East Wicklow Business Network

08/09/2026

⚠️ Greystones businesses – this is one to pay attention to.

If you haven’t heard about the proposed Greystones Pedestrian & Cycle Improvement 2026 plans, we strongly recommend taking a look. And if you have already seen them, consider this a reminder to engage.

The proposals include significant changes to movement, roads and access around Greystones, and they have the potential to directly impact businesses operating in and around the town.

Members of the project team will be available at the Greystones Municipal District Offices on Tuesday 15th September, with the plans and maps available to view:

Address: Greystones Municipal District, Civic Offices, Mill Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, A63 TX86.
🕙 10am–12pm
🕑 2pm–4pm
🕔 5pm–7pm

This is an important opportunity for local businesses to understand exactly what is being proposed, ask questions and raise any concerns about access, traffic flow, parking, deliveries and the wider impact on the town and its businesses.

Given the disruption experienced by businesses and residents during recent roadworks in the area – including concerns around timelines, delays and costs – it is imperative that businesses engage at the planning stage of any further significant works.

We all want a Greystones that supports community living, walking, cycling and a vibrant town centre. But that does not – and should not – need to come at the expense of the commercial heart of the town.

A thriving community needs thriving local businesses.

Any investment in Greystones should therefore be properly planned, effectively delivered and fit for purpose – balancing the needs of residents, visitors and the businesses that provide employment, services and life to the town.

EWBN strongly encourages businesses across Greystones and the surrounding area to engage with this consultation. These changes could shape how the town operates for years to come, and the best time to raise practical concerns and identify potential problems is before plans are finalised and works begin.

📅 The public consultation remains open until 30 September.

📣 Now is the time to have your voice heard.

Please share this with any local business owner who may be affected.

07/09/2026

With a sold out event, last week’s Business Breakfast Briefing with Simon Harris TD, proudly sponsored by Core Credit Union Greystones & District, demonstrated the demand and need for local business representation. It showed exactly what a strong local business network can do - bring people together, create useful conversations and give businesses in Greystones and East Wicklow a stronger collective voice.

And the real value of the network is what happens between the big events.

That’s what our Second Tuesday Coffee Morning is all about.

📍 Spendloves Cafe, 2 Trafalgar Road
🗓 Tuesday 8th September (tomorrow)
⏰ 8.30am–9.15am

No presentations. No formal agenda. Just good coffee, good conversation and the chance to build stronger local business connections.

We also want to keep growing the network and for this to happen the membership matters. It is what enables EWBN to keep building events, connections, supports and a stronger business community for businesses of all sizes across Greystones and East Wicklow.

The more businesses that get involved, the more we can do for the whole local business community. So come along tomorrow, meet the network - and if you’re not already a member, consider joining us.

👉 Become an EWBN member:
https://wicklowbusiness.ie/become-a-member/

See you at Spendloves from 8.30am ☕

04/09/2026

A full house at this morning’s East Wicklow Business Network event with Táiniste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris - great energy, great conversations and another reminder of just how strong the business community is across East Wicklow.

Thanks for the sponsorship from Core Credit Union Ltd.

If you’ve been coming along to our events but haven’t yet joined as a member, now is a great time to do it.

Membership is where you get the full benefit of the network - stronger connections, more opportunities to engage with other local businesses, and the chance to become part of a growing business community that is actively supporting one another.

Come to the events. Make the connections. Join the network.

Core Credit Union Greystones & District

03/09/2026

SOLD OUT – EWBN Business Breakfast this Friday is full.

We’re delighted to say that this Friday’s EWBN Business Breakfast with Tánaiste Simon Harris is now fully booked.

With a very strong turnout expected, a few practical notes for those attending:

* Please arrive early to allow time for parking and registration.
* With the number of people attending, parking at the rear of The GRID is likely to be the best option.
* If you’re not already an EWBN member, we’d encourage you to join the network so you hear about upcoming events early and avoid missing out on future events.

