Tourism News

Bring back the Swansea Cork Ferry
Following on from our last issue concerning the Cork - Swansea Ferry, it has come to our attention that a website has set up with the intention of restoring the Cork - Swansea Ferry.

The continuing absence of the ferry service is having a serious impact on the south/south west economy. It is estimated the south west of Ireland lost €38 million in tourism revenue per year since the ferry service closed in 2006.

If you or your business has been affected by the loss of the Ferry, why not lend your support to Bring back the Swansea Cork Ferry.com.

By visiting their website (below) you can sign their e-petition, you may also have the opportunity to tell your personal story as to how the loss of this service has affected you, your family or your business. Plus there is a wealth of information on what you can do to lend your support.
Sign the petition
visit www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com

Hoteliers Welcome Bank Of Scotland Commitment
On December 2nd, the Irish Hotels Federation approved of the €100 million credit facilities allocated by the Bank of Scotland to its customers in the hotel sector. It is hoped that other financial institutions will follow suit through the current difficult economic climate.

John Power, Chief Executive, Irish Hotels Federation, states, "The move will give a much needed boost to the economy and relieve pressure being experienced on the ground by hotels, which require substantial seasonal banking facilities. Bank of Scotland, previously ICC Bank, has historically been a major provider of credit for the hospitality sector and has for many years been a dynamic banking force meeting the needs of hotels and guesthouses around the country. Its management continue to demonstrate an indepth knowledge of the industry's requirements. We appreciate it continued commitment to Irish businesses and see this as a major step towards increasing the availability of bank credit facilities in Ireland."
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Cullen announces Tourism Renewal Group
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Martin Cullen, announced on the 2 December the launch of a Tourism Renewal Group aimed at examining the present tourism policy and programme priorities to determine a course of action to ensure that tourism will continue to be a key industry in Ireland. It is hoped that the group will complete this in the first half of 2009.
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Titanic Centre given green light
Belfast City Council gave the €110 million project to commemorate the Titanic the go ahead on 16th December. The five storey tourist attraction will be built on the derelict shipyard where the famous liner was built almost 100 years ago.
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Green Hospitality Award Winners 2008
The winners of the Green Hospitality Award (formerly Green Fáilte Award) are as follows:

Gold Award
Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

Silver Award
Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport
Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport
Clarion Hotel Dublin Liffey Valley
Radisson SAS St Helen's Hotel, Dublin
Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Dublin

Bronze Award
Buswells Hotel, Dublin
Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin
Westport Woods & Spa Hotel, Co Mayo
Carlton Redcastle Hotel, Co Donegal
Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Dublin
Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Galway
Harveys Point Country Hotel, Co Donegal
Killashee House Hotel & Villa Spa, Co Kildare
Marriott Hotel Druids Glen, Co Wicklow
Westin Hotel, Dublin
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Heritage Week 2009
The dates for Heritage Week 2009 have been announced as the 22nd - 30th August. Heritage week 2008 was a resounding success. An array of events were organised nationwide and the Heritage Council hopes to build on this success and would like to encourage involvement from wider diverse range of groups and organisations in 2009.
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Tibradden Trail Reopens
The walking trail that crosses Tibradden mountain in Dublin has been completely upgraded. Water management features have been added and almost all materials used in the trail reconstruction were sourced onsite. Thanks to the renewal plan, many more walkers will be able to enjoy the walk and see the tremendous views of Dublin and the bay.
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Travel News

Aer Lingus removes surcharges from long haul flights
Aer Lingus announced on 12th December the removal of all fuel surcharges on long haul flights with immediate effect. The decision was taken after the reductions of fuel prices over a sustained period.
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Launch of Le Harve - Rosslare Ferry
In November 2008, a new ferry service from Le Harve - Rosslare was launched by LD Lines. The ferry can accommodate 800 passengers and crossings take 20 hours from France to Ireland, with two crossings per week.
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Park and Ride from Athenry to Galway this Christmas
A Park and Ride service will be operating from Wednesday 3rd December to Wednesday 24th December at Athenry Train Station.
A Special day return fare of €6.00 per Adult / Student and &euro4.00 per Child (under 16 years) will apply for the period of the promotion.These special fares applies to all services seven days a week during this promotion. In addition, the 12.10hrs Heuston to Galway Sunday service will additionally call at Athenry at 14.24hrs. Save time, money and stress by using Athenry Station Park and Ride this Christmas!
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Bus Eireann - Online €10 Return Promotion - extended!
The €10 Return Internet promotion will be extended until 31 December 2008 inclusive on selected routes. Customers will be offered a €10 Return Fare journey between designated points on selected routes as listed.

Dublin/Limerick - Route 12
Dublin/Ballina - Route 22
Dublin/Sligo - Route 23
Galway/Limerick and Limerick/Cork - Route 51
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Travel Advice from Dublin Airport
The Dublin Airport Authority has announced a few simple guidelines for passengers travelling this Christmas:

Allow sufficient time to check in
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Message from us

Eircom Code Changes
You may remember in our Summer issue, we reminded customers of the new telephone codes being introduced this year. The phase commenced on 3rd November 2008 and both codes will operate together for a period of approximately 6 months. Our directory has been updated with the new codes, however we would ask you to check your telephone number to ensure it is correct. The area codes concerned are:

064
052
043
023

Rates 2009
Don't forget to notify us of any changes to your rates for the coming new year.

Calendar 2009
If you know of any events, festivals or activities taking place in your area, why not tell us about it and we will mention it in our Calendar. By promoting your area, you are helping to promote your business too.

Caption Competition
Just for fun, here's a caption competition. There isn't a prize unfortunately, but we will publish the winning caption in our next newsletter in March. All are welcome to take part, simply send in your caption to: info@dirl.com

Merry Christmas
Finally, we would like to thank all our customers for their continued support.
Wishing you all a happy & peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Recipe

Salad of New Potatoes and Smoked Salmon with a Dill and Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

Seasalt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Cooking time: 15 Minutes
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Method
Whisk the muscovado sugar and lemon juice together until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the mustard, oil and mayonnaise, whisking all the time.
Finally, add the fresh dill, season with a pinch of seasalt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk again. This sauce is meant to be fairly runny. If you find it too runny, add a little more mayonnaise. (If you have a blender, put all the ingredients in and whizz for one minute!)
This sauce can be kept for a week in the fridge and actually tastes even better a day old, as it allows the dill to penetrate the sauce even more.
Serving Suggestions
Toss the potatoes, salmon strips and dressing together and serve with a green salad.
For this and more great recipes, visit Bord Bia;

Poem

Christmas gift suggestions - By Oren Arnold
Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

Final Thought

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!
Joey Adams

Síocháin na Nollag inár measc

Travel Directories Ireland
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