Mayo businesses shortlisted for Gradaim Ghnó awards

GNÓ Mhaigh Eo, have announced the businesses shortlisted for this year’s Gradaim Ghnó (Business Awards) with a fantastic prize fund of over €45,000.

The business awards promote and support businesses who have successfully incorporated the Irish language into their business in four categories - branding, signage, business materials/website and Irish language service. There will also be an overall winner prize.

The following are the categories and businesses on the shortlist: Branding, Aodha, Westport, An File, Westport, Suay, Castlebar, An Port Mór, Westport; signage, Brú, Castlebar, An File, Westport, Suay, Castlebar, Westport Town Hall Theatre; business materials/website, Big Leap Designs, Claremorris, Property Partners Gill and Glynn, Ballinrobe, Mescan Brewery, Westport, Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival; Seirbhís Ghaeilge / Irish language Service, Brú, Castlebar, Patrick Fahey’s, Castlebar, Glasraí, Claremorris, and Mescan Brewery, Westport.

Minister for the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, will present the awards to the winning businesses at a ceremony in the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre, Castlebar, this Friday (November 14), at 8 p.m.

The winners will be chosen by a panel of independent adjudicators. They are Póilín Uí Ghallachóir, Language Planning Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer with Foras na Gaeilge, Caroline Ní Dhubhchoin, Marketing Manager with TG4, and Gearóidín Ní Ghrúinéil, Conradh na Gaeilge.

Gnó Mhaigh Eo were delighted with the standard of applications this year and commend all the businesses that entered on successfully incorporating the Irish language into the business and recognising the benefits of the Irish language as a marketing tool.

The winner of each category will receive €2,000 worth of advertising from The Connaught Telegraph, €2,000 worth of advertising from Midwest Radio, a full-page profile from The Western People, and a design/print package from Bridge Signs and MW Design, Print and Signs. A national platform to promote their business on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and a feature article about the winners on TUAIRISC.ie will also be part of each category prize.

The overall winner will receive advertising from the Irish Times/Scéal worth €16,000, advertising from TG4 worth €2,000 and advertising from RTÉ Radio na Gaeltachta worth €2,100, as well as a place on an ATU Mayo Marketing course to the value of €750.

Sponsorship was also received from the Local Enterprise Office, WestBic, and the EMPOWER Programme delivered by the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Innovation Hubs, in conjunction with Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Gnó Mhaigh Eo is a business support organisation based in Castlebar and covers the whole county of Mayo. The organisation is dedicated to promoting business and the use of the Irish language in business in Mayo.

The organisation encourages and supports businesses to utilise the Irish language as a valuable and profitable resource. More Information is available here. https://www.facebook.com/gnomhaigheo