Opportunities for local women in agri-business to be highlighted at Ploughing
This year’s Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships will be home to 50 businesses started by women and Local Enterprise Office Mayo is encouraging more women to consider starting their own enterprise in the agri-business sector.
The National Ploughing Championships, taking place from September 20th to 22nd, have become Europe’s largest outdoor event with 281,000 visitors last year. To help small businesses and start-ups make an impact on the rural economy, Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in the Local Authorities network are introducing a new product launch and demonstration area within the Local Enterprise Village for 2016.
Of the 84 companies that will be showcasing their products and services, with the support of the LEOs in every county and city, approximately 50 of them were founded or co-founded by female entrepreneurs.
The female entrepreneurs inside the Local Enterprise Village operate within a wide range of business categories, across food, drink, skincare, children’s toys, books, jewellery, fashion and giftware. Services for the agri-sector are also represented, such as soil, milk and water testing, manufacturing of sprayer attachments and genetic identification services.
Speaking about this event, The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D. said: “the Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships is a wonderful initiative run by the Local Enterprise Offices. The fact that 50 of the companies showcasing their products and services there were founded by women is very encouraging. Female entrepreneurship is an untapped source of ideas and innovation that has the potential to make a significant contribution to the local economy. Female entrepreneurs are setting up businesses in a much wider range of areas than previously. I want to fully support all women that have innovative ideas and wish to set up their own business. It’s good to see that Enterprise Ireland and LEO strategy is working and the proof of that can be seen here in this initiative. I want to congratulate the LEOs for the success of this event.”
John Magee with Local Enterprise Office Mayo said: “There are lots of growth opportunities in the agri-business sector and in the rural economy generally, for both business-to-consumer and business-to-business companies. For example, small businesses inside the Local Enterprise Village generated sales and orders worth nearly €645,000 last year. Following in the footsteps of the 50 businesses in the Local Enterprise Village that were either founded or co-founded by women, we’re encouraging more aspiring female entrepreneurs here locally to start their own business in this sector and to seek out the supports that are available to them through the Local Enterprise Office.”
The Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, Anna May McHugh said: “There is an unprecedented number of diverse and exciting businesses exhibiting at the Local Enterprise Village, at this year’s National Ploughing Championships, and it is highly encouraging to see that so many of these companies were founded by inspirational women. This is a unique opportunity for these small businesses to showcase their products to the large number of visitors that Ploughing attracts.”
More details around the Local Enterprise Village are available through www.localenterprise.ie and by searching #localenterprise on social media. The 85th Annual National Ploughing Championships run over three days, from September 20th to 22nd in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and tickets are on sale through www.npa.ie
List of all small businesses taking part in Local Enterprise Village 2016 (September 20th – 22nd 2016)
Supported by Local Enterprise Offices in the local authorities network
Carlow: Tumbledown Media www.freddybuttons.com
Carlow: IAS Laboratories www.iaslabs.ie
Cavan: Scotts Irish Cider www.scottsirishcider.com
Cavan: Stop & Stare Designs Co www.stopandstare.com
