Roughty Foodie and Trigon Hotels claimed the top prizes at the 66th Cork Business of the Year Awards held at the weekend.
Hosted by the Cor Business Association (CBA) the Large Business of the Year award went to Trigon which operates The Metropole, Cork International and Cork Airport hotels. Roughty Foodie based in the English Market won the SME Business of the Year Award.
At the event, held in the Radisson hotel in Little Island, Manus O’Callaghan was named Champion of Cork for his dedication to promote the city and its citizens through the Cork Person of the Month and Person of the Year Awards.
The awards are run in partnership with JCD, Centra, Peninsula Ireland and The Irish Examiner. They recognise the value and achievement of Cork businesses that survived, thrived and innovated over the past year and those who have contributed to the enhancement of the commercial, cultural and civic life of Cork.
“Our awards night is a celebration of the Cork business community who are driving our local economy,” CBA President Kevin Herlihy said.
In his speech, he urged the Government to bring fresh ideas to resolve the housing crisis which he said was impacting businesses trying to employ new workers.
“I would like to congratulate each finalist and winner, as these are the people who are at the beating heart of our city. Each and every one of them demonstrated innovation and perseverance or overcame extreme challenges presented to them in the past year. We managed to ride the storm and emerge stronger after Covid, only to be plunged into greater uncertainty as a result of the war in Ukraine and the energy and cost of living crises that have ensued.”
“Nevertheless, Cork businesses are still leading the way forward to a brighter and a better future for our city and its citizens,” he said.
“I would especially like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Margo Murphy from Roughty Foodie and Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director of Trigon Hotels, winners of the overall SME Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year respectively. Roughty Foodie supports and champions so many small local producers and brings such colour and flavour to the city while Trigon Hotels with their forward-looking, family-friendly employee policies and inclusion and diversity agenda are fast becoming a model to which other businesses can aspire.”
The full list of winners:
- Large Business of the Year: Trigon Hotels
- SME Business of the Year: Roughty Foodie in The English Market
- Champion of Cork sponsored by Munster Technological University (MTU): Manus O’Callaghan
- Sustainable Business Innovation sponsored by Cross Group: Ballymaloe House
- Best New Cork Business sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office: Cork Harbour Cruises
- Best Cork Family Business sponsored by AIB: The Chicken Inn
- Best Cork Hotel sponsored by IHF, Cork Branch. The Kingsley
- Best Cork Restaurant sponsored by The English Market: Rare @ The Blue Haven Best Cork Café sponsored by The English Market: SOMA Coffee Co.
- Best Cork VFI Pub sponsored by the VFI: Barry’s of Douglas
- Best Cork Retail Business sponsored by Cork City Council: Leaders Menswear
- Best in Tourism, Arts, Events sponsored by Failte Ireland, Ireland’s Ancient East: IMART – International Mixed-Ability Rugby Tournament
- Best in Professional Business Services Sponsored by B2B Signs & B2B Print: ERA Downey McCarthy, Auctioneers
- Best in Digital sponsored by Cork Airport: HomeHak.com
Guests at the awards enjoyed a five-course ‘Taste Cork” dinner, which was a chef collaboration between The Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork’s Vienna Woods Hotel, Trigon Hotels, Barry’s of Douglas, The Carrigaline Court Hotel and The Blue Haven Collection Kinsale. It showcased the producers and growers in the Cork region and was paired with a selection of wines from Centra.
