L – R: Maeve Buckley, Branch Manager at AIB, Skibbereen, (sponsors), Caroline Murphy, Owner of West Cork Eggs and 2018 National and Regional Winner of Best Emerging Business, and Ciara Lucy, President of Network Ireland West Cork.
Network Ireland West Cork will officially launch its prestigious Business Woman of the Year Awards on February 27th, 2019 in AIB in Bandon. The event entitled ‘Presenting the best version of you and your business’ will include a workshop to prepare members for the awards. During the event, there will be a panel of experts sharing their tips with members on how to put their best foot forward when entering the awards. The guest speaker at the awards launch will be Catherine Moroney, Head of AIB Business Banking and workshops will be held by Caroline Murphy, Owner of West Cork Eggs and 2018 Winner of Best Emerging Business, Adrienne Harrington, CEO at The Ludgate Hub and Ex-Officio of the branch, and Sarah Abbott, Executive Coach at The People Practice and Vice-President of the branch. All members are invited to enter the business awards and the winners of the Network Ireland West Cork awards will be announced in May at a flagship event in Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen, Co Cork.
Speaking about her success last year, Caroline Murphy said: “When I entered the Network Ireland business awards last year, I certainly didn’t expect to win or realise what it would mean for me and my business. To win at the West Cork branch awards was just brilliant, to have all my hard work recognised and for a group of amazing women like those at Network Ireland to have belief in me and my business was just phenomenal and so motivating. To win at the national awards was beyond any dreams and the publicity for West Cork Eggs and the encouragement and support for me to continue to follow my dreams has been way above and beyond any expectations. I can’t encourage anyone enough to enter these awards. There is support available through the whole application process and you really have nothing to lose and so much to gain.”
Speaking about the upcoming Network Ireland West Cork business awards launch, Ciara Lucy, President of Network Ireland West Cork said: “Network Ireland West Cork is a very special organisation. I am so proud of what we have achieved in one year. Our biggest milestone last year was when our member Caroline Murphy won the award of Best Emerging Business at national level. We were so proud of Caroline and she is an incredible ambassador for us. Seeing what the experience has meant to Caroline and for her business I see the business awards as one of the main benefits of joining the Network. This year, our theme is #BeFearless and I urge all of our members who are thinking of entering, but may be hesitant, to attend the launch event in Bandon to find out more. The committee and I will support them every step of the way. We want to showcase the incredible business women we have in West Cork, both at local and national level.”
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 then nationally through Network Ireland. Regional branch winners will go forward to compete at the Network Ireland national business awards in Rosscarbery, Co Cork in September 2019. For further information about the awards, visit: https://networkireland.ie/awards-information/ and to book your place for the Network Ireland West Cork business awards launch in Bandon, visit Eventbrite.
Photography: Dermot Sullivan.