2019 Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Award Winners

Cork Applegreen site took home top prize at Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards

The 2019 Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards saw retailers crowned in 17 hotly contested categories at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road. The Gala Awards Dinner, which took place Wednesday, September 18, was attended by over 450 of the industry’s top players and was a night of huge celebration for everyone involved.

Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville was awarded Retailer of the Year at the 2019 Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards. The Cork-based site also took home Forecourt / Convenience Store of the Year in its category.

Leading retail legend, Jim Barry, was recognised as this year’s lifetime achievement recipient for his dedication to the convenience industry across Ireland and Edwina Donnellan of Donnellan’s Centra Texaco Service, Ennis was named Store Manager of the Year.

Full round-up of 2019’s Award winners and finalists

Retailer of the Year – Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville

Sponsored by Nestlé Ireland 

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Kieran Conroy; from category sponsor Nestlé Ireland (centre) with Ray Lee, Emma Donegan, Elaine Kirwin, and Brendan Lee from overall winning site; Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville

Forecourt / Convenience Store of the Year Category 1 (with C-store selling area up to 1750 sq ft) – Maxol Westport

Sponsored by O’Reilly’s Wholesale

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Yvonne Duffin and Padraic Delaney from Maxol Westport with Ian Russell (centre) from category sponsor O’Reilly’s Wholesale.

Finalists

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(L-R): Ruaidhri O’Hare; O’Hare’s Inver Johnstown, Daniel O’Connor; McIntyre’s Mace, Ian Russell from category sponsor O’Reilly’s Wholesale, Rachael McMullan; Maxol N7 The Crossings, Terry Donnan; Daybreak sales & development manager on behalf of Cunniffe’s Daybreak Clonboo, Jason McMullan; Maxol N7 The Crossings

Best Food-to-Go – Casey’s Circle K/Londis, Castlebar

Sponsored by Home Grounds

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(L-R): Terry McShane, Grace O’Shaughnessy of category sponsor Home Grounds, Aiden Hennigan, and Philip Larkin

Finalists

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(L-R): Meghan McAvoy; Milestone Rathfriland, Jonathan Mailey; Moran’s Centra Coleraine, Elaine Williams, Creightons of Balmoral, Padraic Delaney; The Trading Post, Grace O’Shaughnessy of category sponsor Home Grounds, Trina Arnold, Top Oil Ballyvolane, Ciaran Mangan; Mangans Service Station Edenberry, and Ina Dorgan; Top Oil Ballyvolane

Newcomer of the Year – Corrib Oil Spar Express Tralee

Sponsored by Froneri 

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Seán Hennessy (left) and Egle Buivydiene (right) from Corrib Oil Spar Express Tralee accept Newcomer of the Year from Shane Guest of category sponsor Froneri (centre)

Finalists

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Back row: Shane Maguire; Centra Dublin Road, Andrea Mealey and Oonagh McRoberts; Centra Carryduff, Trina Arnold and Ina Dorgan; Top Oil Ballyvolane, Shane Guest of category sponsor Froneri, Fiona Cole and Kevin Dunne; O’Hares Vivoxtra Warrenpoint, Marcel Botezatu; Monread Fare.
Front Row: Graham Flood and John Lavelle; Top Oil Service Station Daybreak Bective.

Best Customer Service – Top Oil Newhall

Sponsored by GripHero

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Helen Pavlisova and Briege O’Kane from Top Oil Newhall with Oli Yeo of category sponsor Griphero

Best Use of Category Management – Mulkerns Eurospar

Sponsored by BIC

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Ian McConville of category sponsor BIC (centre) with Thomas Magennis, Donna McAnulty, Kelly McKeown, and Devin McShane from winning store Mulkerns Eurospar

Finalists

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(L-R): Ali Khan and Ildiko Kovacs ;Top Oil Blakes Cross, George Sloan; Creightons of Balmoral, Ian McConville of category sponsor BIC, Julie-Anne Semple; Eurospar Hartford Link, and Michael Fitzpatrick; Fitzpatrick’s Service Station, Kilmihil.

Best Oil Company Initiative – Inver Energy

Sponsored by htec

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(L-R): Anna Hickey, Keith McGouran, Dave Mackay from category sponsor Htec, Ben Lenihan, and Chris O’Callaghan from Inver Energy

Community Store of the Year – Daybreak Dungarvan

Sponsored by The National Lottery 

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Kevin Forde and Caroline McGrath; Daybreak Dungarvan, with Shane Kenny of category sponsor The National Lottery, Helen Taylor; Daybreak Dungarvan, and Andrew Boyle; Musgrave Group

Finalists

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(L-R): Aedi McCaughey; McCaughey’s 24 hr Service Station, Pauric McGarvey; Kernans Top Oil Ramelton, Thomas Magennis and Donna McAnulty (back row); Mulkerns Eurospar, Katie McAvoy (front row); Milestone Rathfriland, Shane Kenny of category sponsor The National Lottery, Adele Brown; Eurospar Carrick Milestone, Niamh Murphy, Michael Kelly, and Christine Sullivan; Candy’s Costcutter Top Oil Carnew, and Seamus Griffin; Londis KCR

