The Blog

We are delighted to announce that we are a Finalist for the 2026 Clare Business Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Clare Local Enterprise Office and Clare County Council. This is our 3rd nomination for the Excellence Awards, with a previous win coming in 2024! We’re thrilled and looking forward to the Awards Gala on Thursday, November 19 at The Rine Hotel. Best of luck to the other nominees in our category.

Full press release below:

The Clare Business Excellence Awards hosted by Ennis Chamber in partnership with Clare County Council, once again attracted a high-calibre entries from every corner of County Clare.

Ennis Chamber President Frank Holly said, “It’s no mean feat to make it through as a finalist this year because the competition was red hot. We were delighted to receive our adjudicators' results yesterday, to see that this year’s line-up features a range of businesses from small and medium to large, representing a host of sectors”.

The Awards Gala promises to be a lively event. It will take place on Thursday, November 19th at The Rine Hotel. The MC is stand-up comedian and author Colm O’Regan.

The Categories and Finalists for 2026 are:

Best Green & Sustainable Practices (Sponsored by Rengen Power)
Burren Beef & Farm Experience
Cahir Environmental Services (CES)
Dromoland Castle Holdings
Shannon Estuary Way Retreat and Academy

Best Micro Business (Sponsored by Clare Local Enterprise Office)
Berka Solutions
Borrow a Geek
Lyons Garages
Wix & Wax Ireland

Professional Services (Sponsored by Bank of Ireland)
AMQ Accountants & Auditors
Honan Financial Services
Little Rock Digital Marketing
TFI Local Link

Best Family Business (Sponsored by MHP Sellors)
Caherconnell Stone Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations
Cassidy’s Pub & Restaurant
Route 85
Western Herd Brewery

Best New Business (Sponsored by Tierney’s)
Afterschool Adventures
BEO – The Well
Green Impact Sustainability Consulting
IPERA

Best SME (Sponsored by CupPrint)
Advanced Technical Concepts (ATC)
Cahir Environmental Services (CES)
Fitzgerald Energy Solutions

Best use of Digital Marketing/Social Media (Sponsored by The Clare Echo)
Cruises Bar
Doolin Ferry Company
My First Steps
Peaceful Paws

Business for Social Impact (Sponsored by Essilor Luxottica)
Employability Clare
St Francis Credit Union
Zimmer Biomet

Innovation in Business (Sponsored by PTSB)
Aviation Digital Partners
Torpey
Zuhause Gesund

Best Hospitality (Sponsored by The Shannon Airport Group)
The Rine
TIGL Hotel (Doonbeg)
Shannon Springs

Best Tourism Experience (Sponsored by TUS)
Doolin Ferry Company
Aillwee Burren Experience
Shannon Aviation Museum
Doolin Cave

Best Place to Eat (restaurant) – (Sponsored by AIB)
Gate 96 (Ennis)
The Harbour Restaurant (Kilrush)
Town Hall (Ennis)

Best Place to Eat (Café) – (Sponsored by AIB)
Beag (Kilrush)
Dodi (Lahinch)
Le Chéile (Barefield)

Best Retailer – (Sponsored by Clean Ireland Recycling)
Aillwee – The Farm Shop
County Boutique
My First Steps
Torpey

Customer Service Excellence – (Sponsored by Xeinadin)
O’Connor’s (O’Connell Street)
Peaceful Paws
St. Francis Credit Union
TFI Local Link

Christmas got us thinking about toys, and when car people think about toys, a few things are bound to come up. Hot Wheels, Micro Machines, Vanguard, Maisto or Bburago models, Lego… but for a certain set of kids,the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe might have been the first car in their life. Maybe it was the first car in yours.

Its iconic shape isn't merely friendly and aesthetically pleasing, it's also much more clever than it would first appear. The original Cozy Coupe prototype was the brainchild of Jim Mariol, a designer who had a stint in car design.

The most clever part was the overall conception: a pedal-car-like experience without the pedals, called a foot-to-floor toy. Something kids too little for pedal cars could also enjoy without excluding older kids who could also fit inside. Mariol was inspired scooting around on a wheeled office chair, using his feet—something within the power of an average little tyke. The design was more than just cute: The roof made it, indeed, cozy and more like a real car than a typical roofless pedal car. And the larger rear wheels and bulkier rear end meant it would be harder to tip over backwards. Add in the long, swoopy door, which of course opens, and you have a primeval car experience, delivered to Little Tikes for consideration in 1979.

