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Special award for Crana Knits
owner
14.01.19
THE amazing
contribution made by Buncrana business woman
Rosaleen Hegarty to the local economy in Donegal,
was recognised when the Crana Hand Knits owner was
presented with a special “Spirit of
Entrepreneurship” award at the Local Enterprise
Awards ceremony in Letterkenny.
Introducing the award, the MC on the day Eileen
Magnier, said the judges had decided when Rosaleen’s
entry to the competition came in, that she was
deserving of a special award in recognition of the
amazing contribution she has made for over thirty
years.
Interviewed on stage by the RTE reporter, Rosaleen
said that the success of Crana Knits was modernising
one of the oldest traditions in Donegal - hand
knitting.
“I registered Crana Hand Knits in 1979 and at its
height I had 550 women knitting for me in Donegal
and was supplying many of the big names,” said
Rosaleen, who explained that a loan from her father
had helped her set up what she thought would be a
small business. |
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Rosaleen Hegarty of Crana Hand Knits
on stage with Eileen Magnier at the Local Enterprise
Awards in Letterkenny. |
But her business grew
and grew and at one stage she was supplying over 20
stores in America with knitwear from Crana Hand
Knits.
The knitwear was in demand closer to home as well
and in Ireland Rosaleen was supplying names
including Blarney, House of Ireland and Carraig
Dunn, while on the international fashion scene
Rosaleen’s garments were in huge demand from names
like Tommy Hilfiger, Jonathan Anderson and many
more. |
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Rosaleen Hegarty of Crana Hand Knits
receives her special ‘Spirit of Entrepreneurship
Award’ at the Enterprise Awards ceremony in
Letterkenny from Mayor Cllr. Seamus O’Domhnaill,
Head of Enterprise in Donegal, Michael Tunney and
Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, Seamus
Neely. |
Rosaleen wasn’t the
only award winner from Inishowen at the ceremony
either, James Cuddihy saw his business, Welditz in
Carndonagh, named as runner-up in a Best Established
Business category that also saw Muff business
Efficient Renewables in the running.
Speaking at the awards, Head of Enterprise in
Donegal, Michael Tunney had congratulated all of the
finalists and said they could all be proud of having
come through a stringent process to get so far.
“Every business can look back to where they have
been, but they should also be always looking ahead
to where they want to go. Perhaps there is no better
time to do that than now – as we come towards the
end of one year and look towards the start of a new
one.
With that in mind it is great to see we have so many
businesses here in Donegal who are planning ahead to
the future with confidence and the Local Enterprise
Office will be delighted to help businesses planning
for the future to reach their potential.”
To view more photos from the Local Enterprise Awards
click here . |
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