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Tourism Providers Insist Map Of Thurles Be Destroyed

So you hope that your third level student son or daughter, may pick up a few hours work during this summer season, that’s if “The Gathering 2013” takes off. Sorry to disillusion you folks but if you believe the latter then truly you need to read the full text hereunder, at least twice.

Our beloved Taoiseach has gone to the United States begging, well I suppose maybe begging is a bit too strong a word, he has gone to remind American investors that Ireland is still open for business. Our Enda of Times Magazine fame will address international key business people, you know the sort I mean, the equivalent of our Johnny Ronan, Richard Barrett, Sean Quinn and Sean FitzPatrick, latter who once boasted of having a large team of professional and dynamic employees, who make key decisions on a day to day basis, across a range of disciplines including: Health Insurance, Finance and Construction.

Enda will be visiting Philadelphia and Cleveland, speaking at a number of engagements, casually meeting with representatives of Irish communities in both cities, thus further promoting this animal called ‘The Gathering 2013.‘

Powerful I hear you say, in rather apathetic rural tones, residing as you do in Thurles “The town that tourism forgot.”

But my first hurried thoughts when I read this were “Has anyone got Enda Kenny’s mobile phone number, in a hurry to warn him” but then I thought “Stop the panic George, sure Noel Coonan or Allen Kelly are on the ball, and will have, by now, contacted Enda before he embarrasses them & Tipperary.”

” Of course, as you have probably guessed, I’m talking about the so called Thurles Tourism Map shown hereunder.”

“Ok, so what’s the problem with this new Thurles tourism map, I hear you yell ?” “Hold your whist a moment,” I now reply, “First we need someone to blame, so (A) Who printed this damned map and (B) and what halfwit idiot did they consult ?” Answer:- (A) Shannon Region Tourism and (B) No native of Thurles Town, was ever consulted that’s for sure.

When you view the map surely the immortal words of Blackadder (alias actor Rowan Atkinson,) will spring to mind : “Oh, God. Fortune vomits on our eiderdown one more time,” or maybe his phrase, “The eyes are open, the mouth moves, but Mr Brain has long since departed,” might be more appropriate.

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The Source Theatre Thurles Launch New Website

The Source Theatre & Arts Centre

The Source Theatre & Arts Centre here in Thurles Co. Tipperary are pleased to announce their new website, which has now been fully launched.

The previous layout has been completely redesigned with simplicity and ease of use with customers in mind, as well as the option for all clients, for the first time, to choose their own seat On-line. When customers activate the ‘Buy Tickets,’ icon they are directed into an interactive seating plan.

Customers can now browse all upcoming events by clicking ‘What’s On.’ & by clicking through on the scrolling images or checking out the highlights on the home page.

Events and offers can also be found on the notice board twitter stream and there is now an option to Like or Share events on Facebook, thus increasing networking information.

Couple of pieces of understandable good business ‘housekeeping,’ information, worth noting on this ‘The Source Website.’ :-

All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges are allowed.
The maximum amount of tickets that can be purchased per transaction on-line is 10, so for larger group bookings, please do phone (0504) 90204.
Wheelchair users, do please phone The Source Box Office on (0504) 90204 to reserve your tickets, in the interests of public safety.
Concessions will apply to Students, Recipients of Unemployment Benefit, Assistance or Disability Allowance, Lone Parents and Pensioners. (Valid ID understandably will need to be produced in all such cases.)

One very tiny criticism – Why not display a digital drawing of this fine theatre’s numbered seating arrangements, to enabling those less daring & less IT literate, booking by phone, to choose their preferred seat, – just a thought.

New Marketing Group Established In Thurles.

A new group of individuals interested in the future of Thurles have now decided, over past weeks, to establish a Marketing Group to continue to market Thurles as a possible future tourism destination.

Thurles Tipperary

The group are expected to focus initially on the Thurles International Hurling Festival, which has been held over the past two years, in the hope that they can assist in the further development of this Festival, thus growing it into something bigger and more attractive to both national & overseas tourists in the years ahead.

Fingers crossed, that this new Marketing Group will be granted the same financial support enjoyed by the previous Thurles Marketing Group, which decided to shut up shop in May 2011.

This previous organisation you will remember, which comprised members from North Tipperary County Council, Thurles Town Council, Tipperary Institute, Shannon Development, IDA, North Tipperary Enterprise Board, Leader Group and the Thurles Chamber of Commerce had been in existence for a number of years seeking to promote Thurles at home and abroad, but failed in most of its attempted initiatives.

The newly elected members of this Marketing forum are as follows: Colm Fogarty (Chairperson), Catherine Fogarty (Secretary/PRO), Jacqui Morrissey (Treasurer), Councillor Seamus Hanifan, Councillor John Kennedy, Michael Bowe, Noel Ryan and Rona Sorrell.

Persons wishing to make submissions to this Marketing Group are invited to contact them at Thurlesmf@gmail.com or via Telephone at 087 2701689.

We wish this new committee every success, at this time, in this new yet much to be welcomed local initiative.

Tourism Ireland’s 8 Per Cent Visitor Increase A Lie

Tourist Guide “Destination Cashel.”

Someone once said “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The phrase is used to describe the persuasive power of numbers, particularly when the use of statistics is required in bolstering untruths and weak arguments.

