The full list of the winners and finalists form the Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Awards 2016 have been revealed.
After undergoing rigorous independent judging ahead of this year’s Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Awards, Maxol M3 Mulhuddart overcame world-class competition to be crowned Forecourt of the Year.
Set in the fabulous DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Dublin, on Thursday September 15, and hosted by Irish Broadcaster Gráinne Seoige, the awards – now in their 11th year – celebrate the finest convenience retailers from across Ireland.
Also winning awards on the night was Monaghan man Ray McCaughey, who took home the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. Ray, who founded the McCaughey’s 24 hour Service Station in Bloomfield, Castleblayney, was presented with his crystal trophy by last year’s winner of the award, Supermac’s founder Pat McDonagh.
And there were gongs for Northern Ireland too, with Ian Elliott, manager of McCool’s SuperValu Ballymoney in Co Antrim taking home the Store Manager of the Year prize.
Ian had led his supermarket staff to earning a Gold Award in the world-wide Investor’s In People Awards during 2016, an unprecedented achievement for Northern Irish businesses.
This year’s awards followed Ireland’s biggest retailing conference of the year, which took place in the same venue earlier that day.
All Black’s legend Sean Fitzpatrick, now a leading business consultant, lead the action-packed programme of inspirational speakers throughout the day.
The 2016 winners and finalists:
Forecourt Retailer of the Year
Maxol M3 Mulhuddart store manager Keith Doyle celebrates winning Forecourt Retailer of the Year with model Meagan Green
Forecourt Store of the Year Category 1
Host Grainne Seoige, Fergal and Ger Ralph from Maxol Mace Donabate, with category sponsor Garry McCann, General Manager at Petrocourt, and model Meagan Green
Forecourt Store of the year Category 2
Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards organiser Bill Penton with Kevin and Shane Doherty from Doherty’s Topaz Muff, and Greg Maher marketing manager for category sponsor Dairyglen.
Forecourt Store of the year Category 2 finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Laura Malenkiene and Valdis Kirelis, Maxol Mace, Kingsmeadow; Killian Bane and Suzanne Waddell, GreatGas Junction 4, Turvey; category sponsor, Greg Maher, Diaryglen; Karl Malone (back), Watters Service Station, Castleblayney; Danny McHugh (back), McHugh’s Spar/Texaco, Ballindine; Martin Burke, Amber Oil, Limerick Road, Tipperary; Padraig Watters (back) and Michelle Keenan, Watters Service Station, Castleblayney.
Forecourt Store of the year Category 3
Accepting their award for the forecourt/Convenience Store of the Year with C-Store over 1,751 sq ft category, are the team behind Fitzpatrick’s Spar Express: (L-R) owner Donal Fitzpatrick, Elaine Dempsey, store manager Patrick O’Hanlon, owner Teresa Fitzpatrick, and Walter Angst from category sponsor Lindt Ireland, and awards organiser Bill Penton. Donal and Teresa Fitzpatrick are also owners of the overall winner, Maxol M3 Mulhuddart in Dublin
Forecourt Store of the year Category 3 finalists
The finalists, pictured here with their certificates, are Shane Cantillon, Maxol/Mace, Clonakilty; Ian Rothery, Applegreen M1, Lisburn; Keith Doyle, M3 Mulhuddart Services; Paudie Byrne, Tipperary Town Plaza; Ernesta Sukyte, Applegreen; Henry Healy, Barack Obama Plaza; Ray and Brendan Lee, Lee’s Centra, Charleville; Walter Angst (back), category sponsor, Lindt and Karl Fitzgerald, Applegreen Montgorry
Lifetime Achievement Award
Owner of McCaughey’s 24 hr Service Station in Broomfield Castleblayney, in Co Monaghan, Ray McCaughey, is pictured with his wife Margaret McCaughey, and Pat McDonagh, owner of category sponsor Supermac’s
Best Customer Service
Lee Quin and Stephen Wilton from Eurospar Knockchree are pictured with their award with Eddie Scaife from category sponsor Bord na Mona Fuels
Best Customer Service Finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Tommy Conroy and Collette Kelly, Corrib Spar, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo; Liam Glynn, Glynn’s Centra, Carnmore, Co. Galway; category sponsor, Eddie Scaife, Bord Na Mona; Aedamain McCaughey, McCaughey’s Service Station, Broomfield, Co. Monaghan’ Lorraine and Ian Elliott, McCool’s SuperValu, Ballymoney and Patrick O’Hanlon, Fitzpatrick’s Spar Express, Co. Kildare
Best Food To Go
Pictured (left to right) are the Milestone Nisa Rathfriland team: Christine McCann, Kirsty O’Hare, Mark Haughey, John McCarthy, Tom McAvoy (owner), Mark Hargadon (from category sponsor Aryzta), Raymond Finnegan, and Amy McAvoy
