Female entrepreneurs come out in force on Enterprise Day
FEMALE entrepreneurs from across county Wexford were among 1,400 women nationally who took part in Women’s Enterprise Day events.
More than 60 local business women attended a series of talks in Robertson Hall at Wells House & Gardens, listening to contributions from Niam Sherwin Barry of the Irish Fairy Door Company, Sabine Rosler of Wells House, Vanessa Tierney of Abodoo, Ciara Donlon of Theya Healthcare and Blaithín Ennis, the jewellery designer.
Cllr. John Hegarty, chairman of Gorey Municipal District also attended and the Master of Ceremonies was Breege Cosgrave, Senior Business Development Officer with the Local Enterprise Office in Wexford.
Now in its 12th year, Women’s Enterprise Day is an initiative of the country’s 31 Local Enterprise Offices and is funded by the Government, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and local authorities.
The theme of this year’s gathering was ‘From Local To Global’, highlighting the success stories of female entrepreneurs who have taken local ideas and turned them into worldwide success stories.
Among the high profile entrepreneurs who shared their stories at other National Women’s Enterprise Day events around the country were Oscar-nominated Catherine Roycroft of Cartoon Saloon, Norah Casey of Harmonia, Oonagh O’Hagan of Meaghers Pharmacy Group, Mary McKenna of Tour America, Marissa Carter of Cocoa Brown and Eleanor McEvoy of Dragons’ Den and Budget Energy.
‘This is a very significant day that puts Irish female entrepreneurship into the spotlight and celebrates the huge strides Irish businesswomen have made both here and internationally’, said Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys.
Today is also an opportunity to inspire the female entrepreneurs of the future, by showing them what is possible and why they should be thinking global. Irish businesswomen have shown they can be the best in the world and we must continue in this frame of mind.’
Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business, Pat Breen said Ireland needs more female entrepreneurs and there is a large range of supports available that can make this happen.
Breege Cosgrave said National Women’s Enterprise Day has grown in line with an increase in the number of successful women in business in Ireland. ‘These events as they connect female entrepreneurs and give them the opportunity to learn from each other and share business challenges and solutions’, she said.
‘Our advice to any female entrepreneur in business or starting one up, is to come and talk to the team at the Local Enterprise Office and we will quickly put you on a path to the right enterprise supports. Just start a conversation with us and we will guide you from there’.
Information is available from www.localenterprise.ie/wexford or by contacting Local Enterprise Office Wexford at 053 9196022 or email info@leo. wexfordcoco.ie