Best Site with a Licence to Sell Alcohol – Casey’s Circle K/Londis Ballina

Sponsored by Licensed & Catering News

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(L-R): James Hughes from category sponsor Licensed and Catering News is pictured with Terry McShane, Philip Larkin, and Aiden Hennigan of winner Casey’s Circle K/Londis Ballina

Finalists

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(L-R): John O’Leary; Kevin O’Learys Centra Circle K Bandon; Cathal Talty; Talty’s Mace Circle K; Meghan McAvoy, Milestone Rathfriland; James Hughes of category sponsor Licensed and Catering News, Isaías García; Applegreen Athlone, Gerard Kelly; The Trading Post

Forecourt / Convenience Store of the Year Category 2 (with C-store from 1751 sq ft to 2750 sq ft) – Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville

Sponsored by Calor

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(L-R): Bill Penton; Penton Exhibitions, and Sharon Nolan of category sponsor Calor, are pictured with Elaine Kirwin, Ray Lee, Emma Donegan, and Brendan Lee of winning site Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville

Finalists

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(L-R): Bill Penton; Penton Exhibitions, Padraic Delaney; The Trading Post, Shane Cantillon; Maxol Carrigaline, Sharon Nolan of category sponsor Calor, Jonathan Mailey; Moran’s Centra Coleraine, Una Lilley; Lilley’s Centra Drumlyon, and Brendan Scally; South Link Service Station

Training Initiative of the Year – Henderson Retail

Sponsored by Juul Labs 

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Gareth Smyth from category sponsor Juul Labs is pictured with Gayle Clinghan and Sam Davidson from Henderson Retail

Motorway Service Station of the Year – Barack Obama Plaza

Sponsored by Solv-x / Fifo

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L-R): Paudie Byrne, Pat McDonagh, and Una McDonagh from Barack Obama Plaza are pictured with Eddie Dale from category sponsor Solv-X / Fifo

Finalists

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(L-R): Michael O’Sullivan; Amber Fermoy, Brian Joyce; The Galway Plaza, Jurgita Dulkyte; Applegreen Rathcoole, Eddie Dale from category sponsor Solv-X / Fifo, and Rachael and Jason McMullan; Maxol N7 The Crossings

Forecourt / Convenience Store of the Year Category 3 (with C-store 2751sq ft plus) – Creightons of Balmoral

Sponsored by Quorn Foods

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Chris Moore of category sponsor Quorn Foods is pictured with Wynn Penton; Penton Exhibitions, Elaine Williams and George Sloan from winning store Creightons of Balmoral

Finalists

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Back Row (L-R): Kevin Forde; Daybreak Dungarvan, Egle Buivydiene; Corrib Oil Spar Express Tralee, Shane Cantillon; Maxol Clonakilty, Jan Czaja; Applegreen Mount Merrion, Joanna Masiarek; Maxol M3 Mulhuddart Services, Jim McCausland; Casey’s Circle K Roscommon, Glyness Mucha; The Galway Plaza, Jim Casey; Casey’s Circle K Roscommon

Lifetime Achievement Winner – Jim Barry, The Barry Group

Sponsored by CBE

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Oliver Sheridan from category sponsor CBE is pictured with Lifetime Achievement recipient Jim Barry; The Barry Group, and Bill Penton; Penton Exhibitions

Fresh Food Store of the Year – Milestone Rathfriland

Sponsored by Kind 

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Pictured here are Katie and Ann McAvoy from winning store Milestone Rathfriland

Finalists

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(L-R): Suzie Gorman; Creightons of Finaghy, Andrew Porter; Creightons of Balmoral, Michael Buchanan; Kernans Top Oil Newtowncunningham, Anne Sheeran of category sponsor Kind, Devin McShane and Kelly McKeown; Mulkerns Eurospar, Elaine Kirwin; Lee’s Centra Applegreen Charleville, and Darren Given; Swifts Eurospar Lisnaskea

Best Forecourt Facilities – The Galway Plaza

Sponsored by Irish Prestige Signs

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(L-R): Brian Joyce, with Pat and Una McDonagh, Paul Murphy from category sponsor Irish Prestige Signs, and Paul Kennedy

Finalists

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(L-R): Ciaran Mangan; Mangan’s Service Station Edenderry, Helen Taylor; Daybreak Dungarvan, Dylan Shaw; Moran’s Centra Coleraine, Seán Hennessy and Egle Buivydiene; Corrib Spar Express Tralee, Jim Brennan; SuperValu Newcastle, Paul Murphy of category sponsor Irish Prestige Signs, and Rachael and Jason McMullan; Maxol N7 The Crossings

Store Manager of the Year – Edwina Donnellan of Donnellan’s Centra Texaco Service, Ennis

Sponsored by Gilbarco/Petrocourt 

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Garry McCann of category sponsor Gilbarco/Petrocourt presenting store manager of the year winner, Edwina Donnellan with her award

Finalists

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(L-R): Garry McCann of category sponsor Gilbarco/Petrocourt with Kevin Forde; Daybreak Dungarvan, Thomas Magennis; Mulkerns Eurospar, Lisa Kenny; Applegreen Enniscorthy, Brian Joyce; The Galway Plaza, and Alastair Connor; McCool’s SuperValu Ballymoney