Kinsale has been named as Ireland’s Most Enterprising Town in the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Awards 2020, taking home the trophy and a cash prize of €50,000.
The East Cork town, winner in the 4,001-7,000 population category, which has embarked on a ‘Kinsale Comeback Campaign’ to attract domestic tourists, was revealed as the overall winner on Virgin Media Television’s Ireland AM programme on Tuesday morning.
The Rising Star Award, which recognises towns that have overcome major challenges, was won by Tallaght, County Dublin. Clonakilty was the only other County Cork town to feature in the awards, runners-up in the Local Town Promotion Initiative category to New Ross, County Wexford.
The awards – previously known as the National Enterprise Town Awards – bring business and community groups together to support local recovery and rebuilding.
The initiative was fast-tracked to provide funding to winning towns in early October and directly assist their Covid-19 recovery. Overall, 20 towns shared in the prize fund of over €200,000.
This year three special Covid-19 response awards were also introduced. Tramore, County Waterford took home a prize of €20,000 and claimed the Local Business and Community Response Initiative Award.
Via Wings, a Dromore, Northern Ireland-based social enterprise, won the Local Community Enterprise Initiative Award.
