Meet the Best New Business finalists – West Cork Business & Tourism Awards 2023

The West Cork Business & Tourism Awards take place this Friday, February 2nd, at The West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen. Brought to you by The Southern Star, in association with Carbery, the awards celebrate the best of West Cork business and tourism.

Meet the finalists in the Best New Business Category, sponsored by Collins, Brooks & Associates, below.

Billy's Rent-a-Goat – A truly natural solution

William Walsh of Billy's Rent-a-Goat.

WILLIAM Walsh is striving to show people that there are opportunities in the green economy with his unique business.

Called Billy’s Rent-a-Goat, it’s a broad-spectrum, chemical and machinery-free solution for dealing with invasive plants and overgrowth.

‘Goats are a superior choice in hard to reach or environmentally protected areas, especially those with prevalent invasive or problem plant over growth. Over time, goats will restore the landscape to a healthy native ecological balance,’ explained Enniskeane-based William.

He employs targeted grazing, which means that native plants are protected from the goats, using solar powered goat fencing, while they feed on and clear the non-native and invasive plants.

His mission statement is: ‘To provide an ethical land management service with a variety of methods including goats, native species rehabilitation and educational social support.’

The educational, social and community aspect has become an unexpected focus of the business, in operation for around two years.

‘Having goats at schools creates great beneficial educational and social dynamics and encourages conversations about land care, climate proofing, diversity of species and ecosystems,’ he said.

William and his goats are involved in a project working with Heritage Ireland at the Ardmore Cliff Walk, and were also used to clear invasive plants from Beaumont Quarry near Cork city as well as helping to clear an overgrown walled garden at Bantry House, and a graveyard in Crosshaven.

Going forward, William’s plan is to establish the startup in the next few years and then begin to implement other working models along the same lines.

‘It’s about creating an ethical business model that encourages a climate proofing shift from linear to cyclical processes. We share our passion for well cared for species and ecologies in a wider context and look forward to seeing goats and humans working together in hubs around Ireland creating stronger and more resilient native ecosystems and communities.’

The Family Edit – Helping hand for families

Gemma Kingston of The Family Edit.

THE Family Edit came about from a genuine problem experienced by a first-time-mom.

Bandon-based Gemma Kingston felt she couldn’t find a trusted source of information for families to find out about things in their local area, or an area they were visiting.

‘I decided then and there to create the solution and The Family Edit was born!’ she said.

The business is an online hub designed to showcase the best of family-friendly Ireland, from pregnancy right through to the primary school years.

‘Our website connects families with the top recommended family-friendly businesses in Ireland across 11 categories of business types e.g. accommodation, pregnancy and baby classes, kids activities, indoor and outdoor activity providers, cafes and restaurants, events and camps,’ she explained.

Crucially, it operates on an invitation-only basis.

‘This means all businesses listed on our website have been tried, tested and recommended by families from all counties in Ireland,’ she said, adding that they champion businesses across West Cork, and nationwide.

Once invited to the website, businesses can then choose from a monthly or yearly subscription option, said Gemma who has over 30,000 followers on Instagram.

‘From the outset, I had a dream for The Family Edit to be the number one website for families in Ireland, and in October that dream became a reality when we were voted Best Family and Baby Website in Ireland in the NUK Mums & Tots Award. This is a testament to the strength and loyalty of our families and family businesses,’ said Gemma.

She has also been accepted onto the Acorns programme this year. It’s designed to support earlystage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

‘This is an absolute honour, and another dream list achievement! This is going to help accelerate our business growth, and help us to take The Family Edit to the next level.’

Occupational Health Solutions – Good health, good work

Carol Deasy, Occupational Health Solutions.

PREVENTION is paramount, and we strive to proactively support organisations in cultivating healthy and resilient teams.

That’s the commitment of Carol Deasy who runs Occupational Health Solutions (OHS), a company on a mission to enhance the well-being and productivity of workforces globally.

Among its key ergonomic services are personalised virtual and in-person ergonomic assessments worldwide and comprehensive consultations for workspace design and optimisation. Occupational health services include virtual and in-person assessments, including sick notes and return-to-work plans, led primarily by physiotherapists and nurses.

‘OHS distinguishes itself by employing occupational health physiotherapists to oversee sick notes and return-to-work plans, a unique offering in Ireland. Our commitment to datadriven, preventive care, and a global network of experienced healthcare professionals ensures superior service quality,’ said Union Hall based Carol.

‘Moreover, we actively engage in campaigns and initiatives to advance the field of ergonomics and promote work-life balance in Ireland and across Europe,’ she added.

At OHS, she said, they leverage technology to connect people and deliver customised solutions, ensuring that employees can work comfortably and safely, no matter where they are located.

‘Our holistic approach not only benefits organisations by reducing absenteeism and improving employee engagement but also contributes to the overall well-being of the workforce,’ she said.

Carol highlights that OHS, which comprises a team of four, is a ‘prime example of a business that actively contributes to job creation, with a unique twist.’

‘We not only create jobs but focus on generating remote employment opportunities. By doing so, we are supporting rural economies and communities, reducing geographical employment disparities, and giving talented individuals in remote areas access to meaningful work.

‘From our humble beginnings as a one-woman operation in Union Hall, we have expanded our footprint globally in ergonomic services and nationally in occupational health.’

