It is hard to imagine wooden bow-ties being in much demand at the Ploughing Championships, but last week they wowed at the Carlow venue.
Galway company, Fiáin, supported by Local Enterprise Office Galway, were one of over 30 Local Enterprise Office clients from across the country who exhibited in the Local Enterprise Village at this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Carlow last week. Fiáin, run by Dara and Caitriona Leather, designs and makes a wide range of quirky men’s accessories – from wooden bow-ties to shaving brushes and key-fobs.
The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs ) in local authorities across the country, saw over 30 small businesses from LEOs given the opportunity to exhibit at Europe’s largest outdoor event and showcase their products and services to just under 300,000 attendees.
A host of well-known faces dropped into the Local Enterprise Village across the three days including Minister Heather Humphreys, T.D., Minister Pat Breen T.D., the Queen of the Ploughing, Anna May McHugh, MEP Maria Walsh, and TV personalities Kathryn Thomas and Mary Kennedy.
They all had the chance to meet with some of Ireland’s best up-and-coming small businesses including Little Red Design from Dublin City, who created an interactive AR Farm Safety book for kids, Orwell & Browne with luxurious tweed creations from Donegal, Yomega3 creating the world’s first omega3 rich frozen yogurt in Cavan, Handmade wooden toys from Carlow’s Little Crew, Donegal’s 2012 All-Ireland winner Martin O’Reilly and his custom made sports clothing and small batch whiskey distillers Hyde Whiskey from South Cork.
Minster for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D., said it was fantastic to spend time with these small businesses from across the country.
“The Local Enterprise Village is the only place at the Ploughing you will find a mix of Ireland’s best entrepreneurs and small businesses across a variety of sectors. These small businesses are helping to boost their local economies and are employing staff in towns and villages across the country so we will continue to support them through initiatives like this and the range of Local Enterprise Office programmes.
“Our small businesses of today are our international companies of tomorrow and it was great to see the support of so many of the Ploughing attendees for the Local Enterprise Village.”
The Local Enterprise Village is just one of the Local Enterprise Offices initiatives that aim to support and promote small businesses across the country. There are 31 Local Enterprise Offices located in local authorities nationwide funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland. Other initiatives include Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE ), National Women’s Enterprise Day, the Local Enterprise Showcase, the Student Enterprise Programme and the National Enterprise Awards. For more information on the Local Enterprise Offices and their range of supports and programmes, go towww.LocalEnterprise.ie/Galway
