Mayo founded Carraig Donn crowned as Ireland’s Best Fashion Retailer

Carraig Donn was hailed as the Best Fashion Retailer in Ireland at the prestigious Retail Excellence Ireland Awards.

The Mayo business received the award at the event, which was held at the Galmont Hotel, Galway over the weekend.

Over 550 retail professionals gathered for the annual Black Tie Ball to celebrate the best in class of Irish Retail.

The event, which was hosted by Hector Ó hEochagáin, saw extreme competition, in every category, with the best being honoured on the night.

_{Carraig Donn Team Celebrate being Crowned Ireland’s Best Fashion Retailer at the Retail Excellence Ireland Awards in association with AIB Merchant Services and Sponsored by KPMG}

The Retail Excellence Ireland Awards have been running for the last 25 years and pride themselves on a rigorous adjudication process for the highly sought after REI Awards. 

Retailers from all over Ireland apply for various categories such as fashion, gifts, jewellery, furniture, sustainability and ecommerce awards.

Stage one sees a shortlist of the Top 100 Retailers following a mystery audit from retail expert’s customer perceptions. 

Stage two comprises an intense review of the top 100 stores with emphasis on what sets the store apart as well as customer service values, experience, product offering, unique selling points, sustainability efforts, store fit and more. 

Following this selection, the Top 30 Stores were published by Retail Excellence Ireland last September. 

The final stage consisted of an on site inspection from renowned retail guru, Matthew Brown, of Echo Chamber, leading to the winners of each category being honoured at the electric awards ceremony.

Carraig Donn needs no introduction with a nationwide spread of 43 stores across Ireland as well as their multi-million online platform. 

The award is a welcomed boost for the well-known retailer who embark on their sixtieth year in business in 2025 and is a credit to all involved.

Carraig Donn was formed in 1965 by the late Máire Hughes. Today, Máire’s son Pat Hughes, remains as the driving force of the company and has been at the helm for over 50 years. 

Carraig Donn has grown exponentially over the years and now employs over 600 employees with their headquarters is based in Westport, shared with its sister company, the renowned knitwear manufacturer, Aran Woollen Mills.

The popular Customer Loyalty Programme provides digital communication methods for the store to keep in touch and provide information on customer events, new product launches, news, services and more.

Watch out for a special celebration weekend promotion this weekend from November 7-10 in-stores nationwide and online.