Business Limerick Magazine 11/08 by Business Limerick

NOVEMBER 2008 € 3.50

Inside: • Budget 2009 Pain and No Gain • A New Dawn At Beautiful Thomond Park • Win 2 Tickets for Munster v All Blacks!

www.businesslimerick.ie

"‘Give The People What They Want’" says Brendan Grace

.....

A Souvenir Tribute to the Munster Players of ‘78

Marking the 30th Anniversary of The Historic Encounter

INTERVIEWS WITH PLAYERS FROM BOTH HEMISPHERES BY LEN DINNEEN & FRANK COLLINS

PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS LIMERICK PUBLICATIONS Ideal Corporate Business Customer Christmas Gift Place Your Order now on info@businesslimerick.ie or telephone 061-467518

For Sale in Newsagents from November 14th.

N s ge ITIO a p D 84 D E 9.95 TE e: € I LIM Pric

ON 95

........................................................................................ BL | EDITORIAL & CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR

November 2008

CONTENTS 04 14 20 34

BL COVER STORY Brendan Grace 'Give The People What They Want'

BL SOCIAL Saffron Ball 2008

Stand up and fight!

BL GALLERY Out and About with BL BL FEATURE Majella O'Neill Collins 'Body Of Water' BL GALLERY SPECIAL Limerick 37 Host Giovanni Trapattoni

Business Limerick

BL FEATURE The Peoples Republic Of Cork

BL FEATURE Christmas Party

BL NEWS Entrepreneur Of The Year

Patrons

Business Limerick Magazine is a full participating member of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to: www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie.

Business Limerick

FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

Editor Frank Collins frank@businesslimerick.ie Mobile: 086 245 1153

Graphic Design Zuzana Jezikova Creative Wave Design Mobile: 086 1063744

Advertising Manager Marguerite Finnan mags@businesslimerick.ie Mobile: 087 245 1153

Photography Michael Cowhey

Advertising Sales Yvonne Sheehan yvonne@businesslimerick.ie Mobile: 086 8072088 Business Journalists Brian McLaughlin brianmclaughlin@eircom.net Accounts Manager Mary Cassela maryc@businesslimerick.ie

Photographic Contributors Press 22 Kieran Clancy - PicSure Dave Gaynor Keith Wiseman Contributors Mal Keaveney Mick Galwey Padraig O’Connell Published by Business Limerick Publications Ltd.

Directors Frank Collins Marguerite Finnan

Business Limerick Pillar House, Little Ellen Street, Limerick Tel: (061) 46 75 18 (061) 21 47 38 Fax: (061) 46 85 60 Email: info@businesslimerick.ie Web: www.businesslimerick.ie

Business Limerick Magazine is published monthly by Business Limerick Publications Limited. © 2008 Business Limerick. All Rights Reserved. The information contained in the magazine is believed to be accurate and authorative, however it is not intended to substitute for legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice. Statements and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Business Limerick. No responsibility can be assumed for any unsolicited materials and submission is construed as permission to publish without any further correspondence and the fee payable (if any) at our usual rates. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers.

www.businesslimerick.ie

Limerick returns to the spotlight on November 18th for all the right reasons. Sport has given Limerick the opportunity to show our fabulous new stadium, Thomond Park as the focus of World rugby will be on Limerick that day. The official opening of the redeveloped stadium will be performed by an Taoiseach, Brian Cowen with a full capacity crowd, 26,500 in attendance. It promises to be the biggest rugby occasion ever for Limerick as Munster Rugby officially unfolds its new living, working stadium. Outside of match days it will be operational as a corporate and social venue which already has hosted many calendar social events successfully. But our interest is firmly set on the visit of the All Blacks on the 18th November. McGahan’s men, although weakened by the exclusion of the Irish squad Munster players, will not be found wanting. They will bid to emulate the feat of the Munster side of 1978 who emerged victorious the last time the All Blacks ‘came to town’. That Munster side achieved immortality and their place in sporting folklore in the venue where legends are born, the stadium of dreams. Don’t dream for one second that Graham Henry`s team will not want to make a point and avenge the last All Black side that ‘dropped in’ to Thomond Park. One of the greatest ever touring All Blacks sides, the first New Zealand side to achieve the International tour Grand Slam, only to be beaten by a heroic Munster 15, thirty years ago. Henry may be playing up the fact that the Munster game comes between two consecutive Saturday Tests, Ireland & Wales, so he may rest his first team against Munster. But have no doubt that he will spring a few surprises in his selection on the day, in an attempt to make sure that history is not repeated. We welcome coach Graham Henry captain Richie McCaw and his touring party to Thomond Park. A warm welcome awaits them in the sporting tradition of the many exciting games between Munster & New Zealand.

Frank Collins Editor frank@businesslimerick.ie

photographs of famous and ordinary people he met, at the outset he described himself as a grandfather with his grandson James his pride and joy. “I’m very much a family person. I’ll be celebrating my 35th wedding anniversary to Eileen the love of my life soon. I married her twice. When we were 25 years married and living in America we decided to renew our vows with the same priest Fr. Sean Breen who married us. “We have four grown up children Amanda who is over 30, Melanie over 30 the mother of the grandchild, two sons Bradley (26) and Brendan (24). Three are living in the States and Amanda lives here with her husband Martin from the Banner who run the pub which will soon include a restaurant. “Melanie is married to Frank Gillespie from the Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath who run ‘McCarthy’s’ pub in West Palm Beach in Florida. They were lucky to find two staunch Irishmen to lead them through their lives. Brendan is a rapper in America and Bradley has a band which is touring the world”. The 57 year-old entertainer who is at the top of his profession explained that he just comes in and out of Ireland to do gigs now. “I love where I live in Jupiter in West Palm Beach. It has the climate and atmosphere. I don’t perform there except for the odd

‘Give The People What They Want’ – Brendan Grace The man who made Bottler famous has a business philosophy based on a quote from the late Cecil Sheridan ‘give the people what they want’. “If they want to laugh or sing along, I gauge the mood of my audience. There wouldn’t be a show that I do that there wouldn’t be tots and people up to ninety at, so I can see from the stage who I’m playing to. I regularly see my late mother and father and my kids at a certain age in the audience and my material

is what they would like” said comedian/ businessman Brendan Grace. He had flown in from Florida where he now lives, to do gigs in the North and before he went back to the U.S. again he gave Business Limerick an exclusive interview in his pub in Killaloe aptly named after himself with the sign outside showing him holding a pint of the black stuff behind the bar. He still has a house in the lakeside town and in the pub with its walls covered with

charity show for Irish priests. “We’re living there 15 years and Killaloe is where I hang my hat in Ireland. I am only here for ten days for gigs”. He said he considered himself a businessman in the entertainment industry. “It’s a great business to be in, the feelgood business which can cheer up people who are in these days depressed and in need of some form of cheering up. I find it a labour of love and being a family entertainer since

Keeping an eye on Business

1971 I have never changed my spots and I still do a show where the entire family can be comfortable”. He didn’t want to comment on the controversy surrounding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross and their BBC Radio 2 programme resulting in resignations and suspension and Irish comedian Tommy Tiernan who faced criticism after he appeared on The Late Late Show on RTE where he joked about disabled people. I’m not up to speed with what happened. There has to be all different types of entertainment. I wouldn’t be in the audience to hear my son Bradley’s band as heavy rock is not my type of music. There will always be different types of comedy, but the traditional comedy which I learned from people like Tom and Pascal, Danny Cummins and Tony Hegarty from Cork was the type of comedy where I cut my teeth eventhough what I do now is different from when I started.

“Its still traditional family comedy and Bottler is very travelled. He was born in 1974 and is now a 35 year-old schoolboy who still pleases people”. Brendan came to live in Killaloe in 2002 and bought the pub. “I’m coming up to 40 years on the road and I always had someone to drive me. At the beginning I was my own roadie and while the showbands were the first to have sound systems, I was the first cabaret act to have the system. I used to set it up myself and operate it. “I am blessed that I now have a wonderful team which is vital, Brian Keane my Manager and Tom Kelly my booking Manager. Brian has been driving me safely for 25 years and together we write all the material. My wife Eileen calls him ‘my other wife’. She gave him a lighter last year for Christmas and on it was inscribed ‘to my husband’s other wife’ we are only involved in business and not romantically” he quipped.

Referring to his father Seamus a Wicklowman and his Dubliner mother Chrissie, he said they were very witty in their outlook. “Thirty years ago when the moving statue was in the news in Ballinspittle, I wrote a very funny song which would have made number 1. I played it to my mother who was very devoted to Our Lady as I am, she congratulated me for putting something so funny together and said I shouldn’t release it because of the references to the statute. “I got the master tape and put it in the fire. It cost me thousands and I don’t have a copy of it. Its not that I’m a prude, but she was right and it would have isolated me from people to whom it was so important. “My mother could tell a risqué joke to her friends in the ladies club and they often told me I had serious competition. I have always had family values and I will continue in that vein” he said.

Maureen O'Hara gets a birhday surprise when she attended Brendan's Show in Bantry .

www.businesslimerick.ie

..... Keeping an eye on Business

Minnelli when they were in Dublin to perform in Lansdowne Road. He held his first golf classic in East Clare in September organised by friend golf teacher John Coyle which he hopes to make an annual event and he hopes to organise a similar outing in West Palm Beach. His passtimes in Florida are swimming and he flies helicopters. “I always have a pilot with me as I feel two heads are better than one”. Brendan is a champion of Shannon Airport and flies from New York to Shannon on his trips. “I am pro Shannon and I believe it is one of the most important airports in the world. It’s a very user-friendly airport and geographically it’s perfect.

xxxxx The 'Safe Cross Code' song originally sang over 20 years ago by Brendan Grace is relaunched in Co. Mayo School earlier this year. Eugene Lambert of Wonderly Wagon fame and Taoiseach Bertie Aherne are also in attendance.

Christmastime has a big association with Brendan Grace with Irish families playing his DVDs and videos on Christmas Day. “Thousands of people have said to me Christmas Day wouldn’t be the same”. He will be back for shows in December and a new DVD titled ‘Funny Man’ will be on sale. He used to do a Christmas show for RTE and referring to ‘Kilnascully’ now in its fifth season he said: “its probably the most popular show on RTE at present thanks to Pat Shortt. We never performed together, but along with John Kenny we have been friends for years. “Kilnascully is an off-the-wall series, but it works – give the people what they want. My DVDs have a general rating that allows the whole family watch them. My show is not short of innuendo, it takes you to the edge of the cliff, but it’s not vulgar”. He said he has been associated with Limerick down the years and his first time to perform outside Dublin was in the Parkway in Limerick and then in Clare. “The man in the Parkway revered in the business was Paddy Ryan who was responsible for giving many people a break. He was a very fair and dedicated promoter. Earl Connolly in the Limerick Leader also gave me lots of publicity”. 6

On his 21st birthday “when I met Eileen Doyle my party was organised by a great Limerick entertainer Tommy Drennan. I was performing in the cabaret in the West County in Ennis and Tommy’s band was also playing. When he heard it was my 21st he had the staff whip up a party after the show. “I have always had Limerick friends over the years. Another great friend is Pat Dooley of Dooley Car Rentals. I have flown the Dooley flag all over the States. I did a piece called ‘Dan Dooley’s Donkey’ which became very popular. I made a DVD of another good friend J.P. McManus’ horse ‘Istabraq’. The pub has ‘The Dooley Booze Bus’ to take customers to and from the Brendan Grace Bar and it is also used for transporting elderly people. The walls are a who’s who of pictures. The entertainer is photographed with J.R Ewing (Larry Hagman), Sir Alex Ferguson, “I support the GAA in Killaloe”, Pavarotti, Bill Clinton “one of my dear friends”, Irish showband stars, actors and many more. A wall of pictures is dedicated to Tom Elliffe from whom he bought the pub and who has since died. He recalled that he performed for Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Liza

“I’m very good friends with Maureen O’Hara and she is a staunch supporter of Shannon and Patron of Foynes Flying Boat Museum as her husband Capt. Blair used to fly there in the flying boat days. “I think it would be a major disaster if Shannon’s runways were to become covered with tumbleweed. Shannon is the gateway of Irish tourism. I bring in groups of Americans every year to visit the West and Mid-West. “The stand of Aer Lingus on Shannon is tragic and hopefully it will turn around. People can say what they want about Michael O’Leary. He thrives on controversy, but he has a huge presence not just at Shannon but elsewhere and on the Continent” he added. Brendan is patron of the Bubblegum Club which helps children with life-threatening diseases and “I am very proud of what I do for old folk and others”. He reflects: “its tough making a living in comedy and I now accept with great joy the reference made to me as a veteran comedian. “I have no regrets about anything I did. I have a happy life, the best wife and friend in the world. The children are happy and I’m in a business that is the best antidote for doom and gloom. I will write my biography some day, I am too young yet” he concluded. www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Limerick Company announce 30 New Jobs

Limerick Clinic Changes Name

Avvio, a leading company providing software and online marketing for the hospitality industry have announced the creation of 30 new high skilled jobs over the next 2 years. The Company based in Plessey Technological Park will then have a workforce of 70 employees.

Thomas Crosbie Holdings Record Healthy Profit The shareholders of Thomas Crosbie Holdings (TCH) shared a dividend of €3.2 million as the company recorded a 7% rise in turnover last year. With a turnover of €113.5 million generating on operating profit of €11.1million. TCH owns 18 newspapers titles including the Irish Examiner and Sunday Business Post, and employs 760 employees.

DIY Store Creates 40 New Jobs

Auralia, one of Ireland’s leading cosmetic surgery clinics has reverted back to its original name Park West Clinic with immediate effect. Established in November 2001, Park West Clinics are one of Ireland’s most exclusive cosmetic surgery providers and carry out a full range of aesthetic procedures. Parkwest comprises three clinics nationwide in Dublin, Kilkenny and Limerick and a state of the art hospital located in Parkwest, Dublin. The group has projected revenues of between €3.2 million and €3.7 million in 2008.

New Country Pub in Bunratty Gallagher’s of Bunratty have added a new extension to their seafood restaurant in Bunratty. The new addition, J.P Clarke’s country pub will be open Mid November and will compliment their well renowned restaurant.

30 Year Anniversary

Wickes DIY store was officially opened by Minister Willie O`Dea creating 40 new jobs. Wickes store is the first Irish branch and 14 more stores are planned countrywide generating over 450 jobs. Their Limerick store is based in Eastpoint Business Park, on the Ballysimon Road, Limerick.

Limerick Garda Chief Promoted Limerick`s Garda Chief Superintendent Willie Keane has been promoted to the position of Assistant Garda Commissioner. He is originally from Newmarket, Co. Cork and has served in Limerick since 1975.

