the awards process

Stage 1 

Entries are now open for the West Cork Business and Tourism Awards 2024. Entries close midnight Friday 11th October. Submit your entry by clicking the button below.

STAGE 2 

Shortlist of Finalists 

The judges will review all submissions and a shortlist of three finalists per category will be agreed. 

November 2024

STAGE 3 

Pitch Night 

Finalists are then invited to a pitch night in December, sponsored by OfficeMaster in the Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen. This is your opportunity to showcase your business via a three minute pitch. From this, the judges will decide the ultimate winners for each category

STAGE 4 

Special supplement 

Following the pitch night, The Southern Star will publish a special supplement within the newspaper and online at southernstar.ie that profiles each of the category finalists’ businesses.

January 2025 

STAGE 5 

The West Cork Business & Tourism Awards Gala Luncheon 

Each finalist will receive two complimentary tickets to the West Cork Gala Awards luncheon, which will be held on Friday, February 7th 2025 at Fernhill House Hotel in Clonakilty, where the winners of each category will be announced.

If you have any queries you can contact The Southern Star Customer Service Dept on 028 21200 or email awards@southernstar.ie

Please note: The decision of the judges will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The awards categories

  • West Cork's Best Customer Service

    Sponsored by ODM Financial

    Ireland is renowned for its ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’ - ‘One Hundred Thousand welcomes’. Businesses pride themselves on reviews and testimonials of a job well done. We are on the search for West Cork’s best customer service. If your business delights its customers time after time and offers the best welcome and best service then we want to hear from you. Use examples of when your business has delivered exceptional customer service. Include details of awards, ratings, media coverage, reviews or testimonials you have received.

  • Best New Business (In business for 3 years or less)

    Sponsored by Collins Brooks & Associates 

    Starting a business can be exciting and challenging. This award acknowledges new businesses and entrepreneurs that have shown potential to create employment and maximise opportunities in their sector. We want to hear from business owners who have established a new business of any size, in the last three years.

  • Best Small Business (Less than 20 employees)

    Sponsored by OfficeMaster 

    This category is open to any business with less than 20 employees, including solo-preneurs. This business can operate from a home office or trade from a business premises. The business set up can be a sole trader- partnership or limited company and can operate in any sector. We’re looking for examples of how the business has developed, evolved and gone from strength to strength in recent years.

  • Best Medium/Large Business (20-100 employees)

    Sponsored by Lilly Ireland

    This category is for the best medium or large sized business in West Cork. A business that prides itself on providing employment, from 20 people right up to 100 employees. This business can operate in any sector. We’re looking for examples of how the business has developed, evolved and gone from strength to strength in recent years.

  • West Cork Young Businessperson of the Year (Aged 35 or younger)

    Sponsored by Access Credit Union

    Young entrepreneurs are a key part of Ireland’s future. This category supports and champions West Cork’s young, dynamic and creative business men and women. If you are a business owner or business operator/manager under the age of 35 and your business has been in operation for a minimum of one year this is your opportunity to showcase your business skills.

  • Best Family-Run Business

    Sponsored by Cork County Council

    We’re looking for West Cork’s best family-run businesses, in particular those that have been passed down and operated by different generations of the family over the years and/or those that are run today by different generations. All family businesses, small, medium or large, have a story and history behind them and we’d love to hear about yours and why you are successful.

  • Best Use of Creative Marketing

    Sponsored by Masterkabin

    We recognise the results that well thought out and well executed advertising/promotional/marketing initiatives can deliver. We’re looking for West Cork’s best marketing campaign or initiative. This doesn’t have to be a huge ‘song and dance’! It can be something as simple as an online video that went viral to a carefully planned out advertising campaign across various channels. It could be a clever podcast that attracted customers or a piece of ‘guerilla’ marketing designed to grab awareness or PR coverage. We are looking for businesses who have gained attention for their business by thinking outside the box.

  • Best Tourism Experience

    Sponsored by Cork Airport 

    West Cork is renowned for the experience we offer to tourists and locals alike. With its stunning scenery, skilled craftspeople and talented food producers, visitors are spoilt for choice. Tourism experiences showcase what West Cork has to offer and we are looking for the ‘best in the West!’ If you operate a tourism business that offers a superb tourism experience in West Cork, this category is for you.  

  • Best West Cork Festival

    Sponsored by O’Sullivan Marine

    It’s back! We had to pause this category during and post Covid but now that things have been up and running again for a couple of years we’d love to hear again from the diverse range of festivals that make up a key aspect of West Cork life throughout the year.

SPECIAL AWARDS

West Cork Wild Atlantic Way Tourism Business of the Year 

The special Fáilte Ireland Award for the ‘West Cork Wild Atlantic Way Tourism Business of the Year’, will be awarded by the judges to a tourism business they feel specifically brings the Wild Atlantic Way regional experience brand to life. The winning tourism business will offer an authentic experience and continually innovate their tourism offering in a sustainable way to attract more visitors to West Cork throughout the year.

West Cork Business Ambassador 

The award for West Cork Business Ambassador is awarded to an individual whom the judges feel has made a significant and extraordinary contribution to business life in West Cork.

Previous winners include:

• Colette Twomey, Clonakilty Food Co.

• John Field, Fields SuperValu, Skibbereen

• Brigitte Wagner Halswick, Rowa Pharmaceuticals, Bantry

• Eugene Scally, Scally’s Supervalu & Clonakilty Park Hotel

Overall West Cork Business of the Year 2024

The judges will choose an overall winning business from the nine category winners that has demonstrated excellence, innovation, and a commitment to the local community. The recipient of the Best Overall West Cork Business of the Year award will be announced and honoured during the prestigious ceremony.

Previous winners include:

• Rowa Pharmaceuticals, Bantry

• Keohane Seafoods, Bantry

• Global Shares, Clonakilty

• Fernhill House Hotel, Clonakilty