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What do you buy the man who has everything? Mr Sports Gift based in Nenagh, just now, maybe the perfect answer to that age old question. Thanks to Mr Sports Gift, Christmas Day, Father’s Day and Birthdays can no longer be a source of frustration for that lady looking for something very different and special for the man in her life.
 By using cutting edge, patented technology, Mr Sports Gift can personalise a sports ball in almost any imaginable way, creating a unique gift for any occasion. Mr Sports Gift can print a photograph, logo, family crest or an affectionate, humorous or congratulatory message, directly on to a Hurley, Sliotar, Rugby ball, Gaelic football, Soccer ball or a range of other sports items, for that personalised ‘one of a kind’ gift.
Launched in early May of this year by Mr Noel Cahill and his son Aidan, the new company is growing from strength to strength and has already moved from off the kitchen table, to a state of the art manufacturing unit in Nenagh.
Speaking to Thurles.Info this week Mr Sports Gift’s Managing Director Noel Cahill said “We’ve had a huge reaction to our product so far and we are trying to get to as many events as possible to market and gain the maximum exposure for our products. We have a weekly spot at the Nenagh Indoor Market and we also make regular visits to Thurles Shopping Centre as well as other locations around the country. The National Ploughing Championships, Tullamore Show and International Hurling Festival were particularly good for us and we were fortunate to be invited on to Ireland AM recently, for the “Boost my Business,” slot which was a fantastic experience.”
Here, having successfully pitched to an assessment panel, Noel secured a place on the TESS (Tipperary Enterprise Start-Up Support) Programme run by LIT Tipperary and based in the new Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre. TESS is based on the highly successful LEAP and FAST programmes run by LIT over the past five years and participants on these types of incubation programme have much higher potential and greater success rates.
During the 12 month programme, which commenced in July 2012, TESS provided a range of integrated supports based around strategic planning, management training and business coaching. “All of these supports worked together to challenge and guide all of us into developing a sound business plan and building a sustainable and profitable business. I walked in with a couple of prototypes in a carrier bag and graduated with a real live business,” Noel said.
Noel has been working in the business on a full time basis since September 3rd 2012, having taken a career break from the Civil Service with over 17 years service, most recently as Press Officer for the Department of Social Protection. A former player and Secretary of Toomevara GAA club, Noel also played rugby with Nenagh Ormond and all of these connections are proving useful in establishing the new business.
While the majority of Mr Sports Gift customers so far have been female choosing gifts for men, extensive market research has identified other opportunities as Noel pointed out “Our research has thrown up a number of problems that we think Mr Sports Gift can solve including the difficulty of commemorating a sporting achievement outside of the usual trophies, medal and plaques. There is also an issue finding new corporate gifts that are not already on the market. Diaries, pens and umbrellas have a limited attraction when you’ve got them more than once. We also believe that in the sliotar we have a uniquely Irish gift that is not already on the gift market and so there is worldwide potential.”
With Christmas in mind Mr Sports Gift has introduced a number of new offerings including personalised Christmas ornaments, baby blocks and even pet balls so even our four legged friends don’t feel left out. Ordering is easy either through the online shop on the Website www.mrsportsgift.com or by Email to info@mrsportsgift.com. Just send the photographs and instructions and Mr Sports Gift will do the rest and get your personalised gift back to you in just a couple of days.
For customers in the Thurles area there is a selection of personalised balls on display in Lár na Páirce and Mr Sports Gift will be in Thurles Shopping Centre (Beside Tipp FM broadcast unit) on Friday 22nd and 29th November.
Contact Details: Unit 3J, Connolly St Business Centre, Nenagh, Tel: 067 37813
Are you producing a Tipperary manufactured product, something which you feel would make a welcome Christmas Gift? Then don’t be shy, please do tell us about it by clicking HERE.
