Business awards adds another dimension to Kells Chamber Ball

The annual Kells Chamber of Commerce President"s Ball was transformed into a glittering awards ceremony last Friday night, complete with a dramatic red-carpeted entrance, spotlights and photographers outside The Headfort Arms Hotel. This year"s ball included the inaugural Kells Chamber Business Awards ceremony which proved a resounding success - and many of the newly-crowned winners are now proudly displaying their prizes in local shopfronts and company premises. The highlight of the awards was the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was chosen by the board of Kells Chamber of Commerce. Mrs Kitty McEntee, matriarch of the long-established McEntee business on Newmarket Street, was named as the inaugural recipient of this award. The McEntee business comprises a food store, off-licence and undertakers and was first established in Kells in 1899. Mrs McEntee"s son, Cathal, accepted the award on behalf of his mother and the McEntee family. The ball drew a record crowd, with more than 230 people in attendance, including local TDs Johnny Brady and Shane McEntee, Meath County Manager Tom Dowling, Kells Town Council cathaoirleach Brian Collins and Kells Town Clerk, Jarlath Flanagan. Chamber president, Jess Olohan, welcomed her guests and outlined the need to reward and recognise the achievements of local businesses and retailers. She was then joined by MC for the night, Damien Farrelly, to reveal the nominees and winners in each of the eight award categories. The inaugural initiative attracted a huge number of entries, which the independent judging panel then whittled down to a shortlist of nominees. All of the nominees received a certificate of achievement, while the winner of each category was awarded a stunning piece of wood sculpture by local artist, Patrick Morris. The first category of the night was the Outstanding Small Business Award - and Jim Kiernan of Cross Street was a popular winner. The Best Innovation In Business Award went to Flo Web Design Ltd, which has been winning widespread media coverage as the first and only web design company in Ireland to offer pay-by-instalment finance options for their packages. Company director, Olivier Florence, was in attendance to collect his award. Rosemary Dunne, proprietor of local boutique 'Dunne"s - The Premier House" scooped the Best Business Shopfront Award. There were four worthy nominees battling it out in the Best Contribution to Business Development in the Town Award, with Micheál McKeon of The McKeon Group eventually declared as the overall winner. The Most Effective Marketing Initiative Award was jointly bestowed on The Headfort Arms Hotel and Causey Farm. These two local family-run businesses have enjoyed huge success with their hen party packages, which include a programme of activities at Causey Farm, as well as accommodation and meals in the Headfort Arms Hotel. The initiative attracted more than 2,000 'hens" to Kells last year and has garnered national media coverage. Anne Murphy, owner of 'Wigs By Rapunzel", was a deserving winner of the Chamber X-Factor Award. Ms Murphy supplies medical wigs to women who have suffered hair loss due to alopecia or chemotherapy, and offers a free home visit service to customers who are not well enough to attend her Cannon Street outlet. There were 10 local voluntary groups nominated in the Community Spirit Award category, with Kells Swimming Club emerging as the overall winner. The club was founded in the early 1970s and is run entirely by a team of 45 volunteers. Following the excitement of the awards ceremony, the ball guests danced into the small hours, with music provided by local band, The Line-Up.