Mullan Lighting are leading lights in Monaghan

Mullan Lighting was crowned the Monaghan Business of the Year at the inaugural awards in the Nuremore Estate last Friday night, having earlier took the top honours in the Digital Innovation category.

Husband and wife team Mike and Edel Treanor went on stage to accept the honour. Mike said it was “unexpected and much appreciated.” When asked about risk, Mike added: Starting it would have been a risk, but it was 2009 there was no work about, there was nothing else to be at.”

Edel added: “We were based in Ireland during the recession. We took a notion. ‘Sure, we’ll go to France and exhibit there!’ We went without a pricelist, without the language and set up a stand. From that France became our second biggest export market. Nothing was happening in Ireland, so we took a punt.”

WATCH: Monaghan Business & Tourism Awards

The awards were run by The Anglo-Celt in partnership with Monaghan County Council and Monaghan Tourism and a host of sponsors from the business community.

Brehon Brewhouse was another big winner on the night, having been chosen as the Overall Tourism Business of the Year, as well as topping the Best Tourism Experience category.

The brewery is based in an old farmhouse on a working dairy farm, producing internationally recognised beers. Reacting to the win, owner Seamus McMahon said: “Everyone in this room is a winner. Monaghan is definitely the winner tonight. As a county, I think we’re primed to explode on to the tourist market. We’re over the moon; we didn’t expect this at all... If you come up to us, you just get what we are, Irish beer crafted in stories.”

In all, there were around 36 finalists across 12 categories, with some special awards also conferred.

Ronnie Wilson was then called upon to deliver the keynote speech, as the worthy recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the first citizen of the county, Cllr P.J. O’Hanlon (See separate article).

The cathaoirleach, Cllr O’Hanlon took the opportunity to praise the McGettigan family for taking over Nuremore Estate and described the hotel’s recent reopening as one of the best days Carrickmacross had in recent years.

He had praise too for all the finalists. “The majority of employers in the county are Monaghan people. You’ve an interest and passion in the county. I know what each and every one of you in this room do for the county. Please, keep up the good work. As a council, we are indebted to you for the positive work that you do for the people of this county,” Cllr O’Hanlon noted.

Managing Editor of The Anglo-Celt Linda O’Reilly reflected that it had been a busy four months since the beginning of 2026 and thanked the people of Monaghan for the warmth of welcome received.

“These awards are about giving you a platform in which to promote your businesses; it’s an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the best businesses and entrepreneurs that Co Monaghan has to offer. I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the businesses - the passion, creativity and innovation - I don’t know how the judges picked the winners in the categories here this evening,” she said, saluting the judging panel chaired by Pamela Kerr from the Local Enterprise Office.

Ms O’Reilly also acknowledged the newspaper’s partners in hosting the awards, Monaghan Co Council and Monaghan Tourism; not forgetting the sponsors without whom the night wouldn’t have been possible: Monaghan Local Enterprise Office, Enterprising Monaghan, Nuremore Estate by McGettigans, AIB Monaghan, Fine Living, Pembroke Alliance, Wilson Dixon and Activ8. Noting that the awards took a lot of organising, she paid tribute to the Celtic Media team who made it happen, led by Mary McGuigan, Marketing Consultant.

“I know it’s a cliché, but you really are all winners, but the real winners here are your employees, customers and the communities that you serve. Congratulations to you all.”

Minister of State Niamh Smyth said it was a “great honour” to have the opportunity to speak with business people, “the lifeblood of Co Monaghan”.

Given her special responsibility for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Transformation, Minister Smyth noted: “We are going through a transformation in media, business and every walk of life through AI.”

She acknowledged the team at the Local Enterprise Office for their support of local businesses particularly “on the journey of transformation in AI and digitalisation”.

She also thanked The Anglo-Celt for their trusted news coverage across traditional and digital platforms, expressing the hope that the inaugural awards would become an annual event.

One of Monaghan’s finest, broadcaster Grainne McElwain acted as MC for the event and interviewed the winners on stage. She drew a comparison between Patrick Kavanagh’s poems and the work of Monaghan’s modern-day leading lights of industry: “In his poem Shancoduff, he compares the hills around Inniskeen to his Alps … Each of you have climbed your own Alps and put our county on the map.”

Robert Burns, Chief Executive of Monaghan Co Council, noted: “The fact that these awards are taking place for the first time on a countywide basis is significant. They set a benchmark and reflect something we all know to be true - the scale, quality and ambition of enterprise in Monaghan deserves to be recognised and celebrated.”

He highlighted too how the business community in the county is largely indigenous and hailed the role of the tourism industry in promoting the county.

“Our tourism businesses and events are ambassadors for the county. They tell Monaghan’s story to visitors, create experiences that bring people back; and drive footfall and opportunity across the wider local economy.”

Founders of The Rug Rack Company, Padraic and Kathy Nolan, Emyvale, were winners of the Monaghan Local Enterprise Award, who will represent the county next month in the Mansion House at the National Enterprise Awards. “Rug Rack was born from a very simple idea … easy to use storage for horse blankets. It’s now in use in leading yards all over the world,” Pauric commented.

The Special Award For Outstanding Achievement went to the Treinfhir Clan Gathering: “We have 250 Treanors coming back to Monaghan June 18-21, 2026. We have tours, ceilis, dinners and an American Wake - people used to have when they were going to America,” Mary Cadden from the Treinfhir Clan Gathering explained.

Elected representatives in attendance of the event included: Deputy Matt Carthy (SF), Senator Robbie Gallagher (FF), and Monaghan Co Councillors Peter Conlon, Aidan Campbell and Alan Johnston (all FG). Cllr Conlon lives closest to the hotel and he had the first pint pulled in the bar when the hotel reopened.