Harp Media wins top prize at County Longford Enterprise Awards
LEO Longford client business will represent Longford at National Enterprise Awards
Press Release
Harp Media took the top prize at the 2024 County Longford Enterprise Awards. The awards ceremony took place last week (Thursday, 7 March) as part of a busy lineup of events for Local Enterprise Week, organised by the Local Enterprise Office, Longford.
A Granard-based film production company, Harp Media was founded in 2018 by award-winning duo Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney. The company specialises in short and feature-length films, factual TV programming, corporate videos and filmmaking training initiatives. Notable successes include their debut feature film "Lakelands," which gained worldwide acclaim, showing in Santa Barbara in California, across the UK, Europe and the USA, before finishing with a tour of five cities in Australia. Overall, the film exceeded all expectations garnering global recognition and nominations for four IFTA awards.
Harp Media will now go on to represent Longford at the National Enterprise Awards taking place in the Mansion House in Dublin on 23 May 2024.
Other winners at County Longford Enterprise Awards include:
- Thermwall: Founded in 2023 by brothers Guram and Bisek Baisonashvili, Thermwall Ireland specialises in manufacturing customised insulation solutions from upcycled polystyrene Styrofoam beads.
- Fabiani: Founded by Louise Brennan over a decade ago, Fabiani is a renowned women's designer clothing and footwear store, offering curated fashion from top global brands and featuring a coffee shop and beauty studio.
- Larkin Windows: Established in 1992 by Brendan Larkin, Larkin Windows is a leading supplier of premium aluminium and uPVC doors, windows and more located at Ballinamuck, Co Longford.
- Wilder & Gold: Established in 2018 by Marie O’Dowd, Wilder & Gold in Ballymahon, Co Longford, is an independent lifestyle store and deli offering a diverse range of homewares, gift items and locally sourced deli products.
- Hugh Quinn: Winner of the ‘Spirit of Longford’ award. The Quinn family have operated Quinn Supply Stores in Edgeworthstown for five generations with the business now under the helm of Hugh Quinn. Alongside running this well-established business, Hugh has also played a pivotal role in the community development of Edgeworthstown over the years, serving as a Director of Edgeworthstown District Development Association and Edgeworthstown Trader’s Association. He has consistently shown his dedication to both business and the betterment of the local community.
Overall Longford winners, Harp Media will now be competing against 30 other finalists from every other local authority for a share of the €35,000 winner’s prize fund as national judging gets underway in April. In addition to eight regional awards, national categories include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start-Up’, ‘Innovation’, ‘One to Watch’ and the ‘Sustainability’ award.
Among the special guests at the County Longford Enterprise Awards were Longford County Council Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh, Longford Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr Martin Monaghan, Ballymahon Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr Paul Ross, and Senator Micheál Carrigy.
Longford County Council Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh commented on the day, “The County Longford Enterprise Awards is an opportunity to showcase the great businesses we have in our county. I congratulate all the winners, particularly Harp Media, a great creative local business that is putting Longford on the map globally. I wish them every success when they represent County Longford at the national finals in Dublin in May.”
Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added, “The quality of entries that get involved in our Enterprise Awards, year after year, are a fine demonstration of the vibrant economy here in county Longford, congratulations to all.”
Speaking at the event, Longford County Council Head of Enterprise Michael Nevin said, “Local Enterprise Office, Longford has been delighted to support Harp Media from their days as a start-up film production company. Longford has a strong record of supporting creative businesses and we’re now looking forward to seeing those businesses continue to shine at national and indeed international level.”
The County Longford Enterprise Awards took place as part of Local Enterprise Week which saw over 300 events taking place across the country. These included business training to help entrepreneurs, start-ups and expanding businesses among others.
Local Enterprise Week is organised by Local Enterprise Offices, and supported by Enterprise Ireland, local authorities, including Longford County Council and the Government of Ireland.
For further information, check out LocalEnterpgrrise.ie/Longford or follow Local Enterprise Office, Longford on social media.
ENDS
All media queries should be directed to the Longford County Council Communications Officer via mediaenquiries@longfordcoco.ie or by calling 043 33 43362.
Photo credits to Clare Frances Photography