This November, the Crescent Shopping Centre celebrates thirty years trading. Major give-aways and mega family entertainment is on the agenda for this month.

“A Stroll Down Memory Lane”–Vol. 8 Sean Curtin proudly launched his eight volume of his immensely popular publication, ‘Limerick, A Stroll Down Memory Lane.’ His series of books document the history of Limerick, City and County, from photograph archives salvaged over the last century. The success of his books has not only been at home but in the Christmas stocking of Limerick ex-pats throughout the world.

Limerick Leader Appoint First Female MD

Irene Hamilton

Irene Hamilton, has been appointed by Johnston Press as Managing Director for their Munster titles, which include the Limerick Leader, Clonmel Nationalist, Tipperary Star and South Tipp Today. A graduate of UCC, Ms. Hamilton has worked in media for over last 13 years, starting her career as an Advertising Executive with the Limerick Post Newspaper. She joined 95FM as part of the set up team and worked as Key Account Manager. Originating from Kilrush in West Clare and daughter to Brendan and Rita Griffin, she returned to her home County of Clare as one of the driving forces behind the successful launch of the Clare People Newspaper, where she was responsible for the papers launch in 2005 and went on to head up the Advertising and Marketing Department. Ms. Hamilton returned to Limerick in 2007, having joined Johnston Press as Regional Sales Director for the Munster Region, with responsibility for the development of the commercial strategy across the group.

Your professional eyecare service Specsavers is located at:

Cruises Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 312 811 www.businesslimerick.ie

Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick. Tel: 061 302 120 7

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | NEWS

Cross - Border Business Holding Its Own During Economic Downturn Cross-border trade is holding its own amid general business gloom, according to the latest all-island Business Monitor survey. The survey, which canvassed 1,000 companies, confirms that cross-border trade is not suffering the same decline as other areas of the economy: •

the average company turnover accounted for by cross-border trade is actually up to 19.3%, from 16.8% in 2007, and

•

40% of companies on the island are bolstering up their balance sheets by doing business in the other jurisdiction.

“The figures speak for themselves,” said Liam Nellis, chief executive of InterTradeIreland, which commissions

the survey. “In difficult economic times, trading across the border can offer new markets, increased sales, and opportunities for innovation and expansion. “Northern Ireland can increase the market for Southern companies by onethird, while Ireland offers companies in the North a huge new customer base. Each market presents opportunities the other cannot ignore.” But the survey also reveals that flagging business confidence is causing concern for the future development of crossborder economic co-operation. Less than a third of the firms questioned believe cross-border trade will increase in the next 12 months, less than half expect co-operation to develop in the next five years, and only one in four are

currently planning to increase their cross-border business linkages. Meanwhile, the survey shows that barriers to cross-border trade have changed dramatically, with currency fluctuation cited as the main concern, well ahead of concerns about political instability or the availability of business elsewhere. Regarding general business confidence, 27% of the companies expect a ‘severe adverse impact’ from the credit crunch over the next 12 months, compared to 13% six months ago. Overall, 21% (down from 36%) expect turnover to increase in the next quarter; 20% (down from 31%) expect profitability to increase; and 8% (down from 13%) expect an increase in numbers employed.

Ray Cummins Picture Framing 15 Catherine Street Limerick

Our Framing Centre is a locally owned business that has been servicing Limerick and the Mid West for over 20 years.

Our talented and experienced staff will expertly frame your artwork and do it with the lowest custom framing prices guaranteed. We specialise in Oil Paintings, Water Colours, Prints, Posters, Tapestries and Certificates

Contact Ray on t: 061 415573 8

m: 087 9674482 www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ....................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Limerick Man Honoured Limerick man James Corbett was honoured this week at the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland awards held in Dublin. James is founder of Vizitant, an organisation to develop an advanced communications network for isolated seniors. Vizitant will bring videoenabled social networking and presence applications to seniors living alone and in retirement/nursing homes, providing an affordable and easy to use means to connect with each other. This year there was even more to celebrate on the night as the organisation announced a three year partnership with NTR plc who will commit €450,000 over the period to help Social Entrepreneurs Ireland deliver on its vision of bringing about fundamental social change. Speaking at the awards, Sean Coughlan, Chief Executive of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland said; “Given the current turbulence in the

financial markets and our slide into recession and cutbacks, state support for vitally needed services has and will continue to come under unprecedented pressure and as always, it is the most vulnerable in our society who suffer the most. Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, established in 2004, is a privately funded, not-for-profit organisation that believes that innovation and social change in Ireland will be driven by exceptional people with exceptional ideas. They have developed a support model that helps these social entrepreneurs grow their ideas from concept to reality. In the last three years, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has committed funds in excess of €2.8million to 116 social entrepreneurs. In the past 12 months alone over 17,000 people have directly benefited from the activities of award recipients and 165,000 have indirectly benefited.

James Corbett with Sean Coughlan, Chief Executive of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. James was honoured last night at the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland awards. James is founder of Vizitant, an organisation to develop an advanced communications network for isolated seniors.

Aer Lingus's Future at Shannon Airport "Aer Lingus services at Shannon must be continued. The effect of not doing would have a devastating effect on the Shannon area in a period of unprecedented challenges," says Helen Downes, chief executive - interim, Shannon & District Chamber of Commerce. Appealing for cohesive action at influencer level to ensure that Aer Lingus maintains its transatlantic routes into Shannon, Ms Downes adds: "While Shannon Airport Authority is actively engaged in communications with Aer Lingus, it is also imperative that all stakeholders keep the www.businesslimerick.ie

airline's retention at Shannon high on their agenda. A strong pro-Shannon voice is imperative." Commenting on the options available to Aer Lingus, Ms Downes continues: "Aer Lingus has served Shannon Airport well for almost sixty years. While challenging times call for challenging actions, in this instance, an even greater challenge will have to be faced should Aer Lingus be forced to change its operations at Shannon."

“a kind a different” “The Flowers of Christmas Give love with a generous hand Their colours so lovely Breathe scent across the land “ According to Rachel and David Hannon of Flowers Forever “our Christmas flower designs this year are all about simple elegance with a flair for celebration. If we don’t have a white Christmas on the outside this year Flowers Forever can create it for you inside with our magnificent display of floral decor. If the thought of Christmas decor is giving you nightmares, then Flowers Forever can turn your nightmares into a Christmas decor dream come true. Our Corporate Customers having availed of our well established Christmas Decoration Hire Service, where they can enjoy the Spirit of Christmas with none of the hassle. For further information on this service contact us. In keeping with our aim to remain market leaders in our field our festive floral designs incorporate both old and new influences in relation to colour texture and theme. This season our use of hot pinks greens and oranges demonstrates the retrolook and evokes a spirit of nostalgia of the sixties while at the other end of the Christmas decor spectrum, our floral designs exhibit a natural look with such rustic elements as branches, cinnamon sticks, holly, berries, candy and canes etc. This woodsy collage of nature with its natural autumnal scents and shades evokes thoughts of childhood, cosy fireplaces, and good times with family and friends ! So, this Christmas, if you are hosting intimate celebrations at home or participating in a corporate event, our festive designs will enable you to re-create any winter wonderland you want. We can create arrangements that are modern minimalist or exuberant in the colours of your choice Shakespeare once said that sending flowers is a gift of emotion, so this Christmas let our floral arrangements express that emotion for you and your loved ones in its deepest and truest sense.

.................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Mayor Cllr John Gilligan's Statement on The “Gangs of Limerick.” By Jessica Colleran

At least four Limerick mayors were murdered because of their political convictions. With over 800 mayors since Limerick was granted city status in 1197 it would be more surprising if there were no dramatic episodes in the mayoral history. Sadly for Thomas Stritch and Dominick Fanning, there was no shortage of drama in 1651. They were hung, drawn and quartered. The murders of Michael O’Callaghan and George Clancy during the War of Independence were no less brutal. They were shot to death in front of their wives. It was a cruel fate for ‘representing the people’. So when it was rumoured that Mayor John Gilligan had been beaten and hospitalised by gangs who were angry at his hard-talking ‘get out of town’ stance, the risk of public representation was once again underscored. At least, it would have been if it had actually happened. Speaking of the incident at a community event in Ballinacura Weston, the mayor played down the matter though admitted: “There was a bit of tension. I thought there would be more gardai there but that’s neither here nor there.” It’s a telling statement. The mayor knows that his public comments on gang violence in Limerick are antagonistic. Yet he still speaks his mind, even when 10

standing toe to toe with his opponents. In a sense, there is no-one better to do so. Cllr. Gilligan is a St Mary’s man born and bred, from ‘an old Parish family.’ His political leanings suggest him to be a man of conviction and a man of action.

of peace talks between the gangs. He said: “If they’re genuinely meeting to make peace with one another that’s great. But if they’re just regulating drugs territory, well that would be an anathema to me.”

He speaks proudly of his role on the IRSP Hunger Strike Committee that supported the hunger strikers in Northern Ireland. Later, as an Independent he was involved in the anti-water charge campaign, reconnecting water to people after the council had disconnected them for nonpayment. So when the mayor talks about ridding Limerick of gang violence his frustration is almost palpable.

Cllr. Gilligan is realistic about the city council’s limited power to intervene. “All we can do is advise and feed into policy decisions,” he said. If this is the case, then what is to be gained by speaking out? When pressed on whether negative headlines would scare prospective business investors away, Cllr. Gilligan was dismissive. “I doubt businesses would be influenced and if they were, there’s not a lot you can do about it,” he said. Perhaps this is true. Still, there is something to be said for presenting a positive face to the media. The people of Limerick are tired of the violence and of being associated with it. They need to hear something positive. Even so, Cllr. Gilligan is determined to speak his mind and his forthright and sometimes colourful statements make easy pickings for the press. On the topic of personal repercussions Cllr. Gilligan shrugs off the recent verbal attack and accompanying threats.

Cllr. Gilligan knows the roots of the Limerick feud better than most – he was at school with people later associated with the gangs. Referring to one of these men, the mayor says “he was what we would say ‘well got’. He could have been a great business man. He was a very hard worker.” Speaking of another Limerick gang member, the mayor says that he “was from a good family. Everyone spoke well of (that family).” Talking about the two men, he shakes his head as he considers the path they took and where it has lead. “Now, the gang feud is inexorably tied in with the lure of drugs,” he said. Mayor Gilligan is sceptical about rumours

He could be forgiven for paraphrasing Mark Twain’s famous comment with: ‘Rumours of my beating have been greatly exaggerated.’ www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Bank of Scotland Launches New Fixed Deposit Accounts Bank of Scotland (Ireland) has launched two new fixed deposit accounts offering highly competitive rates. The bank has introduced a 3 month fixed account with a rate of 6.00% gross (6.14% AER) and a 6 month fixed account at 6.25% gross (6.35% AER). Key features of both new products are: • Minimum deposit of €100,000 with maximum of €5 million • Withdraw up to 25% of investment during the term • Fixed rate for the duration of the term Interest is calculated on a daily basis and added to the account on the maturity date. No fees or transaction charges apply to

either fixed term account and interest earned on deposits is subject to DIRT. Customers can open an account and carry out transactions by calling the bank’s expert deposits team, by post or online at www.bankofscotland.ie

Olio & Farina, bringing the italian culture of taste to your table.

Commenting on the launch of both new products, David Latto, Head of Corporate, Bank of Scotland (Ireland), said: “We have a long history of providing customers, whether they are individuals or businesses, with competitive investment options and these new products build on that heritage. With an Aa3 credit rating from Moody’s, Bank of Scotland (Ireland) offers a secure and safe home for your money at highly competitive rates.”

Seasonal Risotto Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto with crumbled Goat’s Cheese

Limerick Firm At Irish Embassy In London Limerick firm Avvio.com this week attended a networking event for Irish and UK software and services companies at the Embassy of Ireland (UK) at Grosvenor Place, London. Organised by Enterprise Ireland, the dinner was hosted by the Irish Ambassador David Cooney and attended by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan. According to David Collins, Commercial Director, Avvio.com, "The aim of them event was to provide an opportunity for Irish companies to consolidate relationships with important existing or potential partners, increase business with these customers, and to develop new

opportunities for business by networking with other companies in attendance." Avvio is the leading provider of online reservation and marketing software for hotels and serviced accommodation providers, working with over 700 hotel clients worldwide. In Ireland alone, the firm delivers online results for wellknown hotels, including Ashford Castle, Dromoland Castle, The Merrion Hotel, The K Club, The Dylan and Moran Hotels. The company's suite of software products, Avvio Suite, yielded in excess of €45million in accommodation bookings for clients in 2007.

Over the next few months I will share with you some easy yet satisfying recipes to keep the winter blues at bay!

Ingredients 150g O&F Carnaroli Rice 500ml Chicken or Veg Stock 3 tbsp O&F olive oil 1 small onion finely chopped 100ml dry white wine 30g unsalted butter 300g butternut squash peeled and diced into small cubes 100g firm goat’s cheese, crumbled into small pieces Method 1. Drizzle the butternut squash with 1 tbsp of olive oil, season well and sauté in a frying pan for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the stock in a saucepan. In a separate saucepan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and sweat the onion for around 3 minutes. Add the rice and toss but do not let it colour. After about 2 minutes add the glass of wine and let the alcohol evaporate off, stir continuously. 2. Now start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring throughout. Repeat for around 15 minutes, then check whether the rice is cooked, it should still have a bit of a bite, add more stock if it isn’t ready and continue stirring. Remove the risotto from the heat and add half of the goat’s cheese and stir gently. Add the butternut squash and divide between two plates and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Buon appetito!! (See news on page 54.)

Susan Mulvihill, proprietor 2 Little Catherine Street, Limerick email: limerick@olioefarina.com

Pictured at a networking event at the Embassy of Ireland in London: Paddy Mahony, Marlin Apartments (Avvio.com client); Tánaiste and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Mary Coughlan T.D., and David Collins, Commercial Director, Avvio.com. www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Aer Arann Kirby Group Awarded Contract Announces with New Cork Power Plant Cost Reduction Kirby Group Engineering, one of the Mike Naughton, Operations Director of largest engineering services contractors Kirby Group said, "The Alstom contract is Programme in Ireland, has been awarded the multi- one of a number of prestigious contracts

The Board of Aer Arann has announced a further change to its business model to better position the airline in the current difficult operating environment for the airline industry. This change will see an increasing concentration on the charter and wet lease programme introduced during the summer, and a reduction in marginal scheduled services. These changes will be implemented on completion of an ongoing review of the airline’s operations. Aer Arann’s key routes will be unaffected by this change which is being implemented to ensure the airline’s long-term future. The new business model will maximise aircraft utilisation with a core scheduled operation of 9 aircraft and additional aircraft allocated to the charter and wet lease market. Future growth for the foreseeable future is expected to be generated in this market. Currently the airline operates 12 aircraft on scheduled services and has one aircraft on wet lease. The airline has entered into discussions with staff representatives on the cost reduction programme associated with the new business model. This will lead to a reduction in staff numbers of up to 100 people. Redundancies for flight crew and engineers may reduce depending on the progressive introduction of new charter and wet lease business. The airline is also committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure the company’s viability and long term development. 12

million Euro contract to install the MV/ LV electrical infrastructure and control / instrumentation systems associated with the ESB’s new 431MWe power plant in Aghada, Co Cork. The new power station is being built on behalf of ESB Power Generation by Alstom. The contract win coincides with the relocation of Kirby Group’s office from Douglas to larger premises in Eastgate Business Park in Cork which employs 150 people. This investment is to support the Group’s expanding business in the Southern Region.

currently being undertaken by Kirby Group within the Cork region, including the new IT building at UCC, the Eli Lilly Utilities upgrade at Dunderrow and the Gilead Science expansion project at Carrigtohill.”

