Enterprising Monaghan

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Monaghan County Enterprise Fund CLG (T/A Enterprising Monaghan) was set up in 1988 with a view to supporting and promoting entrepreneurship and economic development within County Monaghan. In the early years it focused on business loans to start-ups and SME’s before diversifying into the provision of affordable workspace within the county. The Fund was formed with the financial assistance of local business people, Monaghan County Council and the International Fund for Ireland (IFI).

The company is run by a dedicated management team who report to the Board of Directors who act in a voluntary capacity. The directors have a vast range of private, public and voluntary sector experience and come from a wide range of backgrounds including: business owners, entrepreneurs, retired senior civil servants, university academics along with former senior executives from the not-for-profit sector.

The thread that binds them together: their commitment to helping Monaghan become a place which develops and supports new and growing businesses and where people come to live and work.

Enterprising Monaghan is now one of Ireland’s largest social enterprises in this space - providing affordable workspace and co-working facilities at its digi-hubs throughout the county; business mentoring and guidance as well as financial assistance to client companies in Co Monaghan.

According to Finbarr Daly who has been CEO since 2018, Enterprising Monaghan has significantly increased its activities since 2020 and now hosts 65 tenants across 11 sites in the county, employing approximately 650 people. “The sites owned and/or managed by Enterprising Monaghan include: Mtek 1 & 2 in Monaghan Town; Ctek 1 & 2 in Carrickmacross; Emyvale Business Centre, Clones Business and Technology Park, Newbliss Digi Hub and in Ballybay the company manages the Food Hub, Wetlands Centre and Farmhouse as well as the Mews at Birchcourt.”

STRATEGIC PROJECTS

Enterprising Monaghan has also recently financially supported strategic projects in the region which include: The Ridge in Castleblayney, Ballybay Wetlands and Ballybay Food Hub. These projects now support entrepreneurs and businesses in both Castleblayney and Ballybay through either newly built or upgraded facilities. Enterprising Monaghan has also been a major contributor to the new agri-food research centre in Monaghan Town, BioConnect.

This is a strategically important project for the county and has received significant funding support from Enterprise Ireland, Monaghan County Council, Monaghan Mushrooms, Lakeland Dairies, Manor Farm and Silver Hill Foods. The project aims to develop new skills and opportunities within the agri-food sector in the North East. It will also attract new and highly skilled talent to work in this key sector, which is the largest indigenous industry in both Monaghan and Ireland.

The company was delighted in 2024/25 to bring the Ctek 2 Business Centre and Newbliss Digi Hub on stream and are proud to say that they are both fully occupied with great local businesses who offer excellent job opportunities for those living and working in Co Monaghan. Both projects are key collaborations with Monaghan County Council and their Capital Projects Team.

Company Chair, Claire Cunningham, added that over the last six years Enterprising Monaghan has doubled its activities in terms of the premises it owns and manages and the number of businesses it supports in these facilities. This would not have been achieved without working closely with key stakeholders such as Monaghan County Council, Enterprise Ireland, LEADER and LEO Monaghan to develop a multi-million-euro investment plan across the property portfolio, providing clients and building users with modern facilities and a high level of connectivity.

Future plans include the PeacePlus supported Digi-Hub in Clones. This initiative is a collaboration between Monaghan County Council and Enterprising Monaghan, which aims to transform part of the old Bank of Ireland building in the town into a new digi hub to serve local businesses and users.