Kilkenny business Bó Bar Soap makes hay at the Ploughing

A Kilkenny business had an opportunity to exhibit to over 200,000 people at the National Ploughing Championships last week as part of the Local Enterprise Village.

Bó Bar Soap, supported by Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny, is a natural soap company that uses whole milk from award winning, grass fed, family run dairy farm in South Kilkenny. Products can be bought online via www.bobarsoap.ie. 

The initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) saw over 30 small businesses from across the country take a stand in the Local Enterprise Village in the heart of the Ploughing Championships, opening their businesses up to over 200,000 prospective customers across the three days of the event.  

And the Local Enterprise Village was very much the place to visit across the week as it welcomed well known faces from Nevin Maguire and Minister Simon Coveney to President Michael D Higgins and An Tanaiste, Michéal Martin.

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Michael Doyle said it was wonderful to see  so many diverse and interesting companies represented at this year’s National Ploughing Championships including Bó Bar Soap supported by the Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for these small local businesses to showcase their products to the 200,000 visitors throughout the 3 days at the Local Enterprise Village," he said.

Gail Daniels, owner of Bó Bar Soap, said being part of the local enterprise village was such a great experience.

"I learnt so much from showcasing my products to the general public to displaying and stock management," she said.

"The village had a great buzz throughout the three days with the different counties represented there was a great team atmosphere with everyone looking out for each other. The highlight for me was meeting with the public to both introduce my soap to people who didn't know about me, to the people who had read about me and to my lovely returning customers.

"Although numbers overall were down we had great sales and have made some great contacts with some interested in stocking our products to others who are looking to collaborate with future products. I would highly recommend the experience to any business. The local enterprise office in Kilkenny have been such a huge support and couldn't do enough for me. If I needed anything they were only a phonecall away.”

Some of the clients involved this year covered areas such a kids clothing and games, agtech products, luxury bathing and skincare products, artisan food and drink producers, sustainable clothing and beauty products and range of innovative products from Ireland’s best small businesses. Year on year the Local Enterprise Village has proven to be one of the most popular destinations for visitors to the Ploughing Championships. 

The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase.

The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie/Kilkenny.