Kirby Group is scheduled to complete the new contract in early 2009. The majority of work will be undertaken within the gas turbine hall and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) building. However, it will also include ancillary support buildings such as pump house, water treatment buildings, administration and controls centres.

“The opening of our new Cork office is a significant investment by Kirby Group and signals our intention to continue to expand our business in the region. We have a very strong team based in Cork, led by James Muldowney, Associate Director. The team’s success in winning a number of prestigious contracts in the region has been based on Kirby Group providing high quality work, on time and within budget for our clients. As one of Ireland’s leading multi-disciplinary engineering services contractors, Kirby Group is well positioned for further growth, not just in the South, but across Ireland and in the UK where we opened our first office earlier this year”.

The awarding of this contract to Kirby Group follows from the successful completion of a controls & instrumentation upgrade within the existing ESB power station at Aghada on behalf of ABB Group. The ESB's existing power plant at Aghada is one of the largest electricity generating facilities in Ireland. Fuelled by natural gas, it was commissioned in 1980 at a cost of £100 million and was Ireland's largest electricity producer during the first few years of its operation.

Established in Limerick in 1964, Kirby Group is one of the largest engineering services contractors in Ireland with offices in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Reigate, UK and employs 660 people. The Group’s revenues for 2007 were €82m up from €60m in 2006. Kirby Group provides mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and data communications services to clients within the bio-pharma, food/beverage, commercial, retail and public sectors.

Pictured at the announcement of multi million contract are (L-R) Mike Naughton, Operations Director, Kirby Group, Bob Cuthbertson, Site Manager, Alstom Aghada and James Muldowney, Associate Director with Kirby Group in Cork. www.businesslimerick.ie

.....

.................................... BL | NEWS

Job Coach

Soul Xmas Party Sunday December 7th Soul Xmas: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Trinity Rooms 8pm

Work Access Ltd was set up originally in 2001 as Limerick Supported Employment. In 2004 we became a limited company. We have always been funded by FĂ&#x20AC;S and thus our service is free to any company wishing to take on an Individual with a disability. Our role is to assist people with disabilities to gain and maintain employment. We do this by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of our clients and by matching them up with appropriate jobs. We also work closely with employers and then the role of a job coach varies depending on the company we are dealing with and their needs. For some companies we go and meet the employer and look around the workplace and advise them on roles that an Individual with a disability could do. We talk to them about training needs and any adaptations that might need to be made if any.

Demot O'Gorman

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is a eight man brass ensemble from Chicago, of which 7 are the sons of Sun Ra Arkestra trumpeter Kelan Phil Cohran, the 8th member of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble might not be connected by blood but is definitely part of the family.

For other employers we contact them through ads they have place on website or local papers etc. We explain the service we offer and we discuss potential clients that we feel might be suitable for the job. We discuss various options such as informal interviews, work experience, work trials, etc just to help the employer make the right choice. In these difficult and demanding times a service like ours can make a difference to your profits at the end of the year. We source suitably skilled clients for the role. We can assist you with the interview process and also help out with onsite training. We will help you to find somebody who wants to develop and grow with your business.

Harry Bugler

www.businesslimerick.ie

The ensemble is four trumpeters, two trombonists, a drummer and a sousaphone player: This is the real deal folks - music the way it was ment to be. From the heart, from the lungs. These guys don't need to plug in to be heard. As they say themeselves, they could play on a boat in the dark - they're powered from within. Tickets on sale now at Ticketmaster and Trinity Rooms priced â&#x201A;Ź21 including booking fee.

If you have any employment needs feel free to contact us at 061-493095 or (E) info@ workaccess.org. We would be delighted to discuss your options. Remember that people with disabilities do offer a real and viable option in the work place just check out some of the companies on our website (W) www.workaccess.org David Ryan Work Access Ltd, 1st Floor, Pillar House, Little Ellen Street, Limerick 061-493095 www.workaccess.org

One of the hottest soul acts in the world has just announced an exclusive date for Limerick, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble play the Soul Xmas party at Trinity Rooms on Sunday December 7th, fresh off a world wide tour with Jay Z and being talked up by everyone from Al Green to the New York Times, this is a very special show and early booking is advised.

Anne Buckley 13

...................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY

Gallery

Yvonne Sheehan, Business Limerick, prize sponsor (left) presents their prize to David and Nora McCaffrey, of Sallymills Bakery, Limerick, winners of the Limerick Entrpreneur of the Year Award at the Limerick City Enterprise Awards at the Clarion Hotel, Limerick.

John Ryan and Marie Bartlett (centre) (along with Tony Byrnes - absent from photo) winners of the Limerick Business Week golf competition organised by Limerick CIty Enterprise Board at Castletroy Golf Club, Limerick, pictured with Eamon Ryan, CEO, LCEB (left) and John Walsh, LCEB Board Member.

Eileen Griffin, Noreen McCarthy, Kieran O'Regan, Branch Manager, Marie O'Connor, Martina Sheehy and Nina Mullane, Staff Members of Permanent TSB, Newcastle-west involved in the Wealth Management Seminar.

Award winners at the Limerick City Enterprise Awards at the Clarion Hotel, Limerick. Front from left: Michael Garry, Arbor-Care (Best New Business); David and Nora McCaffrey, Sallymills Bakery (Enterpreneur of the Year); Niamh Lyons on behalf of David Nicholson Greenseal Sprayfoam (Best Growth Potential); and Melissa O'Brien, Limerick Printmakers ((Best Service Business). Back: from left: Eamon Ryan, CEO, Limerick City Enterprise Board; Mark O'Connell and Brian McGann, BDO SImpson Xavier ( Social Entrepreneur) John Long, Readsland Ltd. (Best Manufacturing Business); Bernie Moloney, Asst. CEO, LCEB, and Tony McDonagh, Regional Director, Ulster Bank.

Tom Mackey, Limerick City Manager, and Chairman LCEB; Garry Walsh, Grreen Isle Foods (guest speaker) Orla Power, Ulster Bank, and Eamon Ryan, CEO LCEB, t the Limerick City Enterprise Awards at the Clarion Hotel, Limerick.

Minister for Defence Willie O' Dea, T.D, Sean Moran, MD, Moritz Trading Ltd, franchise of Wickes in Ireland, Jeremy Bird, MD Wickes UK/Ireland & Veronica Hannon, Store Manager Wickes Limerick, at the official launch recently.

BARKER FOR MEN

exclusively at Nevil's Shoes

29 O'Connell Street, Limerick Tel: 061 418692 14

www.businesslimerick.ie

.....

............................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY

Gearoid Costelloe, Grant Thornton, Ger Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Shannon Development, Richard Cullen, Tekelek

Aileen Galvin, Echo Marketing ,Pat Murray , Leanbh Partnership, Celia Holman Lee, Brian Harrington, Limerick Marriott Hotel, Beryl Carlswell, The Ark Childrens Unit, Mid West Regional Hospital and John Lyons,Leanbh Partnership at the launch of Fashion at the Limerick Marriott Hotel.

The Munster Branch of the Irish Auctioneers & Valuers Institute Award, Mr. Carlo Hanrahan presented the Award to Ms. Joanne Duggan. Also in the picture is Dr. Maria Hinfelaar, President of LIT and Cllr. John Clifford, Chairman of the Governing Body of LIT.

Noreen Stokes, Permanent TSB, Maura Brann and Dorothy Walsh, supporting the Breast Cancer Fashion Show in the Likeside Hotel, Killaloe.

Lorraine Crowe, Claire O'Shea, Linda Hennessy, Jackie Kearney and Roisin Clancy in Mojo for the re launch recently.

Tommy Redmond, Redmond Mortgage & Pensions, Maureen Coffey, AIB, Eugene Ryan, Simply Mortages, attending the Mortgages Conference, O'Connell Street, Limerick.

Mike Gavin and Gordon Kearney in Mojo for the re launch recently.

Pictured at the recent AIB Mortgage evening were: Cathal Treacy - Deloitte & Touche, Louise Digney - AIB Home Mortgages, Conor Maguire - Senior Manager AIB 106 O'Connell St, Michael Murphy - Custom Construction, Liam Healy - Manager AIB Business Banking Limerick.

Europe Ltd, Richard Leonard, Grant Thornton, Eamonn Murphy, Grant Thornton, Ian Barrett, Shannon & District Chamber President & Leslie Barrett, Grant Thornton at Shannon Chamber's Budget event.

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY

Krishna De, Social Media Expert (seated) with Jimmy Feane, Chairman, Limerick County Enterprise Board and Agnes Relihan, Business Advisor, Limerick Co. Enterprise Board, launch the board's new on-line booking system and web site www.lcoeb.ie.

Yvonne Sheahan, Sinead Clohessy, Specsavers, Frank Collins, Business Limerick, Ann Power, Specsavers, enjoying the Limerick Races.

Adare Manor Hotel hosted the launch of the Rite Ingredients Cookery Book which will raise funds for the Irish Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (ISANDS): Paudie Griffin, Ron Smith Murphy Chairperson, ISANDS, 2008 Rose of Tralee Aoife Kelly, Anita Higgins, Adare Manor Hotel and Shane OĂDonoghue, RTE Sport.

Helen McSweeney, Marette Nash, Dorothy Whiston, Olivia Greaney and Lorraine Collins, enjoying the Limerick Races, at the Coporate Box, sponsored by Specsavers.

Brendan Flood (Divisional Manager, Enterprsie ireland), Brona Mojzisova (TMS Consultancy, Limerick) & Jerry Moloney (Director, Enterprise Ireland) a the launch of International Market week.

Robert McKillican, Ger and Mark Fitzgerald, Eamonn Grimes and Philip Clohessy, enjoying the Limerick Races.

IRISH RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS Deloitte & Touche House, Charlotteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quay, Limerick 061/313744, admin@irishrecruitment.ie www.irishrecruitment.ie

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY

Aoife Gallagher and Eleanor Fitzgerald from the Holman Lee Agency pictured in the Limerick Clarion Hotel with the voice of rubgy, Len Dinneen ready for Limerick's Live 95FM's coverage of the All Ireland League match between Shannon and Garryowen, Thomond Park.

Jean McGlynn and Dave Griffin from Limerick’s Bare Space Theatre Company recreate nostalgia with “A tribute to Judy Garland and friends” the first of The Savoy Sessions in the Limerick Marriott Hotel.

Marina Gallagher, P W C Billy Murphy Maiden Form, Anita Kissane P W C and Dr Alan Ahaerne N U I G at the Budget Breakfast in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

Orla O'Shea, former Rose of Tralee, Beena Day, Laura McKeown, Niamh O'Higgins and Saranne O'Grady enjoying “A tribute to Judy Garland and friends” the first of The Savoy Sessions in the Limerick Marriott Hotel.

Ann Lyons, Mary Doyle and Louisa Duff of Craft Innovations Ltd at their fundraising Race Night in aid of the Niall Mellon Township Trust.

Ambassador Cho of the Republic of Korea and Jim Murphy, Loofen Ireland, with The Director, Young Woong Lim pictured at the Korean version of Waiting for Godot that was held at the Samuel Beckett Theatre from Oct 21 - 25th and sponsored by Loofen Ireland.

THE COUNTRY DRESSER ___________________________________________ adare

Stockists of the best in Country Clothing Station Rd, Adare, Co. Limerick • Tel: 061 396915 • email: countryd@iol.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

STYL COM E & FORT Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9.30 - 6.00 Saturday 9.30 - 5.00 17

.................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Vacancies Notified To Fás Down 24% Employment Growth Is Expected To Be Negative In 2009 • The movement of the Irish economy into recession in the first half of this year has coincided with a dramatic reversal in the fortunes of the labour market which is expected to worsen in the short-term. The most telling indicator of a weakening in the labour market has been the rapid rise in the number on the Live Register, which is up 42% since the end of 2007. Regionally, the Border Region appears to have fared worst from the contraction in labour demand with redundancies up 84% year-to-date. • The slacker labour market has led to a 41% fall in the number of EU12 nationals coming to Ireland. Yet, while inward migration has slowed, 61,000 PPS numbers had still been issued to EU12 migrants by the end of September. • The number of new apprentices entering the workforce was down 39% (-2,000) for the first nine months of 2008, with construction-related apprentices down 54% (-1,300). The fall in apprentice registrations has occurred in tandem with a rise in the unemployment rate for 15-19 year-olds.

• There were also year-to-date declines in vacancies notified to FÁS across virtually all occupations, with noticeable falls occurring for transport workers (-50%), IT-related occupations (-43%), construction (-43%) and retail sales workers (-26%). Overall, vacancies were down 24% year-on-year. Weaker labour demand has resulted in an economy-wide slowdown in earnings growth in the first half of 2008. When adjusted for inflation, average earnings growth was negative across all sectors, bar banking & finance. • Looking ahead, we expect annual average employment to fall slightly by 0.2% this year, followed by a decline of 3.8% in 2009. The construction sector will bear the brunt of the job losses, falling by 19.4%, with lay-offs in the house-building sector being compounded by redundancies in the commercial sector as the demand for office & retail property dries up. • Negative spill-over from the construction sector to the services sector is expected to be significant and this, in turn, will be exacerbated by the credit crisis and waning consumer confidence. We are forecasting total services employment to fall by 1.3% in 2009.

