The Connacht Hospitality Group Dragons’ Den 2025
On Tuesday, 26th August, Connacht Hospitality Group colleagues came together for our second annual engagement challenge – this time stepping into the CHG Dragons’ Den. What followed was a day bursting with creativity, teamwork, and community impact, proving once again what is possible when ideas and collaboration meet.
Five teams representing HYDE, M. Fitzgerald’s & The Residence Hotel, Galway Bay Golf, An Púcán, and The Connacht Hotel were each given €400 in seed funding sponsored by the company. Led by their managers, Roisin McGee, Alan Broderick, Steven Quinlan, Dean Montgomery, and David Davenport O’Connor, the teams were tasked with developing a product to sell during the Sales Challenge, with all proceeds going to five incredible charities: Galway Hospice, Pieta, Western Alzheimers, the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, and Croí Heart & Stroke Charity.
Once their sales challenges were complete, the teams pitched their ideas to the Dragons’ panel, which included CEO Peter Fitzgerald, and senior leaders Brian Lynch, Jacqueline O’Dowd, and Eveanna Ryan. The panel brought tough questions, sharp feedback, and plenty of encouragement as they judged creativity, feasibility, and impact.
Pitch Perfect: The Teams and Their Ideas
The Connacht Hotel team took home the overall win with their inspired idea to launch an annual duck race on the Eglinton Canal. They sold small rubber ducks across Galway in advance of the event, using their playful sales tactics – including squeaking the ducks around town – to capture the attention of the public.
HYDE Hotel impressed with a sustainable project, designing drinks coasters made from recycled glass and pitching the concept as a craft class for Wylde, blending eco-friendly thinking with business potential. An Púcán’s team delivered one of the most moving ideas of the day, inviting people to write a letter to their future self, sealed with a striking red wax seal, to be opened years down the line.
Galway Bay Golf showcased the beauty of the West of Ireland by producing postcards featuring the work of esteemed photographer Chaosheng Zhang, sold as keepsakes in support of Croí. M. Fitzgerald’s & The Residence Hotel team displayed their creativity with a line of tote bags decorated with an image of a pint of stout and the Claddagh symbol, alongside stout-inspired candles, a witty and heartfelt idea in aid of Pieta House.
Living Our Values
Together, the teams raised an outstanding €10,879 in just a few hours, all of which went directly to their chosen charities. While the fundraising impact was remarkable, the true purpose of the Dragons’ Den was engagement. The event showcased CHG’s values in action: curiosity through bold and innovative ideas, respect through collaboration, customer focus in every pitch, accountability by turning concepts into action, and teamwork by working together to make it all happen.
The success of the day would not have been possible without the organising committee, whose hard work and dedication created the foundations for such a memorable event. Special thanks also go to Big O Taxis Galway for sponsoring taxis in aid of the charities, to the HYDE Hotel team and Phillip Dunleavy for hosting the launch reception, and to the Connacht Hotel team for providing an incredible lunch and barbecue to close out the day. Our MC, Kieran O’Malley, ensured the energy remained high from start to finish and kept the event flowing seamlessly.
Beyond the Den
CHG Dragons’ Den 2025 was more than just a competition. It was a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and community spirit, and a reminder that when people are empowered to connect and create together, engagement drives real results. We are proud of every participant who contributed to this year’s success and grateful to all who supported the initiative. With the bar now set even higher, we cannot wait to see what next year’s CHG Challenge will bring.