And a reminder that our regular Second Tuesday Breakfast Coffee is back next Tuesday at 8.30am at Spendloves. Put that in your diary now and just show up.

It’s a relaxed, informal way to meet other local business owners, catch up with familiar faces and make new connections.

Thanks for the fantastic response to Friday’s event - we’re looking forward to a great morning.

Thanks to our sponsors Core Credit Union Greystones & District who are sponsoring this event.

02/09/2026

FINAL CALL – EWBN Business Breakfast with Tánaiste Simon Harris

With Budget 2027 just over a month away, this Friday’s EWBN Business Breakfast comes at a particularly timely moment for local businesses.

In just the past week, the Government has been responding to renewed pressure around the cost of doing business, energy costs, fuel excise and competitiveness, while the Fiscal Advisory Council has warned that the planned Budget package may be larger than the economy currently needs.

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris TD has also signalled that changes to the point at which workers enter the 40% tax band are being considered for Budget 2027, with a €1.5 billion tax package earmarked for October.

So it’s a particularly good time to hear directly from the Minister for Finance and to have the opportunity to put your own questions to him about the issues affecting your business.

We’ll also hear from:

Michael Byrne, CEO of Core Credit Union, with an update on Core’s expansion in Wicklow and the growing supports available to local people and businesses.

Marie-Louise Marshall, with a short leadership perspective on why “Leadership is not just a title” and the move towards more human-centred, purpose-driven leadership.

Have a question? Post it here and we will give it to the Tánaiste.

If you haven’t booked yet, this is the final call.

📅 Friday, 4 September
📍 The GRID, Charlesland, Greystones
⏰ Doors open 8.30am
🎟️ Free to attend

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/business-breakfast-briefing-tanaiste-simon-harris-tickets-1997838932026

Core Credit Union Greystones & District

28/08/2026

We’re delighted to announce an additional speaker joining our East Wicklow Business Network Breakfast Briefing on Friday, 4 September.

Alongside Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris TD, and Michael Byrne, CEO of Core Credit Union we’ll now also hear from:

Marie-Louise Marshall
Leadership specialist Marie-Louise Marshall will explore how "Leadership is not just a title!". She will touch on what she describes as a leadership revolution - a shift towards more human-centric, purpose-driven leadership, where self-awareness, relationships, empowerment and influence matter more than authority. Marie-Louise’s contribution comes ahead of her Leadership Elevation Programme on 22 September 2026.

It culminates in a very strong national and local perspective on both national and local topics and promises to be a highly relevant morning for the Wicklow business community.

📍 The GRID, Charlesland, Greystones
📅 Friday, 4 September 2026
⏰ 8.30am

The event is free to attend, but advance registration is required.

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/business-breakfast-briefing-tanaiste-simon-harris-tickets-1997838932026

Simon Harris TD Louise Fenelon Gaskin Feargal McKenna Mark Atkins Paul Mc Knight Derek Byrne Elaine Harding Greystones.ie

Join us at the Business Breakfast Briefing Event. Connect with local businesses and access valuable training resources.

20/08/2026

Some more Wicklow Business Success! One of County Wicklow’s best-known family businesses has reached a major milestone, with Arklow-based Glenhaven Foods set to be acquired in a deal valued at €127 million.

Founded by the Cahill family in 1986, Glenhaven Foods has grown over four decades from a family enterprise into a significant food manufacturer, specialising in frozen breaded chicken products and employing approximately 190 people.

The proposed buyer is Swedish food group Scandi Standard, which already has a major Irish presence through Manor Farm. The acquisition would bring Glenhaven into a wider European food group with operations across Ireland and several Nordic and European markets.

The proposed transaction has now entered the Irish competition review process and while the deal remains subject to regulatory clearance before completion, for the Wicklow business community, the transaction is another strong example of the calibre of businesses that can be built and scaled from within the county.

