As you may know tourism is still one of the main industries here in Ireland. It’s importance is even more significant due to the downturn in the economy here in Ireland.
Tourism Ireland has launched a new campaign in the UK involving Patrick Kielty (comedian) and the cast of Riverdance.
Activities include forging closer links and awareness with coach companies, travel organisations etc in the UK.
They also plan to make St Patricks Day 2010 the biggest event so far.
Also next year two new visitor centres are due to open; Giants Causeway Visitor Centre and the Titanic Visitor Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. More info
Pat Kenny is shouted at during his new live show Frontline on 9th Nov.
The audience member is furious at the massive salary Pat Kenny receives €600k per year - he is the top earner in RTE. There are others who earn excessive salaries that is paid for by TV licences and ad rates.
Yesterday (20th Oct) myself and my wife spent the day in Dublin. We got the bus up to prevent the hassle of driving and landed just off O’connell street at 10.30 am.
We had a great day even though it was dull and overcast.
We went straight into Clerys and after 30 mins shopping (which I hate) I stated it must be coffee time ! After that we headed up Grafton street which I love, not for the shops but the hussle and bustle and of course the buskers. As we were walking I looked up and mentioned to my wife that they had put up a new statue, there in front of us was a statue of a man with a pipe with pigeons hopping on and off it. I didn’t know what the statue was for ? To my suprise after a few mins the statue moved and stopped in another position. It was of course another street perfomer that was so realistic even the pigeons fell for it.
After that we headed to Bewleys for lunch. The great Dublin landmark is still in existence as some years ago a lot of Irish people, were upset to hear that Bewley’s was closing down. But it didn’t stay closed for long. Since it’s been revamped to include Cafe Bar Deli, business is steady and everyone is happy that this Irish company still exists.
After that we walked around St Stephens Green, the sun was shining and plenty of people were feeding the swans and ducks.
It was time for another dose of shopping but on one condition that we stopped off for refreshments in Temple Bar. I couldn’t believe it when we entered Gogartys bar at 4pm, it was buzzing. Two guys playing lots of Irish songs and lots of people sending up requests for their favourite tune. We stayed for an hour enoying the craic but had to make our way back to Clerys to get that item that my wife had seen earlier in the day. I never understand why it couldn’t be bought straight away !!!
We got the bus and arrived back home at 6.40pm. A really enjoyable day that we will defintely do again soon.
This morning at 7.35 am I was interviewed by Gareth O’Callaghan on his morning show on 4FM. We spoke about the campaign and why I started it. He wished me all the best with the campaign and hoped we reached out target.
He kindly invited us to keep him updated with news of the campaign.
Dr. Jerry Cowley kindly gave me a book entitled “Coming Home”. It is a series of stories of people whom he has helped repatriate. Inside the cover are letters from emigrants asking to be considered for help to return home. The following are a few excerpts of the letters;
” I am 72 years old and have been away from Ireland forty years. I’m from Dublin originally, I am at present living in rented accommodation. My dearest wish would be to spend what time I have left, God willing to come back home”
” I am 86 years, I left Ireland in 1946 after spending seven years in the Irish Army during the war years in Ireland and I would like to return to my country to spend my last remaining years there”
“My life here is empty and lonely. I have been here a long time, too long, waisted years. I call it no future”
“It was with great interest I read your article in the Irish Post. I left Ireland in 1963 to find work in England. I have been here over 40 years and I would love to return to Ireland to spend my twilight years”
These are from people who can write a letter, there are many more who can’t. At the moment Jerry has a waiting list of over 1,000 people who would dearly love to live out the rest of their lives in Ireland.
Yestrerday I ws interviewed by the local regional newspaper The Drogheda Independent, for next weeks edition. This I hope will bring the message to the wider locality and help to keep the momentum up.
Donations are trickling in each day but I will need a lot more to reach the target !!
We are in the process of obtaining a “Charity” Vat no. as this will allow us to do a lot more fundraising, it’s a slow process and may take a few months to satisfy requirements. In the meantime I have spoken to Dr Jerry Cowley (he runs the Safe Home program) and we are going to collect on their behalf until the Charity number comes through. We will add the money collected to our collection figure.
We are putting together a number of action plans that we intend to action over the coming months.
I will let you know what these are over the coming weeks.
If any of you have any ideas or ways to help then they would be greatly appreciated otherwise please make a donation to the cause.