Such is the case today, with Tourism Ireland welcoming the latest Central Statistics Office, Ireland (CSO) figures which show there was an eight per cent increase in the number of visitors holidaying in Ireland in 2011. Figures bandied about by RTE, Radio Stations and leading newspapers inform us that 6.6 million tourists came here in 2011 – that’s half a million more than in 2010.

“Great, fabulous, our economy is on the up, very soon we can pay our debts and recover our valued sovereignty,” you say, but the truth is less sensational and sobering.

These figures being bandied about today are a gross exaggeration. According to the (CSO) visitor figures for 2011, there were only 6505 million, while statistics for Overseas Visitors visiting Ireland since 2004 are recorded as follows:-

Year: 2004 – Visitors 6574, Year: 2005 – Visitors 6977, Year: 2006 – Visitors 7709, Year: 2007 – Visitors 8012, Year: 2008 – Visitors 7839, Year: 2009 – Visitors 6928, Year: 2010 – Visitors 6037, Year: 2011 – Visitors 6505.

See the figures Here for yourselves. Truth is we had 1.5 million less visitors here in Ireland, in 2011, than we had in 2007.

Tourism Ireland did not state that according to the same CSO (30th August 2012) they forecast that in the period May – July 2012, the total number of visitor trips to Ireland fell by 2.2% to 1,937,800, or an overall decrease of 43,000, compared to the same period in 2011. Trips in 2012 by residents of Great Britain to Ireland, over the same period, dropped by 6.8% to 746,200. The number of visitors from North America decreased by 3.3% to 347,600. Visitors from European Countries, other than Great Britain (Other Europe), rose by 2.1% to 723,600 while visitors from ‘Other Areas,’ increased by 7.6% to 120,400.

See their 2012 figures Here , so who does Tourism Ireland believe they are fooling.

Ireland has two State organisations, uniquely by European standards, involved in Irish tourism, namely Tourism Ireland & Fáilte Ireland, former involved in international marketing, while the latter is involved in home marketing.

Fáilte Ireland, state that there were 6.24 million overseas visitors to the Republic in 2011 and they spent a total of €3.16 billion. The previous year there were 5.95 million visitors and they spent €3 billion, while in 2009 there were 6.58 million visitors and they spent €3.4 billion. Project director of The Gathering, Jim Miley, states that a more conservative estimate of a ‘per-person spend,’ is probably justified given that many of those who respond to ‘The Gathering Message,’ will be staying with family or friends.

A budget for tourism of €5 million has been sanctioned for this year, by Varadkar’s department, in order to promote the idea of “The Gathering Ireland 2013,” and it is expected a similar amount of public money will be spent on the project next year. However one fact is definite, little or none of this funding has been spent to market Thurles & North Tipperary.

Like the man said “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

The Gathering 2013 Community Meeting

Steering Committee Hold Community Meeting For “The Gathering”

North Tipperary will host a community meeting in advance of “The Gathering Ireland 2013.” The Gathering is Ireland’s national tourism initiative, launched earlier this year by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

To get things rolling, a special Community Meeting will take place in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, on Thursday 26th July at 7.00pm. All are welcome to attend this meeting, which will offer an opportunity for local people to learn more about ‘The Gathering’ and how they can become involved. Anyone with ideas for a ‘Gathering’ can pledge them online after the meeting. They will also be able to access tools and supports online to help them to organise their Gatherings.

Jim Miley, Project Director of The Gathering Ireland 2013, has urged North Tipperary locals to attend the meeting on Thursday 26th July, stating; “The Gathering Ireland 2013 is a people’s project. It’s all about you, your family, your neighbours, your sports club, your college, your place of work – in fact, whatever community or group you belong to – planning special events in 2013 that will highlight what is great about your town and county. I know people here in North Tipp have a great spirit and some wonderful suggestions for Gatherings. We’re looking forward to hearing all of your ideas.”

Thursday’s meeting is organised by the North Tipperary Gathering Steering Committee, led by local Gathering Co-ordinator, Attracta Lyons, Community & Enterprise Development Officer with North Tipperary County Council. Announcing plans for the meeting, Ms.Lyons stated: “By calling this meeting, we are asking everyone in North Tipperary to get involved in the Gathering in 2013. This is an exciting opportunity for each and every one of us to play our part in showing what is best about the County and our people. We have some great networks and ideas here as to how we can reach out to our friends and loved ones overseas and invite them home next year. 2013 is going to be an incredible year in Ireland and we want North Tipperary to be part of it.”

Gathering Community Meetings will be held throughout Ireland in the coming year ahead. Local Gathering organisations are being set up in every county, comprising a range of organisations. These include sporting bodies, cultural and musical groups, local authorities, local development companies and other bodies.

Community projects already underway throughout Ireland include Clan Gatherings, Genealogical Projects, School Reunions, Twin-Town visits and an Outreach Initiative where local communities will contact people who have left the country.

The Gathering 2013 continues to gain momentum with leading Irish personalities such as Pierce Brosan, Liam Neeson, Maeve Binchy and Paul O’Connell already pledging their support to this exciting initiative. A large number of companies and organisations have already got involved including Google and Facebook, while KPMG and PwC have confirmed they will hold their International Alumni events in Ireland, bringing 1,000 International visitors.

For further information contact Community & Enterprise Department, North Tipperary County Council on Tel. 067 44858 or 067 44522 or Email Attracta.Lyons@northtippcoco.ie