Boann Distillery has been named Family Food and Drink Producer of the Year at the 2025 Family Business Awards, celebrating the Cooney family’s outstanding contribution to Irish craftsmanship, innovation, and enterprise.
The prestigious awards honour Ireland’s most exceptional family-run businesses — those setting new standards of excellence while making a lasting impact on their communities and the national economy.
Following a highly competitive judging process, Boann Distillery stood out among hundreds of entries for its unwavering commitment to quality, its strong family ethos, and its remarkable contribution to Ireland’s food and drink heritage.
Founded by Pat and Marie Cooney, Boann Distillery represents over four decades of experience in the Irish drinks industry, rooted deeply in distilling tradition. Today, their children — Sally-Anne, Celestine, James, Peter, and Patrick — each play key roles in running the business, embodying the spirit of a truly family-driven enterprise.
At the lunchtime gala held at The Johnstown Estate in Meath, Pat Cooney, Founder and CEO of Boann Distillery, shared:
“We are absolutely thrilled to be recognised as Ireland’s Best Food and Drink Producer. Boann is a family business in every sense of the word, and this award is a reflection of the passion, creativity, and hard work that goes into everything we do. Our goal has always been to honour Ireland’s distilling past while building its future — and to do so together as a family makes this recognition especially meaningful.”
Based near Drogheda, Boann Distillery has become synonymous with craftsmanship and innovation, producing a portfolio of internationally acclaimed spirits, including:
- 🥃 Boann Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Range
- 🥃 The Whistler Irish Whiskey
- 🍸 Silks Irish Gin
- 🍶 Merry’s Cream Liqueurs
Combining cutting-edge distilling technology with traditional copper pot stills, the distillery continues to bridge the past and future of Irish whiskey-making.
This latest accolade follows a series of major international wins, including multiple World Drinks Awards 2025 honours, where several Boann spirits were crowned Irish category winners.
Accepting the award alongside her father, Sally-Anne Cooney said:
“This win reinforces our position as a leader in Ireland’s craft spirits sector and highlights the strength of family-run enterprises at the heart of the Irish economy.”
Hosted by broadcaster Matt Cooper, this year’s Family Business Awards welcomed over 300 guests from across Ireland’s business community — celebrating the resilience, innovation, and unity that define family enterprise.
For more information about Boann Distillery and its award-winning spirits, visit www.boanndistillery.ie.
