Enterprising ideas rewarded

A Co Monaghan hotel offering no telephones, televisions or clocks won this year's Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Award in…

A Co Monaghan hotel offering no telephones, televisions or clocks won this year's Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Award in the tourism & leisure category.

The stress-free 14-bedroom hotel is run by Mr Sammy Leslie and Mr Ultan Bannon, employing eight full-time staff with a projected £365,000 turnover for 1998. A Co Kildare packaging company set up by two unemployed men four years ago won the overall National Enterprise Award.

DSG Packaging, established in Naas by Mr Sean Dunne and Mr Seamus Culleton with an initial £30,000 investment, also won the services category award. It provides customised promotional packages and a chilled products service, employing 42 full-time and 30 part-time staff.

"DSG Packaging now lists many blue-chip companies as its clients," Bank of Ireland stated yesterday. Morrell Power Craft (MPC), a company which makes boat-building kits, also in Co Kildare, at Newbridge, won the manufacturing sector award.

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MPC, a seven-year-old company employing 10 full time staff, is expected to have a £1 million turnover this year, manufacturing pleasure cruisers, fishing boats, passenger ferries and barges.

The awards were presented by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney.