CORK BUSINESS WOMEN SCOOP ACCOLADES AT NETWORK IRELAND AWARDS

MAJOR CONFERENCE FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN IN IRELAND 

Cork’s Helen Walsh of Employflex, Ciara Crossan, the founder of WeddingDates and Katherine O’Sullivan of O’Donnell Design were the Cork winners at the recent Network Ireland Businesswoman of the Year Awards. 

The event took place in West Cork and also on the night a Cork lady won the Trish Murphy Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution. This award was created in memory of a woman that excelled in her field. Trish Murphy was a past Network Dublin President and Network Ireland National President. 

This year the Network Ireland President decided to bestow the Trish Murphy award to a young woman from West Cork – youth activist, Alicia O’Sullivan. Alicia is an 18-year-old young woman from Skibbereen, West Cork, Ireland.

Network Ireland President Helen Wycherley said: “Alicia is an ambitious, motivated and determined young woman who hopes to pursue studies of law next year and a future in politics. She wants to continue her advocacy journey and incorporate this work in every part of her life.” 

Meanwhile, Chupi Sweetman, the owner of jewellery brand, Chupi, was announced as the winner of the Large SME Owner Businesswoman of the Year at a gala awards ceremony on Friday (27th Sept). Highly Commended in the same category was Corkwoman, Ciara Crossan, the founder of WeddingDates. 

Chupi has gained a huge following in Ireland and internationally. She even showcased her jewellery at a pop up in Macy’s in America. Chupi launched her company 2013 and before that she spent six years at Topshop. 

The following were the award winners on the evening: 

• Social Enterprise Award: Angela Hayes, Thomas Hayes Trust (Kilkenny)
• Employee Rising Star: Helen Walsh, Employflex (Cork) 
• Employee Shining Star: Katherine O’Sullivan, O’Donnell Design (West Cork) 
• Small SME Owner: Noreen Doyle, The Irish Biltong Company (Kildare) 
• Large SME Owner: Chupi Sweetman, Chupi (Dublin) 
• STEM Award: Sheila Donegan, Calmast (Waterford) 
• Emerging New Business: Hannah Wrixon, Get the Shifts (Limerick) 
• Arts Award: Joanne Costello, Xmedia (Wicklow) 

More than 250 delegates attended the Network Ireland National Conference and Awards Ceremony on 27^th of September. The conference was hosted by TV presenter Sonya Lennon and is one of the biggest of its kind in Ireland for professional women.

Network Ireland is Ireland’s longest established and leading female focussed business network. The conference and awards are taking place at the Celtic Ross Hotel, West Cork.

The Keynote Speakers and Panellists included:

• MC Sonya Lennon  Designer, businesswoman and social entrepreneur 
• Moderator Gráinne McCarthy Deputy Chief News Editor, Wall Street Journal
• Moderator Kevin Cullinane Head of Communications, Cork Airport
• Grace O’Rourke Speaker – Fitness and Mindset Coach. Completed Special Forces Ultimate Hell Week 
• Joanne Hession Founder and CEO of LIFT Ireland
• Peter Cosgrove Future of Work Expert
• Michelle Noone Head of Search & State Boards, Public Appointments Service
• Sheelagh Daly Entrepreneurship Manager Enterprise Ireland
• Ronan Murphy Group CEO Smarttech247 and Getvisibility.com
• Helen Smyth Head of Ireland, GBG Scaled, Facebook
• Dawn Leane Principal Consultant at Leane Leaders
• Deirdre Somers Company Director
• Rose-Marie Kennedy Director – Risk Advisory, Deloitte
• Sharon Corcoran Director of Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism, Cork County Council
• Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan Mayor of the County of Cork
• John O’Doherty Head of AIB Cork  

The following were the sponsors for the awards which were presented on the night:

Ø  AIB Large SME

Ø  Enterprise Ireland Emerging New Business

Ø  Facebook STEM Category

Ø  In Good Company Small SME

Ø  MSD Brinny Employee Rising Star

Ø  O’Flynn Exhams Social Enterprise Category

Ø  Deloitte Employee Shining Star

Ø  Cork County Council Arts Category

Cork County Council are the partners for the national conference while AIB are the official Partners of Network Ireland nationally #BackedbyAIB @AIBBiz 

President of Network Ireland, Helen Wycherley said: “I am delighted we brought our national conference for women in business to West Cork. Through the conference we help to empower women to step up to the challenge, grow their confidence, seize opportunities and drive their personal and professional development. While at the same time leading and inspiring others. Our awards recognised the outstanding success and achievements of our members, it was a night of real celebration.”