Mariol said he did more than merely design the car, also performing all the engineering involved in the prototype. But there was one big change to be made before production: The black roof had to go. While it might have been more true to the vinyl-clad roofs of its era, it lacked a certain whimsy. Little Tikes accepted the overall design enthusiastically, but for production a yellow roof took the place of a black one. A classic was born.

The original Cozy Coupe features slender A-pillars in black, a decal emulating square sealed-beam headlights, and a little "trunk" out back. It's no sports car, but the visibility afforded by its ample greenhouse is peerless. By the early 1990s, the Cozy Coupe was selling briskly enough to be called "the bestselling car in America." More than 10 million units have been sold worldwide.

Not that the Cozy Coupe hasn't changed with the times. In 1991, it was tweaked slightly—the A-pillars changed to yellow, the molded seat design was altered, and the black wheels became white. The fundamental Cozy Coupe idea didn't get a serious revision until 2003, when its roof shrank while the A-pillars grew significantly. The proportions changed, too, with larger front wheels hoisting that end higher off the ground. Round headlight decals gave it a friendlier, almost anthropomorphic face, a foreshadowing of what was to come.

In 2009, the Cozy Coupe sprouted eyes. At first, they were conjoined before being separated a few years later. A response to a certain 2006 Pixar film involving anthropomorphic cars, perhaps?

Both the 2009 and the 2017+ versions are certainly friendly and fun, but they represent a different idea of a toy than the original. This is a friendly companion rather than an adorable conveyance. Not better or worse, but a new approach. Exactly what decade in its 40-odd-year history the Cozy Coupe imprinted itself on your consciousness may determine how divergent the current model is from your ideal, but every iteration is an icon.

Lyons Garages named ‘Clare Micro Business of the Year’ at Clare Business Excellence Awards

What a night! Clare Business Excellence Awards confirmed its status as the best business event in Clare. Hosted by Ennis Chamber with Clare County Council as lead sponsor, and Clare Echo as its media partner, the glittering occasion held at the Inn at Dromoland on November 27, was a night of celebration for businesses from all corners of the Banner County.

Outstanding businesses large and small, plus a voluntary community group were announced winners of their individual categories, by event MC, RTE Radio1 Reporter John Cooke, while the mantle of ‘Clare Micro Business of the Year’ went to Lyons Garages, the Classic and Sports Car business based in the beautiful West Clare setting of Spanish Point.

 Congratulating all winners and finalists on the night, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Cllr. Alan O’Callaghan said, “The diversity and innovation of your businesses is a positive reflection of a vibrant and sustainable local economy. Your success is a testament to the resilience and determination many of you have demonstrated in recent years – overcoming many challenges. The tenacity, endurance and entrepreneurship you have shown leaves me in no doubt that this county’s economy will continue to grow and prosper thanks in no small way to each of you and your hard work. You carry the pride of ‘The Banner’ in all that you do.”

Sheila Lynch, President Ennis Chamber said, “The finalists in the room represent a very wide and diverse range of sectors and businesses. From multi-nationals to independent retailers, from our world-famous tourism businesses to our excellent hospitality and food providers, from traditional long-established businesses to new businesses based on futuristic cutting-edge technology – County Clare has it all in abundance. We can all feel very proud. I congratulate all finalists and category winners”

It was a fantastic evening out with our great team of Clive, Mark, Keelan and John joining us to celebrate. We're thrilled to win, it's fantastic to receive recognition for all our hard work over the past number of years, and it's great to see such a niche business in West Clare be recognised as a leader in business. 

BEST MICRO BUSINESS (employing 10 people or less) – Sponsored by Local Enterprise Office, Clare

Winner: Lyons Garages Classic Car Restorations

The suspense is over for the 2024 entrants to Clare Business Excellence Awards, as hosts Ennis Chamber, together with main sponsor Clare County Council, announce this year’s finalists.

The team of independent adjudicators covered hundreds of miles, as they zig-zagged across County Clare, judging the bumper crop of fantastic and worthy entries for Clare Business Excellence Awards 2024.

The quality was exceptionally high, giving the adjudicators a tough task when it came to choosing category finalists.

Clare Business Excellence Awards Finalists 2024

Best Micro Business (Sponsored by LEO Clare)

• Berka Solutions (Ennis)
• Indigo Visual (Shannon)
• Lyons Garages Classic Car Restoration (Miltown Malbay)
• Wix and Wax (Ennis)

The winners of each category will be announced at a Gala Awards Dinner, on Wednesday November 27th. The overall ‘Clare Business of the Year’ sponsored by Clare County Council will also be revealed on that date.

