Chamber's Spotlight Ball looks to Mullingar's future

Preparations are well underway for Mullingar Chamber of Commerce's 'Spotlight Ball', a gala event to showcase Mullingar and to celebrate the new post lockdown, post Brexit era.

In addition to great food, dining and dancing, the black tie ball in the Mullingar Park Hotel on March 25 will feature a post dinner informal panel discussion hosted by Anne Doyle. Panel members will include Mullingar native David Ross, CEO of the Ardonagh Group, Mags Brennan, head of lending at PTSB, and Ted Wright, CEO of the Writech Group.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, chamber president John Geoghegan says that preparations for the event, which is being sponsored by the Ardonagh Group, are going well with almost 80 per cent of the tables already sold.

After a challenging two years, John says that he and his chamber colleagues are looking forward to hosting an event that is very much looking to the future rather than the past.

“We have assembled a good team to deliver the event, we have Declan Murphy, Lorraine Sinnott, Cormac Finnerty and Aisling Coleman. We are working on it together.

“We have over 300 people coming as we speak and we'd hope to have around 400 there.

“There will be a champagne reception at half six followed by an introduction at half seven, then we'll have the meal and after that there will be a round table discussion facilitated by Anne Doyle. The panel will discuss Ireland post Brexit and post Covid.

"  I think this should be a superb night to mark a moment in time and should be a super night to shine a spotlight on Mullingar, hence the name, The Spotlight Ball," John said.

Speaking at the launch of the ball, Ardonagh Group CEO David Ross said:

”The Ardonagh Group are proud to support the Mullingar Chamber of Commerce to bring this event to Mullingar and, celebrate a new era for Mullingar as we move forward from the challenges of the last few years and look forward to prosperous times ahead."

Mullingar Chamber's membership rose by over 50 per cent last year. John says that he is hoping for a similar increase during 2022. The chamber is also working on a number of projects for the coming year, including the regeneration of Columb Barracks and the return of Winterfest.

John believes that the future looks bright for Ireland and the town of Mullingar.

“We would see a lot of opportunity post-Covid. The Irish economy could expand dramatically in the next two or three years and this would be very good for Mullingar.”

Music on the evening is being provided by Mullingar group The Takeover, while any money made on the event will be divided between the Mullingar community counselling service Good2Talk and the Irish Red Cross's Ukrainian appeal.