Clare: Fun Affordable Gifts www.funaffordablegifts.com
Clare: Western Herd Brewing Co www.westernherd.com
Cork City: Rebel Chilli www.rebelchilli.com
Cork City: Elbow Lane Brew House www.elbowlane.ie
Cork North and West: Ocean Bloom www.oceanbloom.ie
Cork North and West: Chart Datum www.chartdatum.ie
Cork South: Barbara Hall Creations www.barbarahallcreations.ie
Cork South: Lifekitchen.ie www.lifekitchen.ie
Donegal: North Atlantic Seaweed Products www.salviesea.ie
Donegal: Lanky Yanky Studio
Dublin City: Delish Melish www.delishmelish.com
Fingal: Periwinkle Design
Fingal: Giftcentre www.giftcentre.ie
Fingal: 65 Hurls www.65hurls.com
Fingal: Celtic Gent www.celticgent.com
Dublin South: Greenvalu www.greenvalu.ie
Dublin South: Access Education Ltd www.primaryschools.ie
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Dalkey Handmade Soaps www.dalkeyhandmadesoaps.ie
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Melanie Hand Designer Jewellery www.melaniehand.com
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: The Irish Workshop/ TIW Ltd www.theirishworkshop.com
Galway: Collerans Butchers
Galway: The Galway Food Company www.thegalwayfoodcompany.com
Galway: Green Earth Organics
Galway: Sabanero Artisan Cheese www.sabanerocheese.com
Kerry: Kerry Signature Furniture www.kerrysignaturefurniture.ie
Kerry: Taste Kerry www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: O'Donnell`s Bakery www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Skellig Pantry (Smoked Trout) www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Lorge Chocolatier www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Rolf's Fine Food www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Camo`s Bistro www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Oilean Chocolates (Chocolate Pops) www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Killarney Toffee www.tastekerry.ie
Kerry: Ring of Kerry Apple Farm (Apple Juice) www.tastekerry.ie
Kildare: HACI Ltd, Hose & Coupling Ireland www.hcirl.com
Kildare: Nadicom www.geneticdetection.ie
Kilkenny: #tastekilkenny Stand
Kilkenny: Mooncoin Homegrown Beetroot www.tastekilkenny.ie
Kilkenny: Bernie's Farmhouse Desserts www.tastekilkenny.ie
Kilkenny: Goatsbridge Trout Farm www.tastekilkenny.ie
Kilkenny: Highbank Orchards www.tastekilkenny.ie
Kilkenny: Kilkenny Rosé Veal www.tastekilkenny.ie
Kilkenny: Shellumsrath Free Range www.tastekilkenny.ie
Laois: Flavour Safari
Laois: Rose & Alice Handcrafted Soaps www.roseandalice.com
Leitrim: Chef Sham Sauces www.cottagerestaurant.ie
Leitrim: Artwood www.artwood.ie
Limerick: McAdare www.mcadare.ie
Limerick: Lubdub Foods www.lubdubfoods.com
Longford: Kaber Performance www.kaberperformance.com
Longford: Go Oats
Louth: Duinn Designs www.duinndesigns.com
Louth: Finca Skin Organics www.rosacea.ie
Mayo: Cuinneog Artisan Dairy www.cuinneog.com
Mayo: Monaghan Bros Bar Furniture Manufacturers www.barfurniture.net
Meath: E. Finnegan & Sons www.finnegansfarm.ie
Meath: Cara Mara Seaweed www.caramara.ie
Monaghan: Pollock's Pickles & Preserves www.pollockspickles.com
Monaghan: Shanks Engineering Ltd - Farmhitch www.farmhitch.com
Offaly: De Mad Food Company www.demadfoodco.com
Offaly: Deanery Furniture www.deaneryfurniture.com
Roscommon: Projects 5 creations www.beltlock.ie
Roscommon: Derrycashel Crafts www.woodenclocksroscommon.ie
Sligo: Clo's Chocolates www.closchocolates.ie
Sligo: SUIP Manufacturing www.suipco.ie
Tipperary: Emerald Oils www.emeraldoils.ie
Tipperary: Tactile Text
Tipperary: Premium Fire Products
Waterford: Embermats www.embermats.com
Waterford: The Tipperary Kitchen
Waterford: Coffee House Lane www.coffeewarehouse.ie
Westmeath: DBee Press
Westmeath: SoulSnacks www.soulsnacks.ie
Wexford: Wexford Food Family www.wexfordfoodfamily.com
Wexford: Naturally Cordial www.wexfordfoodfamily.com
Wexford: Wexford Home Preserves www.wexfordfoodfamily.com
Wexford: O’ Neills Dry Cure Bacon www.wexfordfoodfamily.com
Wicklow: Pacefeeder www.pacefeeder.ie
Wicklow: Toby Wagons www.tobywagons.com
