Top award for retail veterans Cummins Sports

CORK retail veterans Cummins Sports picked up the fourth-quarter Cork Business Association award yesterday.

The award, which is sponsored by Heineken Ireland and the Irish Examiner, was a long time coming, according to company director Kevin Cummins, who joked it has been in business in Cork for 36 years and it was about time it won.

He paid tribute to Ger Leary, with whom Mr Cummins opened his first sports store in November 1971 as Cummins & O’Leary. It took over Mortell’s fish shop on a Friday evening and opened its doors as a sports shop on the following Monday.

Mr Cummins also paid tribute to his 122 staff now working in the business.

“I think we have been very fortunate over the years in the staff that we have,” he said.

Cummins Sports is run by Kevin and his brother Brendan Cummins.

Association president Lynda Nolan said: “It’s great to see a business like Cummins Sports grow and expand to the five branches they have today.”

The association will host the awards grand final on November 17 at the Silver Springs Hotel, Cork.