‘Businesswoman of the Year’ to be named this week

24 August 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie

Network Ireland West Cork is a business group for women

Network Ireland West Cork will hold its annual ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ awards event online on the 27^th August, 2020.  The host for the awards event is Margaret Nelson, CEO of FM104 and Q102.  Margaret said she is thrilled to be involved in the awards this year for Network Ireland West Cork.  She congratulated all those reaching the final and added well done to everybody involved saying “Network Ireland West Cork is such a great committee and supports a superb community of business ladies in West Cork”.

From left: Katherine O’Sullivan, General Manager of O’ Donnell Furniture, the 2019 Employee Shining Star award winner, Maeve Buckley, Branch Manager, AIB, the Network Ireland award sponsor & President of Network Ireland West Cork, Caroline Murphy, the 2018 ‘New Emerging Business’ award winner for her company West Cork Eggs.

This year has been a different year for the Network and the categories for 2020 are new and are designed to reflect the vastly altered working world in which we all find ourselves. 2020 has become a time for reflection, drawing on the power within ourselves to transform and create a new way forward.   Awards sponsors, AIB have been the official national partner of Network Ireland since 2013 and continue to support women to succeed in their business.  Finalists for the Network Ireland West Cork ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ awards are :

Business Innovation

Emerging New Business

Solo Businesswoman

Power Within Champion

Juggling life has never been quite so complicated, whether you have children, caring responsibilities, working from home with family around or in quarantine alone, the current crisis has been turbulent and one can feel quite frazzled. The category for the Power Within Champion was designed to recognise survival, it may not be pretty, it may not be perfect but you are surviving and getting through each day. All finalists listed above, along with Barbara Noonan Sexton of Barbara Noonan Homeopathy will be entered into the Power within champion category.

Speaking ahead of the awards, Caroline Murphy, President of Network Ireland West Cork said, “The ‘Businesswoman of the Year – Celebrating the Power Within’ awards is a key event in our calendar and Margaret Nelson is an ideal host as she will share her motivational career stories with the guests albeit virtually.

All my goals as President went out the window when COVID came in the door, but the motto was the same, ‘Be The Best You’.  In true Network style we rolled up our sleeves and we connected with our members through weekly webinars, giving accurate information on resources available as well as tools to get us through.  We made connections, had fun and we learnt about the importance of staying connected.  The ‘Businesswoman of the Year Awards’ is a fantastic way to acknowledge the achievements of all our finalists.  They remind us of what can be achieved during challenging times and they inspire others to do the same.

Going forward, I want to continue to build on what we have achieved and support and inspire our members to Be the Best they can and help them to rise during more challenging times.”

Proceeds from this event will go to branch president Caroline’s chosen charity, which is Féileacáin, a not for profit organisation providing support to families affected by the death of a baby.  Make sure to book your ticket and be inspired and motivated by all finalists who have achieved so much in such a challenging year.  Share in the celebration of the amazing business women representing West Cork.  Each regional category winner will represent the West Cork branch at the national awards which will be held in October.