FEVER PITCH!

Excitement builds for inaugural Monaghan Business and Tourism Awards

The pitch night for the inaugural Monaghan Business and Tourism Awards in partnership with Monaghan County Council took place in AIB Monaghan Town last Thursday night. Aoife Mackie, Manager of AIB Monaghan, was Master of Ceremonies and introduced the speakers to the sizeable audience, as each of the nominated businesses delivered their two-minute pitches. The aim was to impress the judging panel made up of Pamela Kerr from the Local Enterprise Office; Finbar Daly from Enterprising Monaghan; Dympna Condra, Monaghan Tourism Officer and Cathal Flynn Director of Services with Monaghan Co Council.

Scroll down to see the finalists in each category and some quotes from the night.

Managing Editor of The Anglo-Celt, Linda O’Reilly was first to address the crowd and she described the newspaper’s expansion into Monaghan as a “whirlwind”, adding that she was heartened by the goodwill and the "warmth of welcome" the Celt had received in its endeavours to expand its news and sport coverage in Co Monaghan, as well as they do in Co Cavan.

“The purpose of these awards is to recognise the businesses and entrepreneurs across this great county who contribute so much to our local economies and support so many jobs in our community. The awards are designed to showcase the best of Monaghan business and tourism and serve as a platform for companies to promote themselves,” Ms O’Reilly explained, adding that she didn’t envy the task ahead of the judging panel.

She thanked the Celt's partners in the awards - Monaghan County Council, Monaghan Local Enterprise Office and Monaghan Tourism. Sponsors include Fine Living, AIB, Active8, Pembroke Alliance, Enterprising Monaghan, Dickson Wilson and the hosts Nuremore Estate by McGettigan’s.

Ms O'Reilly also thanked her growing team at the title and Mary McGuigan of Celtic Media, the Celt’s parent company, for co-ordinating the awards.

The first business to present was the overall winner of the Monaghan Local Enterprise Award, who is now in the running for the overall Monaghan Business of the Year. Padraic Nolan explained that The Rug Rack Company was a family business founded in Emyvale in 2023 because he identified a gap in the equestrian market for easy-to-use airing racks to dry horse mats and blankets. His 11-year-old daughter tested the product in their stable yard over 12-months, and the product has gone on to enjoy popularity with both commercial and domestic customers, at home and abroad.

“I saw a universal problem… there was no product on the market that was easy to use, efficient and space-saving for storing and drying horse rugs,” the accidental entrepreneur explained. It launched in Cavan Equestrian Centre in November 2023 and attracted a lot of attention at an RDS trade fair in 2024. The product was redesigned for flatpack international shipping and, in 2025, exported to 45 countries globally. Recently, the Nolans signed a deal with a Canadian manufacturer for the North American market.

In all, there are 37 finalists across 11 categories in the awards, which will be presented at a gala night and dinner on Friday, April 17, in Nuremore Estate by McGettigan’s in Carrickmacross.

Profiles on all the finalists, partners and sponsors will feature in a special pull-out in The Anglo-Celt published on April 15, just ahead of the awards ceremony. Who will win? The judges will decide and all will be revealed on the night!

Meet the Finalists

LEO COUNTY AWARD WINNER

The Rug Rack, Emyvale

Best Agri/Agritech Business

Harte Peat (Clones)

Martin Equipment (Smithborough)

O’Hagan Bros Engineering (Emyvale)

Best Green Business

Adamson’s Bar (Clones)

Oak Enviro (Carrickmacross)

Síolta Chroí (Carrickmacross)

Best Food and Drink

Matilda’s Artisan Bakery (Carrickmacross)

Open Rice Asian Bistro (Monaghan Town)

Subh Fraoc Bán jams and chutney (Ballinode)

Tara Gartlan Chocolate (Lisdoonan)

Digital Innovation

Fine Tuning Analysis technical consultancy service (Annyalla)

Mullan Lighting (Mullan)

Spot On Productions bespoke video (Monaghan Town)

Outstanding Small to Medium Business

Coral Leisure pool and gym (Monaghan Town)

Dinkin’s Bakery (Monaghan)

Little Wonders Early Learning Intervention Centre (Castleblayney)

