Kylemore Abbey has been named “Business of the Year” at the Galway Chamber Business Awards 2022, in association with The Shannon Airport Group. It was recognised for its “immense contribution to employment in Connemara” and for “as a dynamic, sustainable business which continues to innovate and pivot its offering to meet the needs and expectations of its customers.”
A crowd of just under 400 people were present for the event which saw 10 awards handed out on the night. As well as the “Business of the Year” Award, Kylemore Abbey was also recognised as the “Best Small to Medium Enterprise”.
The full list of award recipients on the night were:
· Best Scale-up/ Growing Business, sponsored by Galway Technology Centre and WestBIC went to Buymedia.
· Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by EY was awarded to MedScan3D.
· Best Small to Medium Enterprise, sponsored by AIB, went to Kylemore Abbey.
· Best Customer Service, sponsored by Permanent TSB, was presented to Western Motors.
· The Marketing Excellence Award, sponsored by Galway City Council, was picked up by Citylink.
· The Award for Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion, sponsored by Galway City Council, went to Eye Cinema.
· The Culture and Creativity Award, sponsored by Galway Culture Company, was presented to Galway Community Circus.
· The Award for Sustainability Initiative, sponsored by Shannon Airport, went to HID.
· The President’s Award, sponsored by PwC, was presented to Garry Hynes, Artistic Director of Druid.
· The Business of the Year, sponsored by The Shannon Airport Group, went to Kylemore Abbey.
A thank you on the night was also given to our media sponsor, the Galway Advertiser for their continuous coverage of the Awards as well as the three-page Awards spotlight featuring our finalists.
Speaking about the Awards, Dermot Nolan, President of Galway Chamber said, “It was truly a delight to see so much of the Galway business community come together for this event. Our awards have always strived to bring the Galway corporate community together – from startups to multinationals. The size doesn’t matter, what matters is how you conduct your business. That has always been the ethos of these awards and it was once again reflected in those who were nominated and honoured on the night.
“The awards also highlighted the adaptability and dynamism of the Galway business community, with our Business of the Year, Kylemore Abbey, strongly reflecting these values. Kylemore has had an amazing year. They are not only the largest private employer in the Connemara region, but they have also been quickly able to re-establish their business post pandemic.
“They have developed a new brand identity and new products, diversifying their offering and broadening their appeal. They have embraced digital transformation to help reach new markets, while also cherishing ecologically sustainable practices and preserving and promoting heritage. This is the type of approach that all businesses should be seeking to emulate and they are a very worthy winner of this year’s overall Business of the Year Award.”
Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said that on a daily basis “we in The Shannon Airport Group can see just how the Galway business community is thriving.
“Every day we play host to people who are travelling to and from Galway in the name of furthering their corporate goals. Much like Shannon Airport, we can see that the outlook of the Galway business community is to look beyond and to see the potential offered internationally. With so many thriving and innovative businesses in Galway we are honoured to be involved in these awards and were delighted to take part in this year’s fantastic event,” Ms. Considine added.
