Oonagh was awarded the prestigious Irish Quality Food Awards Food Hero 2019 prize at the awards ceremony in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin in October.
Oonagh Monahan founded Alpha Omega Consultants in 2008. Throughout her career, Oonagh has gained extensive experience working with developing a range of SME companies. Her project management skills are strong, and include co-ordination across a range of disciplines, functions and international sites. Oonagh is a Chartered Scientist and Fellow of the IFST, the Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK) and is a Fellow of the IFSTI. She is a Certified Management Consultant. In 2013 she published her first book - Money for Jam, the Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Small Food Business and the 2nd Edition was published in 2017.
In addition to her Bachelor and Masters degrees, Oonagh holds a Graduate Diploma in Food Science and Technology with 2.1 Hons, awarded by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK), and has qualifications in Marketing Management and in Training and Education. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma Business and Management at the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen's University Belfast with Distinction.
Oonagh has worked for Élan Pharmaceuticals in Athlone, Manor Bakeries Ltd. UK (Mr. Kipling Cakes), Kerry Group (Grove Farm turkeys), and was Production Manager for seven years with Fort Dodge Animal Health in Sligo (Ireland) where she was appointed to the Board of Directors. She spent four years as General Manager of St. Angela’s Food Technology Centre at St. Angela’s College on the shores of Lough Gill, also in Sligo.
Oonagh occasionally lectures at St. Angela’s College in New Product Development and EU and Irish Food Legislation
Alpha Omega has unrivalled academic contacts through its work with Líonra, St Angela’s Food Technology Centre, Teagasc and its ongoing work with the Intertrade Ireland FUSION programme across the majority of academic food institutes on the island. Oonagh also involved with the ICBAN 3rd Level Education Network Technology & Innovation Programme 2004 and was a member of the ICBAN cross-border Third Level Education network. She was elected by her peers as a Graduate representative on the NUI Galway Governing Authority 2004-8 and re-elected 2009-12.
Oonagh has a strong track record having developed, managed and delivered many food business innovation development programmes, including:
Do You Need a Speaker for Your Next Event?
Oonagh is an engaging and enthusiastic speaker, and is available to talk about Food Business startup & growth, SME business development, female entrepreneurship, and Innovation & Creativity. Oonagh also encourages others to write and talks about how she commercialised her knowledge by capturing it in a book.
The Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Small Food Business
Now available to order online!
Have you ever thought about trying to earn some money from producing food? Are you the person everyone goes to for their lemon meringue pies, apple tarts and other desserts for family occasions or other events? Do you have a garden of rhubarb or other fruit? Do you make jam every year and give it away when you could be selling it? Do you fancy the idea of making cheese or yogurt or ice cream but don’t know where to start?
If so, then this is the book for you! Learn more ...