Pat Rigney and David Phelan, founders of Boru Vodka, earned joint Marketer of the Year honors in 2000. The recognition came for Boru’s strategic development. By that time, the new Irish vodka brand had secured second place in the Dublin spirits market. It achieved that result with a ten percent market share.
Packaging distinguished Boru on the shelves.
The frosted bottle utilized a distinct black and silver color scheme. That design helped graphic designer Gillian Murphy win the 1998 Glen Dimplex Grand Prix award for packaging. The founders, both former Grand Metropolitan executives, launched the Roaring Water Bay Spirits Company in 1998. They formed a joint venture with Carbery Milk Products in Cork and Terra in Cavan. This investment of over £2 million bought retail shelf space in major multiples. It also funded the on-trade sector, essential for spirits distribution.
International exports quickly followed. The brand reached 25 markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, and Panama. Sales volumes topped 150,000 bottles in 2000. Within the first sixteen months of trading, revenue hit £3.2 million.
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Challenging Market Giants
O’Connor O’Sullivan and later Cawley Nea managed advertising campaigns across television, print, and outdoor media. Those efforts aimed to challenge the dominance of Diageo’s Smirnoff and Irish Distillers’ Huzzar Vodka. The duo also produced Clontarf Irish Whiskey and O’Shea’s Irish Cream Liqueur alongside their main product. David Phelan brought previous experience from working with Gilbeys. He managed the rollout of Baileys Irish Whiskey in the United States. Pat Rigney led marketing for Sheridan’s double vanilla cream liqueur. That product featured a novel split bottle design.
Design and Distillation
Outdoor advertisements highlighted the rigorous process with the phrase “The Purest Expression of Vodka.” Public relations were handled by O’Leary PR, which secured extensive media coverage to build brand awareness. The distillation process involved filtering through ten feet of charcoal from Atlantic Irish oak and distilling the liquid four times with water and grain.
Long-Term Ventures
After their success with Boru, Rigney established The Shed Distillery and visitor center on the Carrick-on-Shannon Road in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim. At this location, he created the Drumshanbo Selection of spirits. This line includes Gunpowder Irish Gin, Sausage Tree Vodka, and a Single Pot Whiskey aimed at both domestic and overseas markets. The original venture proved that independent Irish spirit makers could compete on a global stage through strategic marketing and product quality.
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