• The contraction in the labour market can be expected to have a significant impact on migration flows resulting in net emigration of 27,000 next year. While we expect the contraction in labour supply to soften the impact on unemployment, we are still forecasting that the unemployment rate could exceed 8% before the end of 2009. However, the current economic turmoil makes our forecasts more tentative than usual with revisions likely once data for Q4 2008 becomes available. • According to FÁS senior economist Brian McCormick: “Given the current level of economic uncertainty, employment forecasts beyond 2009 would involve heroic assumptions that have no certainty of materialising. Nevertheless, in the absence of a significant upturn in the world economy, a further contraction in labour demand is, at this early stage, the most likely scenario for 2010. ” For further information contact: Brian McCormick at: t: 01-6070517 m: 087-2680301 e: brian.mccormick@fas.ie

Gulf Oil To Shake Up The Irish Market Gulf Oil one of the world's leading and most recognised oil brands has just launched in the Irish market place. Despite the recent trends within the forecourt and fuel distribution sector which has seen the departure of global names like Statoil and Shell, another global brand, Gulf Oil is gearing up to revolutionise the whole fuel retail sector in Ireland. Dermot Fallon said: "We as licences have the right product at the right time in the right place. The model we offer gives total independence to retailers and distributors. We feel it is a unique and radical departure as no solus supply contact is required. This exclusive concept coupled with the world leading Gulf brand and image is at the corner stone of the Gulf Oil ethos 18

in Ireland. This is especially critical with the current economic climate that we face. Our job in Gulf Oil is to provide a major international brand accompanied by marketing and management support to retailers, in order to drive more business into their forecourts."

Dermot Fallon Managing Director, Gulf Oil Ireland

Fallon went on to add: "Ireland has a relatively small fuel market in international terms. Here at Gulf Oil Ireland we have a different view of the retailers and distributors. This has emerged from the fact that our top management, including myself has been at the coalface in retail and distribution and can identify with the challenges and needs of SME's. We are interested in providing a quality service to retailers to compliment the quality of the Gulf brand worldwide." www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

Majella BODY OF WATER Work by Majella O’Neill Collins and participants Bernadette Burns, Patricia Hurl, Therry Rudin exploring the theme ‘body of water’. Majella O’Neill Collins was born in West Cork in 1964. She studied at Limerick School Of Art and Design and lives and works on Sherkin Island, West Cork. She is a facilitator of DIT/BA degree course in Visual Arts on Sherkin Island. Majella is the chairperson of The West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen. The centre regurarly features exhibitions from the country's leading artists. The Irish Arts Review hotly tipped Majella

for the investment artist to watch. Her work shows high investment potential and her paintings are sought after when they come available for sale by private collectors. Her recent solo exhibitions include The Inchydoney Lodge and Spa Hotel, Clonakilty, Co. Cork in 2007; The Waring Gallery, Moira, Northern Ireland in 2006, and 2005; the Warren Gallery, Castletownsend,Co. Cork in 2004 and 2003; The Hunt Museum, Limerick and the Florelli Gallery, Rome in 2002; the Rose Gallery, Paddington, Australia and

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

O’Neill Collins the Davous Art Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland in 2001 and The Fuller Building, New York in 2000. Her group exhibitions include shows at West Cork Arts Centre, the Hunt Museum, the Leinster Gallery, Dublin and the Limetree Gallery, Suffolk, England. Her work is represented in many private and public

collections including the collections of the Office of Public Works, Allied Irish Banks, Hennessy Foundation, Washington and Cork University Hospital. Majella has consistently drawn inspiration from her native West Cork. Work for this

exhibition continues her exploration of the islands, coastline and sea which present a deeply personal reflection. Her work is rooted in her own personal history and her own direct experience. This body of work marks a particular time and draws from the artist’s experience of the cycle of life.

Inchydoney Lodge & Spa, commissions artist Majella O’Neill Collins Majella O’Neill Collins, one of Ireland’s most exceptional artists, has completed a commission of a body of work for Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa. The commission has taken over two years to complete and will be on display for guests to enjoy throughout the hotel and its newly refurbished rooms. “Majella’s work is a natural fit with the Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa. There is a plethora of excellent artists to choose from in West Cork but Majella’s paintings which reflect the beauty and power of the sea perfectly complement the hotel’s stunning views of Inchydoney Island and the Atlantic Ocean. We are delighted to have the works of such an outstanding artist here and hope that our guests will enjoy

them” commented Des O’Dowd, Proprietor of Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa. Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa has previously hosted exhibitions of Majella’s work and regularly exhibits work of other local artists. The hotel has a policy of providing local Cork artists with a unique platform to exhibit their works to a broad national and international audience. This commission is the finishing touch to the €3 million refurbishment of the luxury property. Each of the hotel’s 67 luxurious bedrooms has been refurbished in a calming contemporary style and has a private balcony or patio, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the Atlantic Ocean and Blue Flag beaches of Inchydoney Island. For more information on Majella’s work and exhibitions please vivit www.warren-gallery.com.

Majella O’Neill Collins

'Body of Water' Exhibition travels next to the Galeria Safia in Barcelona, in January 2009.

From November 29th to December 23rd, The West Cork Arts Centre will host Majella’s new exhibition of her latest works. www.westcorkartscentre.com www.businesslimerick.ie

................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Enva Launches Chemical Emergency Response Service Enva Ireland Ltd has launched its new HAZMAT (chemical emergency response) service under CEFIC best practise transport guidelines. Bringing together a vast range of experience from the Field Services and Hazardous Waste divisions of Enva, this service is aimed at providing further peace of mind for chemical manufacturers, distributors and bulk waste producers within Ireland under the 'responsible stewardship' umbrella. Working together with each client, Enva will tailor a HAZMAT procedure and service based on the type of chemicals involved and their associated risks and hazards. This service covers practical phone assistance (Level 1 response) to actual trans-shipment of bulk chemicals (Level 3 response) using specialised personal protective equipment (PPE) and other resources required for the chemicals involved.

According to Anthony Mulhall, Divisional Director at Enva; “We are capable of providing such a complex service to the chemical and pharmaceutical sector through our investment in both trained personnel and state of the art equipment. Our HAZMAT response team consists of chemists, dangerous goods safety advisors and hazchem trained personnel with a dedicated response trailer containing breathing apparatus (BA) sets, correctly specified chemical pumps/ hoses and PPE”.

wide variety of chemical waste streams and related waste produced by a wide range of industries all over Ireland. Examples of the hazardous waste treatment services provided includes acid / alkali neutralisation, metal treatment by hydroxide precipitation, metal recovery by precipitation or electrolysis, water based paint, organic solvent bulking / blending prior to export, and storage of waste at our EPA licensed transfer station awaiting export to approved facilities within Europe.

Through its Field Services division, Enva Ireland Ltd already has over 29 years of experience in dealing with hydrocarbon emergency spill response, while Enva’s Shannon facility is Ireland’s most advanced hazardous waste treatment & recovery facility.

All Enva vehicles used for the transport of waste are ADR approved, while Enva currently employs eight chemical technicians and a further 15 employees who are trained as Dangerous Good Safety Advisors, and provide advice to its customer’s on a daily basis regarding the transport, segregation and packing of chemical and hazardous waste.

Enva already provides a range of treatment and recovery solutions for a

MULTI AWARD WINNING INDIAN CUISINE RESTAURANT & TAKEAWAY

Poppadom

“Nobody gives you India like we do!”

Book Your Christmas Party at Poppadom! 4 Course Party Menu €27.95

Unit 2c Robert Street, Corn Market Square, Limerick

(tel) 061 44 66 44

Early Bird Special

OPEN 7 DAYS:

Sun - Thurs 5pm - 11.30pm Fri & Sat 5pm - 12am

www.poppadom.ie 22

3 courses €21.95 (3 courses vegie €17.95) free glass of house wine/beer/soft drink Sun - Thurs 5 till late Fri - Sat 5 to 7pm

Poppadom branches: Unit 5B, Newlands Cross, Dublin 22 (tel:) 01 - 411 11 44 91a Rathgar Road, Dublin 6 (tel) 01 490 23 83 34 O’Connell Street, Sligo (tel) 071 914 71 71

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | FEATURE

Christmas Party Last month Business Limerick advised you all to get booking your Christmas parties. Many businesses in the city are reporting a brisk trade but most still have some vacancies left. Now is definitely the time too book, unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to risk the unpopularity of postponing Christmas until February. With the cold weather settling in and the dark nights fast approaching, staff will appreciate the chance to let their hair down and enjoy themselves. Remember if your footing the bill this is one time of the year where cost cutting is certainly not appreciated. Dig a little deeper and you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to walk around feeling like scrooge all night. There are plenty of activities on offer and your party need not be confined to just a meal and drinks. Why not check out the many restaurants and hotels that Limericknow has in abundance. Another novel idea BEFORE you go for your meal is to take the crew Karting or for those with real grudges to sort out, why not go for the all out warfare of paint-balling. Where possible give your staff a little extra time out (especially the girls) to go and get their hair /make-up done. After all it is a special night and everyone liked to go out looking good - a good start to a great evening. Where to book? Well check out the many different ethnic restaurants as well as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;regularâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; restaurants. Check with your staff as to which kind of food they prefer - not everyone likes what you like and just because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re picking up the tab you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want people saying afterwards that â&#x20AC;&#x153; it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t what we would have chosen!â&#x20AC;? What do I talk about? Mix and mingle with all your staff. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend all night talking to one or two members of staff. Others will be put about about this and it may cause a rift between staff members about â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hoggingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the boss. treat each staff member with the same courtesy. Private or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Party nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? Being part of an organised hotel party night (i.e. groups of different companies in one large room) can be great fun. The hotel will supply all the entertainment with dancing, party hats, streamers etc. thrown and this should give you a stress free night. However If you are opting for a private party in a restaurant try to be imaginative so that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get boring. Try to arrange seating so that different departments are mixed and conversations are mixed - this can help avoid the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;top table effectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and make sure you get some â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;spotprizes'. Your staff get a great kick out of winning something on the night - even if its something they never wanted! It all adds to the party atmosphere and makes you more popular!

world of difference to their out-put the following year and profits may rise because of this! When should I have the party? Try to have the party on a week-end night - you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want staff coming in with hangovers the next day and besides they need to let their hair down without worrying too much about whether their going to be worn out in the morning. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to be an enjoyable stress-free night after all! Alternatively if you have to have the night out on a week day try to allow a little leverage on the starting time the next day. Remember with all that drink flowing its important to think in advance about transport. Does your business have a taxi company you use regularly? Is it worth hiring a bus to shuttle everyone around? Are you more the limousine kind of company? In each case, it pays to think transport out fully in advance, many a good night can be ruined by having to wait 2 hours in the rain/sleet/hail/ice in your party clothes. Where possible collect your staff and bring them to the party - it can be just as hard to get transport to the venue as well as from it. More importantly, keep an eye out for colleagues who maybe tempted to jump in the car and drive home.

#(2)34-!3

0!249 .)'(43

*OIN US FOR ONE OF OUR RENOWNED 0ARTY .IGHTS WHICH INCLUDE A MULLED WINE RECEPTION SUMPTUOUS DINNER LIVE MUSIC BY @!TOMIC #HICKEN FOLLOWED BY $* AND SPOT PRIZES

0ARTY .IGHTS ONLY P P #HOOSE FROM &RI TH 3AT TH &RI TH 3AT TH &RI TH 3AT TH OF $ECEMBER ! LIMITED NUMBER OF 0RIVATE 0ARTY .IGHTS ARE AVAILABLE WHICH INCLUDE A MULLED WINE RECEPTION ON ARRIVAL

0ARTY .IGHT " " FROM P P S

#ALL

TODAY FOR BOOKINGS AND MORE DETAILS OR EMAIL SALES LIMERICK RADISSONSAS COM

Should I give a speech? Yes, by all means - but keep it short and amusing. Nobody wants to hear the boss drone on and on about production / losses / profits. There's no quicker way to lose your staff to the bar. Let your staff know that you appreciate them and the hard work they have done all year round. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take much to say it but it can make the www.businesslimerick.ie

CORNSTORE CHRISTMAS MENU TOMATO & BASIL SOUP WITH SELECTION OF HOUSE BREADS (V) DUCK LIVER PATE WITH CUMBERLAND SAUCE & SOUR DOUGH TOAST PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS, ROCKET SALAD & SHAVED PARMESAN (V) GOATS CHEESE CROSTINI WITH FIG JAM & BALSAMIC REDUCTION (V) CAESAR SALAD WITH GEM LEAVES, WARM BACON LARDONS, CROUTONS & FRESH PARMESAN PRAWN COCKTAIL, ICEBERG LETTUCE & MARIE ROSE SAUCE

GRILLED 10OZ SIRLOIN STEAK WITH CARAMELISED ONIONS, OVEN ROAST VINE CHERRY TOMATOES & PEPPER SAUCE PAN FRIED BREAST OF CHICKEN WITH LYONNAISE POTATO, SAUTÉED SAVOY CABBAGE WITH A CREAMY MUSHROOM, PANCETTA LARDONS & PEARL ONION SAUCE CRISP DUCK LEG CONFIT WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PUY LENTILS WITH WHITE TRUFFLE OIL JUS OVEN ROAST SALMON ON A BED OF COD & MUSSEL BRANDADE WITH WILD ROCKET & FRAGRANT LEMON OIL THAI GREEN CURRY WITH KING PRAWNS & FRAGRANT COCONUT RICE PENNE PASTA WITH GOAT’S CHEESE & SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO (V) THAI GREEN CURRY WITH VEGETABLES & FRAGRANT COCONUT RICE (V)

CORNSTORE ASSIETTE PLATE MINI SHERRY TRIFLE VANILLA ICE-CREAM IN A TUILE BASKET WITH WINTER BERRY COMPOTE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH FUDGE SAUCE TEA/COFFEE

S P E C IA L IT Y S E A FOOD & S T E A K S I W I N E & C O C K TA I L S

19 THOMAS STREET, LIMERICK

CHRISTMAS AT THE

CORNSTORE

3 FLOORS WHICH SEATS UP TO 210 PATRONS. PRIVATE DINING FROM 20 PERSONS TO 100.

20 POURING WINES BY THE GLASS • FULL BAR SERVICE • AWARD WINNING COCKTAILS • SPECIALITY BEERS LIST

Laura Anglim , Sales & Marketing Aubars Bar & Bistro/The Cornstore, Limerick.

Having a party? Why not contact our dedicated party planner to assist you with your event. Contact Laura for Aubar bookings:

(061) 317799 laura@aubars.com Cornstore bookings:

(061) 609000

CONTACT DETAILS: CORNSTORE LIMERICK, 19, THOMAS STREET. PH: 061 609000/609001, FAX: 061 409334, EMAIL: info@cornstorelimerick.com

Now taking Christmas party bookings for Aubars Bar & Bistro and The Cornstore, Limerick.

.....

RESTAURANT

Whether it is for 30 or 300 people- we are offering

a Champagne/Christmas Cocktail Reception, tasty menus, private reserved areas ribboned off, fresh flowers, and personalised menus welcoming your company with your brand or logo. For larger groups of 100 or more choose your own very special themed night.

