Rugby legends regale guests at annual Chamber lunch

MORE THAN 140 people from businesses and organisations throughout the county attended the County Carlow Chamber of Commerce annual president’s lunch in the Talbot Hotel. The sponsor of this year’s event was LSMQ Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, which celebrated 21 years in business this year.

“We were delighted to sponsor County Carlow Chamber of Commerce president’s lunch. This was an ideal event for connecting and networking with a diverse range of businesses from the county,” said LSMQ partner John O’Shea.

One of the highlights of this year’s event was a panel discussion with rugby legends Brent Pope and Seán O’Brien, and rising rugby star Stephen Smyth from Ballinabranna, who has played on the U20 Irish team, the Emerging Ireland team and the Leinster team this year. The panel discussed the topic of leadership and resilience – lessons learned on and off the pitch.

“It was fantastic to have three generations of players on the panel – each coming with their own rugby, business and life experiences to add to the discussion. Their insights and anecdotes gave us plenty of food for thought, not to mention a few laughs,” said Nicola Doran, CEO of County Carlow Chamber.

“The session was lively and diverse. It touched on issues such the importance of minding your mental health, the value of supporting colleagues and team members, the power of positive communication and the reality that we all come to the table with different skills and insights that should be cherished and valued.” The chamber would like to thank everyone who attended this event, and indeed all of its events throughout 2024. In early January, the chamber will launch its 2025 schedule and in the meantime it would like to wish all of its members, sponsors, stakeholders and supporters a happy Christmas and a successful year ahead.