own branch and nationally through Network Ireland. Regional branch winners from Network Ireland West Cork will go forward to compete at the Network Ireland national business awards in Rosscarbery, Co Cork on September 27, 2019. For further information about the awards, visit: https://networkireland.ie/awards-information/.
