Rise in number of Kilkenny start-ups despite pandemic

Despite economic uncertainly as a result of the pandemic, the number of new companies in Kilkenny actually rose over the past 12 months.

And Kilkenny is one of just 10 counties across the country that experienced a year-on-year improvement in company registrations, according to a new data published by credit risk analyst CRIFVision-Net.

Kilkenny recorded a 4% rise in the number of new start-ups in the last quarter.

Elsewhere, according to the report, growth was typically found in counties with large urban populations, including Dublin (+7%), Cork (+7%), Waterford (+20%) and Sligo (+19%).

The other counties to record quarterly growth include Mayo (+13%), Clare (+11%), Carlow (+7%), Kerry (+6%) and Wexford (+5%).

Amongst the top performing sectors in the third quarter were leasing (+60%), utilities (+33%), manufacturing (+31%) and finance (+31%). Other sectors to see double-digit growth include wholesale and retail (+18%), transport and storage (+17%) and real estate (+16%).

Construction saw a modest four percent increase in start-ups.  Meanwhile the hotel and restaurant sector, which has been decimated by the pandemic, experienced a 4% decrease in start-ups.