5 Course Meal �34.95

per person

or 4 Course Day Time Lunch �24.95 Russells Select Bar 061-308080 or Franz Restaurant 061-305540 Ask for the Manager on Duty to Book your Special luncheon or dinner evening

Russells Select Bar Band Line up for December Touche 10pm Saturday 6th Nite Owls 10pm Sunday 7th Celtic Whipser 9pm

Friday 5th

Kevin Mc Carthy 10pm Saturday 13th Alimony 10pm Sunday 14th Celtic Whisper 9pm Friday 12th

Kevin Mc Carthy 10pm Satruday 20th Hi-Way Men 10pm Sunday 21st Celtic Whisper 9pm

Friday 19th

Same Size Feet 7pm , Evening Gig Kevin Mc Carthy 10pm Saturday 27th Same Size Feet 10pm Sunday 28th Celtic Whisper 9pm

Friday 26th Early Gig

31st New Years Eve

Same Size Feet 9pm

Selection of Sample Menu Our sit down meal menu �24.95

Starters Grilled Salmon & Prawn Brochette Supreme cuts of Salmon fillet & tiger prawns marinated in a lemon, lime, dill & coriander Thai dressing, served with a dainty dressed salad

Crispy Fried Camembert Cheese (V) Fresh cheese coated in a fine bread crumbs, served on a bed of Cos lettuce leaves dressed with a classic vinaigrette & a chive garlic mayonnaise fondue style dipping sauce

~~~~~ House Sorbet Chef Choice of Sorbet

~~~~~

Main Course Peppered Prime Irish Sirloin of Beef Cooked to your liking? Served with breaded mushrooms, finished with a pepper sauce or garlic butter

Baked Sea Trout Topped with a house stuffing, baked almonds, finished with a classical French fennel & dill cream sauce

A Stir fry of Julienne Vegetables (V) Courgettes, peppers, baby sweet corn, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli & baby potatoes all infused in a sesame soya sauce- towered on a bed of egg fried rice

~~~~

Desserts Homemade Christmas Mince Pies served with a fresh brandy cream sauce

~~~~ Freshly Brewed Organic Coffee & Tea

Don’t be left out in the cold! Contact John Paul on 086-0624525 or Russells booking line Tel: 061 308080 Fax: 061 308081 or email: info@russells.ie

............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

European Commission Selects Mid-West Regional Authority To Receive E-Inclusion Award The Mid-West Regional Authority (MWRA) has received a special award from the European Commission for its role in making eGovernment services more widely accessible and socially inclusive across the region. The CitizenFirst Project, which is led by the MWRA and cofunded by INTERREG North West Europe, is one of just 35 shortlisted entries that impressed the judging panel in the 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards. As a medallist in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Inclusive Public Servicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; category, the Mid-West Regional Authority has been invited to exhibit at the e-Inclusion Ministerial Conference and Exhibition in Vienna from November 30 to December 2, 2008. Overall winners in each category will be announced during the Conference and Exhibition. The EU CitizenFirst Project seeks to reduce the digital divide that affects communities and citizens in the territories of Mid-West

GIFTS

#RAFT )NNOVATIONS OFFERS AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF GIFTS INCLUDING )NTERNATIONAL BRANDS )RISH CRAFTS UNIQUE HAMPERS AND QUALITY PROMOTIONAL GIFTS

RECOGNITION SOLUTIONS

/UR CHOICE BASED REWARD SCHEMES ALLOW COMPANIES TO OFFER EMPLOYEES A CHOICE OF BRANDED GIFTS 7E OFFER PROVEN SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS PERFORMANCE RETENTION AND MORALE

REWARDNET

(Online Recognition System)

2EWARD.ET IS DESIGNED TO REINFORCE RECOGNITION AND REDUCE THE WORKLOAD FOR ADMINISTRATORS 2EWARD SCHEMES ARE CUSTOMISED WITH YOUR LOGO PERSONALISED MESSAGE AND PRE AGREED GIFT SELECTION

#RAFT )NNOVATIONS #ORPORATE 'IFTS ,TD 1UIN 3TREET ,IMERICK 4EL s %MAIL INFO CRAFTINNOVATIONS IE WWW CRAFTINNOVATIONS IE www.businesslimerick.ie

Region (Ireland), Eindhoven Region (Netherlands), West Flanders (Belgium) and Cambridgeshire (UK). Among the pilot Information and Communication Technology projects being rolled out across the Mid West is an online dictionary of accessible cultural and recreational services, the promotion of assistive technologies in libraries and the provision of Public Internet Kiosks in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary. MWRA Director Mr. Liam Conneally expressed delight at receiving official recognition from the European Commission. Commenting on the background to and success of the CitizenFirst Project, Mr. Conneally stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Services for citizens are increasingly being deployed by public agencies on a supply-side efficiency basis, without actually determining the needs and wishes of the citizen. This has led to low usage of the services by many citizens, especially those with special needs and/or living in rural areas. To date CitizenFirst pilot projects throughout the Midwest have successfully concentrated on refocusing local and regional activities from organisation driven services to citizen centric/ more accessible services.â&#x20AC;? He continued, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The project has led to the successful implementation of services which bypass the vertical structures of their organisation to instead focus and be deployed around the stated need of the citizen, thus greatly improving their accessibility, usability and relevance to people's lives. This bottom up approach allows for services to better fit the lifestyle of citizen.â&#x20AC;? The CitizenFirst Project also acknowledges that some target groups remain at risk of further exclusion with the digitalisation of public services. In the last year, the project has been working closely with these target groups to further gain the participation of hard to reach, marginalised groups and people with special needs. Established by the European Commission, the 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards celebrate the best and most imaginative uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Through the Awards, the Commission aims to inspire industry, governments and other organisations to better exploit the potential of technology to reduce social and digital exclusion. Despite societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasing dependence on digital technology, an estimated one in three Europeans fails to participate or benefit from the information society. Overcoming digital exclusion is not only a social necessity. It will be worth billions to European companies and governments over the next five years. The 2008 European e-Inclusion Awards received more than 469 entries with participation from every European Union country.

............................................................................................................................... ..... BL | NEWS

Leading Player in Green Technology ResourceKraft, based in Limerick and Cork, have combined their expertise with Energia, Ireland’s largest independent energy supplier, to launch a new initiative for Musgrave’s SuperValu stores which will see the businesses significantly reduce their energy costs and use by up to 2,100 tonnes of CO2, saving the use of approximately 44 megawatts of electricity to the national grid each year. Musgrave’s Supervalu are the first major chain to avail of this new initiative. Speaking at the announcement of ResourceKraft’s partnership with Energia, ResourceKraft Commercial Director Frank Casey says “Energy Frank Casey, Commercial Director of Resource Kraft and Liam has grown to become the second Director of Technology, Resource Kraft. largest cost after labour for most businesses. Utilising the latest technologies in With this innovative system, ResourceKraft measurement and management, businesses Advisor customers average over 10% can now take control of energy as a cost, reduction in electricity consumption within increasing Net margins while correspondingly their first year with returns-on-investment of reducing carbon emissions and meeting their less than 12 months. ResourceKraft Advisor Corporate Social Responsibility objectives. has been selected by Energia for their We are working closely with Energia on this new Energia On-Line service, as the most important agenda. The essential task is guiding effective energy cost management system energy users on how their direct actions can for their customers. Energia is Ireland’s reduce energy consumption and business largest independent energy supplier with costs. In doing so, their company becomes more over 35, 000 customers in Ireland and competitive while contributing to a reduction in signing up new customers at the rate of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions.” 1000 a month, A leading supplier of highly sophisticated energy management systems, ResourceKraft, launched ResourceKraft Advisor, the web based energy cost management system, earlier this year. Designed to be easily understood, guide behaviour change and save significantly on energy bills, ResourceKraft Advisor has become an essential tool for the energy conscious business along with measuring and recording results of energy efficient actions/ investments.

ResourceKraft Advisor is a computerised system that uses sensors and advanced metering technology to collect information about an organisation’s energy and resource usage. The data is analysed in real-time to provide management and employees with the information and reports they need to identify waste and reduce energy consumption. The easy-to-use web based interface means that users do not need to be energy experts to understand the data and its implications.

Relihan,

Frank Casey, ResourceKraft Commercial Director says “While it may be surprising to some people, the power of awareness can be harnessed and behaviour changed to reduce energy waste in the workplace. ResourceKraft Advisor is designed to be easy to install, affordable, simple to use, deliver swift and continuous returns. Our systems are suitable for businesses with energy bills greater than €18,000 a year upwards that encompasses many small as well as medium and large businesses, delivering substantial savings of over 10% in the first year. It is essential for businesses to managing such costs, as all savings are additional Net profit to the business”.

The installation of the ResourceKraft Advisor takes just a few hours by skilled local electricians. The software is hosted on a highly resilient web accessed server. The user interface is completely web-based and is fully compatible with all recent versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla and Safari. Communication between the customer’s premises and the software takes placve over the resilient GSM wireless network. The equipment that monitors energy use is housed securely in steel cabinets. ResourceKraft Technical Director Liam Relihan explains, “This is the solution for any business manager who believes they have a problem with expensive electricity bills and energy wastage. The ResourceKraft Advisor is ideal for those that want to see quick results and quick savings. In other words, businesses that don't want energy management to become a full-time job”. For more information on ResourceKraft Energy Management Systems, log onto www. ResourceKraft.com or call 061 490144.

New Recruits at Shannon Aerospace 12 newly recruited Aircraft Maintenance Assistants and eight newly recruited Paint Maintenance Assistants have recently taken up their newly created positions which will form an integral part of the Shannon Aerospace Maintenance Team. The new roles were introduced in a bid to substantially increase the level of support available to Technicians on all projects, enabling existing staff to prioritise specialised tasks. Each new recruit has completed a 4-week intensive theory course at FÁS, the National Training and Employment Authority of Ireland, and all are currently participating in a 16-week block of On the Job Training (OJT).

Selection of SAL's new recruits with Production Training personnel Derek Healy (left) and Martin Duggan (right). 28

Shannon Aerospace is committed to the implementation of Lean processes throughout the organisation, the Shannon-hangar has become a leader in the Lean MRO field. Following a review of work being carried out by highly-qualified Technicians on the floor, SAL’s Production Team concluded that a number of tasks could be undertaken by employees in an assistant role. In their new roles, Aircraft Maintenance Assistants will assist with removal, installation and lubrication tasks on the aircraft, while Paint Maintenance Assistants will assist in the preparation of aircraft painting processes. www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Debt Recovery - When Enough Is Enough Given the current economic climate, it is fair to say that people now can ill afford to write off any debts owed to them. Gone are the days when a write off of any such debts would merely appear as a blip on a person’s or a company’s capital. What was once a step reluctantly taken by Creditors now needs to be viewed as a necessity for all Creditors. Often Creditors are put off by the prospect of having to chase down Debtors to recover monies owed to them. The longer the debt remains outstanding the more expensive it is for you and the more detrimental it is for your business. What may have begun as a minor unrecovered debt may have the possibility of snowballing to a number of debts significant enough to threaten the solvency of your business. Traditionally, the option of obtaining legal assistance was viewed as a last resort. However, the employment of the legal system as a means of debt recovery can be both efficient and effective, while also relieving unnecessary pressure on the Creditor. This procedure, rather than appearing threatening, should be seen as merely a more structured means of recovering debts owed and keeping track of the method and timeframes of payment while at the same time ensuring that outstanding debts are in fact paid. It is always advisable to ascertain the solvency of the Debtor through carrying out various credit checks, land registry, judgment and bankruptcy searches. Some of the legal procedures and Court structures involved in the debt recovery process include; 1. Issuing the Initial Demand Letter By the issuing of such a letter the Debtor is formally reminded of the outstanding debt owed by them along with any accruing interest on it, and is given a number of days-often 10 days- to repay the debt. By paying off the debt at this early stage any legal fees are minimal. However, failure to pay the debt at this stage results in legal proceedings to be instituted against the Debtor for the recovery of the sum owed. This is done by: www.businesslimerick.ie

2. Issuing and Serving a Civil Summons on the Debtor The amount of the debt owed determines in which court the matter will be dealt with. a. District Court-for case with a value of up to €6,348. b. Circuit Court- for cases valued at between €6,348- €38,092. c. High Court- for cases where the amount due is greater than €38,092. The Summons is served on the Debtor and if the matter is ignored, there is no court hearing and judgment arises automatically. This is done by way of a sworn statement by the Creditor. In the event the matter is contested it goes to court list for hearing in the usual manner. 3. Obtaining Judgment On obtaining judgment the step is examining the many options available to enforce the judgment. a. Lodgment with the Sheriff - the Sheriff can go to the Debtor’s premises and seize sufficient goods to satisfy the costs of the debt owing. b. Registration of the Judgment Following registration of a judgment in the Central Office of the High Court it is then picked up and published in Stubbs Gazettes a weekly publication giving a list of all the Judgments registered that week. Registration will show up on any Judgment Search carried out against the Debtor and therefore this could affect the Debtors credit rating. c. Examination of the Debtor as to his Means (only where Debtor is an individual) - this is sworn and served on the Debtor and on foot of this an installment Order would be granted, thereby allowing the Debtor to clear the debt in installments as set out by the Judge. d. Garnishee Order - where an application may be made to the court to direct a third party to pay any monies sufficient to satisfy the judgment debt. If the Debtor is owed money by a third party the debt can be attached so that the third party is in fact liable to pay, and not the Debtor. e. Judgment Mortgage - A Creditor may apply for the registration of this on the deeds of the Debtor’s property so that any

sale of the property cannot go through without the discharge of the debt. A more extreme alternative could be to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against the individual Debtor or liquidation proceedings to wind up a Debtor Company. In liquidation proceedings it is advisable to obtain judgment or a written confirmation from the Debtor company acknowledging the debt, as a court may not entertain liquidation proceedings where there might be a dispute regarding the relevant debt, as often is the case. Claims in debt recovery matters are based in contract and whilst the limitation period is 6 years from the date on which the sum became due, Creditors should deal with any such claims as early as possible. It is best for Creditor and Debtor alike, both in the long and short term, to have any debts owing paid off as soon as possible to avoid the threat of damage to the solvency of either party. Non-payment, or excessively delayed settling of accounts, can seriously damage the profitability and cash flow of any business so it is therefore vital to detect and deal with errant Debtors at an early stage.

Eoin Donohoe is a solicitor in the Debt Recovery Unit at Connolly Sellors Geraghty, Solicitors and can be contacted at 061414355 or edonohoe@csg.ie. This article contains a general summary of the law and developments and is not a complete or definitive statement of the law. Specific legal advice should be obtained before taking any action. 29

.................................................................................................................................... BL | WINE

Increases of Shannon-based Hi-Life Tools Delivery Turnaround SyteLine allows Hi-Life Tools to access more information, easily, accurately and faster HiLife Tools, the Shannon-based manufacturing and supplying tooling company, has significantly improved its delivery time on specialised, made to order, products, in some cases by as much as 24 hours. The improvement has been made possible by the installation of SyteLine ERP software from Infor.

