A local trout farm from Thomastown will represent County Kilkenny at the National Enterprise Awards, the Local Enterprise Office has announced.

Margaret & Gerard Kirwan from Goatsbridge Fish Processors won the top prize at the County Enterprise Awards competition, which was one of the highlights during Local Enterprise Week.

The local company, which employs ten and was set-up in 2012, will now be going head-to-head with thirty other high achieving businesses, to win a share of the €20,000 national prize fund.

Run every year by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network, the National Enterprise Awards were set-up to celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s micro-enterprise sector.

Previous national winners have included companies such as MyBio from Kilkenny, Irish Yogurts from West Cork, DesignPro from Limerick, Simtech Aviation from Fingal, Innovate IT and Telecoms from Wexford, Hot Irishman Irish Coffee (Walsh Whiskey Distillery) from Carlow, along with Grouse Lodge Recording Studios from Westmeath.

According to Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Leas Cathaoirleach, Kilkenny Local Authorities, the county has a growing number of small business success stories to showcase.  She said:  “We support hundreds of small businesses and start-ups every year, as the first stop shop for enterprises in the county. From start-ups setting up to small businesses looking to expand, the Local Enterprise Office supports, mentors and develops entrepreneurs every step of the way. The National Enterprise Awards are a way of shining the international spotlight on their success stories, giving local businesses the recognition they deserve. The county has a vibrant start-up and small business community and this awards competition is an important way of telling their success stories.”

The local winner will meet the judging panel in April, for a chance to win one of twelve awards and the top prize of €10,000 for their business at the National Enterprise Awards ceremony on June 9^th  Entrepreneurs are judged on areas such as company competitiveness, use of technology, responsiveness to market trends alongside their own leadership qualities.

Further details about the supports available to local start-ups and small businesses are available through www.localenterprise.ie/kilkenny. Updates around local companies competing at the National Enterprise Awards are available by searching #NEAwards16 on social media.

L to R: Cllr. Fidelis Doherty, Leas Cathaoirleach, Kilkenny Local Authority; Colette Byrne, CEO, Kilkenny Local Authority; Margaret Kirwan, Goatsbridge Fish Processors; Fiona Deegan, Senior Development Officer, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny; Gerard Kirwan, Goatsbridge Fish Processors.