 Employees at the former M&J Gleeson plant in Borrisoleigh may decide to take strike action this evening in an ongoing dispute over the takeover, just last year, by the multi-national C&C group plc. This threat comes following a recommendation by the Labour Court calling on the multi-national drinks firm to recognise a newly established union at the Borrisoleigh/Tipperary facility, which would allow for negotiations on future redundancies and pay cuts.
C&C took over from M&J Gleeson (November 2012) and Bulmers in Clonmel (May2013), but while Bulmers in Clonmel are fully unionised, the SIPTU union have only recently been established at the Borrisoleigh plant.
C&C are now refusing to recognise SIPTU, citing the previous Union stance of M&J Gleeson. Employees however claim that this has greatly impacted negatively in a number of areas including lower redundancy packages, pay cuts and new employment terms and conditions.
On October 30th SIPTU sought a hearing with the Labour Court, latter which recommended M&J Gleeson and C&C should engage with SIPTU for the purposes of ongoing collective bargaining. However the multinational company refused to attend the hearing and staff have yet to get a response to this Labour Court recommendation.
Workers will now meet in the Marian Hall, Main Street, Borrisoleigh this evening to further discuss these developments and ballot the workforce, with a view to possible strike action at the company.
“Now the things I’ve come to know seem so confusin’
It’s gettin’ hard to tell what’s wrong from right
I can’t separate the winners from the losers anymore
And I’m thinking of just giving up the fight.“
“Good Christian Soldier,” Lyrics By Kris Kristofferson
An as yet unpublished report that will guide current Government policy on rural Ireland up until 2025, has discovered that the rural areas of Ireland have had twice the business failure rate as their larger urban counterparts, when it comes to a study of our economic downturn.
Despite 3.5 years of continuous cries of ‘Help,’ from rural dwellers, this report leaves sleepy Senior Civil Servants now considering whether perhaps a Government Department and a Minister of State should now be delegated, with responsibility for future Rural Development.
Other initiatives understood to have been identified by this Senior Civil Servants report include the re-energising of rural tourism.
I trust that the recent announcement by Cork County Manager Martin Riordan of three interpretive centres to be opened on Spike Island in lower Cork Harbour by the summer of 2015, at a cost of €40 million, will not be seen as the re-energising of rural tourism. It is also interesting to note that Bord Fáilte have confirmed it is reversing its initial decision not to grant aid for this project and will now release €2.5m for redevelopment of this island. Someone obviously had a word in someone’s “Shell Like,” (Nod, Nod, Wink and Wink.) Do tell us why this decision was reversed Mr Riordan or should we be asking Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, one James “Jimmy” Deenihan, the Irish Fine Gael Teachta Dála for the Kerry North–West Limerick constituency, how this decision came about.
Mr James “Jimmy” Deenihan and Mr Noel Coonan were two of the people who failed to ensure that the Derrynaflan Hoard, latter stolen from Tipperary, was not returned for “The Gathering,” this year thus reducing tourism numbers to Co Tipperary, by some 25%, as my email records and other unanswered communications will attest.
In the past few days the Dáil have passed the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill after 77 TDs voted in favour of these cuts and new changes announced, and with only 46 opposing the most controversial parts of our recent Budget. These changes included the scrapping of the bereavement grant (77 votes to 43), cuts to maternity benefit, and a reduction in dole for new Social Welfare claimants who are aged under 26.
Just as a matter of interest did any of our readers see even one of our North Tipperary Government representatives in the Dáil, contributing to this debate? I ask this question as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be and these people may have taken up a space at the back of the class. Fobs need to be checked on more than Friday’s here Enda.
Scrapping Of The Bereavement Grant
We the elderly do not have to worry really about this, simply just leave our bodies to Medical Science and the State via one of the 5 medical colleges /universities, latter who in gratitude will provide an embellished coffin. They will cover the expense of (1) bringing the remains to Glasnevin Crematorium, (2) your cremation and (3) your ashes will be buried in the medical school’s private plot within two years of your death. So no problem for relatives here, unless of course you object to medical students standing around your stiffened freezing torso with a smile on their faces when they observe your hidden tattoos.