Joe Crowley, Friendship Wines

Exclusive Wines including

Champagnes & Liqueurs Exclusive Hampers including

Boxes & Baskets Limerick Self Storage Unit, Docklands Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick

tel: 061 455225

Installed originally in the Irish operation two years ago, and a year later at international sites in the US and India, the Infor ERP SyteLine has radically improved the manufacturing process across the company according to Brian O'Brien, Customer Service Manager with Hi-Life Tools. "The system is Windows-based and very easy to understand. This makes the training of new employees in the new system much faster and easier," he explains. Infor ERP SyteLine also provides Hi-Life Tools with access to a much higher level of information on the manufacturing process, accurately and within a shorter period of time. HiLife Tools facility in Shannon is currently processing 17,000 customer orders, easily managed thanks to the SyteLine solution. "With the new software we can get more accurate information on the status of each job going through production and we can easily check stock," he adds. "We can also build our own reports and get the specific information that we require quickly and more accurately. With our previous system, it took 24 hours to find out some information we can now get instantly."

In November 2005, Hi-Life Tools facility in Shannon was the first of the group to implement Infor's ERP SyteLine software, replacing the company's IBM mainframebased system. Although the incumbent system was reliable, it lacked integration, contained lots of bespoke code and numerous sub systems, resulting in a system that was not very easy-to-use and required significant training for new users. Following a successful deployment in the Irish site, Hi-Life Tool implemented Infor ERP SyteLine in its sites located in the US and India. As a member of an international manufacturing operation such as PCC, Hi-Life Tools needed a system that would allow the company to operate locally and internationally. SyteLine was chosen for its ability to provide local control on a separate server and database whilst also enabling Hi-Life Tools to be connected to a global network. Hi-Life Tools is an ISO 9001:2000-certified facility, and has been manufacturing and supplying tooling to the fastener and precision component industries for more than 40 years. Hi-Life Tools has five sites in three countries: US, India and Ireland. The Irish facility is located in Shannon, County Clare, since the 1960's and employs 120 staff. Hi-Life's product portfolio includes flat thread rolling dies, cylindrical thread rolling dies, planetary thread rolling dies, form roll dies/ form plates and medical punches in a variety of coated; and uncoated materials and shapes.

mobile

087 7607495 sales@friendshipwines.ie www.friendshipwines.ie

Local and Nationwide Delivery Service available. 30

L-R: Morgan O'Flaherty, Business Development Director, Infor; Brian O'Brien, Customer Service Manager, Hi Life Tools; and Aidan Keogh, Infor, Country Manager. www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

â&#x201A;Ź92M Dual Carriageway Contract Signed Construction work on a road project that will result in a continuous dual carriageway linking counties Limerick, Clare and Galway will commence next week. Galway County Council signed a EUR92M Design Build Contract with Wills Bros Ltd. and SIAC Wills JV Ltd. The Contract provides for the construction of a high-quality Dual Carriageway extending from Ballingers Corner, North of Gort, Co. Galway to Cragard, Barefield, Co. Clare where it will join the N18 Ennis Bypass. The scheme consists of 22km of dual carriageway, 10km of realigned local roads and 12km of accommodation access tracks. Construction work, which is scheduled for completion in 2011, also involves the construction of 14 new bridges and two grade separated junctions. Letters have been issued to landowners along the scheme's route informing them that work on the road project is scheduled to commence next week. Welcoming the contract signing, Mayor of Clare Cllr. Madeleine Taylor Quinn said, "I am delighted that we will soon have a dual

carriageway that extends across County Clare from the borders of Limerick to County Galway. The provision of this new road link will make Clare an increasingly attractive location for commerce and investment."

provide a link between the major Gateway urban centres identified in the National Spatial Strategy from Letterkenny through Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork and onto Waterford.

Mayor Taylor-Quinn added that the completion of the dual carriageway was of critical importance to the continued development of Shannon Airport and the entire West of Ireland.

Regions of Ireland in terms of regional development, economic competitiveness, accessibility, transport and freight costs and a major contribution to addressing the infrastructural deficit."

"By expanding its reach into County Galway, this road project will ensure that Shannon Airport will continue to play a key role in implementing a range of existing national policies including balanced regional development, the regional gateways strategy, supporting industry and tourism, improving access and reducing urban congestion, she explained.

The N18 Gort to Crusheen scheme is being funded by the Irish Government and partfinanced by the European Union under the National Development Plan 2007-2013.

The scheme forms part of the proposed Atlantic Road Corridor, which is an objective of the National Spatial Strategy, the Transport 21 Programme and the National Development Plan 2007-2013. The Atlantic Road Corridor involves the provision of a major road network to

The scheme is being undertaken by Galway County Council on behalf of Clare County Council in accordance with an agreement made under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 2001 and approved by the National Roads Authority under Section 14 of the Roads Act 1993. Meanwhile, the proposed N18 Oranmore to Gort Dual Carriageway scheme is currently at the tender stage and the award of this contract is subject to the approval of the National Roads Authority.

Competition-Win 2 Tickets MUNSTER

ALL BLACKS

Attach Proof Of Purchase Along With Entry Form Available In Any of The Following and Enter Competition at that Store.

From Now To The 14th November 2008 To Be In With A Chance To Win 2 Tickets for Thomond Park, 18th November www.businesslimerick.ie

Sponsored by

.................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Thinking Of Becoming Your Own Boss? Find Out The Facts Before You Take The Leap, Says ACCA Becoming your own boss is an attractive option for many in the Ireland, with approximately 30,000 business start-ups last year. Working as a sole trader or setting up in small business offers freedom, flexibility and autonomy. But before making the leap into self-employment, potential bosses should be armed with the facts, warns ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). Kevin Kernan, Head of ACCA Ireland 'Some 60 per cent of new firms cease trading within the first five years, so it is important that new small businesses know what is expected of them. This huge dropoff rate can be attributed partly to a lack of knowledge and not being in possession of the hard facts of business life. Awareness of regulation and financial responsibility is half the battle when running a successful business.'

REGISTER AS SELF-EMPLOYED You can register with Revenue, complete a TR1 form for a sole trade or a TR2 form for a limited company. KEEP RECORDS Keeping full and accurate records from the start will make it easier to work out what you owe in terms of tax and PRSI. All records must be kept for six years, both business and private. Simple paper based record keeping books such as the Complete Traders Accounts Book are available from any good book shop or there are a myriad of electronic packages also available.

ACCA offers the following essential points to help new business owners to hit the ground running: FINANCIAL SYSTEMS Having the correct credit management systems and payment procedures in place is essential to ensure the smooth running of any new business. Efficient cash flow is vital as expenditure is high, especially in the first year, and systems need to be in place to ensure that money is coming into the business, as well as going out. LEGISLATION You will need to be aware of legislation that may have a direct effect on your business -employment and health and safety regulations for example. This information can be found on the Business Access to State Information and Services at www. basis.ie. PROFESSIONAL ADVICE Experienced professional advice, like that of a chartered certified accountant, can bring essential financial management procedures to your business. Allowing you more time to develop your business without the worry, it will give you a sound head to seek advice from during these turbulent economic times. You can find a chartered certified accountant at www.accaglobal. com/publicinterest/finding/. 32

Kevin Kernan Head of ACCA Ireland

Aidan Clifford, Advisory Services Manager, ACCA Ireland, says: 'It is vital that small businesses are fully aware of their wide ranging and onerous tax obligations. Where they are unsure they should consult an accountant to get them on track.' Some of the tax tips ACCA puts forward to potential small business owners are: CAPITAL ALLOWANCES If you buy equipment for your business, you may be able to claim tax relief in the form of capital allowances. These allowances are for equipment which you buy to keep and use in your business, such as vehicles, tools, computers and business furniture. Capital allowances do not cover things bought and sold as part of your trade, but you can claim these as business expenses.

VAT If your business supplies services exceeding â&#x201A;Ź37,500 each year or supply goods exceeding â&#x201A;Ź75,000, then you must register for value added tax (VAT). You will have to charge VAT on your sales and pay it on most purchases, but do not be daunted, a lot of the paperwork is the kind of thing a well-run business should be doing anyway. A VAT information booklet is available at www.revenue.ie/leaflets/vatguide_2008. pdf. PAY RELATED SOCIAL INSURANCE (PRSI) As a self-employed individual you will also be responsible for making your own contributions to PRSI. Registration is automatic once you register for income tax. It is important to take care of your PRSI for two reasons: firstly, you may end up contributing too much, and secondly, you will lose out on state benefits that are related to the amount of PRSI contributions you have made. Payment is made based on class S and voluntary payments can be made in years when you have no income to ensure that you do not lose benefits. See www.welfare.ie/publications/sw74.html for further details. TAX SELF ASSESSMENT Being self-employed means taking responsibility for assessing and paying tax, which means completing and submitting your return. If you want to speed things up then you can submit a full tax return online, not only does this save on process time, but it automatically calculates your tax when you file your return online. Whether you submit your return online or offline, make sure you check your tax calculation once you have received it, as this will form the basis of your payment. TAX DEADLINES If you are self-employed, for your accounting period to 31 December of your first calendar year of self employment you will pay income tax in October of the following year. You will need to pay the tax due on your first years trading and 90% of the tax due on your second years trading in October of the second year or mid November if you file on line. It is important to budget for this double payment in the second year. www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

FITTED FURNITURE with a PERSONAL TOUCH Remember those days when you sat down and discussed what you needed in your kitchen design lay-out with a craftsman, who translated your requirements into plans and stayed with the project until you were completely happy with the result? Ger Neville Fitted Furniture in Cratloe is one of the last of this dying breed! The craftsman who takes pride in his work and where customer satisfaction is his highest priority. His workshop isn’t a glass palace in a business park, but a practical workspace where he displays his wares and services. He doesn’t incur massive overhead costs, which are passed on to the customer. “I’ve seen massive changes in the business over the past 23 years. We specialise in fitted Kitchens, bar fit outs, shop fit outs, fireside units, all made to order in our own workshop. I’m not a believer in going

down the flat pack route, I can stand over everything manufactured here in our own workshop. Tastes here varied greatly over the years, from piranha pine in the 1980’s, to high gloss PVC and walnut in 2000, right up to today where all types of painted furniture is very popular. We manufacture furniture ready to paint by your painter or DIY. We also supply and fit the furniture or kitchen painted from our workshop in any colour, a service which is very popular with interior designers. We manufacture and fit all furniture, and no money changes hands until the customer is totally satisfied. The turnover time between ordering to fitting is normally 3-4 weeks" said Ger. Although Ger believes that the personal touch and is still so important to him and his customers, his company has certainly arrived in the 21st Century with access to modern technology and offers advance 3-dimension computer generated

images of designs which eliminates any misconceptions and ensures customer satisfaction.. “The customer knows what he is getting, no surprises, I believe that people still want to deal with the owner of the business, one to one until the job is done. With 23 years in business behind us, we have developed our reputation for quality value and service. A lot of to-days work comes from sons & daughters of customers from our early years. ‘Word of mouth’ is the highest compliment to our work standards that one can get and is very encouraging to see these recommendations for our work so many years later. I can also offer expertise at an early stage of design, if someone is building a new house, an extension or a commercial build. My staff have been with me on average 12 years and they know the high standards and finishes required by my customers” said Ger. Ger has worked with many of the Region’s leading architects and designers, and has worked closely with Limerick’s top electrical companies such as Finucane’s and Clancy Expert. Ger`s workshop is in Cratloe is open by appointment Monday - Friday/ Saturday 10 - 1pm. Evening apointments available. Telephone: 061 357 270 Mobile: 087 252 63 87

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY SPECIAL

Limerick 37 Host Giovanni Trapattoni

Willie O'Dea, Minister for Defence, Republic of Ireland Senior Team Manager, Giovanni Trapattoni and Jack McCarthy, Owner Limerick FC.

Aoife Gallagher Miss Clare and Lydia Turley, Miss Limerick from the Celia Holman Lee Agency with Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci' played by actor Michael Finn in true Italian Style for An Evening with GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI hosted by Limerick FC in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

Lydia Turley, Miss Limerick and Aoife Gallagher Miss Clare from the Celia Holman Lee Agency with jack McCarthy the 3rd owner of Limerick FC at An Evening with GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI hosted by Limerick FC in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

John Gallahue,Cathaoirleach Limerick County Council, Jack McCarthy, Owner Limerick FC, Al Finucane, John Gilligan, Mayor of Limerick, Andrew Mawhinny, CEO Limerick FC,Republic of Ireland Senior Team Manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, John Delaney, Chief Executive FAI, Brendan Storan, David Taighe, Chief Executive Limerick's Live 95FM and Karl Spain, MC at An Evening with GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI hosted by Limerick FC in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

Lydia Turley, Miss Limerick and Aoife Gallagher Miss Clare from the Celia Holman Lee Agency with Frank Collins, Business Limerick, Raphael Mullally, Russell's Bar and Eric Costello, Limerick Independent Newspaper at An Evening with GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI hosted by Limerick FC in the Castletroy Park Hotel

Republic of Ireland Senior Team Manager, Giovanni Trapattoni with Aoife Gallagher Miss Clare at An Evening with GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI hosted by Limerick FC in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | GALLERY SPECIAL

Saffron Ball 2008

Anne Byrnes, C.A.R.I Foundation Limerick, Mags Bioland, mustbook.ie, Anne O'Toole, mustbook.ie, Noreen Stokes, PTSB, Pat O'Sullivan, Masterchef Hospitality and Michelle Heaney, mustbook.ie at the Saffron Ball hosted by Mastetrchef Hospitalityfor the C.A.R.I Foundation in the New Thomond Park.

Audrey Mullally, Raphael Mullally, Russels Bar, Anne Byrnes C.A.R.I Foundation Limerick and Patrica Mullally at the Saffron Ball hosted by Mastetrchef Hospitalityfor the C.A.R.I Foundation in the New Thomond Park.

Antony and Olive Foley, Ananda Darcy with Nicola and Keith Wood at the Saffron Ball.

Eamon and Mary Dillon, QED, Yvonne Sheehan, Business Limerick, Mags Boland, mustbook. ie, Alan Sheehan and Dave Murphy.

Aidan Cooney, TV3 Presenter, Celia Holman Lee and Mayor of Limerick, John Gilligan at the Saffron Ball hosted by Mastetrchef Hospitality for the C.A.R.I Foundation in the New Thomond Park.

