In this week’s programme the focus of attention is the Irish language and in particular how businesses in Letterkenny could reap the rewards by promoting it and using it to a greater extent.
Recently, Líonra Leitir Ceanainn and Letterkenny Chamber came together to host a Give it a Go – As Gaeilge business breakfast event  at Kernans Bistro & Coffee House in the town.
And what a successful event it was, as those in attendance heard about how Galway has given bilingual status in 2016. Letterkenny is designated as a Gaeltacht Service Town and there is no doubt that the use of more Irish can pay real dividends. Letterkenny can learn from the Galway experience.
In the programme, Chris Ashmore hears from three of the speakers from the event, Bairbre Uí Chathail of Lionra Leitir Ceannan, which was established to promote the Irish language in Letterkenny and further afield,  Bríd Ní Chonghóile of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, and Polish woman Joanna Ciezka who despite having no Irish background has developed an Irish themed sock business which actively uses Irish.
First up, a few days after the event Chris paid a visit to the offices of Líonra Leitir Ceanainn to find out a bit more…..

In this week’s programme Chris Ashmore finds out about a new Donegal food company, Wild & Co, which has launched a five week campaign to fund the first production run of its innovative wild venison snacks, a clean, tasty and sustainable alternative to the many ultra-processed protein bars out there on the  market.
Founded by Laura McGoran, a food and fitness enthusiast, and John Duffy, a regenerative farmer working to restore native woodlands at Future Oak Farm near Churchill, Wild & Co turns locally sourced 100% wild Irish venison into high protein, low calorie snacks with nothing artificial added. 
The product achieves a 12-month ambient shelf life without artificial preservatives, a first for Irish wild game products.
There’s a great story behind the product, and there is certainly big potential going forward.
For more details abou  Wild & Co, see: www.wildandco.ie
You can hear the full interview here:

In this week’s programme, Chris Ashmore speaks with Dermot Doherty of Restex beds and furniture which is based in Letterkenny.
Founded over 50 years ago by Terence Doherty, the company is now operated by Terence’s son Dermot, and is well known for its  quality mattresses. Indeed, their luxury mattresses can not only be found in homes, but in many top hotels across Donegal and beyond. 
They also have a range of top quality bedroom furniture, sofas, chairs, lighting, and pictures.
Sleep is so, so important, and when it comes to the world of mattresses, Dermot knows all about it, having been involved in the business from a young age.
To find out more about the business, how it all began, designing and manufacturing mattresses and divans, and the journey to date, Chris went round to their showroom at the Pinehill Industrial Estate at the Mountain Top in Letterkenny to speak with Dermot.
 

In this week’s programme, Chris Ashmore finds out more about a series of business support clinics geared towards the tourism sector. They are being held during November with one in each of the municipal district council areas.
Mary Fowley Daly, Senior Tourism Development Officer with Donegal Co. Council has been outlining the thinking behind the initiative which is being promoted by the council’s tourism unit in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Local Enterprise Office Donegal.
There will also be an update on the forthcoming Letterkenny Chamber Business Awards, plus a look at how an Inishowen teenager is setting up a social media support enterprise.
 
 

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore looks at the forthcoming Donegal ETB Enterprise Day for around 250 students from 17 post-primary schools, and also what business energy support grants are currently available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
First up he finds out more about the enterprise event which is being stated in ATU Letterkenny. He’s been speaking with Fiona Temple, Principal at Mulroy College, who has been coordinating the working group behind the event.
He then catches up with Fergus Sharkey, Head of Business Supports at the SEAI, to learn about the variety of energy related grants that businesses can avail of.
 

