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Galway's Best Awarded!

Huge numbers were in attendance last Friday night in Central Park Nightclub as MC Daithí O’Sé took to the stage to kick off the eagerly anticipated Galway’s Best Awards 2010.

Galway’s Best Hotel, Pub, Café, Fashion Retailer, Restaurant and Festival/Event were awarded in the glittery ceremony where attendees were treated to various acts and entertainment throughout the night including an Aerial Silks Performer, Contortionist and Escapologist.

The first winner named was the category for Galway’s Best Café which went to Food for Thought in Lower Abbeygate Street. Secondly, the winner was named in the category of Galway’s Best Festival / Event which went to the Volvo Ocean Race. Next, the winner in the category of Galway’s Best Fashion Retailer went to Born Clothing in Newtownsmith.

Following this the winner for Galway’s Best Hotel was named which went to the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa. The fifth award was for Galway’s Best Restaurant which went to McSwiggan’s Bar and Restaurant. The final award category of the night was for Galway’s Best Bar which went to Monroes Tavern on Dominic Street.

An overall award for the Best of Galway’s Best was presented to the Volvo Ocean Race for the successful event held in 2009.
Event organiser Paula Feeney of the Central Park Group commented, “We would like to congratulate and thank all of the businesses who made such an effort throughout the voting process and on the night. We were overwhelmed with all interest and excitement that surrounded the awards, especially in its inaugural year.

We would also like to thank out co-sponsors Heineken Ireland, supporting sponsors Fáilte Ireland, Galway Chamber of Commerce and Maeve Berry PR and media sponsors, i102-104fm and Galway Advertiser”.

Full Resut Breakdown

The top three finalists in each category were:
GALWAY’S BEST CAFÉ

Delight Gournet Food Bar – Upper Abbeygate Street
Smokeys at NUIG
Food for Thought – Lower Abbeygate Street

GALWAY’S BEST FESTIVAL OR EVENT IN 2009

The Galway Arts Festival
Roundstone Summerfest
The Volvo Ocean Race

GALWAY’S BEST FASHION RETAILER

New Look –Eyre Square Shopping Centre
Born clothing – Newtownsmith
Zebra “Not Just Black & White” – Citypoint, Prospect Hill

GALWAY’S BEST HOTEL

The Galway Bay Hotel – The Prom, Salthill
The Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa – Lough Atalia Road
The g Hotel – Wellpark, Dublin Road

GALWAY’S BEST PUB

The Roisin Dubh – Dominic Street
The Front Door – High St & Cross St
Monroes Tavern – Dominic Street

GALWAY’S BEST RESTAURANT

Cava Spanish Restaurant – Dominic Street
McSwiggan’s Bar and Restaurant – Woodquay
The White Gables Retaurant - Moycullen

Olivia Garrett and Marie Moynihan-Lee from Lets Do It Galway, overall winners, with Daithi Ó Sé, MC, and Paula Feeney, sales and marketing manager at Central Park, at the Galway's Best Awards on Friday.

Maire Mc Carthy, Group Classifieds and Telesales manager with the Galway Advertiser, with Ken and Tina Waldron from Food 4 Thought, winner of Best Cafe

Maeve Berry of Maeve Berry PR with Dermot Hughes, Marguerite O' Sullivan and Trish O' Malley from Mc Swiggans, winner of Best Restaurant.

Gráinne Mc Mahon, right, Head of News and Sports a I102-104fm, with Olivia Garrett and Maria Moynihan-Lee of Lets Do It Galway, winner of Best Event. Photo: Declan Monaghan/Galway Focus

Fergus Mc Ginn from Monroe's Bar, winner of Best Pub, with Jim Glynn, Regional Manager, Heineken Ireland.

Emma Dillon-Leetch, right, from the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, winner of Best Hotel, with Anne Melia of Fáilte Ireland at the Galway's Best Awards on Friday. Photo: Declan Monaghan/Galway Focus

Tara Lavin and Geraldine Cody from Born Clothing, winner of Best Fashion Retailer. Photo: Declan Monaghan/Galway Focus

The Best in the West

Fresh from his stint at the Rose of Tralee, the Galway's Best Awards 2010 team are proud to announce that RTE's Daithi O'Sé will act as MC on the night. The event, which is open free to the public, takes place on Friday, 17th of September at 9pm in the newly refurbished Central Park Nightclub. Galway’s Best Hotel, Restaurant, Café, Pub, Fashion Retailer and Festival/Event will be named on the night as voted for by the general public over the summer period. Also pictured with Daithi are CP Hostesses Hannah Healy and Sarah Williams.

Photos: Martina Regan.

Less than one week left to vote for Galway's best

Only one week remains for the public to vote for their favourite in each of the six categories of this year’s Galway’s Best Awards. Voting will close next Tuesday, 31st August at midnight.
Paula Feeney, Marketing Manager of the Central Park Group and initiator of the awards commented, “Votes are still flying in each of the six categories with the most closely fought categories still currently as the Best Restaurant, Best Café and Best Pub.

Customers are encouraged to continue to log onto the Galway’s Best website, www.GalwaysBestAwards.com, and vote for your favourite in each of the categories right up until the closing date, next Tuesday 31st August”.

Preparations will then begin for the inaugural Galway’s Best Awards 2010 ceremony which will take place on Friday, 17th September. The event will take place in the newly refurbished Central Park nightclub in what is set to be the glitziest event to hit the west this year. Following a networking event for invitees at 8pm, the event will open to the public at 9pm with no cover charge, and the awards ceremony will commence at 9:30pm sharp.

