Four Athlone businesses shortlisted for County Enterprise Awards

Four Athlone businesses were shortlisted for County Enterprise Awards in the recent Westmeath Enterprise Awards ceremony.

The businesses shortlisted were 4E Virtual Design Limited, A Slice of Life Limited, Magico Foods and PARK Life Pet Limited.

Paul O’Reilly of Watt Footprint Limited, from Mullingar, won the top prize of €5,000 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Westmeath at the 23rd National Enterprise Awards at the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin on Thursday, June.1

The Westmeath County Enterprise Awards took place as part of a very successful Local Enterprise Week programme of events. Over 300 physical events took place across the country, run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices from Monday, March 6 to Friday, March 10.

Speaking at the Westmeath Enterprise Awards Ceremony during Local Enterprise Week, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Westmeath, Christine Charlton, said:

“It is not one week in the year we should be celebrating enterprise. In my position, I get to meet many entrepreneurs and small businesses every week that I admire. Running a business is not easy. Micro businesses and entrepreneurs represented here today provide valuable employment and their contribution to the economy needs to be highlighted, celebrated and rewarded every day but today is an opportunity for the Local Enterprise Office Westmeath to congratulate entrepreneurs in the County and to recognise their hard work to make their business a success and acknowledge the contribution they are making to the economy.”

Among the special guests at the ceremony were An Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke and Chief Executive of Westmeath County Council Pat Gallagher. Members of the judging panel included Business Advisor in Local Enterprise Office Longford, Catherine Kane and Gordon Naughton of Tactive Commercial Advice.

Other high-profile events that took place during the week included the Student’s Enterprise Awards County Final held today (Thursday) in the Golden Island Shopping Centre Athlone and the International Women in Business Day Regional Event in conjunction with the LEOs in Longford and Leitrim on Wednesday, March 8 in the Mullingar Park Hotel.

Local Enterprise Week is organised every year by the Local Enterprise Offices and supported by Enterprise Ireland, local authorities and the Government of Ireland with over 300 events taking place nationwide this year.