It’s been a busy November culminating in our AGM taking place on 28th November and we can reflect on what has been a successful and action-packed 2025 for Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade and a remarkable two-year term for our outgoing President, Edwina Flynn.
Edwina has brought a level of energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role and her tenure as President coincides with a successful two years of activity across events, lobbying and representation that has moved the Chamber to a strong position financially and earned respect in the corridors of power in Stormont, Westminster, The Oireachtas and Capitol Hill.
I would like to congratulate Edwina on a superb term as President and thank her for support, guidance and professionalism and wish her every success for the future in her role as CEO of Wood Innovations.
We are delighted that Dr Conor Patterson is our new President, only the third person in the 200 plus year history of the Chamber to hold the post more than once.
Conor brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and is highly respected across these islands. I look forward to working with Conor throughout his term as President and I share his determination to lobby hard for the supports our region needs in the coming years from governments to help us fulfil our potential.
In this month’s newsletter, we have included information on:
- Dr Conor Patterson Elected New President of Newry Chamber
- Election of New Chamber Board & Chamber Council Members
- Newry Chamber Annual Report 2025 & Accounts Review 2024
- SUMMARY:Budget 2025 & What It Means For Your Business
- SME Conference Highlights SMEs as Foundation of Economy
- Newry Chamber Hosts Successful International Men’s Day
- Newry & Dundalk Chambers’ Meet NI Water & Uisce Éireann
Michael Savage
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
DR CONOR PATTERSON ELECTED NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT
Dr Conor Patterson has been elected to serve as the new President of Newry Chamber at our AGM on Thursday 27th November at Enterprise House, Newry, taking over outgoing President, Edwina Flynn, whose remarkable two-year term comes to an end.
Conor is the Chief Executive of Newry and Mourne Co-operative & Enterprise Agency and has been actively involved in the economic regeneration of Newry and Mourne and the Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland East Border Region since the mid-1990’s.
In taking over at the helm of Newry Chamber which represents over 325 businesses and organisations from right across the Greater Newry Area, for the second time, having served two years in the role from 2009-2011, Conor becomes only the third person in the Chamber’s long and rich 205-year history to serve more than one term as President, following in the footsteps of William V. Hogg and Eddie Mackle.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Conor Patterson, President of Newry Chamber said:
“I feel extremely honoured to be appointed as President of Newry Chamber, for the second time. It is a real privilege to be asked to lead, this historic Chamber, one of Ireland’s oldest and most respected Chambers, representing business in the Greater Newry Area since 1820.”
“I would like to thank outgoing President, Edwina Flynn for her phenomenal leadership, deep commitment and infectious energy over the last two years and her ability to meet challenges head on with her trademark positive outlook.”
“She worked day in and day out to ensure that our region had a seat at the decision-making table at a local, regional and national level and that the Chamber was a real catalyst for change, a promoter of progress with a positive vision for Newry.”
“I am looking forward to working with our CEO, Michael Savage and the impressive Chamber team. There are undoubtedly challenging times ahead as we face into an uncertain new year. However, I’m optimistic.”
“The Chamber has never been in a stronger position with an active and engaged membership of over 325 businesses. During my presidency, I promise to do my best to represent and support our members and the other key stakeholders in Newry with whom it is essential that we work collaboratively.”
READ MORE HERE
ELECTION OF NEW CHAMBER BOARD & COUNCIL MEMBERS
Gary Digney, Restructuring & Recovery Partner at AAB Group will remain in post as Vice President, with Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement at Southern Regional College being elected as a second Vice President after changes to the Chamber’s Articles of Association were unanimously passed at the AGM.
Mairead McParland, Director at the Canal Court Hotel & Spa was elected as the new Treasurer who will replace outgoing Treasurer, Kieran Grant, Finance Director at Warrenpoint Harbour Authority.
Along with Mairead, David Holmes, CEO of Warrenpoint Port, Liam Devine, CEO of Clanrye Group, Elizabeth O’Connor, Director of People & Governance at MJM Marine and Gary Rocks, Senior Solicitor at Patterson & Rocks Solicitors were all elected to the Chamber Board of Directors, replacing outgoing Board members, Julie Gibbons, Emma Mullen, Kieran Grant, Cathal Austin and Jerome Mullen who was appointed as an Honorary Board Member, following his 37 year involvement with the Chamber.
In addition to the new appointments to the Chamber Board, Caroline Willis, Finance Director at Shelbourne Motors, Ronan Callan, Director of Operations at The Exact Group, Rachel Mearns, Managing Director at Concept Occupational Health and Przemek Parulski, Co-Founder of DxF Engineering will all join the Chamber Council which consists of 23 local business reps which feeds into the Chamber Board of Directors.
READ MORE HERE
NEWRY CHAMBER ANNUAL REPORT 2025
Our Annual Report 2025 and Accounts Review 2024 is now available to view by clicking on the link below.
The Annual Report provides a record of the year with membership levels increasing by 14% to 325 businesses and organisations and increase in our Corporate Patrons Programme to 43 businesses and continuing financial stability or your Chamber.
Attendees at our events was also up this year to 2,750+ with £13,000+ raised for this year’s Charity Partner, Women’s Aid Armagh Down and an increase in our social media followers to 22,000+, making us the most followed Regional Chamber on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram in Northern Ireland.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Corporate Patrons, Members, Sponsors and Partners that have supported our work throughout this year.
