The Carrickdale Hotel was the place to be last Saturday night when Dundalk Chamber of Commerce hosted the Louth Business Awards 2017. This glittering, Black tie event is now the Business event of the year and a highlight in the social calendar in Dundalk. A sell out crowd compromising of business leaders, local politicians and dignitaries suggested this really was the event to be with over 600 guests on the night. Tickets are always at a premium for this occasion and this was the largest number of bookings ever for this fantastic networking event.
Local Soprano Sarah McCourt entertained guests during the reception. Mizu Health & Beauty sponsored Best Dressed Lady while Tony McDonnell Menswear sponsored the Best Dressed Gent. It really was a glamorous occasion with beautiful dresses and accessories. The staff of the Carrickdale Hotel pulled out all the stops to make it a night to be remembered. Local company Wow Wow weddings supplied a photo booth on the night and patrons had a fantastic time getting fun photos with plenty of props.
MC for the night was Michael Duffy who provided the rapport with the audience and the finalists. The band on the night was “Sugartown Rd.” and they got all the audience up from the very first number and made sure the crowd were entertained until the early hours with a brilliant selection of songs. The dance floor was packed to capacity the whole night and local businesses donated fantastic spot prizes also which really added to the occasion.
The winners in the various categories for the Louth Business Awards 2017 were as follows:
- Best Customer Service Award in the retail sector sponsored by The Carrickdale Hotel was won by Smyth’s Life Pharmacy.
- Best Shop Front sponsored by The Argus was won by Sybil.
- Best Licensed Premises sponsored by Diageo was won by Fitzpatrick’s Bar & Restaurant.
- Best Dining Experience sponsored by Dundalk Stadium was won by Relish Café.
- Best Café/ Fast Food Outlet sponsored by AV Direct was won by The Greenmount Restaurant.
- Tourism Award sponsored by The Crowne Plaza Dundalk was won by Walking Holiday Ireland.
- Special Community Group Award sponsored by Dundalk Credit Union was won by Parkrun Dundalk.
- Best New Business under 5 years sponsored by Oriel Hub was won by Simply Fit Food.
- Best Emerging Business sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Louth was won by Va Va Voom.
- Corporate Social Responsibility Award sponsored by Prometric was won by Matthews.ie
- Business Growth Awards sponsored by Vhi Healthcare was won by Intact Software.
- Professional Services Award sponsored by M1 Document Solutions was won by Sherry Fitzgerald Carroll.
- Innovation & Technology Award sponsored by Net1.ie was won by Suretank.
- Best Training Initiative sponsored by Louth Meath Education & Training Board was won by Aura Dundalk Leisure/DKIT Sport.
- Best Exporter of the year sponsored by Enterprise Ireland was won by Bellurgan Precision Engineering.
- Business to Business Award sponsored by AIB Bank was won by Gecko Governance.
- Employee of the year sponsored by Servisource Recruitment was won by Caoimhe Nugent of Loughran Family Malt.
- Environmental Awareness Award sponsored by Recruitment Plus was won by The Authentic Food Company.
The highlight of the night was The Lifetime Award sponsored by PayPal. This was won by Michael McArdle of McArdle Skeath.

The highlight of the night was The Lifetime Award sponsored by PayPal. This was won by Michael McArdle of McArdle Skeath.
Best Dressed Lady sponsored by Mizu Health and Beauty was won by Deirdre Deacon.
Best Dressed Gent sponsored by Tony McDonnell Menswear was won by Nicholas Ganu.
Michael Gaynor President Dundalk Chamber “was delighted with the attendance, there are not many occasions where you can get so many members of the business community under the one roof and these awards provide that. All these companies here tonight are winners in their own field and this is a great opportunity to recognize them”
- Colm Kehoe The Rum House, Orla Hayes The Carrickdale Hotel, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winner Lisa Judge of Relish Cafe, Jean Clerkin Dundalk Stadium, Keith Agnew Riva and Michael Heaney PJ O Hares.
- Mario McBlain DKIT, Lisa Judge Relish, Rory Johnston The Argus , Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber and Robert McCabe of John McCabe Nissan.
- Francis Doran Bakers Takeway, Ken Nolan Treet & Green, Niamh Brady AV Direct, winner Lisa Connolly The Greenmount, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber and Zerena Martin Kingfisher Restaurant.
- Niall McGuiness 3rd Place Coffee House, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winners Evelyn Garland and Luke Judge of Simply Fit Food, Paddy Malone Oriel Hub, Marie Keenan Knead Artisan Bakery, Niall Carroll The Drone Guys.
- David Minto and Tom McGuinness of CX+ Sport, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winners Kate and Patrick King of Va Va Voom, Colm G. Holmes ECC Design, Thomas McEvoy Local Enterprise Office Louth, Paddy Creedon Smarmore Private Clinic and Joe Molloy of Sync IT.
- Caroline Lee Colourtrend, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, Patricia Kelly LMETB, winners Kelly Connor DKIT Sport and Shane Smith Dundalk Leisure, Irene Dunne Clarks Shop and Bronagh McCoy Inglot Cosmetics
- Michael Farrell Treasurer Dundalk Chamber, Jean McGuinness Russells, winner Ronan Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatricks Bar & Restaurant, Sharon McGuigan Carlingford Arms, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, Adrienne Kehoe Lisdoo Bar & Restaurant and Patrick McKeown of McKeowns Bar.
- Tom McGuinness Horseware, Steve Bryant The Authentic Food Company, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber winner Allison Carroll Bellurgan Precision Engineering, Anne Caldwell Enterprise Ireland , Gerry Boyle Horseware and Paul Young Foxpak Flexibles.
- Rose Bailey St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen, Mary McElroy Dundalk Special Olympics Club, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber , winner Sarah McEneaney parkrun Dundalk, Jim Pat Dwyer Dundalk Credit Union, Valerie Stewart Cardiac First Responders, Karl Cullen SNAP and Grainne Berrill Louth Volunteer Centre
- Environmental Awareness Award sponsored by Recruitment Plus was won by The Authentic Food Company
- Alan McKenna Climote, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, Andrew McKeever Net1.ie, winner Martin Winters Suretank, Lynda Quinn Open Hydro and Cahail Kierans Prometric
- Michael Farrell Dundalk Chamber, Lisa O Connor Keystone Insurance, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winner Brian Carroll Sherry Fitzgerald Carroll, John Nealon M1 Document Solutions, Aimee McGahon Friel & McGahon Dental and Eoin Doohan of DFP Pensions & Investments.
- Christopher Conlon of Conlons Food Hall, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, Orla Hayes Carrickdale Hotel, winner Anne McEntegart of Smyths Life Pharmacy and Brendan Marmion of Brendan Marmion Paint & Advice Store.
- Paul Hayes An Tain Theatre, Jill Steeples Dundalk Tennis & Badminton Club, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winner Cliff Wayneberg Walking Holiday Ireland, Emma Meehan Dundalk Stadium and Ross Kenny of Boyne Boats.
- Niamh Hoey Keystone Insurance, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winner Caoimhe Nugent Loughran Family Malt, Pamela O Connor Servisource Recruitment and John Foran of Sevens Cabs & Coaches.
- Corporate Social Responsibility Award sponsored by Prometric was won by Matthews.ie
- Shane Dullaghan Dash, Michael Gaynor Dundalk Chamber, winner Andris Macs Gecko Governance, Orla Thornton AIB Bank, Micheal McArdle McArdle Skeath and Gwen Noone The Digital Bakery.
Attachments
- Louth Business awards after event 2017 final (pdf/37 KB)