Glenhaven was established 40 years ago by David and Evanne Cahill, with the next generation, Barry and Emma Cahill, subsequently taking leadership roles in the company. Barry Cahill, CEO and co-owner, has credited Glenhaven’s success to its employees, its focus on quality and the long-standing customer relationships developed over many years.

The company has said that joining Scandi Standard would provide the scale and resources needed for its next stage of growth, while retaining the family-business values that have underpinned Glenhaven’s development.
For Scandi Standard and Manor Farm, the acquisition would strengthen their position in value-added and ready-to-eat poultry products across Ireland and the UK.

EWBN congratulates the Cahill family and the entire Glenhaven Foods team on building one of Wicklow’s standout business success stories and wishes them every success as the company enters its next chapter.

If you'd like to learn more about the finance that is available to turn your business into tomorrows Glenhaven Foods then join us with special guest Simon Harris on the 4th September at the GRID Enterprise centre in Greystones.

Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/business-breakfast-briefing-tanaiste-simon-harris-tickets-1997838932026

13/08/2026

At the East Wicklow Business Network, one of our key objectives is to provide real value to our members and to represent the interests of businesses across Wicklow.

That means more than networking. We want to create opportunities for local business owners and leaders to engage with decision-makers, hear from highly experienced professional speakers, raise the issues affecting their businesses and better understand the economic and policy environment ahead.

Our next Business Breakfast Briefing is a great example of that.

On Friday 4 September, we are delighted to welcome Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris to The GRID in Greystones. The timing makes this a particularly interesting morning for the Wicklow business community as it comes just over a month before Budget 2027, at a point when the broad parameters have been set and discussion is intensifying around taxation, the cost of doing business, rewarding work, investment in infrastructure and the measures needed to support Ireland's economy and businesses in the year ahead.

Let's be clear - this is not a Budget preview - but we will have an opportunity to hear directly from the Minister for Finance at an important point in the economic calendar, and to bring the voice and concerns of Wicklow businesses into that conversation.

Simon will be joined by Michael Byrne, CEO of CORE Credit Union, who will discuss the expanding role credit unions can now play in supporting local businesses and the financial solutions available to SMEs.

As always there will be plenty of opportunity to meet and connect with business owners and professionals from across Wicklow.

Friday 4th September
The GRID, Charlesland, Greystones, A63 T9K1
Networking, tea and coffee from 8.30am
Speakers from 9.00am

Places are limited and we expect a full house, so early booking is recommended. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/business-breakfast-briefing-tanaiste-simon-harris-tickets-1997838932026?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Join us at the Business Breakfast Briefing Event. Connect with local businesses and access valuable training resources.

13/07/2026

As R.E.M. once put it… "Should we talk about the weather?"

We probably will! But most importantly? There's you. Your business. The wins worth celebrating. The challenges worth sharing. The kind of honest, energising conversations that only happen over a proper cup of coffee with people who get it.

So seeing as it's Bastille Day, we are going to storm Spendloves and enjoy Liberté, égalité… caffé latte. ☕

No agenda. No pressure. No pitch. Just excellent conversations and exceptional coffee.

🗓️ Tuesday 14 July ⏰ 08.30 – 9.15am 📍Spendlove Coffee & Ice cream

Just show up. We'll get the coffee on. 👊



Mark Atkins Louise Fenelon Gaskin Cllr Louise Fenelon Gaskin Paul Mc Knight Feargal McKenna Derek Byrne Elaine Harding Farzana Maudarbaccus

10/07/2026

Following the fantastic success of our Summer BBQ (what a night!), we're looking forward to seeing familiar faces and welcoming some new ones at the next EWBN Second Tuesday Club.

Join us at Spendloves Coffee House on Tuesday 14th July from 8:30am–9:15am for coffee, conversation and connections with fellow East Wicklow business owners and professionals.

Whether you're a long-standing member, new to the network, or simply curious to learn more about EWBN, you'll be made very welcome.

📍 Spendloves Coffee House
📅 Tuesday 14th July
⏰ 8:30am – 9:15am

See you there.