Chamber’s informal social proves a hit with attendees

GOOD food, great company and plenty of sunshine – the County Carlow Chamber of Commerce’s summer social had all the ingredients for a perfect evening of business mingling.

Over 60 people gathered on the veranda of the Woodford Dolmen Hotel for what proved to be the chamber’s most successful informal social event to date, with conversations flowing as freely as the refreshments. This year marked the first time the chamber had pulled out all the stops with a full marketing campaign, building on last year’s smaller gathering to create something special for the local business community.

“It’s more informal than our other events; there are no speeches so it’s literally just a chance for people to mingle and get to know each other,” explained Nicola Doran, CEO of County Carlow Chamber.

The no-pressure approach worked a treat, with Ms Doran noting how naturally connections formed throughout the evening. “People do business with people. You need to have something in the calendar where people can, without any pressure to feel like it’s networking, just chat with others in a nice environment.” 

The intimate size of the gathering created just the right buzz, with plenty of table-hopping and animated conversations.

“You could see people going from table to table, chatting to others. It was lovely – really nice,” Ms Doran observed.

The evening proved particularly welcoming for newer chamber members, who seized the opportunity to put faces to names and establish genuine connections. Even better, several potential new members came along to get a taste of what the chamber community has to offer.

President Norah Ryan was delighted with how the evening unfolded: “Connecting with other businesses is so important – and getting to know the person behind the brand is even more valuable. The summer social was a great chance to do this, with good food, great company and good vibes,” she said.

“We are very lucky in Carlow that, as a community, we collaborate well. As a chamber, we appreciate this support and will always be open to working with organisations, bodies and individuals who have Carlow’s interest at heart,” she added.

The evening also featured prize presentations from the Chamber Golf Classic, held on another sunny day earlier in the summer and sponsored by Michael Lyng Motors.

The chamber extended special thanks to Walsh Whiskey, Hickson’s Centra and Carlow Brewing Company for their ongoing support of both the golf classic and the evening’s festivities.