Emerging New Business

An Nead Irish Language Café (Monaghan Town)

Circle of Friends Music and Dancing (Monaghan Town)

Drift Farmhouse luxury Airbnb (Clontibret)

Best Family Business

Fleming’s Department Store (Monaghan Town)

McArdle Skeath logistics (Inniskeen)

Creighton Hotel (Clones)

Excellence in Customer Service

Curry Palace (Monaghan Town)

Rocksalt Café (Carrickmacross)

Sliabh Beagh Hotel (Knockatallon)

Excellence in Customer Service (Retail)

Birdy’s Newsagents (Carrickmacross)

Doran Motors (Carrickmacross)

Howell Jewellers (Carrickmacross)

Monaghan Electrical

Best Tourism Experience

Brehon Brewhouse (Killanny)

Liz Christy Handweaving (Annyalla)

Rally School Ireland (Scotstown)

Best Tourism Event

Inniskeen Road: July Evening Festival

Monaghan Street Food Festival (Monaghan Town)

Muckno Mania Festival (Castleblayney)

Treanor Clan Gathering (Co Monaghan)

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT

“Founded 58 years ago, the company’s ethos is rooted in relationships.”

- Louise Gorman, McArdle Skeath

“My father drilled it into me - customer service!”

- Robert Fleming, Fleming’s Department Store

“This summer we’re offering 21 newly renovated rooms.”

- Patrick McArdle, Crieghton Hotel

“I was determined to make inclusion real, not just a word.”

- Claire Callan, Little Wonders

“The powerful thing is that we still hear that joy and the laughter every day.”

- Eamon McGlone, Coral Leisure

“Resilient, progressive, connected to its local roots with global reach...”

- Annette McMahon, Harte Peat

“We rebuilt ourselves at that point stronger and better than before.”

- Lee Conlon, Oak Enviro

“We think we can do much better than sustainability.”

- Gareth Conlon, Síolta Chroí

“We are actually the longest surviving business in Clones.”

- Ross Adamson, Adamson’s Bar

“You are not just getting a meal; you are getting an experience.”

- Lam Yeung, Open Rice Asian Bistro

“When I’m making hampers, I work with local food producers.”

- Val O’Kelly, Subh Fraoc Bán

“We changed the business completely with coffee, bakery and deli.”

- Stephen Ward, Matilda’s

“We’ve had best practice visits from manufacturers bigger, bolder and older than us.”

- Edel Treanor, Mullan Lighting

“I have now being able to work on global documentaries, TV, films and commercials”

- Grace Cotter, Spot On Productions

“We’ve had a lot of interest from all over and a tourist point of view.”

- Seán Ó Murchadha, An Nead Café

“Through music, we teach responsibility, motivation, commitment and respect.”

- Hanna Shchokina, Circle of Friends

“We have a very strong team enterprise.”

- Rory Mc Atavey, Drift Farmhouse

“For 25 years, our community has run this facility not for profit, but for the people.”

- Fiona Connolly, Sliabh Beagh Hotel

“Mohammed, the main chef, is super as you can tell by my physique!”

- Terry Clerkin on behalf of IND Curry Palace

“Our aim is to deliver five-star service, but in a laid-back setting.”

- Emma Parkes, Rock Salt Café

“You’ll go nowhere in this trade without caring for the customer.”

- Brian Marron, Marron Electrical

“People are looking for something that makes them feel alive.”

- David Smyth, Rally School Ireland

“It’s about going the extra mile every day.”

- Francis Jones, Doran Motors

“They leave saying we discovered a little bit of Monaghan.”

- Conor McGahan, Brehon Brewhouse

“I couldn’t stand over my product if it wasn’t made in Ireland.”

- Liz Christy, Handwoven by Liz Christy

“We engage people with a sense of where their roots are.”

- Noel Treanor, Treanor Clan Gathering

“We have international street performers and artists.”

- Stephen Fitzpatrick, Muckno Mania Festival

“Dress up 1920s and get on a High Nelly!”

- Thomas Ruddy, Inniskeen Road: July Evening Festival

“Visitors don’t just attend, they explore, chat, taste and connect.”

- Jenn Gommelly, Monaghan Street Food Festival