Masterchefs of the midwest region who prepared and presented a culinary extravaganza recently for The Saffron Ball 2008 at Thomond Park Stadium" : Mark O'Donoghue, Adare Manor, Gerard Costello, Radisson SAS Hotel Limerick, Niall Carmody, Masterchefs Hospitality, Tom Flavin, The Strand Hotel, Alex O'Shea, Clarion Hotel Limerick, Denis Cregan, Moll Darbys, Ger Neilligan, Masterchefs Hospitality and Jonathan Ronan, Masterchefs Hospitality.

www.businesslimerick.ie

................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

New President for IBEC Mid West Dr Maria Hinfelaar, Director Limerick Institute of Technology was appointed President of IBEC Mid West at the recent IBEC Annual General Meeting, which took place at the Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare. Dr Hinfelaar became a member of IBEC’s Regional Committee in 2004 and follows Roche Ireland’s John Liddy as IBEC president. Her appointment is the first time that someone in the public sector has headed up IBEC in the Mid West and she is hoping that it will bring a different perspective to the job. Beginning her two-year term as President at the IBEC AGM, Dr Hinfelaar commented, ‘It has been an extremely difficult tourism season. The number of tourists on the ground and the level of spend and income in the region is down on last year. The region has witnessed a significant drop in bed nights with US Golf business to the region down significantly. There is little doubt that access to Ireland, particularly for US visitors through Heathrow was very beneficial to the region and we have lost significantly there. The rising price of oil, a downturn in the economies of both the US and Ireland and the strong euro can also be blamed for the drop in the number of US tourists.’ Dr Hinfelaar stated that in the midst of all these impeding factors, everything possible must be done to protect the industry. ‘The tourism industry is suffering, not just in the Mid West or Ireland, but also throughout Europe. There are a number of positive developments regionally, which give rise to optimism for the future. It is time to focus on what we have; several of Ireland’s top attractions, major industrial players and educational institutions are based here. A positive attitude is needed and is one that will pay dividends.’

IBEC Director General Turlough O'Sullivan congratulates Dr Maria Hinfelaar (Director Limerick Institute of Technology) as she takes up the post as IBEC Mid West Regional President for the next two years, 2008 - 2010.

Ken Cunnane, Managing Director Cunnanes Fork Lift Hire Ltd, Danny McCoy, IBEC Policy Director and Liam Mackessy Chief Executive Irish Coop at the IBEC Mid West AGM 2008. 36

....

IBEC Employment Law Briefing Over one hundred employers from throughout Limerick and Clare attended IBEC'S briefing on the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) and employment rights compliance, which took place at the Marriott Hotel Limerick on 10th Oct 2008. The event was run in support of Limerick Business Week. IBEC’s Ambrose Downey gave the opening address at the forum stating, 'Lack of knowledge or being a small company is no defence in employment law cases, the best defence is to be prepared.' According to Mr Downey, 'The Employment Law Compliance Bill 2008 published earlier this year when enacted will introduce a new employment law compliance regime. One of the most significant developments is the establishment of NERA'. The presentations at the forum highlighted the basic policies and procedures needed by every employer and stressed the need to review them regularly. Above all, the message given by IBEC was that employers of all sizes need to keep themselves up-to-date with employment legislation and regulations. Businesses wishing to join IBEC should email midwest@ibec.ie.

Pictured at the opening of IBEC's employment law briefing entitled "Ignorance is not an excuse" were (l-r): Mary Connaughton Head of HR Development IBEC, Ambrose Downey HR/IR Executive IBEC Mid West and Aoife Newton Solicitor IBEC.

Pictured at the IBEC employment law briefing were (l-r) Marie Tynan and Siobhan Fitzgerald, Pery's Hotel, Limerick. www.businesslimerick.ie

.............................................................................................................................. BL | FEATURE

The People's Republic of Cork Cork is the capital of Irelands south-west region and a powerhouse of economic industrial and business development. To date, Cork has consistently attracted the Worlds leading companies and is home to many global market leaders in pharmaceutical healthcare and financial L&S xmas ad RESIZE2 Page 1 low corporate services. Apart from 25/09/2008 benefiting 17:10 from Irelands

tax rate of 12.5%, Cork has a modern infrastructure strategically located by the sea with its deep water port, international airport and excellent road & rail services. Cork also has very attractive cultural and entertainment attractions and adjacent unspoilt natural amenities. Fota Wildlife Park just outside the city is not to be missed by

Christmas

Party Nights... Saturday 6th December Saturday 13th December Friday 19th December

Private

Party Nights... Limited number of dates available

Office

Packages Available... Spoil yourself and your colleagues with some treatments followed by dinner Ideal for the Small Office. Call our Sales Team on 023 21141 for further information and bookings.

MILLENNIUM HOTEL OF THE YEAR

CLONAKILTY, WEST CORK, IRELAND

Tel 353 (0) 23 33143 Fax 353 (0) 23 35229 Call Save 1 850 60 60 90 Email: reservations@inchydoneyisland.com www.inchydoneyisland.com

Christmas Gift Vouchers Available www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... ..... BL | XXXXXXXX

Christmas in the heart of Cork City Enjoy Christmas in the City with fantastic offers at the Imperial Hotel Christmas Three For Two 2 nights Bed and Breakfast, 1 evening meal with bottle of wine and receive a 3rd night stay complimentary. From Only €139 B&B Per Person Sharing

New Year Special Ring in the New Year in style at the Imperial Hotel with a mouth watering 4 course dinner and live entertainment. From Only €135 B&B Per Person Sharing (Offers are subject to availability)

Escape Salon & Spa Christmas Packages The beautifully wrapped Christmas Escape Gift Certificate makes the perfect gift for a friend or loved one. Timeless Beauty € 100

Vitality Suite Green Science Anti Ageing Facial Maintenance Manicure

The Bare Necessities € 110 Vitality Suite Pure Focus Facial 30min Dry Float

Tel: 021 4274040 38

Winter Bliss € 140

Vitality Suite Pure Focus Facial Back Neck & Shoulder Massage

A Cosy Escape € 140 Vitality Suite Hot Stone Massage Pure Focus Facial

www.flynnhotels.com

www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ................................................................. BL | FEATURE

visitors to Cork, and Blarney Castle, Crosshaven and Kinsale are well worth a visit. In Cork City itself I recommend the Bus Eireann tourist city bus tour. The open top double-decker bus (normally seen in Limerick when celebrating Heineken Cup victories by Munster) will bring you on a guided tour of all the historic buildings through the city. But at this time of year, Cork is a Mecca for shoppers. The City Centre, with Patrick Street as the heart and the many arteries like Oliver Plunkett Street, The Mall and North Main Street offer hundreds of traditional shops of all kinds where shopping can be fun in this unique atmosphere. The world famous English Market which opens 6 days a week selling mouth-watering products from local artisan producers, fresh sea fish and shellfish, poultry, cheeses, breads & baking, spices, wines, you name it, its here! The city centre’s many pedestrian streets have made shopping in Cork so attractive for visitors from near and far.

elieve the pressure of shopping this

Christmas with this Amazing Offer. Discover Cork’s exciting boutiques and spoil yourself with luxury accomodation & dining at Cork’s finest hotel.

Cork is blessed with a vibrant dining and restaurant scene. Quality inexpensive venues are everywhere, and a choice of cuisine where every taste is catered for. The hotels again have excellent packages to encourage patrons to come and shop in Cork and stay with them. There is also excellent value for those who just want to get away for break, pamper oneself in the many leisure spas and enjoy some scrumptious cuisine. The upcoming office party or Christmas nite-out can be packaged by the hotels making it a Christmas party with difference this year. The nightlife here is buzzing with a variety of choices in theatres and Cork was the Designated European City of Culture in 2005. Their pubs, hotels and nite-clubs are famous for the ‘craic’ and you will surely hear that Cork is the real capital of Ireland with the background chorus from the ‘Banks of my own lovely Lee!’ In fact, they will have you believe that you have arrived in the Peoples Republic of Cork! Maybe this is why they are called ‘The Rebels’! On the sporting front, with venues like Musgrave Park, Pairc Ui Caoimh and Blarney Golf Resort, the sports visitors is well catered for and an overnight or weekend stay is to be recommended to enjoy the real Cork Experience. Go on take a break and enjoy the Cork experience for yourself ! www.businesslimerick.ie

This Exclusive Pre-Christmas Shopping Break includes ~ One Nights Accommodation in a luxurious Superior Room ~ Champagne Breakfast in Orchids Restaurant ~ 3 Course Dinner in Perrotts Garden Bistro ~ Exclusive use of the Beautique Spa at Hayfield Manor

-VY *OYPZ[THZ To book call

021 4845900 and quote

‘Shopping Package’

5L^ @LHY )YLHRZ ]PZP[ ^^^ OH`MPLSKTHUVY PL

This offer is subject to availability.

.....

CHRISTMAS JUST GOT CLASSY THE SILLY SEASON IS UPON US AGAIN, SO LET THE CELEBRATIONS UNFOLD IN CORKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST UNIQUE VENUE.

ESZQ][S @SQS^bW]\ eWbV :WdS;caWQ O\R ;cZZSR EW\S ;1 O\R A^]b >`WhSa # 1]càS 2W\\S` [S\c :WdS 0O\R Âł BVS ;O`dSZa 28 bWZZ :ObS >`WQSa abO`bW\U T`][ `% ^S` ^Sà]\ A^SQWOZ 0SR`]][ @ObSa `"#^â

0]]Y g]c` 1V`Wab[Oa >O`bg \]e "#" '& eee Q]`YW\bS`\ObW]\OZOW`^]`bV]bSZ Q][

AC0831B B= /D/7:/07:7BG ?C=B3 Âˇ0CA7<3AA :7;3@719Â¸ E63< 0==97<5

Enjoy Christmas at The Blarney Golf Resort A World Class Resort in a World-Renowned Location

â&#x20AC;˘ Christmas Home Away from Home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Stay in a Fantastic Self Catering 2 Bedroomed Golf Lodge, Fully Decorated Christmas Tree in the Living Room, Fresh Breakfast Ingredients supplied and some Goodies left under the tree for you all to enjoy. â&#x20AC;˘ Christmas Party Nights featuring Bog The Donkey, Paul Dee Hypnotist and Party till the early hours. Friday 19th & 20th December still available.

â&#x20AC;˘ Indulge Your Senses & Enjoy One of our Spa Packages during the Festive Season in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yon Ka Spa of the Yearâ&#x20AC;?.

â&#x20AC;˘ Superb Family Offers to stay in either of our 56 Golf Lodges or 64 Stylishly Designed Bedrooms. â&#x20AC;˘ Enjoy a Round of Golf on Our Unique John Daly designed Golf Course. â&#x20AC;˘ Inniscarra Restaurant offering Fantastic Value for money in a Superb setting. â&#x20AC;˘ Gift Vouchers also available.

â&#x20AC;˘ For more Special Christmas and Other Offers Visit: www.blarneygolfresort.com

Blarney Golf Resort, Kerry Road, Tower, Blarney, Co. Cork T: 021 4384477 F: 021 4516453 E: reservations@blarneygolfresort.com W: www.blarneygolfresort.com 40

www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

Leading Lights Of Limerick Head For Headway Ho-Down Limerick is dusting off its gladrags and handbags for the inaugural Headway Ball, in aid of people affected by acquired brain injury. Well-known Limerick radio star, Catriona Tierney, will be MC for the extravagant gala dinner which takes place at the luxury SAS Raddisson Hotel and Spa in Limerick on Saturday 15th November. The other sparkling attraction to the Headway Ball is a spectacular Italian inspired 18-carat white gold pavè set diamond pendant donated by local jewellers, Keanes. One lucky guest will walk home with this unique piece which has been designed to play with the light and ensure the diamonds dazzle in every direction. After a punch reception, guests will be treated to a sumptuous five course meal, and entertainment into the wee hours from the popular Jungle Boogie. Two auctions and a wish tree with range of items from golf weekends, to spa packages to sports

memorabilia will also help the charity raise much needed funds for its services in Limerick. All items have been kindly donated by businesses across Limerick. ‘We are really excited about the event’ said Catriona. ‘Headway has been helping people in Limerick affected by acquired brain injury since 2003. A brain injury can happen to anyone at anytime, after, for example, a road traffic accident, assault, or a stroke. Headway in Limerick is currently working with 32 people with ongoing disability due to an acquired brain injury. And the funds raised will help them to maintain and expand their services.’ Nationally it is estimated that there are 30,000 people with an ongoing disability due to acquired brain injury in Ireland. Due to the many varied effects of acquired brain injury, those affected may face wideranging long-term restrictions in their ability to, for example, live independently,

return to work or education and maintain personal and family relationships. These problems are often shared by family members who may be living under considerable long-term strain. Recovery can take many months to years, and although patients may need different support services as they progress. All Headway’s services are tailored to the individual and offered for free. Headway’s centre in Limerick concentrates on rehabilitative training. Its Bridging Programme, that provides clients with post-rehabilitative training that enable them to find supported employment, was established last year with funding from the Mid Western Health Board. ‘The money raised from the Ball will be vital for the continued running and evolution of the service in Limerick. This is the first Ball we’ve held in Limerick, and we are sure the people of Limerick will make it a memorable and successful evening.’ added Denis Mangan, Limerick Manager with Headway. Tickets cost a budget-beating €100, and are available from Headway on 061 469305.

Elegant Hamper & Gift Co It's time to order your Christmas Hampers! We specialise in

HAMPERS

(incl Gourmet gift baskets)

GIFT BOXES

(incl wine box and champagne box presentations) Special requirements to suit your needs any specifications can be catered for Hampers carefully hand packed A local Limerick company serving the Midwest Business community

How to order - visit our website at www.eleganthampers.com and follow the easy instructions Elegant Hamper & Gift Co. Loughmore Road, Raheen Business Park, Limerick. Tel: 061 500501 • Fax: 061 500502 • Email: info@eleganthampers.com

www.businesslimerick.ie

................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

Ski-ing

Cruising ys a d i l o H y Famil

Hugh Lilburn, Director Up and Go Holidays

Up and Go Holidays (the retail or holiday department of Executive Travel Group) have been operating on Roches Street, Limerick for over 20 Years. Originally located at No 3 Roches Street, after the company purchased Lep Travel in 1987. The company moved to their current location at No. 37 Roches St. in September 2000. With over 130 combined years of service to the Travel Industry, the vast experience and knowledge of the holiday consultants alone at Up and Go Holidays is impressive. Most corners of the Globe have been visited by one or other of the staff, who have been

.....

l Long Hau

n o o m y e n o H

A World of Knowledge at Up and Go Holidays serving the people of Limerick and their Nationwide Customer Data base for many years, with a personal and quality level of service. The range of services on offer at Up and Go Holidays is extensive. The holiday consultants have access to the latest technology. They can confidently design individual holidays to meet clients’ every need and desire. Their staff are well known for their acknowledged expertise in the long-haul, honeymoons and cruises niche in the travel industry. Hugh Lilburn heads up this impressive team of travel professionals in Roches Street.

