Filed under: Events, Festivals, Ireland, People, Places, tourism | Tags: failte ireland, Galway, Galway Bay, galway ireland, galway tourism, Ireland, Irish Tourism, summer festivals, tourism galway, travel, visit galway, visitors to ireland, Volvo Ocean Race, west of ireland
Volvo ocean race galway
The organisations behind a high-profile event held earlier this year in Galway have yet to pay some of their suppliers and are in talks with a number of them in a bid to get their bills discounted or rescheduled.
Businesses which supplied Volvo Race in Galway say that they have yet to be paid by the organisations behind the event.
The Volvo Ocean Race have offering 70 per cent of the total that they owe with the prospect of further payments in the future.
The owner-manager of one of the suppliers pointed out that he has over 30 staff who have to be paid every week, and added that his business cannot afford to operate in a situation where it is not being paid.
The stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race, a round-the-world sailing event in Galway, was billed as a huge success. It was originally estimated that it would attract up to 140,000 spectators or “visits” over a two-week period.
Ultimately, it was estimated that it drew some 600,000, with a considerable spin-off for the city and the region.
A spokeswoman for Let’s Do It Galway, the group behind the organisation of the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Galway, confirmed that it has a number of creditors who supplied goods and services to the event that have yet to be paid.
She said that the organisation had contracts with about 1,000 suppliers, and was dealing with debts running to a “double-figure number”.
The spokeswoman said that it was seeking discounts and attempting to reschedule payments to these suppliers.
State tourism agency Fáilte Ireland pledged €8 million to the Volvo Ocean Race. The spokeswoman explained that the body is not due to pay this money until Let’s Do It Galway completes a number of audits and reports on which it is currently working.
It also has to collect some sponsorship money due from smaller, local backers.
Filed under: Events, Festivals, Ireland, People, Places, tourism | Tags: galway ireland, galway races, galway tourism, Ireland, summer festivals, tourism galway, visit galway, west of ireland
The Galway Races Summer Festival organising committee are hopeful that despite the recession attendances at this year’s flagship event will hold steady, with a ‘late burst of bookings’ indicating that between 180,000 and 200,000 are likely to flock to Ballybrit from Monday next. Galway City businesses are keeping their fingers crossed too that the remarkable pulling power of the annual pinnacle of Galway’s tourism season will rescue what has been a difficult Summer so far by pumping an estimated €70 million or €80 million injection into the local economy.
Last year around 175,000 paying customers went through the stalls at Ballybrit over the seven days with an estimated 30,000 or so more in the free area and funfair area adjacent to the entrance tunnel opposite the stand and although Mr Moloney said the numbers could be down 10% this year, he is hopeful numbers will hold steady.
Filed under: Ireland, Places, tourism | Tags: galway film fleadh, galway tourism
Veteran actress Anjelica Huston is set to be honored at the 21st Galway Film Fleadh. The Oscar Award-winning star will be presented with the inaugural Galway Hooker award, named after the famous local fishing boat.
The festival spokesperson, Felim MacDermott said, “It is very fitting that Anjelica is our guest of hhonor in our 21st year, as in our very first Fleadh, in 1989, she featured with her father John in a documentary about the local Galway Blazeers hunt.”
“Anjelica will also introduce some of her films, such as James Joyce’s ‘The Dead,’ which was directed by her father, during a mini-retrospective of her work at the Fleadh.”
The 57-year-old actress, who won an Academy Award for her performance in 1985’s “Prizzi’s Honor,” will be participating in a public interview in the Town Hall Theater on July 12 so audience members can ask her questions.
Huston serves on the board of directors at the NUI Galway’s John Huston School of Film and Digital Media, named after her father.
The Galway Film Fleadh will be held from July 7 to 12.
