There were celebrations all round as Volkswagen revealed its star performers for 2012 at a recent Awards event in Druids Glen. 2012 has been a hugely successful year for Volkswagen as the brand took the number one spot as Ireland’s top selling brand for the year.

Nine awards were handed out on the evening, with both individual and dealership performances recognised. Kevin Connolly who operates in Ballina and Sligo followed up on his recent Volkswagen Europe award success to secure the Volkswagen Ireland Diamond Pin for services to the brand. While S&R Motors based in Donegal took home the Retailer of the Year Award.

Securing the number one spot for the first time in the history of the Volkswagen brand in Ireland demanded a considerable team effort and a collective raising of the bar throughout the Volkswagen network. This collective excellence was evident in the standard of Gold Pin winners with Gary Pierse of Pierse Motors in Co Tipperary, Gerard Walsh of Sheehy Motors in Naas and Carlow, John Beecher of Blackwater Motors in Cork and Paul Burke the newly appointed Operations Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars all recognised for their individual contribution to the success of the Volkswagen brand in Ireland.

Other Dealerships recognised on the night included; Tom Harvey (After Sales Dealer of the Year), Brady's Arva (Commercial Vehicle Retailer of the Year) and Connolly's Ballina (Volkswagen Bank Retailer of the Year).

Commenting on the individuals and dealerships recognised, Simon Elliott, Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Ireland said, "Recognising individual and collective achievement is such a positive and worthwhile endeavor, and the standard set by our 2012 winners demonstrates perfectly Volkswagens commitment to excellence and the need to continually benchmark ourselves against our peers both in Ireland and in Europe. 2013 looks like it will be a challenging year for the motor industry but we at Volkswagen Ireland can look forward with confidence thanks to the excellent people that make up our dealership network and Group headquarters."