Thirteen businesses vie for Carlow Enterprise crown
Cllr Fergal Browne, cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Coilin O'Reilly chief executive of Carlow County Council and Séamus Doran, assistant head of economic development and enterprise
CARLOW County Council has unveiled 13 local businesses competing to represent the county at this year's National Enterprise Awards, with candidates ranging from golf ball designers to furniture makers.
The shortlisted businesses include Allskills Tech, developers of a women’s financial literacy platform, and Seed Golf, which designs tour-grade golf balls from its Carlow town headquarters. Traditional enterprises like Lynch’s Bakery in Old Leighlin, which serves seven counties with premium desserts, will compete alongside innovative newcomers such as VisionGreen Consultancy, a Rathvilly-based environmental consultancy.
Among the other notable contenders is Autom8 Installations, bringing over two decades of experience in manufacturing automatic doors for the commercial sector. The agricultural sector is represented by Coppenagh House Farm in Tullow, which has embraced innovative, lean management practices to drive growth, while Cullen Nurseries near Hacketstown brings 25 years of expertise as a Department of Agriculture-approved plant nursery.
“Carlow’s strong history of success at the National Enterprise Awards reflects the vibrant and thriving small business community in the county,” said cllr Fergal Browne, cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council. He pointed to last year’s success when Carlow’s Eskimo Software clinched the National Exporter Award, and David Walsh of Netwatch and Halocare, who scooped the inaugural Outstanding Achievement Award in 2023.
The county’s winner will be announced at a March ceremony, where additional awards for Lean Business, Green Business, Digital Business, and Exporting Business of the Year will also be presented. The successful nominee will advance to the national competition at Dublin’s Mansion House in May Séamus Doran, assistant head of economic development and enterprise, expressed confidence in the nominees: “All the shortlisted Carlow businesses are dynamic and impressive, and our eventual nominee will be an excellent representative for the county's enterprise sector.”