Filed under: Ireland, People, Places, Volvo Ocean Race, tourism | Tags: Galway, galway tourism, Ireland, Irish Tourism, Oceans, Sailing, summer festivals, tourism galway, travel, visit galway, visitors to ireland, Volvo Ocean Race, Waves, west of ireland
Work is expected to begin within the next week on demolishing giant oil storage tanks at Galway docks which are regarded by visitors and locals alike as an eyesore in the city centre. The demolition has been accelerated to ensure that Galway puts its best foot forward for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in the city next month. Up to 150,000 visitors are expected to head to the western capital for the event, which takes place between May 23 and June 6 and which will have a television audience of 1.8 billion. The removal of the 11 tanks will facilitate a massive Volvo Ocean Race tented village which will be constructed along the dockside, allowing maximum viewing access for the expected massive crowds. The stopover is expected to generate a spend in the region of €40m across the wider Galway area, with the Government, under the aegis of Failte Ireland, stumping up €8m to promote the event.
Filed under: Internet, Ireland, Places, TV, tourism | Tags: Galway, galway tourism, twitter
Galway Tourist information updates are now available on Twitter. So now you can keep updated through our ‘tweets’ about what’s happening in Galway throughout the year.
For those who are not familiar with the service ‘Twitter’ is a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. You can follow us by going to – twitter.com/galwaytourism
Filed under: Beauty, Ireland, People, Uncategorized | Tags: beauty salon galway, galway beautician, wedding make-up artist
Ever imagined how amazing you could look if you had a professional make-up working on you in the comfort of your own home? A new beauty provider, Deirdre’s Mobile Beauty Salon, has just been launched in Galway. This excellent
Deirdre's Mobile Beauty Salon
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Filed under: Ireland, Places, Volvo Ocean Race, tourism | Tags: failte ireland, Galway, galway ireland, Irish Tourism, visit galway, visitors to ireland, Volvo Ocean Race
Green Dragon Volvo Ocean Race
Green Dragon Volvo Ocean Race team hopes to leave a greater awareness of Ireland among the Chinese in its wake. China is set to become the world’s most important tourist industry in the next few years and this is one of the reasons why the Irish have put so much effort into publicity here in Qingdao.
With China set to become the largest outbound travel market, this kind of event gives you great exposure. On the night the Green Dragon arrived, it was the Green Dragon that everyone here was interested in.
Bono visited the boat with his brother Norman Hewson in Alicante, but U2 lookalikes with huge papier mache heads greeted the crowds at the hall in Qingdao, which was full of Chinese people eating Irish food supplied by Good Food Ireland, and entertainment by Arcana from Galway.
“Our concept is all about giving a real flavour of Ireland so that’s why we had the food and the personalities behind the food,” said Gorman.
Ireland’s profile in China received a significant boost during the Chinese New Year TV show on CCTV, which is the most watched TV show in the world with hundreds of millions of viewers.
The “CCTV Spring Festival Gala” featured Riverdance, the first time a foreign group had featured so prominently on the show, and the whole country is talking about how the Irish troupe high-stepped its way into the Year of the Ox. In fact, Riverdance has replaced Roy Keane as the thing about Ireland most people in China know about, distracting attention away from the tainted pork scandal of recent months.
“I don’t know much about Ireland. Irish dancing is very famous, but after this event I know a bit more. If I had an opportunity I’d love to visit,” said Zhang Huizhen, from Qingdao.
Snow Qu, who works for the electronics group Philips in Qingdao, said she was a big fan of Guo. And is also a big fan of the brown bread and jam on offer.
“The food is great. If we could go to Ireland, we’d go,” she said.
The Green Dragon, which is fourth in the race rankings, and the other boats are expected to arrive in Brazil on March 20th. Fáilte Ireland received €8 million from the Government to build a marina in Galway to receive the Volvo Ocean Race teams when they arrive, and also to sponsor the Green Dragon itself.
Filed under: Ireland, People, Surfing Ireland, Volvo Ocean Race, tourism | Tags: Galway Bay, galway ireland, galway tourism, Ireland, Sailing, summer festivals, tourism galway, visitors to ireland, Volvo Ocean Race, west of ireland
TOURISM bosses have issued a stark warning to Galway hotels, bars and other businesses in the hospitality sector not to jeopardise the city’s reputation abroad by overcharging and ‘cashing-in’ during the Volvo Ocean Race this Summer. Up to 140,000 visitors are expected to visit Galway for the two week festival in May and June which represents a unique opportunity to showcase Galway and get repeat tourism business.