Continue reading Senior Civil Servants Have Discovered Rural Ireland
Carraig Donn, latter one of Ireland’s well known and premier retailers of Gift-ware, Knitwear, Ladies fashion, Jewellery etc has plans to establish a new branch store at the Thurles Shopping Centre later next month (November 2013). This move could create up to 15 jobs over the coming Christmas period the company reports.
They Are Hiring
Carraig Donn will now hold a recruitment day seeking new employees for this new Thurles store at the Horse and Jockey Hotel, on Thursday October 31st next, between the hours of 10:00am – 3:00pm, inc. and all prospective new employees are asked to call and bring along their CV and expressions of expertises. Carraig Donn are always searching for talented, passionate people who may have previous retail experience and thrive on working in a fast paced environment for our network of retail stores or their Head Office.
Carraig Donn is a truly unique Irish brand and has prospered since its conception as a craft industry retailer back in1965, growing into one of Ireland’s largest retailing outlets.
Carraig Donn still remain today a family owned and managed business concern and through its knitwear manufacturing plant in Westport, Co Mayo and retail outlets, now employ some 400 people nationwide.
When established this new Thurles branch will increase the Carraig Donn nationwide chain to some 33 premises in total and is seen as suggestive of the company’s strong continued growing strength in the retail market over recent years.
Commenting on the store opening in Thurles, the companies Managing Director Mr Pat Hughes has stated; “We are delighted to announce the opening of our Thurles store, and the creation of 15 jobs in the local area. We are in no doubt that there is a strong affinity and loyalty to our brand in the area, with Tipperary customer’s visiting our stores in Carlow, Kilkenny and beyond. We hope to bring our own unique offering to the shopping scene here in Thurles, through our fashion, jewellery and gift-ware departments.”
 The current construction and development of a 40 megawatt wind farm at Bruckhana in Co Tipperary progressed a step closer today when it was officially launched on behalf of Bord na Móna by Labour Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Pat Rabbitte.
Bord na Móna last year had selected several acres of cutaway peat-lands for the construction and development of this new wind farm, located on the borders joining the Counties Kilkenny, Laois and Tipperary and between the villages of Templetuohy, Thurles, Co Tipperary and Johnstown, Co Kilkenny, latter known generally to local residents as Templetuohy bog.
Bord na Móna have been involved in peat production operations at this site since the 1950’s and parts of the bog still remain in active peat production. This new development is named after one of the local townlands namely ‘Bruckhana’ latter which is included in this site where the current construction of these turbines are now being progressed.
When fully operational this wind farm will greatly improve the geographical distribution of wind energy facilities emerging nationally and will contribute to bring a more balanced input of wind energy to the National Grid thus supporting the Government’s 40% required EU target for electricity power generated from renewable energy sources.
“Speaking at the launch the Minister stated; “Ireland has a challenging EU renewable energy target to meet by 2020, which includes meeting 40% of our electricity demand from renewable sources. We are now making progress to meet this target, and with the development of renewable generation of this scale at Bruckhana we will eventually see, when it is complete, how crucial it will become to maintaining the rate of build necessary to achieve these set EU targets.
Ireland is fortunate to have some of the best renewable energy resources in Europe. Not only will the exploitation of this clean, sustainable, indigenous resource allow us to break our dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels and reduce our harmful emissions, it also holds the potential for Ireland to become an exporter of renewable energy, with its attendant economic benefits for the country.
Yesterday I launched the first stage of a consultation process on the Renewable Energy Export and Development Framework. The approval of any proposed large scale renewable energy export projects must await the putting in place of this framework. I recognise the significance of the announcement Bord na Móna has made here today, regarding their Clean Energy Hub. I urge them, and all other prospective developers, to now fully engage with this consultation process.”
The Minister also called on developers to communicate fully, the local and national socio-economic benefits flowing from investment in their projects and to examine how best they can deliver on community gain.
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