THE diversity and talent of West Cork’s business community was on show at The Southern Star West Cork Business & Tourism Awards pitch night.

The awards are presented by The Southern Star in partnership with Carbery, and were launched in 2018 to celebrate and champion the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in the region. 

Now in its sixth year and going from strength to strength, Seán Mahon, Southern Star managing director highlighted how the volume of entries this year was ‘as consistently high’ as previous years. 

‘It’s also really encouraging to see that the quality of entries is just as high, reflecting the really fantastic work being done by so many in West Cork,’ he said. 

MC Judy Russell also highlighted the level of creativity that’s evident from the entries and pointed out the value of entering the awards, as it forces owners to reflect on what they do, thus bringing a new clarity to their operations. 

The format of the competition requires businesses to complete an entry form, from which this year’s 29 finalists were selected; and last Thursday night they were all invited to  a convince a panel judges that they should win their particular category, through a three-minute presentation showcasing their business.

The pitch event sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office, took place in the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen and was a superb showcase of the energy, enthusiasm, talent, strong work ethic and courage of local businesses. 

There are nine categories including Best Customer Service, Best New Business, Young Businessperson of the Year, Best Use of Sustainability and Best Family-Run Business (see panel for full list). 

There were well known household names pitching alongside newly-set up businesses, and the camaraderie and good will in the room was enough to power Christmas lights in all of West Cork’s towns! Finalists used song, jokes and colourful anecdotes to showcase their work.  

All of them, as Judy Russell pointed out had one thing in common and that’s their connection with their communities and ‘their love of local.’

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; Don Colbert, Project Officer, Fáilte Ireland Paul Di Rollo, owner and director of Glentree Furniture and Seán Mahon, Southern Star Media managing director.

They now have the difficult job of selecting winners, judged on their pitch and their entry form. Winners will be announced at a gala lunch in the Maritime Hotel, Bantry on Friday, January 30th. 

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE sponsored by ODM Financial Advisors

• HomeBot Ireland
• Skibbereen Sports Centre
• Digital Forge

BEST NEW BUSINESS sponsored by Collins, Brooks & Associates

• DRIP Coffee
• Baby Hannah’s
• Naturally Balanced

BEST SMALL BUSINESS sponsored by Local Enterprise Office

• Sheenco T ravel
• Park Cinema Clonakilty
• Cronin’s Hardware Ballylickey

YOUNG BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by Access Credit Union

• MaryRose Shanahan – Wild Atlantic Recovery
• Mark O’Reilly – Wet & Wild Tours
• Jonathan Davis – BodyActive Fitness

BEST USE OF DIGITAL sponsored by Masterkabin

• Ballydehob Jazz Festival
• Casey’s Bar and Restaurant
• Moneytree Finance

BEST FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS sponsored by Cork County Council

• Glenilen Farm Ltd.
• Keohane Readymix Limited
• The West Cork Hotel
• Clohane Wood Products LTD

BEST TOURISM EXPERIENCE sponsored by Cork Airport

• Blacks Brewing & Distilling Kinsale
• Clonakilty Park Hotel Complex
• Bonner Travel

BEST WEST CORK FESTIVAL sponsored by O’Sullivans Marine

• Bere Island Arts Festival
• Fastnet Film Festival
• Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival

BEST USE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN A BUSINESS sponsored by Lilly Ireland

• East meets West Emporium
• Clonakilty Food Co.
• Ludgate Operations CLG
• Glenilen Farm Ltd.

At the event were Lizzie Carroll and Rory Copplestone from Clonakilty Food Company. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Pictured are event MC Judie Russell and Méadhbh Byrne from the Southern Star. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were MaryRose & Rose Shanahan from Wild Atlantic Recovery. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Eibhlin Keohane and Eabha O'Driscoll from Keohane ReadyMix Ltd and Kate Taylor from Bonner Travel. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Ann & Aoife O'Driscoll from Baby Hannah's. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Brian McCarthy, Southern Star and Elma Connolly, Ludgate Hub.. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Mary Leonard and Jane Hurley of Digital Forge. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Southern Star MD Seán Mahon addresses the audience. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Event MC Judie Russell addresses the audience. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Picture: Andy Gibson.

Clara Mulligan of Homebot Ireland pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Jane Hurley of Digital Forge pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Shane Goggin of Drip Coffee pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Aoife O'Driscoll of Baby Hannahs pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Genevieve Sheen from Sheenco Travel sang her pitch to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Mary Rose Shanahan of Wild Atlantic Recovery pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Mark O'Reilly of Wet & Wild Tours pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

James Casey of Casey's Bar & Restaurant pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Maud Buckley, Blacks Brewing & Distilling Kinsale and Katy Wareing, Ludgate Hub. Picture: Andy Gibson.

At the event were Anne-Marie Murphy, Bí Anseo Jewellery and Paudie Keohane, Keohane Readymix Ltd. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Picture: Andy Gibson.

Alan Kingston of Glenilen Farm pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Damien Cremin of Blacks Brewing & Distilling Kinsale pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Aisling McGrath from Clonakilty Park Hotel Complex pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Mary Sullivan; Caitriona Hanley and Pauline Hurley from Bere Island Arts Festival pitch to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Hilary McCarthy of Fastnet Film Festival pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Amanda Connell of East meets West Emporium pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Rory Copplestone and Lizzie Carroll of Clonakilty Food Co. pitch to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Katy Wareing of Ludgate Hub pitches to the judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

The Business &Tourism Awards judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Event MC Judie Russell with the Business &Tourism Awards judges. Picture: Andy Gibson.

The Southern Star Business &; Tourism Awards 2025 Pitch Night took place at the Ludgate Hub on Thursday last. Event MC Judie Russell addresses the audience. Picture: Andy Gibson.