MBTA 2024: Meet the finalists in the Best Small Tourism Business category

Get out on the greenway, Feel Good!

Feel Good Bicycles

Tell us about your business and team

Feel Good Bicycles is a vibrant, customer-first bike shop offering high-quality new bikes, servicing and rentals for all riders, from our new shop and rental location based at Park Beo, Wilkinstown on the Greenway, just outside Navan and also from its well-established shop in Virginia. Feel Good Bicycles make it easy for locals and visitors alike to explore the area on two wheels, whether it's from a rental, a shiny new bike or servicing an old reliable machine. Everyone on the team at Feel Good Bicycles is passionate about riding bikes but more importantly, looking after our customers. It’s all about feeling good and enjoying bikes!

Describe the best thing about your service

The best thing about our service is the personal, friendly experience we offer. Whether you’re renting a bike, buying one or getting your bike serviced, our team are dedicated to providing a top-quality experience. Our rental bikes and e-bikes are carefully chosen for quality and reliability to see the Greenway in comfort. When choosing a new bike we ensure happiness, by recommending the right bike for you and we always strive to do the best job possible to keep you rolling when servicing or repairing the bike you already have.

What does the future hold for your business?

The future looks bright for Feel Good Bicycles, with investment in cycling infrastructure as well Boyne Valley Tourism promoting the area. With a season of operating rentals, we are ready to grow that business as well as having the opportunity to serve our Meath customers from the new Wilkinstown location.

What's the best business advice you've ever been given?

Always put the customer first. Provide value beyond the price point in a way that is sustainable for the business. People will appreciate a quality service and spread the word when you do a good job. Always do the right thing.

Mother and daughter owned giftshop platforming over 150 Irish crafters

Castle Crafts

Tell us about your business and team

Castle Crafts on Market Street in Trim is a mother and daughter owned giftshop which showcases over 150 Irish crafters, makers and artists from all over the island of Ireland. The reasoning for opening the shop in July 2020 was to offer a platform to makers, crafters and artists to retail their products - from the smallest crafters to the more established makers. The owners Colette Gough and Hannah Moriarty wanted to create a space for all to show. “We believe in promoting Irish authentic craft and giving our customers from near and far an amazing shopping experience.”

Describe the best thing about your service

We pride ourselves in giving our customers an immersive shopping experience with knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any and all questions about any products and the people who made them.

We started with 20 crafters when we first opened our doors and have grown to support over 150 Irish people and businesses in the shop right now, with the majority from the Boyne Valley region. This ranges from people making products at their kitchen tables to businesses who employ a team of people to make their products.

What's the best business advice you've ever been given?

Someone once said to us: Set your goals, know your endgame and be open to change. As our business is always evolving, we know where we want to go and what shop we want to be and to enjoy every bit of the journey

What does the future hold for your business?

We aspire to one day open a larger store or another store in a different town to facilitate more crafters and makers from other areas to showcase their craft, products and talents. Everybody just needs a chance to display their work. This in turn gives visitors to the Boyne Valley and Ireland’s Ancient East an amazing opportunity to feel, touch and taste authentic Irish craft.

Camping, glamping and a family welcome in the shadow of the ancient cairns

Loughcrew Megalithic Centre

Tell us about your business and team

Loughcrew Megalithic Centre is a small camping and glamping site just outside Oldcastle, located at the foot of one of the Boyne Valley’s hidden gems, the Loughcrew Cairns. It opened its doors in 2015 as a family-café run for tourists visiting the cairns. Over the years it has expanded the site to have gift shop and room for 15 campervans, 30 tents and the most recent addition of six luxurious glamping yurts.

On the site there is an old traditionally thatched cottage that has been in the Shortt family for over 300 years. Owner Niall’s Dad grew up in the cottage and now it is open for visitors to have a look inside and go back in time to the old Irish ways of living.

Describe the best thing about your service

Sarah believes the best thing about the service is the fact it is a small family orientated business, with a strong focus on the little details and small personal touches. Herself and Niall are in the centre on a daily basis and enjoy meeting and talking to guests and she thinks people generally embrace that.

What's the best business advice you've ever been given?

The best advice we have been given is to understand that everything takes time, success doesn’t happen overnight. I think in the beginning we were probably hoping for instant success and thinking the business would take off straight away and be a roaring success but that’s not how it works. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and persistence to get to where you want to be.

What does the future hold for your business?

Looking to the future for the business can be a somewhat daunting prospect in today’s climate but we try to keep positive and focus on what’s working for us. We are finally getting to a stage where we can start to re-invest back into the business. We would like to improve the onsite facilities we have before expanding. We are getting ready to close up the site now for the winter season so as long as we are still in a position to open the doors again next year and continue to employ a few local people, we will be happy.