In this week’s programme, Chris Ashmore speaks with  Dr. Caitriona Strain, General Manager of Ernact, an international digital transformation network that was established back in 1991.
Based in the CoLab at ATU Letterkenny, it is constantly involved in exploring opportunities for funding, and development and knowledge transfer for digital transformation, and has been instrumental in the development of numerous very interesting projects.
Also this week, Sean Quinn, CEO of Highland Radio, joins Chris in studio to discuss the recent hugely successful Highland Radio Customer Service Awards.
You can listen to the full programme here:

In this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with the owner and founder of Purple Velvet, a bespoke bakery based in Glenmaquin, just outside Letterkenny.
During Covid, Diane Nesbitt found herself with time on her hands and decided to try selling some home-made cup cakes. The response was hugely positive. That was the beginning of a journey that she could scarcely have imagined.
Fast forward to the present day and she now employs 11 people, making a whole range of cakes and tasty treats, including the very popular yummies.
She also has a coffee van based in Letterkenny, and further expansion is on the cards.
Indeed, she has quite a story to tell. A graduate of the University of Liverpool, she worked for several years in the fashion industry.
You can hear this week’s programme by hitting play below. For more details about Purple Velvet, see: https://www.purplevelvet.app/

In this week’s edition Chris Ashmore has been finding out more about a whole range of courses offered by the Donegal Education and Training Board, and the opportunities to explore new fields, upskill, and perhaps even consider a change of career.
In the second part of the programme, Chris finds out more about gender pay gap reporting and changes in legislation that have come into effect this year.
First up, though, he hears from Donna McDade, Engagement Enterprise Officer with the Donegal ETB about the options available for people who are already in employment and who want to enhance their knowledge or skills.
As part of a government initiative those in employment can now avail of a range of courses that are fully-funded so there is no fee involved.
Donegal ETB works closely with industry and business when it comes to the design of the programmes and the feedback has been very positive from all quarters.
And many people are surprised at just how many options there are when it comes to Donegal ETB backed courses and programmes.
Meanwhile, new reforms to Gender Pay Gap reporting means that organisations with 50 employees or more now have to submit a report while the deadline has also been moved up a month to November.
To find out more about this subject, Chris has been speaking with Sonya Boyce a director with Forvis Mazars, a leading international audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm. 
 

Donegal’s growing reputation for producing great food will be highlighted again next month at the final of Blás na h’Eireann 2025 (the Irish Taste Awards) – the largest food awards in the country.
The event takes place in Kerry and there are a record number of food and beverage producers from the county through to the final.
Indeed, out of more than 3,000 entries nationally, 14 from Donegal have been shortlisted.
Donegal is unquestionably developing a great food and drink sector and through initiatives like Food Coast Donegal, there are supports there.
To find out more about Food Coast Donegal and indeed the Donegal finalists, Chris has been speaking with Lyndsey Reynolds, Project Facilitator at Food Coast Donegal.

In this week’s programme Chris Ashmore looks at the wind energy sector, the potential, and the challenges.
He speaks with Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs with the Wind Energy Ireland as they discuss the opportunities that are arising for more off-shore development, and also the spin-off in terms of employment.

In this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Ron Kerrigan, the general manager at the  Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa Hotel in Inishowen.
It’s a family run hotel and proprietors Sean and Mary Keogh and their four children have much to be proud about. Indeed this year marks 20 years in business for them in the hotel.
Not only is it Ireland’s Most Northerly Four Star Hotel but it is also arguably Ireland’s greenest hotel insofar as a whole range of eco-friendly and energy efficient measures have been undertaken.
And there is much to look forward to as well. In fact, early next year a major €1.5m million refurbishment programme will take place at the 40 bedroom hotel.
Also in this week’s programme Chris speaks with Highland Radio Chief Executive Sean Quinn about the forthcoming Highland Radio Hospitality Awards which continue to go from strength to strength, and how people can cast their vote before the closing deadline.

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore speaks with Kilcar native Rory Gallagher, singer, songwriter and business man, who now lives in the Canary Islands.
His business journey has certainly seen plenty of twists and turns, from his days with the Revs and touring Europe and Australia to gigging and then setting up a bar in Lanzarote, returning to Ireland, and then opening a bar in Scotland just as Covid hit.
But he is now back in Lanzarote once more where he runs three bars along with his wife Cara.

Chris met him recently over in Lanzarote to take a look at how his career has all panned out, and he certainly has an interesting story to tell.
 

In this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore has been speaking with Galway-based Joanne Sweeney about her new book which is called “AI Playbook – The strategic guide to AI for Marketing and Communications”.
Joanne, who is from Downings, is well known to many of our listeners, having work in the Highland Radio newsroom for a number of years before setting up her own company Media Box in Letterkenny, and then moving to Galway where she now runs the highly successful Digital Training Institute.

