Network Ireland West Cork Celebrates

Posted In: Network & Get Work

Six West Cork women have been lauded for their success at the fourth annual Network Ireland West Cork Businesswoman of the Year Awards. The award ceremony which was held virtually on June 24th with guest speaker Louise O’Neill celebrated each of the 24 finalists which highlight women from a variety of business backgrounds.

Among the winners was Tara Copplestone of Foxglove Cocktails who won the award for Emerging New Business Owner. Copplestone set up Foxglove Cocktails last spring when she returned home from New York to see out lockdown. However, a prolonged stay led her to founding Foxglove Cocktails with her brother. Today, Foxglove Cocktails retails online and delivers all over Ireland as well as selling at local markets throughout Cork.

Yvonne Cahalane, constituency secretary for Fine Gael Cork South West, avid volunteer and founder of a new a startup business received the Power Within Award. STEM award recipient was Jacinta Collins, Argideen Communications, who has been championing science for 25 years using her communications training to help scientists and science-led companies bring their research and innovation to life.

The Creative Professional award went to Maura O’Connell of West Cork Casting Studio who specialises in honouring and preserving family memories by creating bespoke life-cast pieces and personal fingerprint and handprint jewellery.

The award for Established Business Owner went to Nollaig Hurley, Jelly Fish Surf Shop in Spillers Lane, Clonakilty who opened her business 18 years ago based on her hobby of surfing. Since then she has built the business to be one of top purveyors of surfing goods, serving customers all over Ireland.

Marketing expert with VMware Louise Bunyan took the Employee Shining Star award for her role as a talent marketing specialist with experience across communications, online marketing, recruitment marketing and employer branding.

The winners now progress to the national Businesswoman of the Year Awards on 8 October in WIT Arena, Waterford.

Speaking of the winners, Network Ireland West Cork President, Katherine O’Sullivan said, “’With all that has happened in the last year and a half, achieving business success has been trying yet these women are proof that we can still triumph to overcome all obstacles. From established businesses finding new ways to do business to new start-ups, and employees meeting new challenges in their workplace, our finalists went through it all. The variety of women from a broad spectrum of backgrounds is proof that West Cork is a thriving place to work and run a business from. Each woman has shown us that it is possible to make great things happen regardless of external factors. When you believe and have a solid network of support around you like that of Network Ireland West Cork then anything is possible.

I sincerely thank our esteemed judging panel, Vicki Crean, AIB, Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, Irish Examiner, Peter Coppinger, Teamwork and Sean Mahon, Southern Star Media, for their time and care in choosing the award recipients. We wish each of our winners the very best of luck as they go forward to represent West Cork at the national finals in October.”

Pictured: Network Ireland West Cork President Katherine O’Sullivan, with the 2021 West Cork Branch Business Women of the Year Award Winners, Awards Co-0rdinator Marie Wiseman, keynote speaker celebrated author Louise O’Neill, MC Ciara Wilson and Sheila McCarthy – AIB official sponsor at the Award Reception at Bantry House.