OHS has, she says the potential to redefine the healthcare landscape and improve workplace health.

Wizard & Grace – The very best intentions

Paula McGovern, Wizard & Grace.

WIZARD & Grace create essential oil intention candles and self-care products, designed specifically for women to support their well-being.

‘While there are many candle brands on the market, the majority of candles, even those that claim to be natural, use synthetic fragrance or artificial perfume to scent,’ explains founder, Kinsale-based Paula McGovern.

‘Wizard & Grace uses only 100% aromatherapy grade essential oils in each candle, blended specifically to support a self-care need. So, not only do our sustainable candles smell beautiful they can actively support your well-being through the therapeutic value of essential oils.’

The purity of ingredients used is what sets the business apart. As well as 100% natural essential oils, Paula only uses vegan and renewable rapeseed and coconut wax.

‘Many candle makers still use paraffin or as a natural alternative soy. Soy is a non-renewable plant to grow at scale, even the non-GMO version and is causing deforestation and social justice issues in origin countries,’ she said.

Her commitment to sustainability goes further: all labelling and printing use recyclable paper and vegetable inks, while individual candle boxes are compostable and outer packaging is completely plastic free.

‘Every element of our work has been well considered to ensure a sustainable non-toxic product,’ said Paula.

She has also created original artwork greeting cards and high-end luxury journal products with Cork-based business Badly Made Books to provide a complete gifting solution with candle, journal and greeting card.

The self-care element to her business is also important.

‘Our candles are designed to support people’s wellbeing and to be used as a wellness aid – a reminder to stop and breathe and take a moment for selfcare in a busy life. We do this through our use of Gaelic intention words, our high-design aesthetic, which is inspired by Irish landscapes, Celtic mythology and the vibrancy of the Book of Kells.’

Since launching in 2022, the business has surpassed the targets she set and she has been selected by Enterprise Ireland as a participant on the New Frontiers 2 Entrepreneurship programme.

Category sponsor – Collins, Brooks & Associates Solicitors

Trusted legal advice for over 80 years

Meet the Collins, Brooks & Associates team – front: Bebhinn Murphy, Emma O’Brien, Denis O’Sullivan, Maria O’Brien. Back: Róisín Cahill, Jim Brooks, Roni Collins, Lorna Brooks, Conrad Murphy.

COLLINS, Brooks & Associates LLP, Solicitors, is a vibrant medium sized firm situated in Clonakilty offering an array of legal services to the people of West Cork and beyond.

We pride ourselves on our ability to provide practical and innovative advice to our clients near and far. With a team of nine solicitors and 24 staff in total we offer ex-pert services in all areas of law both to our private and commercial clients.

Collins, Brooks & Associates or more commonly known as “Collins Brooks” was established by Liam M. Collins, nephew of General Michael Collins, in 1943. It quickly established itself as one of West Cork’s best known and respected law firms. Thomas J Brooks, known locally as Jim Brooks, joined the firm in the early 1970’s and the firm’s reputation grew from strength to strength.

The firm continued to evolve over time and is now spearheaded by three partners, namely, Roni Collins, Lorna Brooks and Conrad Murphy.

At Collins Brooks we have an ability to adapt and embrace change utilising the latest in technology to provide efficient and timely service to clients in Ireland and internationally. We also retain the practical and personal approach which has seen us help thousands of people throughout years of practice in dealing with some of the most difficult and important moments of their lives.

With nine experienced solicitors from diverse backgrounds we have solicitors who have the expertise in whatever area of law arises. We have dedicated people in different departments to ensure each client receives the best representation what-ever the issue.

Our property department provides a comprehensive service in conveyancing and mortgaging of residential, commercial and agricultural properties.

Our estate and probate department provide services in relation to estate planning, drafting of wills and the administration of estates which can be an onerous time for a family when a loved one passes away.

We regularly advise clients on leases for commercial premises in addition to the intricate intricacies of licensing laws. Our litigation department can frequently be found in the High Court, Circuit Court or District Court throughout the country fighting and defending the rights of their clients.

Our litigation services include personal injury claims arising from car, workplace and public liability accidents, negligent construction cases, breach of contract, debt collection and criminal defence work.

We have an employment law department which advises employer and employee clients and is regularly involved in unfair dismiss-al, constructive dismissal and other employment legislation disputes at the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court.

At Collins Brooks our litigation team has extensive experience in working for both the Plaintiff and Defence side of claims therefore we have an insightful knowledge in how to deal with all claims in a tactical and efficient fashion.

Our location in the beautiful town of Clonakilty allows us to enjoy the quality of life which West Cork has to offer and we are proud to have a strong association with our locality.

Location is no longer a barrier to success or access in today’s technological world and we act for clients countrywide and indeed worldwide. You might meet our Solicitors in Clonakilty, Cork, Dublin or Limerick on any given day.

We are proud to sponsor the Best New Business Category and want to congratulate the finalists in every category at this year’s awards. The creation of new businesses in the West Cork area is essential to helping West Cork thrive and keeping the area at the cutting edge of entrepreneurism.

We applaud anyone who has the drive, enthusiasm and ingenuity to start a new business and the four finalists are glowing examples of such traits.