Ms Mooney was among the recipients of the six awards presented at a ceremony last week by James Doherty, owner of Sliabh Liag Distillers and chair of the Irish Whiskey Association.

The awardees, selected by a panel of industry experts, represent those who have contributed to the growth and success of the Irish whiskey sector over the years.

A qualified barrister, Ms Mooney left the bar to join the IWA as its legal counsel when it was established in 2014.

“She is a greatly appreciated colleague of all of us in the Irish Whiskey Association and we are particularly heartened to see her hard work recognised by the panel of industry experts who chose these awards,” the IWA said in a statement.

Eoin Ó Catháin, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, said: “The awards tonight celebrate those who have tirelessly advanced Irish whiskey’s success, as can be seen in the sector’s growth over the last decade. The total export value of our sector will exceed €900 million this year.

“This is a remarkable achievement, particularly as spirits categories worldwide face some challenging economic headwinds, including inflation and increases in the cost-of-living.

“The future growth of Irish whiskey sector, with many new and establishing distilleries, needs to be underpinned by a supportive government approach and state agency backing in market development and investment.”

Mr Doherty added: “We hope that with government and industry support, Irish whiskey can continue to showcase Irish passion, craft, and excellence around the world and drive exports, guarantee job creation and attract visitors old and new to our shores in future.”