Best Food To Go finalists
The finalists in this category are pictured. They are Phelim O’Neill, Mayobridge Service Station; Kevin Doyle, M3 Mulhuddart Services; David Connolly, Topaz Restore, Westview; Michael O’Sullivan, Amber Oil, M8, Fermoy; Lilly Devlin, Mayobridge Service Station; category sponsor, Mark Hargadon, Aryzta; Naomh Grant, Mayobridge Service Sation; Angelika Potulska and Frank Fortune, Corrib, Topaz Spar, Swinford and Gavin Moran, Junction 14 Mayfield
Best Forecourt Facilities
Lee Quin and Stephen Wilton from Eurospar Knockchree are pictured with their award with Eddie Scaife from category sponsor Bord na Mona Fuels
Best Forecourt Facilities finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Paul Kennedy, Galway Plaza; Raylene McCaughey of McCaughey’s, Broomfield, Castleblayney; Gavin Moran and John Hurley, Junction 14, Mayfield; Patrick Brennan, category sponsor, Revolution Laundrette; Brian Joyce and Glyness Vuston, Galway Plaza; Paddy O’Hanlon, Fitzpatrick Spar Express, Co. Kildare and Eddie Tobin, Tobin’s, Letterkenny
Best Oil Company Initiative
Accepting the award for Oil Company Initiative of the Year is the Topaz team of Alan Sheedy, Johnathan Diver, John Carr of category sponsor Costa, Declan Murphy, Judy Glover, and Enda O’Reilly
Best Site with a Licence to sell Alcohol
Eddie Tobin and Liam Martin from Tobin’s Letterkenny accept their award for Best Site with a Licence to Sell Alcohol, with Philip Lynch, country manager Ireland for category sponsor Barefoot Wines
Best Site with a Licence to sell Alcohol finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Damien McCormick, Dry Arch Complex Mace, Co. Donegal; Liam Glynn, Glynn’s Centra, Carnmore, Co. Donegal; Eddie McKee, Milestone, Rathfriland, Co. Down; category sponsor, Philip Lynch, Barefoot Wines; Nigel O’Hare (back) and Jacqueline Sands, Mayobridge Service Station, Co. Down; Francis O’Leary, Spar/Maxol, Fairyhouse, Ratoath and Shane Maguire, Lilley’s Centra, Co. Fermanagh
Best Use of Category Management
Accepting their award for Best Use of Category Management is Henry Healy, Paudie Byrne, Elaine Joyce (key account manager at category sponsor JTI Ireland), and Eoin O’Flaherty
Best Use of Category Management finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Laura O’Hara and Lee Quinn of Eurospar, Mayobridge; Kevin and Shane Doherty, Doherty’s Topaz, Muff; Elaine Joyce, category sponsor, JTI Ireland; Brendan and Ray Lee, Lee’s Centra, Charleville and Antoinette and Gearoid Walsh, Walsh’s Centra, Galway
Green Store of the Year
Karl Fitzgerald and Enesta Sukyte from Applegreen Mountgorry with John Jackson from category sponsor Eurotank with their Green Store of the Year trophy
Green Store of the Year finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are John Quinn and Edel O’Brien, O’Brien’s Service Station, Co. Westmeath with category sponsor, John Jackson, Eurotank Ireland
Newcomer of the Year
Accepting the Newcomer of the Year Award for the M3 Mulhuddart site is owner Donal Fitzpatrick with Kristina Orliuk, Dessie Aughey from category sponsor Air-Serv, and store manager Keith Doyle
Newcomer of the Year finalists
The finalists in this category are pictured with their certificates. They are Shane Gleeson, Inver/Spar, Punches Cross, Limerick; Paul Kennedy, Gyness Vuston and Brian Joyce, Galway Plaza; Michael Bonner (back), Glenties Services; category sponsor, Dessie Aughey, AirServ; Barry Patton (back), Applegreen Tuam Road; Kevin O’Donnell, Glenties Services; Mark and Ciara Gillan, Hoban’s Centra; Caroline Colbert, Applegreen Tuam Road; Paul Murphy, Applegreen Paulstown; Connor McGettigan, McGettigan’s Applegreen, Lifford and John Kiely, Inver/Spar, Punches Cross, Limerick
Store Manager of the Year
Host Grainne Seoige with Colm O’Neill, Solv-x, and Store Manager of the Year winner Ian Elliot
Store Manager of the Year finalists
The finalists in this category are pictured. Ther were Patrick O’Hanlon, Fitzpatrick’s Spar Express, Co. Kildare’ Carmel Clarke, Hillside Stores, Applegreen, Kells; Colm O’Neill, Solv-x; Craig Walbert, FIFO; Thomas Kane, Buckley’s Centra, Mullingar; Ashley Folder, Applegreen Lemybrien; Pat O’Neill, N4 service station, Co. Westmeath and James Carey, Applegreen M4 Enfield West
Training Initiative of the Year
Accepting the award for Training Initiative of the Year is Applegreen’s David McClean who is pictured with Gerry Scully from category sponsor MTS Security
Training Initiative of the Year finalists
Pictured with their finalists’ certificates are Alan Connolly and Keith Tomlinson, Centra, Portglenone; category sponsor, Gerry Scully, MTS Security; Ian Elliott and Lorraine Patterson, McCool’s SuperValu, Ballymoney