We will continue to represent the priorities for you our valued members at a local, regional and national level to very best of our abilities and provide you with even more networking opportunities through our events in 2026.
VIEW ANNUAL REPORT HERE
SUMMARY: BUDGET 2025 & WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, delivered the Budget 2025 on Wednesday 26th November 2025.
We provide a full summary of the announcements to help you understand the potential impact for you with analysis from our Corporate Patron, AAB Group.
We encourage members to take the time to read through this important, detailed and straightforward guide, pulled together by the expert Tax Team at AAB Group on the key points that matter, what’s changed and what it means for your business.
KEY POINTS:
- Personal tax allowances and rates on general income frozen for a further three years to April 2031
- Also frozen: NICs employer threshold and upper earnings limit, and IHT nil rate band, to April 2031; Plan 2 Student Loan repayment threshold to April 2030
- No immediate changes to reliefs on pension schemes, but salary sacrifices above £2,000 to be subject to National Insurance from April 2029
- Increases in income tax rates on dividend income from April 2026, and on rental and savings income from April 2027
- Only minor changes to Inheritance Tax rules announced last year
- ISA investment limits and rules remain the same, but from April 2027 new £12,000 limit for cash within the £20,000
- Corporation and Income Tax rates (on earned income) unchanged, but Writing Down Allowances reduced from April 2026; new FYA from 1 January 2026
VIEW FULL BUDGET SUMMARY HERE
NI SME BUSINESS CONFERENCE & EXPO HIGHLIGHTS
SMALL BUSINESSES AS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ECONOMY
The vital role of the Northern Ireland Smallest Business Sector to the local economy, was the key message from our 11th NI SME Business Conference & Expo, held on Thursday 13th November in the Canal Court Hotel.
More than 150 delegates from across Northern Ireland attended the conference, which covered a range of key areas including Sales & Marketing, Finance & Economy and the Challenges & Opportunities for SMEs.
This year marked the 11th year of the annual FREE conference which featured over 20 expert speakers across a stacked programme with numerous exhibitors also in attendance on the day to make SMEs aware of the support that is out there and chatted directly to them about how they can assist their businesses.
THE EVENT WAS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:
- Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
- FSB Northern Ireland
- Southern Regional College
- Queen’s University Belfast
- Ulster University
- Employee Ownership Ireland
Gary Digney, Vice President of Newry Chamber said:
“We regularly engage with our members to better understand what the current challenges they face and the opportunity they see. This conference is all about connecting our SME business community with each other and with organisations that can support them.”
“The Greater Newry Area is a vibrant business region. Despite the challenges of rising interest rates, stubbornly high inflation, skills and staff shortages, there is still a huge ambition for growth. The conference allowed businesses to learn from each other and raise awareness of what supports are available to them.”
“We are extremely grateful to our conference sponsors, without their support, we could not run this important conference.”
READ MORE HERE
NEWRY CHAMBER HOSTS SECOND HUGELY SUCCESSFUL
INTERNATIONAL MENS’ DAY EVENT AT NEWRY RUGBY CLUB
A fantastic afternoon of open discussion and plenty of craic was had at our second International Men’s Day Celebration Event on Friday 21st November at a packed Newry Rugby Club.
THE EVENT WAS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:
Expertly hosted by the Presenter & Award-Winning Broadcaster, Thomas Niblock, the successful event is now firm fixture in our annual events programme and enjoyed by everyone in attendance.
There were so many magic moments throughout the day with our speakers and panellists showing a deep sense of humour that had the audience in stitches on many occasions and also displaying raw emotion and honesty around issues that all men face across family, work, performance and physical and mental health.
The first Fireside Chat was with the STATSports Co-Founder, Sean O’Connor, who discussed the remarkable journey of the Newry firm and their meteoric rise from humble local beginnings to acquisition by global electronics giant, Sony.
Next in the armchair was General Surgeon & 2002 All-Ireland Winner, Kevin McElvanna, who discussed the pain of loss, raising a family, developing a successful career as well as helping to turn tragedy to joy for his local club Madden who lifted their first Senior County Championship in their 92-year history.
Plenty of banter, chat and advice followed with the panel discussion with some of the area’s biggest personalities:
- Benny Tierney – 2002 All-Ireland Winner & School Principal
- Colin Bell – Founder, The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust
- Jim McGuigan – Actor, Singer, Director, & Fundraiser
- John McEvoy – CEO, Duality Healthcare
A huge thank you to all our sponsors, speakers and panellists and all our members and local businesses who attended, with all proceeds going to The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and our 2025 Charity Partner, Women’s Aid Armagh Down.
READ MORE HERE
NEWRY & DUNDALK CHAMBERS’ MEET
WITH NI WATER & UISCE ÉIREANN
Productive meeting with NI Water and Uisce Éireann Irish Water to discuss some of the issues facing our water infrastructure in both Newry and Dundalk.
Newry Chamber CEO, Michael Savage and President, Conor Patterson represented Newry Chamber and Dundalk Chamber were represented at the meeting by CEO, John McGahon and PRO, Paddy Malone.
We raised the key importance of working in a collaborative manner to improve water infrastructure across our region to support economic growth, meet social need and protect the environment of our beautiful cross-border region.
A special thank you to Nuala Woods and Keith Hanratty from Irish Water as well as Jane Crawford and Steve Blackwell from NI Water for providing their expertise and insight.
Alongside our friends in Dundalk Chamber, we look forward to working on this issue together going forward.