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Chocolatier wins top county enterprise award

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BEST CHOCOLATE: Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier from Bonane, Kenmare is this year's winner of the Kerry County Enterprise Award for 2020. Photo: Domnick Walsh

A chocolate business from Bonane, Kenmare is this year’s winner of the Kerry County Enterprise Award for 2020, the Kerry County Council Local Enterprise Office has announced.

Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier took the top prize of €2,500 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Kerry at the 22nd National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin in May.

Lorge manufactures hand-made chocolates and confectionery, operates a chocolate and pastry cookery school and runs adult, children and family chocolate workshop activities. The awards were held at County Buildings, Tralee on Thursday last (March 5).

Another winner on the day was Emily Brick, Athena Analytics who won an award worth €1,000 as a finalist in the competition. Athena Analytics is based in Tralee and offers a suite of analytics tools for the education sector.

Lorge Chocolatier will now be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund as national judging gets underway in April. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business’, ‘Future Focus’ and ‘Innovation’, in addition to eight regional awards.

The Kerry County Enterprise Awards took place as part of a very successful Local Enterprise Week programme of events. There were over 300 events taking place across the country, run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices from March 2 to 6.

“For the last two decades, the National Enterprise Awards have celebrated homegrown success stories from every corner of Ireland, putting their achievements into the national spotlight,” Head of Local Enterprise Office Kerry, Tomás Hayes, said. “And at the 2020 National Enterprise Awards, we are delighted to be represented by Lorge Chocolatier, yet another rural success story. The judges were particularly impressed by their ongoing commitment and innovation in their craft, their business strategy and ongoing job creation potential combined with their market success. We wish them continued success with their job creation/company expansion plans.”

Other high-profile events that took place during the Enterprise Week included Brexit Advice Clinics, Digital Marketing Clinics, LEAN Information Seminars and ‘Start Your Own Business Courses’ in Listowel and Cahersiveen.

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New Streetscapes murals launched at College Square

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A colourful collaboration between the Kerry Local Creative Youth Partnership (LCYP) and the Architecture Kerry Festival at Kerry County Council launched yesterday evening at College Square.

Titled Streetscapes, the open-air public art installation officially opened at 5pm on Thursday, accompanied by a performance from the Killarney Youth Drumming Band THUMP! under the guidance of Urs Wenk from Drum Dance Ireland.


The public art project features a series of wall murals depicting Killarney through the eyes of local children, exploring freedom, play, and potential future evolutions of the townscape.

The artworks reimagine Killarney’s iconic landmarks and streets, blending youthful imagination and curiosity.


Supported under the Creative Ireland Programme, the installation is mounted on the gable wall of Reen’s Life Pharmacy in College Square, where it will remain on public display until March 2027.


Speaking at the launch, Daniel O’Shea, Youth Development Officer at Kerry ETB, stated: “Streetscapes is a wonderful celebration of how children see things. Their creativity brings new perspectives to the townscape, and we are proud to support their ideas and their art through this public artwork.”


Deirdre Enright, Co-Ordinator of the Local Creative Youth Partnership at Kerry ETB, acknowledged the community support behind the initiative: “We are very grateful to Reen’s Life Pharmacy who have shared their built space with us. Huge credit is due to the artistic team from Me+The Moon whose dedication to creativity and to children’s art shine through in this work.”


The project forms part of the annual Architecture Kerry Festival and receives funding through Creative Ireland and the Department of Education and Youth via Kerry ETB and Kerry County Council.


Victoria McCarthy, Festival Organiser and Architectural Conservation Officer at Kerry County Council, welcomed the continued inter-agency project: “It’s always a great event for Architecture Kerry and we are so pleased with this collaboration between public sector organisations. It remains a key feature of the Architecture Kerry programme.”
See next week’s Killarney Advertiser for full photographic coverage of the event.

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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

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Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes stalwarts enjoy lake cruise

Dr Crokes GAA Club hosted a special day out for its senior members on Monday, this week, taking a group aged between 70 and 90 on a cruise across the Lakes of Killarney.

Organised by the Dr Crokes Healthy Club committee under its Crokes Cruisers initiative, the event was held to recognise the lifetime contribution made by long-standing members who continue to support club activities behind the scenes.
The group travelled on two vessels, including An Cathal, an open boat operated by local brothers Tony and Mike Fleming. Built to preserve the traditional Killarney lake boat style, it is the only purpose-built, fully accessible boat on the lakes, allowing members with mobility issues and wheelchair users to safely join the two-hour trip.
Following the lake tour, the party gathered on shore for coffee and refreshments provided by Derric McMahon and Harry Clifton of the Ross Castle Garden Cafe.
The initiative forms part of the club’s ongoing community work as a Gold Award winner in the GAA Healthy Club programme.

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