‘Outstanding’ Longford store win prestigious award

A Longford store has been honoured and recognised for retail excellence at the 2024 Gala Annual Awards.
The convenience store received the accolade as they were deemed ‘outstanding’ following a comprehensive and independent assessment process.

Corrigan's Gala, Moyne received the Gala Excellence Award at the event, which took place at Lawlor’s of Naas, in county Kildare recently.

The awards evening, hosted by sports broadcaster and chat show host, Jacqui Hurley, marked a celebration for the Gala Retail Group, highlighting the achievements of the 200+ Gala Stores all over Ireland.
Declan Corrigan of Corrigan's Gala, Moyne stated they were thrilled to win the accolade and it will give a timely boost to the business.

“We are delighted to have won the award and it is nice to see our staff getting the recognition.
“We are getting ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary of the shop and this is a great for us,” he said.
“We have made big improvements this year.
“We have had a total refit of the shop and (as a service station) we are here over 100 years and it is nice to get acknowledgement the store is what it should be,” he added.
Speaking at the awards dinner, Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, congratulated Corrigan's Gala, Moyne and all the winning stores.

“This year’s Gala Excellence Awards are a true testament to the dedication and commitment that our retailers bring to their communities," he stated. "As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it's an especially poignant moment to recognise the outstanding efforts of our Gala stores across the country, who have gone above and beyond in delivering quality and service to their customers."
Mr Desmond said the awards not only honour the exceptional standards these stores maintain daily but also highlight the incredible journey Gala Retail has undertaken over the past 25 years.
"We are proud to have grown into a network of over 200 stores across Ireland, and we wish them continued success in the coming year and look forward to celebrating their future accomplishments.," he added.
Reflecting on the year, Mr. Desmond spoke about the success of the Gala Group which continues to see sales growth year on year.

In the last 12 months, it has welcomed new stores into the group, completed 23 store revamps, with 12 under development, enhancing the Gala brand and shopper experience.
Recognising the need that sustainability must play an increasing role, the Group launched The Gala Greener Grants for stores to avail of.

The Group continues its marketing activities, including its ongoing, award-winning partnership with Special Olympics Ireland.
As one of the most progressive convenience groups in Ireland, Gala stores benefit from national expertise, coupled with local wholesaler support and a store model, which ensures that every Gala store is designed to deliver to its local community’s requirements.