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Inspiring finalists pitch for West Cork Business and Tourism awards

November 10th, 2018 8:05 PM

By Southern Star Team

Judges and finalists at the pitch night for the West Cork Business & Tourism Awards 2018, which was held in AIB in Bandon last Monday night. (Photo: Emma Jervis)

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A lively inspiring and energy-filled evening took place on Monday night for The Southern Star's West Cork Business & Tourism Awards ‘Pitch Night'.

A LIVELY, inspiring and energy-filled evening took place on Monday night for The Southern Star’s West Cork Business & Tourism Awards ‘Pitch Night’ , run in conjunction with main partner Cork County Council, and hosted by awards partner AIB, in their impressive Bandon branch. 

A total of 31 businesses and organisations, who have been shortlisted as finalists across the awards categories, were given just three minutes each to tell their story to the packed room and convince the panel of judges why their organisation deserved to win their category. 

After each finalist had completed their pitch, they were whisked away to have photographs taken and to answer questions, all of which will feature in a special supplement to be published in The Southern Star on Thursday November 22nd.

The supplement will appear the week before the winners are announced at a gala awards dinner at the Inchydoney Lodge and Spa Hotel on Friday November 30th. 

TV and radio presenter Sile Seoige will be MC for the awards night. 

The judging panel are Deirdre O’Mahony, Local Enterprise, Cork County Council; Rose Carroll, Tourism, Cork County Council; John O’Doherty, head of AIB Cork; Adrienne Harrington, CEO Ludgate Hub; Sean Mahon, MD, Southern Star, and Des O’Dowd, owner, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa.

They now have the very difficult task of deciding on who should be the winner in each category. 

One business will also be chosen from the category winners as overall West Cork Business of the Year, plus there will be a special Mayor’s Award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to West Cork business over the years – this individual will be announced in next week’s Southern Star.

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