For more details, please see: https://www.ennischamber.ie/introducing-clare-business-excellence-awards-finalists-2024/

We’ve been quiet of late, but that’s only because there’s been a lot happening. But now that my letter to Santa is finished, I can give time over to the garage.

Now I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there won’t be much ado, we’re going to just dive right in.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the 2023 “Almost year-end review with a view towards 2024 and beyond” meeting.

This is also being combined with the 2023 ‘Garage Owner’s Address To Stakeholders’, or ‘Two Thousand and Twenty Three GOATS’ for shortness and ease of use. Having the same acronym as Greatest Of All Time is purely a coincidence.

Thank you all for coming.

2023 has been a very good year so far for Lyons Garages. The bank have called numerous times to say our account is outstanding which really is a testament to our company’s 2D strategy. As a reminder, here are those ‘D’s: Dedication, Design, and David Lyons. The 3^rd D is silent, much like the manual labour I put it.

Where were we and what did we do? Always an important part of a review I suppose. Beaulieu was ticked off the list, we visited Bicester a couple of times, the NEC Restoration Show, and we even said hello to the lads in the cars at the F1 in Hungary. Visits to car shows were down about 345% this year, so we’re promising to do more in 2024. More in 2024… there’s definitely a slogan in there we can work on…

Output from the garage continues to go in the good direction – the up one. Despite this, we still get phone calls from people wondering how long more it will take to finish their car. We don’t like to dwell on that negativity, and so we try to look forward towards what we can, and probably will do. Maybe.

We got a new website, remembered the password to our LinkedIn page, and even managed to become influencers on TikTok. Well, more like community influencers. Where the community is around a hundred people. Meh, a win is a win.

The longer-term, full-size projects like the BMW 2002 and Mini Clubman are coming to an end, while earlier in the year saw a convertible Morris Minor, MG B GT, B Roadster, Mini, Boxster, and Pagoda all leave following huge restorations. Not to mention the numerous smaller jobs like servicing and mechanical work on Escorts, Corvettes, Mercedes-Benz, Minis, MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars… I’d be here all day if I kept going!

But enough about me. Let’s hear more about myself.

2024 is just around the corner, if you’d like to get your car booked in for a service, or some mechanical work, or would like to talk to us about a larger project, you know what to do! But for those who don’t, pick up the phone and give us a call, or send an email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details of the car and a number that we can contact you on. We’re very sound and will do our best to help you out. We’re not a charity though wink wink.

We have a couple of projects for sale, so where better to tell you than here?

• MG B Roadster - We have a rubber bumper B that, as they say in the industry, is an ideal restoration candidate.
• A Mini shell or two, one of which is de-seamed and in primer
• Another MG B roadster, but this time it's a shell - great shell with potential for engine transplant or complete restoration
• Morris Minor
• VW Beetle Karmann Convertible

We also have a lot… like, A LOT of second-hand parts for Minis and MG Bs in particular, so give us a call and we’ll see if we can help!

As is the tradition, we’ll keep treating you to amazing photos of the amazing work carried out by our amazing team. You’ll find said photos on all the social medias. Amazing. Also, Cooper, the cat is doing well, thanks for asking.

Finally, let us say that as the world’s greatest sports car restoration team here in the Malibu of Ireland, we welcome your feedback. We don’t take it, but we welcome it all the same.

Pedal safe, mind yourself, and do me one small favour - save yourself all the time and hassle, and just come to us first. We know what we're doing and have been at this longer than everyone. Probably. But more importantly, you'd make my life easier if we didn't have to clean up the mess left by others. Ok thanks, bye.

2024 - a new year of classic driving awaits my pals! Here at Lyons Garages, the world's greatest classic car garages, we're now taking bookings for mechanical and servicing work for 2024 and beyond.

Is your classic in need of a little mechanical TLC to get it up and running for the new year? Are there leaks staining your driveway? Car not driving or stopping as well as it should? Is it time for a service? Or maybe you've decided it's time to do some upgrades - better suspension, electronic ignition, stronger brakes, or even a shiny new interior. Well, fear not because we're here to help.

A short and sweet post today as we've a lot to be doing. Big year ahead, you know yourself.

Anyway, give us a call, and let's see what we can do for you and your car. We're based in Spanish Point, Co. Clare, but we can help with transportation if needed.

Just to note, we are currently fully booked for full restorations but do get in touch if you would like to learn more.

As is now the tradition, you'll find all the latest information, photos, and videos on our social channels - just search for Lyons Garages.