Excitement builds ahead of Cavan Business & Tourism Awards 2012

Tickets are selling fast for the Cavan Tourism and Business Awards 2012 at which the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, will be the guest of honour. The awards, which are a joint initiative of The Anglo-Celt and the Cavan Chamber of Commerce, will be presented at a gala ball and awards ceremony in the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan, on Thursday evening, September 27. Nominees have been shortlisted in ten categories in all. They are: Best New Business - BBi Ireland, Nutri Snax and sasta fitness Customer Service Gold Award - Argos, Cavan One Hour and Talking Heads Best Sales Assistant - Katherine Grace, Cavan Sports Shop; Michelle Ellis, Fresh Today; and Catherine Rudden, RR Alarms Retailer of the Year - Cara Pharmacy, Crannog Book Shop and Hyland Hardware Tourism (marketing) Award - Bear Essentials and Out Doors & Dirty (ODD) Tourism (customer service) Award - Hotel Kilmore, Radisson Blu Farnham Estate and Slieve Russell Hotel Tourism (marketing service professional) - Imperial Bar, MacNean House & Restaurant and Cabra Castle Marketing Campaign of the Year - Agrigear, Church Street Dental and Liberty Insurance Most Innovative Business (food sector) - Breffni Mushrooms and Lakeland Dairies Most Innovative Business (industry) - Ballytherm and Gem Plastics Meanwhile, the International Cavan Business Person of the Year has been named as Gene Murtagh, Kingspan. Speaking ahead of the awards, Chamber president Jim Burke said: "It's a night to recognise the efforts of the business community in Cavan. We know these are difficult trading times but even still there is a positive message there. There is strength in the business community in the county and we need to show that Cavan is a good place not just to do business, but to foster and grow business as well." The judging panel is being chaired by Cavan entrepreneur, Sean Gallagher. He's joined on the panel by Eamon McDwyer, Cavan Chamber; Marcella Rudden, Cavan County Enterprise Board and Johnny O'Hanlon, former managing editor of The Anglo-Celt and now director of the Regional Newspapers and Printers Association of Ireland (RNPAI). The main sponsor of the awards is Cavan County Council with other sponsors including Cavan County Enterprise Board, AIB and Kelly Rahill & Co Accountants. The overall winner of The Cavan Business and Tourism Awards 2012 will also be announced on the night with the award presented by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. Tickets for the night are priced at €70 each and are available from the Cavan Chamber of Commerce on 049 4378104 or by calling Jim on 087-8164887.