Manna Air Delivery’s Bobby Healy and Skingrediets’ Jennifer Rock are among the finalists for this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland award.
Both feature in the awards’ ‘Emerging’ category, which focuses on “high potential, dynamic, resourceful” entrepreneurs who have established fast-growing businesses.
Other nominees in the category include Laura McCarthy of Drink Botanicals Ireland, and Danny Buckley of ADHDNow.
EY Ireland has also announced finalists in its ‘Established’ – which included Robin Jones of Golden Bake and Karl Zimmerer of Glanua – and ‘International’ categories – including Maire Claire Reid of TST Group and David Brenna of Eastgate Engineering.
EY said, collectively, the finalists employ 3,000 people and have combined revenues of almost €1 billion.
“This year’s judging process reminded us just how rapidly the world is changing for entrepreneurs and the environment they are operating in that has changed even in the past 18 months alone,” said Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest and chairperson of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel.
“Selecting just 24 finalists was an exceptionally difficult task. The entrepreneurs we met represent both long‑established sectors and fast‑emerging fields, but all of them are reshaping their industries with new ideas and new ways of working, and are turning challenges into opportunity.”
As part of their nomination, the finalists will participate in a CEO Retreat in Canada, and will receive mentoring, education and networking opportunities over the coming months.
Winners will be announced later this year, with the overall winner going on to represent Ireland at EY’s World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in Monaco next year.
Full list of Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland 2026 finalists:
Emerging:
Aoife Matthews, Jennifer O’Connell & Louise O’Riordan of SISTERLY
Bobby Healy of Manna Air Delivery
Brian Shields of Neurent Medical
Danny Buckley of ADHDNow
Dr Harriet Tracey of Beyondbmi
Jennifer Rock of skingredients Ltd
Laura McCarthy of Drink Botanicals Ireland
Liam Kearney of The Revive Group
Established:
Tommy Kearns of Xtremepush
John Corley of Spanish Point Technologies
John Lunn of Lunn’s
Karl Zimmerer of Glanua
Oltian Dervishi of Forte Pespa
Paul Vallely & Clare Walsh of Kukoon
Robin Jones of Golden Bake
Trevor Casey of EPH Controls
International:
Brian Moloney of StormHarvester
Chris Horgan of Dexgreen
David Brennan of Eastgate Engineering
Dermot O’Shea of Taoglas
Ian Morgan and Sanjay Abraham of XPress Healthcare Ltd
Maire Claire Reid of TST Group
Paul, Gary & Mike Martin of Martin Group
Ronan & Conor Burke of Inscribe