Fáilte Ireland have warned businesses that if they overcharge and fail to offer a warm welcome, the city’s reputation will be sullied which could cause damage to the long-term future of the tourism sector in Galway and the West.
Already 30 hotels have signed up to the ‘Galway accommodation charter’ where they have agreed to offer fair pricing during the stopover, and others have been urged to follow their lead as there are fears that negative publicity internationally about poor service and overcharging could damage Galway city’s bid to hold the stopover again in four years time.
Filed under: Beauty, Internet, Ireland, Places, Uncategorized | Tags: Beautician, Deirdre's Mobile Beauty, Galway Beauty, Galway wedding beautician, Make-up, Make-up Artist Galway, Wedding make-up
A new mobile beautician service, ‘Deirdre’s Mobile Beauty‘ has been launched in Galway. The service is operated by Deirdre McGuire, a highly qualified professional beautician with over 15 years experience in the beauty industry in Galway. After gaining her C.I.D.E.S.C.O., I.A., I.T.E.C certification, Deirdre worked as a senior beauty therapist in a number of high profile beauty salons in Galway. In 2003 she opened her own beauty salon business, ‘Deirdre’s Beauty Salon’ on Sea Road in Galway, which she operated successfully for over 5 years. Deirdre now enjoys flexibility of working on a freelance basis, specializing in wedding packages.
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According to the Irish Times, 5 months before the Volvo Round the World Race sails into Galway, the event’s hosts are confident that a breakthrough is “imminent” in preparations for Ireland’s first stopover of the race to date.
Difficulties between Topaz and Chevron Ireland over relocating to a new oil terminal have stalled work on laying foundations for the Volvo Ocean Race village in Galway docks.
The Government has committed €8 million to Ireland’s participation in the prestigious international event, including funding of the Galway race stage from May 23rd to June 6th.
It represents the largest State investment of its type to date in a sporting event and is expected to attract 140,000 spectators with a prospective spend in the region of €42 million.
The site for the race village in Galway docks is an existing terminal owned by Topaz, the Irish-owned company which was established following the takeover of Shell and Statoil retail fuel businesses in 2005 and 2006.
The six-tank terminal was to have been dismantled before Christmas and relocated to a new purpose-built terminal which meets new international health and safety requirements.
The new Enwest terminal, built at a cost of €38 million, is seeking to lease storage to the fuel suppliers currently spread between two tank farms in the docks area.
It is understood that the two leading players, Topaz and Chevron (formerly Texaco), have some difficulties over the leasing arrangements. Topaz Ireland would make no official comment on the impasse when contacted by The Irish Times. Chevron (Ireland) could not be contacted yesterday.
Ironically, one of Topaz’s shareholders is businessman Denis O’Brien who is also part of a syndicate which contributed towards one of two Irish boats in the Volvo race – Green Dragon – currently lying fifth overall.
Galway Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Coyle said there was concern over the delay.
“The dock tanks removal is a signal that something is going to happen in Galway,” he said. “I have the greatest admiration for businessman John Killeen who secured this event for the west and wants to create some lasting benefits for Galway.
“A combination of regulatory problems and growing issues on the financial side may jeopardise this and there is a need for some flexibility. As a chamber, we know that the Volvo race will make or break Galway’s 2009 tourist season.“
A major marketing programme highlighting the Galway stage will be initiated in March. It will include a price charter for hotels to emphasise the fact that the event will be free with a strong community focus. The Galway Volvo organisers have acknowledged that there is a “plan B” and a “plan C”, including an alternative race village location, if the tanks are not removed in time.
However, they stress that commissioning of the new Enwest terminal storage tanks has already begun.
An Taisce’s Galway branch is not happy with some aspects of the Volvo participation. It is opposed to a permanent marina being left inside and outside the docks area after the race departs.
Green Dragon and the fleet are now in Singapore, preparing for the next leg to Qingdao in China. Delta Lloyd, entered by Limerick sailor Ger O’Rourke, is lying eighth, but the seventh placing, Team Russia, has had to suspend participation due to funding difficulties. Let’s Do It Galway, backing Green Dragon, said boat sponsorship was “on target”, but “tight”.
