Deadline closes for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year

The deadline closed today for entering the seventh annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Programme (EOY).

Ireland’s winner this year is set to join entrepreneur programme winners from more than 32 countries around the globe representing Ireland at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year in Monte Carlo in May 2005.

Ireland’s first ‘Entrepreneur Of The Year’ in 1998 was Denis O’Brien. Last year, the Judges Panel selected Liam Shanahan of Shanahan Engineering in Dublin

Moya Doherty and John McColgan won the Award in 1999 and Eddie Jordan was accoladed in 2000.

Denis O’Brien chairs the awards programme panel of judges who will decide a short listing of eight nominees for Award in three categories in May 2004 – Emerging, Industry and International Entrepreneur Of The Year.

Among the judges are Pat Maher from Enterprise Ireland, Padraig O'Ceidigh of Aer Arann, and Pat McDonagh of Riverdeep, who was also the Entrepreneur of the year in 2000.

The winner in each category will be announced at the Awards Banquet and TV Broadcast on RTÉ One on Thursday 23 September 2004.

One of the three category winners is then selected as the overall Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004 for Ireland.

The Programme is sponsored by: the Irish Times, RTÉ, Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and Shannon Development.