Last night (the 24th of September 2026) saw the announcement of all 26 winners of the Carlow Business Awards at a gala event in VISUAL, Carlow. The event was a celebration of all the businesses that participated in the competition, that made the finals and that took home trophies.
This year’s overall winner was Torc Candles from Borris who also won the Medium Business of the Year award.
‘Carlow County Council are proud to sponsor the Carlow Business Awards 2026 as part of our ongoing engagement with County Carlow Chamber and the business community. I would like to congratulate all of this year's winners, finalists and nominees on their achievements. Being recognised among your peers is a significant accomplishment and one that should be celebrated.’ Said Cathaoirleach, Cllr Tommy Kinsella who presented the trophy to this year’s Carlow Business of the Year, Torc Candles.
‘ The Carlow Business Awards are always an eye opener – they highlight not only the quality and variety of businesses operating throughout the county, but they also give us an insight into the amazing achievements of the companies that enter.’ Says Norah Ryan, President of County Carlow Chamber. ‘Huge congratulations to the team in Torc Candles who stood out for the progress and development that they have made over the years. Their passion, commitment, drive and vision evolved a traditional, craft-led, labour-intensive business into an innovative, modern, world class company, without losing any of its authenticity.’
Torc Candles built on their strengths of a loyal, talented, long-serving team, coupled with an innovative, modern, expansionist approach – which has resulted in a business with local expertise and global reach.
Many of their employees have been with the company for years, giving Torc a rare depth of technical expertise that is passed on through structured training and mentoring. Their commitment to Carlow manufacturing excellence is clear.
They are rightly proud of their quality, sustainability, and contribution to local employment. And demonstrate established strengths in design, regulatory compliance, fragrance development, and premium product manufacturing.
And they are not stopping there – Torc Candles are expanding their manufacturing capabilities into new product lines for white label partners, retailers, and private brands to grow their business, strengthening their position as a leading Irish designer manufacturer.
The path to winning the overall prize, or indeed each of the award categories is not without its hurdles. This year, over 820 nominations were received, with some businesses receiving several nominations. This resulted in over 350 full applications, which was in turn shortlisted down to 77 presentations to judges and 102 Mystery Shopper visits. 122 finalists from 110 different businesses competed on the night, and we had 26 worthy winners. The standard was high – and the competition was fierce!
None of this would not be possible without a strong pool of impartial experts who give their time and expertise to assess and select the finalists and winners. In total there were 6 panels of judges for the presentations, and 10 mystery shoppers visited businesses throughout the county.
Below is a list of all winners – well done to each and every one of them.
For further information on all winners see the County Carlow Chamber of Commerce social media platforms.
Carlow Business of the Year – Torc Candles Ltd
From left to right, Stephen Bryan, Veronica Dobbs, Colin Heraty, Cathaoirleach Tommy Kinsella, Carlow County Council overall sponsors, David Sammon and Norah Ryan, President of County Carlow Chamber of Commerce.
Joe Tully, of Tully’s Travel, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Carlow Business Awards 2026
Carlow Ambassador of the Year
From left to right Natasha Bolger of The Carlow Nationalist, sponsors with Ollie Hennessy, Carlow Ambassador of the Year and Norah Ryan, President of County Carlow Chamber of Commerce
Lifetime Achievement Award
From left to right - Daniel McCarthy of The Talbot Hotel Carlow, sponsors, , Joe Tully of Tully’s Travel and Norah Ryan, President of County Carlow Chamber of Commerce