Two Cork women pick up Businesswoman of the Year titles
Sandra Looney a member of Network Cork who won a national awards at the Network Ireland Women in Business awards. Picture: Gerard McCarthy
TWO Cork women have taken home titles at the national Businesswoman of the Year awards, hosted by Network Ireland.
Sandra Looney, from To Have and To Hold and Aoife Behan of The Montenotte Hotel, Cork were listed among the winners.
Sandra was named Established Businesswoman. She launched her own wedding and event management and styling business nine years ago, To Have and To Hold.
Her background was HR, but having seen similar style businesses in the U.S, where she lived for many years, and Europe, she felt there was a gap in the market just begging to be filled in Munster.
She took the plunge and launched ‘To Have and to Hold,’ with a showroom on the Kinsale Road roundabout, and focused on steadily growing the business. Cue the pandemic, and everything was ‘decimated’, almost overnight.
Closed for a full 14 months, Sandra dug in and pivoted with an online wedding accessories and gift shop.
She also used the time wisely – and bravely – to plan a flower shop, to complement her existing business, which she opened last June on MacCurtain Street.
Meanwhile Aoife Behan, who is the digital marketing manager with The Montenotte was named Employee Rising Star. She ed the team in April 2021 and worked remotely for the first two months before moving to Cork city. Aoife is looking forward to playing a key role in that ‘huge evolution’ which will see woodland suites, nests and cantilever units, along with a concept restaurant, open next May.
She lives in Rochestown, and in her spare time she enjoys the city’s social life and plays football with St Michael’s in Blackrock.
“I honestly feel so lucky to be exposed to such a powerhouse of women,” she said, speaking when she won her regional title earlier this year.
The national awards were announced today, Friday, during the network's annual conference in Galway's Salthill Hotel.
More than 300 people attended the event. 11 Cork women had been shortlisted for the national awards - representing Network Ireland Cork and Network Ireland West Cork.
A total of 350 applicants put their names forward for this year’s awards through 14 regional branches of Network Ireland.
The winners of the eight categories in the national awards were:
- Solo Businesswoman Asumpta Gallagher, Best Practice, Galway
- Emerging Businesswoman Síne Dunne, Siest Sleep Ltd, Dublin
- Established Businesswoman Sandra Looney, To Have and To Hold, Cork
- Employee Rising Star Aoife Behan, The Montenotte Hotel, Cork
- Employee Shining Star Lorraine Burnell, Joseph Murphy Ballina Ltd, Mayo
- Creative Professional Tanya Ryan, Fiadh and Finn, Kildare
- STEM Yvonne Comer, RugbySmarts, Galway
- Power Within Champion Ellen Tuffy, Down Syndrome Limerick, Limerick
This year’s ‘Trisha Murphy Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution’ was conferred on Siobhan Carroll from ACT for Meningitis and Dr Suzanne McClean from Rosabel’s Rooms. The Galway women set up national charities following the unexpected loss of their daughters. ACT for Meningitis provides free services to anyone affected by meningitis in Ireland. It also works to save lives through greater awareness of the disease. "
Rosabel’s Rooms works in partnership with the Irish Hospice Foundation and provides direct financial and therapeutic to families around Ireland, who lose a child from stillbirth to 21 years of age.
Network Ireland’s National President Noreen McKenzie, paid tribute to Siobhan, Suzanne and all the winners, she said: “Siobhan and Suzanne have been a huge source of inspiration to me and to Network Ireland across the country. Their charities provide vital to families going through the toughest times imaginable. They are truly worthy winners of the Trisha Murphy Memorial Award.
"I had the pleasure of meeting so many entrants at the local branch awards and at the national interviews. Their resilience, tenacity and ion is uplifting and I’m looking forward to seeing their plans for their future businesses and careers coming to fruition.”
AIB is the official partner of Network Ireland. AIB’s Head of SME Market Engagement, Lorraine Greene was a judge in the Solo Businesswoman category, she said: “Today is about honouring the incredible achievements of women in business across Ireland. Once again, the calibre of entries was remarkable and the power of Network Ireland was evident throughout.
"Entrant after entrant described how the of Network Ireland helped them to meet the challenges that they faced with creativity and resilience. AIB is proud to back Network Ireland and I congratulate the applicants, finalists and winners as well as the organisers of these awards. Noreen and her team have done a fantastic job.”
Enterprise Ireland is the official partner for the Awards and National Conference. Entrepreneurship Manager Sheelagh Daly, said:
Established in 1983, Network Ireland now has almost 1,200 across fourteen branches around Ireland. Each year they organise up to 200 events for . They also run a number of flagship national events, including an International Women’s Day Celebration and the Annual Conference and Business Awards.
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