With more than 25 years experience in the digital communications business, and the holder of 11 academic and professional qualifications, she is well versed in the whole area of AI and in particular its use for those in marketing and communications.
Later in this week’s programme, Chris speaks with Toni Forrester, CE of Letterkenny Chamber, about the continued success of the Shop LK initiative. Sales in the first half of this year were up 38% and there were more than 100,000 in-store transactions.

In this week’s programme Chris Ashmore has been finding out more about the Wild Fuschia Bakehouse in Dunfananghy which has won a string of awards and which announced recently that its Irish Scone Mix has been one of the products selected for this year’s Grow With ALdi  initiative which champions emerging Irish food producers, giving them the chance to have their products stocked nationwide.
He speaks with Sian McCann, owner, founder, MD and baker, about how she began the business, her previous working career, how it has evolved, online sales and the product range.

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore has been speaking with Donegal artist Jacinta Callaghan.
From a young age she was interested in art. She was also interested in hairdressing and at just 16 she left Donegal to go to Dublin to train with Peter Mark.
After further training in Jon Paul’s in Derry, she came back to Kerrykeel and set up a hair salon at the age of just 20.
She kept up her art but only on a limited scale with her hair salon taking centre stage, but when Covid struck she suddenly had more time on her hands as the salon could not open.
And that turned out to the the seed for developing a new business venture, Jacinta Callaghan art.

In this week’s programme, Chris Ashmore catches up with Donegal man Garrett Harte, a multi award-winning senior media executive whose family is steeped in politics and who has more than two decades of experience in the broadcast industry.
The former Editor-in-Chief of Newstalk, he led and shaped the national current affairs debate on critical political, social and cultural events for many years.
Several years ago Garrett left Newstalk and founded Harte Media, a communications and PR Agency in Dublin, which has already won a number of awards.
The Dublin-based company has gone from strength to strength and has won a number of awards.
Garrett recently became the new Chair of the Donegal Dublin Business Network and he also gives his thoughts on how it can be of assistance to many businesses.

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore looks at the success of the Connected (digital) Hubs in Donegal and also how the hotel sector is faring.
First up, he speaks with Majella Orr, who is manager of the Craoibhin Community Enterprise Centre in Termon which is one of the hubs with what are known as CoWork Plus spaces and she is also the manager for Gteic CarriaghÁirt 
Like some other hubs, the latter has some great summer incentives, including hot decks with fast Wifi for just €5 an hour or €10 for the whole day. This is ideal for holidaymakers, for those who travel for work, or maybe even someone with a small business who someone who wants to pursue a business idea.

Chris has also been speaking with Carolynne Murray, Vice-Chairperson of the Donegal branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, and Director and General Manager of the Shandon Hotel near Dunfanaghy.
She outlines the challenges ahead – especially the rising cost of inputs – and how they are continuing to lobby the Government for a reduction in the VAT rate in the next budget.

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore speaks with Seamus McLaughlin, the Managing Director of iMotors in Drumkeen and Malin about new car sales figures for the first half of 2025.
There has been a surge in sales of electric vehicles and they exam some of the reasons why, and also discuss the popularity of hybrid cars and the move away from petrol and in particular diesel.
It’s been a particularly good month for Kia in Donegal, which is the most popular brand (iMotors are main dealers for the Korean brand, as well as for Nissan) and they had almost 20% of the new car market in the county between January and June.
So there was plenty to talk about when Seamus joined Chris to look at the motor trade.

In this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore finds out more about a tourism initiative which is helping a lot of businesses in the Mulroy Bay area – essentially an area north of Letterkenny taking in the likes of Cranford, Downings, Milford, Carrigart, Kerrykeel and Fanad.
He’s been talking with Paddy Logue, chair of the Mulroy Drive Tourism Group. In addition to producing a booklet about the idea, they have now developed a very user friendly and informative website – and it shows that there is an awful lot going on the area.
Tourism is very important in the area, and a major employer.  The feedback has been very positive and he points out that for small enterprises this is a way to get their name out there.