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This week we come to you from Dingle, County Kerry, and the 19th edition of Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards. Every October, hundreds of producers gather here, from one-person kitchens to established brands, alongside the retail buyers, chefs and judges who decide which of them goes home with gold, silver or bronze. Bank of Ireland is a sponsor of the Backyard @ Blas speaker space.
Over the next half hour you'll hear from a beekeeper, a baker, a forager, a sauce maker, a bakery ingredients supplier and a man who puts Irish food on aeroplanes. They talk about tight margins, rising costs and wars that close shipping lanes. They also talk, again and again, about each other. And at the end of the podcast, you'll meet the winner of this year's Best Startup award, a chef who started out a year ago with just two products in two shops.
At Blas I interviewed:
Grainne Keneally from Elderberry Farm Produce
Ian Mernagh from All About Nectar
Florrie Purcell from The Scullery
John Graham from Andrews Ingredients
Graham Herterich from The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke
Matt McCabe from Subu Connect
Sunny Joy from GoMeal, winner of Best Startup award sponsored by Bank of Ireland, as well as Best in County for Mayo and Best in Connaught
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In this episode of the ThinkBusiness Podcast, powered by Bank of Ireland. we speak with David Broderick, Director of the Small Firms Association, about the current trading environment for Ireland's small businesses, the priorities SMEs want to see addressed in Budget 2027, and the practical steps business owners can take to strengthen resilience and drive growth. We also explore how initiatives such as MentorsWork are helping entrepreneurs adapt, develop new skills and navigate an increasingly complex business landscape.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

At the recent National Ploughing Championships, Mark Glennon, Bank of Ireland’s agri development manager for the northern half of the country, describes how the year has gone, the demographic challenge facing Irish farming, what the Bank can do to ease succession, and how automation and AI can help farmers.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In this episode of the ThinkBusiness Podcast, powered by Bank of Ireland, I speak with Dr Thomas Cryan, Medical Director at Thérapie Clinic, Europe's leading medical aesthetics group. Fresh from securing first place in the prestigious global Maurício de Maio Mentorship Programme, Dr Cryan joins us to discuss the importance of clinical excellence, continuous learning and patient safety in modern healthcare.

We also explore Thérapie Clinic's remarkable growth from an Irish-founded business into an international leader with 86 clinics across Ireland, the UK and the US.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Today we’re joined by Maxine Hyde, the second-generation leader of Ballymaloe Foods, one of Ireland’s best-known food brands. Built on the legacy of her grandmother Myrtle Allen and founded by her mother Yasmin Hyde in 1990, Ballymaloe Foods has grown from a single relish recipe into a thriving business employing 70 people and producing a wide range of sauces, relishes and condiments.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.