The top three businesses in each category, as voted by the public, will be named on the night with awards being presented by sponsors and supporting partners of Galway’s Best Awards 2010.

Along with being named ‘Galway’s Best’, the winner in each category will also receive a unique hand crafted glass trophy with the runners up receiving a commissioned certificate.
Supported by Fáilte Ireland and the Galway Chamber of Commerce, the Galway’s Best Awards 2010 are sponsored by the Central Park Group and in association with Heineken, and were launched in a quest to find and recognise customer service excellence in the service industry in Galway City and County.

Categories in the awards include best Hotel, Café, Restaurant, Pub, Fashion Retailer and Festival / Event.

Date Set for Galway's Best Awards Event

The date has been set for the inaugural Galway’s Best Awards 2010 night as Friday, 17th September. The event will be held in the newly refurbished Central Park nightclub in what is set to be the glitziest event to hit the west this year.

Following a networking event for invitees at 8.30pm, the event will be open to the public at 9.30pm with no cover charge with the awards kicking off at 10:00pm sharp.

The top three businesses in each category, as voted by the public, will be named on the night with awards being presented by sponsors and supporting partners of Galway’s Best Awards 2010. Along with being named ‘Galway’s Best’, the winner in each category will also receive a unique hand crafted glass trophy with the runners up receiving a commissioned certificate.

Paula Feeney, Marketing Manager of the Central Park Group and initiator of the awards commented, “Votes are still flying in each of the six categories with the most closely fought categories still currently as the Best Restaurant, Best Café and Best Pub. Customers are encouraged to continue to log onto the Galway’s Best website, www.GalwaysBestAwards.com, and vote for your favourite in each of the categories right up until the closing date of 30th August”

Supported by Fáilte Ireland and the Galway Chamber of Commerce, the Galway’s Best Awards 2010 are sponsored by the Central Park Group and in association with Heineken, and were launched in a quest to find and recognise customer service excellence in the service industry in Galway City and County. Categories in the awards include best Hotel, Café, Restaurant, Pub, Fashion Retailer and Festival / Event.

Voting Giddys up for Galway's Best Awards

With the second month of voting drawing to a close, more than 3,400 supporters have cast their vote online in an effort to determine who is Galway’s Best.

Of the 190 businesses are participating across six categories, the most closely fought categories currently are Best Restaurant, Best Café and Best Pub - with the top five in each of the category neck and neck. Customers are encouraged to continue to log onto the Galway’s Best website, www.GalwaysBestAwards.com, and vote for your favourite in each of the categories.

Paula Feeney, Marketing Manager of the Central Park Group and initiator of the awards commented, “We are so impressed by the individual campaigns that each business has engaged in to gather support in the competition. It is great to see all the posters, window stickers, flyers and cards on display in every business throughout the city. It really is everywhere! Facebook, email campaigns and website postings are also dominating the web so to all involved, keep up the good work! With the influx of tourists to the city for both the Galway Arts Festival and Galway Races, this really is your time to shine!”

Voting closes on 31th August.

Winners of each category will be announced and given the title of ‘Galway’s Best 2010’ at a spectacular awards night which will be held in the newly refurbished Central Park nightclub this September.

01/06/2010

Galways's Best Awards are now open to the public vote!

With 186 business entries to choose from in the inaugural Galway’s Best Awards, voting has now opened to the public allowing you to determine who really is Galway’s Best! Customers are encouraged to log onto the Galway’s Best website, www.GalwaysBestAwards.com, and vote for your favourite in each of the categories.

Paula Feeney, Marketing Manager of the Central Park Group and initiator of the awards commented, “We are delighted with and would like to thank all the businesses that have entered. We were really overwhelmed by the level of entries to this, our first year of the awards. Now it is up to the public! I would encourage all customers, fans and visitors to log onto GalwaysBestAwards.com to ensure that your favourite business receives recognition of their exceptional customer service”.

Voting opens on Thursday 3rd of June and runs right through the summer period, closing on closing on 30th August. Winners of each category will be announced and given the title of ‘Galway’s Best 2010’ at a spectacular awards night which will be held in the newly refurbished Central Park nightclub this September.

For more information or to cast your vote, log onto www.GalwaysBestAwards.com.

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16/04/2010

Galway Initiative launched to award superior customer service from local business

A team of Galway businesses and organisations have come together to promote and recognise customer service excellence in their city and county over the upcoming summer period.

Sponsored by the Central Park Group and Heineken Ireland, and supported by Fáilte Ireland and the Galway Chamber of Commerce; the initiative, named ‘Galway’s Best Awards 2010’, is the brainchild of Paula Feeney, Marketing Manager for the Central Park Group. Paula explains, “Galway’s Best Awards focuses on the support of local business and the promotion of Galway City and County, throughout the key summer trading period. Galway is a dynamic and fun destination which offers so much to our visitors, both national and international. The hard work and efforts of local businesses and their staff within the service sector, are a major part, of what makes the city and county such an attraction to visitors”.

She continues, “These awards are a positive and proactive initiative, which will celebrate those venues, stores and events that help make Galway the jewel in Ireland’s Crown. Making us all proud to be part of Galway”.

Categories in the awards include best Hotel, Café, Restaurant, Pub, Fashion Retailer and Festival / Event. Businesses that fall under any of the named categories are invited to log onto www.GalwaysBestAwards.com and enter their business; which then will be put to a public vote over the summer period in order to find the ‘best’ in each group.