7 April 2023
By Mary Bermingham
Mary@TheCork.ie
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Deirdre Forde joined CBA President Kevin Herlihy on a walk-about the city centre to visit some of the winners of the recent CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards 2023.
The walkabout began with a visit to estate agents ERA Downey McCarthy on South Mall, winners of the Best Professional Services Award. As a former auctioneer and estate agent herself, the Lord Mayor was delighted to chat with Michael Downey, Sean McCarthy and staff about the current health of Cork’s buoyant property market for both commercial and residential properties.
The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Deirdre Forde joined CBA President Kevin Herlihy on a walk-about the city centre to visit some of the winners at the recent CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards 2023.
At the Metropole Hotel where the Lord Mayor met with Aaron Mansworth, CEO of Trigon Hotels and other members of staff. Trigon Hotels were the winners of the Best Overall Large Business at the CBA Awards.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
Next, the group visited the ever popular English Market to drop in on Margo Murphy of Roughty Foodie, winner of the overall Best SME Business at the CBA Awards. Margo presented the Lord Mayor with a beautiful bunch of Howe Hill flowers from West Cork at what must be the most colourful stall or shop in the city centre.
Tim Mulcahy of The Chicken Inn was the winner of the CBA Award for Best Family Business and so he was delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor and introduce members of his family, some of whom have worked on the staff since it was first established in the 1950’s.
Across the Grand Parade to Tuckey Street for a cup of coffee in SOMA Coffee Co. Cafe, the winner of the Best Cafe category. The Lord Mayor was shown how to make one of Cork’s best cups of coffee and invited her to take a seat for a few minutes to enjoy the great atmosphere on Tuckey Street on a sunny morning.
The group then travelled along South Main Street to visit Leader’s Menswear on North Main Street. Leader’s Menswear won the Best Retail Business award for their outstanding customer service over many years, including during the Covid-19 pandemic when they personally delivered essential clothing items to patients in the nearby Mercy Hospital.
The walkabout concluded in The Metropole Hotel where the Lord Mayor met with Aaron Mansworth, CEO of Trigon Hotels and other members of staff. Trigon Hotels were the winners of the Best Overall Large Business at the CBA Awards.
Other CBA Award winners based outside the city centre were invited to join Cllr. Deirdre Forde for a reception in The Metropole Hotel. The winners included, Fergal Harte, General Manager of The Kingsley, winner of Best Hotel; Daphne Spillane and Helen Cuddigan of Ballymaloe House, Winner of the Best Sustainable Business Innovation Award; Annette Cullen, Alan Craughwell and Ruth Fuller of IMART, winners of the Best in Tourism Arts & Events Award; Pat Drinan of HomeHak, Winners of the Best in Digital Business Award; Mike Kilmartin, General Manager with Barry’s of Douglas, winners of the Best VFI Pub Award; and Manus O’Callaghan, recipient of the CBA Champion of Cork accolade.
CBA President Kevin Herlihy said “It is an absolute pleasure to accompany the Lord Mayor today to visit some of the amazing businesses here in Cork and meet the winners of the CBA Awards. These businesses, along with so many others, have worked tirelessly and relentlessly over the years to bring such variety and vitality to the city. We are so lucky to have them all right here in Cork.”
For more information, visit: www.cbaawards.ie
