Finalists for Southern Star's West Cork Business & Tourism Awards 2025 announced

AN IMPRESSIVE total of 31 local businesses have been shortlisted as finalists for this year’s Southern Star West Cork Business & Tourism Awards 2025.

The awards, now in their sixth year, are presented by The Southern Star in partnership with Carbery and celebrate the innovation, enterprise, business skills and creativity that exists across West Cork.

Having received over 100 high-quality entries from businesses right across West Cork, the experienced panel of judges had a difficult job narrowing each category down to the final few.

The finalists will take part in a pitch night, sponsored by Local Enterprise Office, at the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen on Thursday, December 4th.

The night is an opportunity for all finalists to convince the judging panel why they should win their chosen category through a three-minute presentation.

High quality of entries right across West Cork impressed this year’s awards’ judges.

‘We’re looking forward to meeting and hearing from each of the finalists at the pitch night, where we get to showcase and learn from these brilliant West Cork businesses,’ said Sean Mahon, Southern Star managing director.

‘It was really challenging for judges to decide on the finalists as we had so many quality businesses, organisations, festivals, and business people who entered. We’d like to sincerely thank every organisation who entered, we appreciate the enthusiasm and effort invested in each entry and we wish you every success in the future.’

This year’s judges are: John Rea, Carbery’s CEO of Dairy and Nutrition; Kevin Curran, Local Enterprise Office’s Head of Enterprise, Cork North and West; Josephine O’Driscoll, Wild Atlantic Way manager, Fáilte Ireland; Don Colbert, Project Officer, Fáilte Ireland; Paul Di Rollo, owner and director of Glentree Furniture; and Seán Mahon.

Following the pitch night, judges will reconvene to choose a winner in each category, each of whom will be announced at a special gala lunch awards ceremony in the Maritime Hotel, Bantry on January 30th.