Fingal company on “countdown” to National Enterprise Awards Final
Minister Mitchell O’ Connor announces names of all National Enterprise Award finalists, including the Local Enterprise Office Fingal nominee
Hope Beer from Howth Junction has been officially announced by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D. as a finalist in this year’s National Enterprise Awards.
Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices, the 2017 National Enterprise Awards celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s top small businesses and micro-enterprises from all parts of Ireland in a showcase of enterprise, innovation and ambition at Dublin’s Mansion House on May 25th.
Announcing the finalists, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “Last week, we saw that Ireland’s unemployment rate has dropped to a new low of 6.2%. This is hugely encouraging, and it is due to the hard work and dedication of enterprise heroes such as these local businesses who are quite rightly taking their place in the spotlight at the National Enterprise Awards on May 25th.”
The Fingal finalist, Hope Beer, was set up in 2015 and is Fingal’s state of the art microbrewery, producing a range of premium craft beers for the local, national and international markets. Hope Beer will be represented at the National Enterprise Awards on May 25th by company founder Wim de Jongh and his team.
The other finalists this year are drawn from diverse business sectors, such as skin-care, ice-cream making, language courses and mobile game development. The announcement of finalists was made at the Mansion House by Minister Mitchell O’ Connor, accompanied by Sheelagh Daly and Oisín Geoghegan representing the Local Enterprise Offices, Brendan Flood of Enterprise Ireland and last year’s Overall Winner, Mark Clendennen of Applied Concepts in Offaly.
Local Enterprise Office Fingal will be represented in the Mansion House by Head of Local Enterprise Office Fingal, Oisín Geoghegan. He said: “Small business and micro-enterprises, including Hope Beer, are making an outstanding contribution to our local economy. The National Enterprise Awards help to recognise the contribution that small businesses and micro-enterprises make to our communities every day.”
Paul Reid Chief Executive Fingal County Council commenting on the nomination said: “I am delighted that Hope Beer has been nominated for the National Enterprise Awards Final. Start-ups like Hope Beer, Fingal’s first micro-brewery, play a vital role in the economy and are essential to job creation and I am very pleased that their innovation is being rewarded by this nomination. I wish Hope Beer the very best of luck at the National Enterprise Awards Final on May 25th.”
Fingal has a strong track record of producing winners at the National Enterprise Awards. Previous Award recipients based in Fingal include Keogh’s Crisps (Oldtown), Simtech Aviation (Dublin Airport Logistics Park), software business IFS Ltd (Dublin 15), IBAT College (Swords) and InvizBox Ltd. (Skerries).
The winners of this year’s National Enterprise Awards will be announced at the Mansion House in Dublin on Thursday, May 25th. Twelve awards will be presented including eight regional awards. The overall winner will receive €10,000 to invest in their business.
Competition updates and results will be available through www.localenterprise.ie and by following #NEAwards on social media.
The Local Enterprise Offices are co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.