The IRD Duhallow Business of the Year is Kanturk Co-op Mart
PURE DELIGHT FOR STAFF OF CO-OPERATIVE MART THAT’S BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1959
THERE was the roar of delight from staff and supporters of Kanturk Co- Operative Mart when they won the Best Community Enterprise Award, but when they scooped the overall award the bellows of joy really started.
At the sixth annual IRD Duhallow Business Awards, the Mart Manager, Seamus O’Keeffe said: “Thank you very much for this beautiful award. Thank you to IRD and to all the people and, of course, thank you to the Judges. This is a real achievement for the mart.”
He also thanked all the mart staff, includings its chairman, John Cott, along its vice chairman, Joe Noonan, and all the people who work so hard to make the mart such a success.
“We all work as a team and there is great support from the farming community,” said Seamus O’Keeffe.
“Last year, Kanturk Mart put through 31,000 cattle and this couldn’t be done without the people who continue to support us. I want to say thank you all, especially to Colette and the girls in the office who are always great craic,” he said.
Mr O’Keeffe said on Tuesdays there are 22 staff working in yard and people would be hard pressed to find “a nicer bunch”.
“This award is for everybody. Management is only as good as its employees and that is very true,” he said.
Kanturk Mart was established back in 1959 and since then it has served not only the farmers in the region but the entire community.
The mart is well regarded as not only a place to do business but running parallel to the buying and selling is the social outlet for the farming community.
The co-operative mart is run by a committee elected by the shareholders at each AGM. As outlined by Mr O’Keeffe in his speech, the committee is made up of 16 members who meet each month to thrash out all matters.