WESTMEATH BUSINESS GETS CHANCE TO SHINE AT PLOUGHING 2024

One of Westmeath’s best small businesses will get a chance to exhibit their business to almost 300,000 people at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, County Laois next month as part of the Local Enterprise Village.

Fore Distillery who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Westmeath is a functioning distillery manufacturing craft Irish rums, poitín & has whiskey maturing. Fore Distillery also offers tours of the premises to the public.

The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, will house over 30 small businesses and will be located at the heart of this year’s National Ploughing Championships from the 17^th to 19^th September.

With some of the biggest companies in Ireland taking up residence at the Ploughing every year, the Local Enterprise Village continues to be a popular destination on the site for those looking to pick up something unique to bring home from some of the best small businesses in Ireland.

A selection of businesses from across the country helped launch the Local Enterprise Village for 2024 at Airfield Estate in Dublin.  These included Leah Cleary of Fore Distillery (supported by LEO Westmeath), Dublin fashion designer Jennifer Rothwell (supported by LEO Dublin City), Anouk O’Connell of natural wool company Olannmor (supported by LEO Wicklow), Aymar Gourdet of Le Skinny Chef (supported by LEO Laois), Joanne Doyle of Enchanted Castle Melts (supported by LEO Carlow), Aoife Potie of Nuasan (supported by LEO Galway) and Mildred Tang of canvas tote company Chic Tote (supported by LEO Dun Laoghaire Rathdown). 

Some of the clients involved this year cover areas such a kids clothing & games, agtech products, luxury bathing and skincare products, artisan food and drink producers, sustainable clothing and beauty products and range of innovative products from Ireland’s best small businesses. 

Kildare NPA Director John Dunne said “It is wonderful to see so many diverse & impressive businesses partaking in this year’s ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at the National Ploughing Championships taking place in Ratheniska, Co Laois on September 17^th, 18^th & 19^th.  This is an ideal and unique opportunity for these companies to showcase their products & wares to over 250,000 visitors that Ploughing attracts.”

The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland. Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception ten years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 70,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie