CHAMBER AWARDS A HUGE SUCCESS
On Saturday night I headed for the Carrickdale Hotel where the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce were hosting their Louth Business Awards night. The evening is one of the most important in the social calendar and brings together the very best in the business field in the county to pay respect to the top in their various fields.
I was only in the door when I got a word with Linda Stewart and Deirdre McGowan both from Blackrock representing Mizu and they were up for enjoying the night with Anne McEnteggart from Blackrock representing Life Pharmacy who was with husband Eugene who was making himself useful, at the bar buying the G&Ts!
Next I had the pleasure of talking to Ruth Browne from Avenue Road who was with husband and Chamber President Pat McCormick who told me he was delighted to be hosting the event, knew it was going to be an extremely busy night and wanted to wish all the best to all the groups nominated, saying that business in the area is really thriving.
After this I headed for a table where I met the group from Elite Form Manufacturing from Castlebellingham and they included Sandra, Patrick and Rachel Byrne from Stabannon who were with Patrick’s mum Nuala Byrne from Stabannon and Sandra’s parents Victor and Georgina Whyte from Corderry whom I last met at the Cardiac First Responders table quiz in Castlebellingham and they were all eagerly looking forward to the Best Manufacturers award later on.
One lady who was looking stunning, but was hardly able to talk to me, she was Maria Owens from Castle Heights who is working for the Chamber and was insanely busy making sure that the night was a smooth success.
I then headed over to the Sync IT table where I got talking to Regina Gonnelly from Hackballscross, Eunan Smyth from Blackrock, Phil Monaghan and Shauna Gallagher both from Ardee who told me they weren’t actually up for an award this year, they were just there to support the night and wanted to wish all the best to the various groups.
One table that I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on having a laugh with were the Bellurgan Precision Engineering and they were there in force. I got talking to my old mate Tom McCourt from Ravensdale who was with his delightful wife Suzanne who were enjoying the company of Jason and Alison Malone from Ravensdale, Max Lux originally from Germany but now hanging his hat along with Bernie Carroll in Dublin and the main man Bernard Carroll from Bellurgan Point who was looking forward to the evening and were up for an award too, certainly not for the first time I surmised!
Making my way through the crowds I then got talking to some of the Dundalk Special Olympics Club from Blackrock who included Sharon Norton-Johnson and her mum Mairead Norton both from Blackrock who said they were also with Mary Moran from Ballybarrack, all ladies were looking exceptionally well and were in the company of their chaperone Cillian Moran who were all really looking forward to the night.
Making my way to another table I got Sharon Norton-Johnston and Mairead Norton, Blackrock.
talking to Margaret Byrne from from VHI who was accompanied by Una Kirk and Ciaran Lawless both from Blackrock and Margaret’s partner Michael Duffy from Ard Na Mara who was also MC for the night. I just wondered how good a performance he was going to give, specially after his beloved Dundalk FC’s commanding performance the previous night when they put Sligo Rovers to the sword and received the league title trophy, yes, the celebrations were long and hard!
Next, I met my favourite people at the awards ceremony, yes it was the representatives from Mullens Take Away in Roden Place. I caught up with Keith and Sinead Mullen from Blackrock who were with Lisa and Karen Madden from Farndreg who were looking stunning and have been known to really look after me in my lunchtime of need. Just hope they took the best Take Away award.
Just arrived in were the Hydro Scand representatives who were looking extremely glamorous and they included Patricia Gorman and Una Mackin, Andrew and Deborah Van Coller all from Blackrock, Una Pepper from Louth Village, Bernie McHugh from Carrickmacross, Paul Teague from Blackrock, Lisa Kelly from Donaghmoyne and Eamonn McAllister from Carrickmacross who told me he was very confident
they were going to win.
Not too long later I got talking to the group from the St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchens and they included Rose Bailey from Chapel Street, Katie Bailey and Joseph Woods both from Carlinn Heath, Tom Byrne from Inniskeen and Fr. Mark the Parish Priest from St. Patricks who told me they were all there for the Community Award and were up for making the best of the occasion no matter what.
Next I got a quick word with the Cuchullain Credit Union crew and they included Brigenn Litchfield who is the CEO and said they were out in force including Ciara Casey, Michael Rafferty, Micheal Collins, Deborah Gorman, Emma Coffey and Cathal Cassidy and were so looking forward to the whole night.
Strangely enough I then met up with Paddy Donnelly from the Dundalk Credit Union next and he was with wife Mary and Billy and Una Doyle. Paddy told me they were there to support the night and the CU were actually sponsoring one of the awards too. Finally, before I departed I caught up with my old friends Terry and Petrina Kelly from Kelly’s wallpaper and paints who were having a chat with Gerry and Joan Byrne from the Copper Kettle who told me it was going to be a fantastic night and couldn’t wait for the event to get going.