Above: Ferdia Homevalue’s team celebrating their win, L-R: Hector Ó hEochagáin; David McMahon & Sylvia Weldon from Ferdia Homevalue; Paul Candon from United Hardware; Eamonn & Martha Kerr from Ferdia Homevalue; Martin Groome from Unilin; Tara Mularkey from Ferdia Homevalue; & Eoin McGettigan from United Hardware
Ferdia Homevalue in Ardee, Co
Louth has been named the overall winner of the highly coveted United In Excellence Store Of The Year award at the recent ‘United in Excellence Awards’.
Hardware and builders merchant stores from across Ireland were recognised for outstanding standards in retailing at United Hardware’s 6th annual awards ceremony, held at The Galmont Hotel, Galway. The event brought together over 250 guests from across the United Hardware network, including store owners, managers, partners and sponsors.
Ferdia Homevalue claimed the top honour, United in Excellence Store of The Year 2025, standing out among more than 200 exceptional stores nationwide. The Ardee store was celebrated for its commitment to customer service, store standards, and community engagement, setting a new benchmark for excellence in the sector.
On a very successful night, Ferdia Homevalue also took home awards for Best Regional Store in Leinster, Best Customer Service Excellence in Leinster, and Overall Winner for Customer Service Excellence in Ireland.
Paul Candon, Group CEO of United Hardware commented: “The United in Excellence Awards are about celebrating the drive, commitment and ingenuity that our members bring to Irish retail. I want to congratulate all of this year’s winners and nominees, and especially Ferdia Homevalue for their outstanding achievement.
"Their dedication to raising standards and serving their community is what sets them apart. Every awardee this year has demonstrated what it means to be a leader in our sector, and together, they are shaping the future of hardware retail in Ireland.
"My thanks also go to our sponsors – Unilin Insulation, International Ply, Dulux Paints, ECC Timber, Glennon Brothers, Grant, Westland, Irish Cement, Einhell, Triton, Wavin, Brett Martin and Mannok and all our partners – whose support helps make these achievements possible.”
Eamonn Kerr, Store Manager of Ferdia Homevalue added: “We are delighted to be recognised as the United in Excellence Store of the Year. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team here in Ardee, and to the loyalty of our customers and the support of our local community.
"We are proud to be part of the United Hardware group, which gives us the tools, resources and backing to deliver the very best for our customers every day. On behalf of everyone at Ferdia Homevalue, thank you to our staff, our customers, and United Hardware for this incredible honour.”
A highlight of the evening was the cheque presentation of over €60,000 to Barretstown, United Hardware’s national charity partner, supporting life-changing programmes for children and families affected by serious illness.
Awards were presented across a wide range of categories, including paint, customer service, light hardware & DIY, merchanting, heating & plumbing, garden centre, marketing, online presence, and regional store of the year. Each store was assessed against rigorous criteria, including independent mystery shopper audits, to ensure that only the highest standards were recognised.
2025 National Winners Include:
Overall Award Winners:
- Best Regional Store Munster – Flynn's Homevalue
- Best Regional Store Leinster – Ferdia Homevalue
- Best Regional Store Connacht – T. O'Higgin's Homevalue
- Best Regional Store Ulster – Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue
- Best Garden Centre – Bandon Co-Op Homevalue Kilbrogan
- Guaranteed Irish Advocate Of The Year – Cummins Homevalue
- Best Online Presence – Kean's Homevalue
- Best Bathroom Showroom – Green Heat & Bathrooms
- Best Marketing Initiative – Irish Building Supply Homevalue
- United In Excellence Store Of The Year – Ferdia Homevalue
Other regional award winners on the night, included:
Customer Service Excellence:
- Munster – Ronayne's Homevalue
- Leinster – Ferdia Homevalue
- Connacht – Sweeney's Homevalue Achill
- Ulster – Gould's Homevalue
- Overall Ireland – Ferdia Homevalue
Best Paint Store:
- Munster – Broderick's Hardware
- Leinster – Smyth's Homevalue Enniscorthy
- Connacht – Kean's Homevalue
- Ulster – Donegal Town Hardware
- Overall Ireland – Smyth's Homevalue Enniscorthy
Best Light Hardware & DIY Store:
- Munster – West Cork Building Supplies Homevalue
- Leinster – Wallace's Homevalue
- Connacht – Nicolas O'Conchubhair Homevalue
- Ulster – Coyles Homevalue Buncranna
- Overall Ireland – Wallace's Homevalue
Best Merchanting Store:
- Munster – Flynn's Homevalue
- Leinster – Clane Providers Homevalue
- Connacht – Cooney's Homevalue
- Ulster – O'Connor's Hardware
- Overall Ireland – Flynn's Homevalue
Best Heating & Plumbing Store:
- Munster – Ger Malone Plumbing & Heating
- Leinster – Barretts of Maynooth Homevalue
- Connacht – T. O'Higgin's Homevalue
- Ulster – Greenline Plumbing Supplies Cavan
- Overall Ireland – Ger Malone Plumbing & Heating
The United in Excellence Awards highlight United Hardware’s ongoing commitment to supporting independent retailers, driving innovation, and delivering exceptional value to communities across Ireland. With over 200 stores nationwide, United Hardware continues to champion the highest standards in Irish retail.