Recently, TV3, an Irish television channel broadcast a series of documentaries, titled The Forgotten Irish about the unfortunate plight of the now elderly Irish people who emigrated from Ireland to the UK in the 1940’s and 1950’s and who are now living out their lives in terrible conditions.
My father emigrated to the UK in 1946 and luckily enough was able to return to Ireland in 1975. I was invited to talk on two chat shows about the programme as my parents kept these men in boarding houses in Liverpool.
I am hopeful that we can raise a large amount of money to cater for these people. We would like to help the following charities;
Safe-Home Ireland, is a charity run by Dr. Jerry Cowley and is located at the St Brendan’s Village Centre in Mulranny, Co. Mayo. They organize the return of older Irish people to live out their lives in their assisted living centre. We want to help them add an extension to cater for the demand there is from people using the facilities. At present, the organization has 1,037 people on a waiting list to return home to Ireland.
The Ireland Fund of Great Britain, which is running the Forgotten Irish Campaign in Great Britain, launched by Peter Sutherland 2007 and offers places of sanctuary and help for the old and lonely Irish people across the UK.
It is amazing how such a product has become so famous around the world. I remember being on holidays many many years ago in Malaysia wearing a Guinness T-Shirt and one of the locals said “Guinness makes you strong”. I couldn’t believe he knew about it but apparently you could buy cans of the black stuff out there. I think the advertising campaigns over the years has been what has made this such a success. Do you remember the “Guinness is good for you” slogan or the fellow surfing on the sea and afterwards enjoying a pint!
Gigs celebrating the birth of the famed stout take place in Dublin, New York, Lagos, Cameroon and Kuala Lumpur, with the hub of the festivities in the famed St James’ Gate brewery.
Special clocks around the city are counting down to the minute when the country will toast the momentous event.
The main concert at the Guinness Storehouse will be streamed live via Sky television to thousands of pubs throughout the day.
I won’t be watching as life is too busy with kids ! But I might make up for it at the weekend !!
I am not one to talk much about politics but last weekend Ireland held a forum to engage with the Irish business diaspora. It is hoped we can get ideas and support from successful Irish people from all around the world.
It probably is a good idea although I personally don’t think the likes of Bob Geldof should be telling us how to run the country and the likes of Denis O’Brien who supposedly dodged paying millions in tax by declaring himself a tax exile should be preaching to us.
It is hard to believe why Irish emigrants can be so successful yet we at home have managed to destroy our economy and parts of our heritage (Tara Valley).
We should focus on what advantages this country has. It is seen as a Green country so we should be leaders in Green Energy development, we should be saving our heritage, bogs etc and not destroying them. Tourism should be central to our development as it is sustainable and our natural resource.
I have recently heard advertisements on the radio for a new Irish group called Lumiere.
The group is made up of Éilís Kennedy, whose natural interpretations of songs were previously heard in her multiple collaborations and solo offerings as a recording artist and Pauline Scanlon, an award-winning singer from the same Kerry town of Dingle. Scanlon has two critically received albums to her credit as well as extensive touring experience all over the globe.
Together, they offer a distinctly feminine sound and feel, where voice is the primary instrument and Ireland as motherland is re-imagined. With Lumiere, the song and its delivery are the primary focus, technical concerns gives way to feeling as song and singer effortlessly merge.
I like their sounds and think you may too. Click here to listen online to some samples of their singing.
Lumiere - The West’s Awake (Dingle Duo’s New Single) - Ireland.com Ireland.com has teamed up with Sony to bring you an exclusive download from Lumiere, a new Irish duo from Dingle who will be featuring on The Late Late Show on Friday 11th September. Click here to download ‘The Blackest Crow’, an exclusive non-album track. Lumiere is two distinct voices cut from the same geographic cloth. One is Éilís Kennedy, whose sound has ready access to the soul without need for scaffolding or spotlights. For over a decade, hers has been one of the most underrated voices in Irish music. Her natural and genuine interpretations of songs, both old and new, sung in her native Gaelic and in English, were previously heard in her multiple collaborations and solo offerings as a recording artist. The other half of the musical whole is Pauline Scanlon, an award-winning singer from the same Kerry town of Dingle. She is part of a tradition of Irish female voices from Sinead O’Connor to Enya, all personal interpreters of their physical and spiritual landscape. Scanlon has two critically received albums to her credit as well as extensive touring experience all over the globe. This video for ‘The West’s Awake’ featuring Damien Dempsey on guest vocals is the first single from Lumiere’s new album.
