Balla businessman Tommy Griffith is Mayo Person of the Year

BALLA entrepreneur Tommy Griffith has been named Mayo Person of the Year 2016. 

The founder of PEL waste reduction equipment will be presented with the Virginia Gallagher Award at a presentation ceremony in Dublin on February 13. 

Tommy set up the company in 2005 after spotting a gap in the market to create a product for reducing glass volume and glass collection costs.

Over the past decade, PEL has developed into a leading manufacturer and supplier of waste reduction equipment – such as bottle crushers, bin compactors and balers - and has offices in the UK and USA, along with distributors and agents internationally.

The Mayo Meitheal Award has been won by the Heroes for Hospice group in Ballina, which staged the musical Beyond the Barricade and raised €40,000 for Mayo Roscommon Hospice.

Over 100 people were involved in the production, which was staged in Ballina, Castlebar, Dublin and the UK, under the direction of Lavinia Gilmartin.

The Mayo Person of the Year and Mayo Meitheal awards will be presented at the Mayo Association Dublin gala banquet on Saturday, February 13, at Citywest Hotel.

Tickets are now on sale online at www.mayoassociationdublin.com.