“Winter Sun and Sport Holidays , Lapland, Christmas Markets in Europe and 2009 family Sun Holidays are our main focus at this time of the year , but clients are also taking advantage of a favourable exchange rate against the Dollar to visit the States and in particular the ‘Big Apple’ for weekend breaks using Delta Air Lines’ doorstep service from Shannon. The Up and Go Holiday Website www.upandgoholidays.ie caters for online bookers and acts as a notice board for holiday offers. The Travel Industry has survived some turbulent times over the last number of years coping with wars, tsunamis, oil shortages and terrorism. The latest challenge is global recession. Travel agents are encouraged by a noticeable shift in the direction to the pattern of booking flights and holidays. With the increasing number of airline collapses, and a growing realisation that agents are providing not only a secure environment regulated by the tightly controlled Bonding arrangement, but also a quality and value added service to customers.

www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

de a M r o l i Ta Flights

on i t a d o m Accom

Delta Serving Shannon for 22 Years

Delta Air Lines is the longest serving US carrier to operate in Ireland and has been serving Shannon Airport for 22 years. They offer a year round direct service from Shannon to New York JFK airport, and a seasonal summer service from Shannon to Atlanta Georgia. From New York & Atlanta, passengers can connect to over 230 cities throughout the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Fiona Ryan, Delta Air Lines Account Manager Some of the Holiday staff at Up and Go Holidays: Calvin Hayes, Marguerite Finnegan, Rosanna Flood,Hugh Lilburn, Tara O’Brien, and Leonie Keane, front Row: Anne Dynan and Phil Fogerty.

Good times ahead at Up and Go Holidays! Executive Travel Group (Established in 1967) are a leading provider of Corporate Travel Management Services in Ireland with a turnover of almost €40m and offices in Dublin Cork and Limerick. With a proven track record of handling the Business Travel arrangements of the majority of Ireland’s Top Companies the Group offer a Global service through their partnership with CWT (Carlson Wagonlit Travel ) which includes an Emergency 24 hr service , a Global Alliance Hotel Programme and an Account Management facility tailored to individual needs. Technology to embrace the advent of Low Cost travel ensures clients both Corporate and Leisure received exceptional value for money as well as a top class service.

www.businesslimerick.ie

Up and Go Holidays 37 Roches Street Limerick Ph: 061 481377 or 01 2186900 email: upandgo@exectrav.ie www.upandgoholidays.ie

Delta’s aim is to provide passengers with a quality service, with a focus on value for money. Their Economy passengers are offered a complimentary meal service and a complimentary alcoholic beverage on all transatlantic flights, and all our aircraft are in the process of being refurbished with comfortable all leather seating and a brighter interior. Passengers traveling in the award winning BusinessElite cabin can enjoy comfortable all leather sleeper style seats, a state of the art entertainment system, fine wines and a personalized dining experience. Delta also offer its customers hundreds of hours of movies, HBO, TV programming, music and video games through the airlines world class inflight entertainment system. They operate more than 450 weekly flights to 47 destinations in 31 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, India and the Middle East. In January 2008, the airline was awarded the Best North/South American Airline to serve Ireland by the Irish Travel Trade for the second year running. 43

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | FINANCE

Budget 2009 – Pain And No Gain In this article Diarmuid Hendrick outlines the major changes introduced by the Minster for Finance in the most severe budget in two decades. PERSONAL TAX Income levy: Income levy of 1% on income up to €100,100 and 2% on the excess. The levy is paid on gross income, before deductions for capital allowances or contributions to pensions. This income levy does not apply to social welfare payments, contributory and non contributory pensions. Tax on Savings: The rate of deposit interest retention tax is being increased by 3% to 23%. Also the rates of tax that applies to life assurance policies and investment funds are being increased by 3% to 26%. The increased rates will apply to payments made on or after 1 January 2009. PRSI: The employee PRSI contribution ceiling will increase from €50,700 to €52,000. Income Tax Bands: Widening of the Standard Rate Bands to: • €36,400 Single • €45,400 Married One Income • €72,800 Married Two Incomes Benefit in Kind: Provisions will be introduced in the Finance Bill to change the basis of the BIK charge on company cars to relate it to the car’s level of CO2 emissions. Mortgage Interest Relief: The current rate of mortgage interest relief is being increased from 1 January 2009 for first-time buyers from 20% to 25% in year 1 and year 2 and to 22.50% in years 3, 4 and 5. The additional relief will be available to new first-time buyers who have bought a house in the last 4 years. From 1 January 2009 the rate of mortgage interest relief for non-first-time buyers is being reduced from 20% to 15%. Pensions: The annual earnings limit for determining the maximum tax relief allowable on contributions for pension purposes is being reduced from €275,239 to €150,000 for 2009. Charge on non-principle private residence: A new charge is being introduced on all nonprinciple private residences. The charge will be set at €200 per dwelling and will be payable by the owners of private rented accommodation, holiday homes and other non-principle

residences but will not be applied to new dwellings as yet unsold. This new charge will come into effect in 2009. Health Expenses Relief: Health expense relief will be granted at the 20% rate only from 1 January 2009, with the exception of nursing home expenses which will be standard rated from 1 January 2010. Currently relief is available at the marginal rate of 41%. Levy on car parking facilities provided to employees by their employers: A flat rate levy of €200 per annum will be charged on employees whose employer provides them with car parking facilities. The levy will be confined to employer provided car parking facilities situated in the main urban centres. Increase in the Specified Rates for Preferential Home Loans and Other Loans: From 1 January 2009 where employees receive loans (not related to home loans) the “specified” rate of interest in calculating the BIK is being increased from 13% to 15%. Cycle to work scheme: The provision of bicycles and associated safety equipment by employers to employees will be treated as a tax exempt BIK, subject to certain conditions. CAPITAL GAINS TAX The rate of capital gains tax is being increased from 20% to 22% in respect of disposals made from midnight on the 14th October 2008. Change in Payment Dates: The payment date in respect of disposals in the period January to November is being changed to mid-December and the tax on disposals in December will now be due on the following 31 October (The income tax pay and file deadline). CORPORATE TAXATION The 12.50% corporation tax rate is to remain. The Minister for Finance has emphasised that “this rate of tax is not for changing upwards and it will continue to be a central part of Ireland’s economic brand.” Tax Credit scheme for Research and Development Expenditure: The 20% tax credit in relation to incremental expenditure incurred by a company on qualifying Research and Development is being increased to 25%. This will apply to accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2009.

3 Year Tax exemption for Start-up Companies: For new start up companies commencing to trade in 2009 there will be an exemption from tax, including capital gains tax in each of the first three years to the extent that their tax liability in the year does not exceed €40,000. This is subject to compliance with EU rules on State-Aid. VAT The Minister has increased the standard rate of VAT from 21% to 21.5% with effect from 1 December 2008. STAMP DUTY Stamp Duty on Commercial Property The current Stamp Duty rates which apply to non-residential property are being changed in respect of Instruments executed on or after 15 October 2008. The top rate of duty is being reduced from 9% to 6%. AIR TRAVEL TAX An air travel tax applying to all departures from Irish airports will come into force on Monday 30 March 2009. The general rate applying will be €10 per passenger with a lower rate of €2 for shorter air journeys (those under 300kms). The airport authority will collect the tax from the airlines. There are certain exceptions to the air travel tax. EXCISES The mineral oil tax on petrol has been increased by 8 cent per litre (including VAT) with effect from midnight on 14 October 2008. The excise duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes is being increased by 50 cent (including VAT) with a pro-rata increase on other tobacco products, with effect from midnight on 14 October 2008. The betting duty rate will be increased from 1% to 2% with effect from 1 January 2009. The budget also amended various other rates of excise duty. Summary This budget through the income levy has ensured that ever worker is now in the tax net. High earners will see a significant increase in their effective rate of tax through the income levy and restriction of tax relief on pension contribution. Finally the budget did not address the significant savings which could be made from reform of the public sector.

BDO Simpson Xavier is Ireland’s leading firm in the area of advice to entrepreneurs and owner managed businesses. Diarmuid Hendrick is General Practice Partner in the firm’s Limerick offices. The office can be contacted on 061- 41 44 55. BDO Simpson Xavier will not accept responsibility for loss or damage to any person as a result of refraining from acting as a result of the information contained in this article. Professional advice should always be sought before acting on any matter referred to in this article. Diarmuid Hendrick 44

www.businesslimerick.ie

..... .............................................................................................................................. BL | NEWS

The Adare Manor Treatment Rooms Celebrate in Style Unmatched elegance and unparalleled service are the hallmark of Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort. The world renowned castle nestled in the heart of picturesque Adare celebrated one of the jewels in its crown on Monday night. The much-anticipated re-launch of The Treatment Rooms at Adare Manor reflected the straightforward luxury and sophisticated 5-star beauty services that are available in the professional facilities.

The event begins a week of special pampering with an offer of €45 worth of Elemis product if you book for a facial and skincare consultation from the 21st to the 24th of October. Contact: Rebecca McCauley Email: Rebecca@powermedia.ie Telephone: 0857839458

The elegant evening was attended by more than 100 glamorous guests who were treated to champagne and canapés, as well as a sumptuous goody bag containing Treatment Rooms delights. To celebrate the relaunch of The Treatment Rooms and their exclusive Elemis product range, Elemis’s National sales Manager Jessica Doyle offered guests a sneak peak at the new products along with a tour of the sophisticated treatment facilities. The fully Elemis trained therapists were also on hand to give guests the full experience of the professional services that are on offer in the old-world charm of The Treatment Rooms. The Treatment Rooms, which are open to both residents of the hotel and day guests, feature professional treatments ranging from advance performance facials and body wraps to reflexology. As well the salon and full range of hand and feet treatments are all carried out by the professional staff in an atmosphere of tranquillity and charm.

Int'l Markets Week Over 110 companies attended International Markets Week at the Enterprise Ireland regional headquarters in Westpark, Shannon on 13 October 2008, making it the biggest attendance ever at the event outside of Dublin. International Markets Week is a key annual event in the Enterprise Ireland calendar, bringing together client companies with Enterprise Ireland's marketing staff from its global office network. It is a unique opportunity for companies to discuss their growth and development in international markets and to plan their export strategies with EI representatives from over 30 markets world-wide.

At Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort for the launch of the Elemis range at The Treatment Rooms were from left: Jessica Doyle, Regional Business Manager, Elemis; JenniferHaugh, Manager, The Treatment Rooms, and Sarah Stuart-Trainor, Adare Manor Hotel.

pensions & investments shouldn’t be a gamble

In all, over 240 individual client meetings took place, making this an efficient and effective way for Irish companies to address the key issues relating to their company's export / international marketing strategy.

CALL US NOW

M o r t g a g e s & Pe n s i o n s 1A Hartstonge Place, Upper Harstonge Street, Limerick T. 061 446629 F. 061 446809 M. 087 8290736 E. tommy@redmondmortgages.com DX 30 32 Pictured at the event were Con Stack Jnr (Killarney Plastics), Breda Slattery (Killarney PLastics) & Jerry Moloney (Enterprise ireland). www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... ..... BL | NEWS

Irish Companies Urged To Send Their Workers Home! Ireland lags significantly behind the rest of Europe when it comes to working from home. That is according to specialist broadband provider, Centrecom, which today launched a website - eWorkingIreland.com to provide Irish companies and employees with information about saving money through eWorking or teleworking. Research featured on the new website indicates that 40% less Irish people work from home than the EU average while 69% of Irish workers would be more likely to join a company that offered eWork. "Given the stormy economic waters we are currently experiencing, now may well be the time for Irish employers to embrace eWorking", explained Mr. Christopher Plockelman, Manager Director of Centrecom. Mr. Plockelman continued, "Dublin is the ninth most expensive city in the world for office rents; petrol prices are near an all time high; Dublin has the slowest traffic speeds of any city in Europe; and commuting is constantly

sited as a cause of work dissatisfaction. Add in the ever increasing wages bill, and the absolute need to control costs across the economy, now is the ideal time for employers and government to consider eWorking." Long distance telework can be efficient and useful for companies as it allows staff and workers to communicate over a large distance, bringing with it considerable savings on office rents, car spaces, and energy consumption. Other cost advantages such as higher staff retention and less time lost to commuting. "eWorkingIreland.com has been launched to provide comprehensive information to employers and staff interested in eWorking in Ireland. The website refers to numerous studies and reports that testify to the cost saving advantages of having employees work part-time from home", he added. Research featured on eWorkingIreland.com 40% less Irish people work from home than the EU average, according to the Eurofound

Limerick Company Wins National Payroll Awards Limerick based Ceridian Ltd, one of Ireland’s leading providers of Managed Payroll Service, has won the award for Payroll Outsource provider of the Year for the second year in a row and also a second award for Payroll Employer of the Year at the IPASS National Payroll Awards 2008. This is second year of the IPASS Payroll Awards which were hosted by TV 3’s Martin King where he presented 9 Award categories

to individuals, teams and companies from all around the country who were honored for their outstanding achievement and excellence in the Irish Payroll Sector. Ceridian is now one of Ireland’s leading providers of outsourced payroll and HR Systems. The company has expanded rapidly over the past year now providing fully managed payroll to leading companies including Element

At the presentation of the award for Payroll Employer of the Year was Martin King, TV3, representatives from winner Ceridian, Pia Dempsey, Morgan Danaher and Liz Hartney and Mark Whitney, Jefferson Payroll who sponsored the award. 46

"Place of work and working conditions" survey in 2007. 69% of Irish workers would be more likely to join a company that offered eWork, according to an eWork Survey published in Smart Company November 2007, 75% and 85% of workers were more productive when working in a flexible environment, according to Patricia Roehling, professor of psychology at Hope College and the former director of research at the Cornell Employment and Family Careers Institute. By eliminating commuting 2.5 days per week, an employee reduces the energy used for work by the equivalent of 5,400 kilowatt hours each year, according to a study by technology giant, Sun 1 day eWorking per week - 20% Reduction in Rush Hour Traffic, saving £2b per year, according to the Motoring Towards 2050 compiled by the RAC. Founded in 2005, Centrecom has experienced rapid growth by focusing on niche services not addressed by larger telecoms and broadband operators. From its corporate homeworker broadband to telecoms brokering and project management services, Centrecom leads the market in professional, corporate telecoms services. With a network of over 40 telecoms partners, Centrecom offers telecoms choice and broadband coverage in all parts of Ireland.

6, Astellas, Statestreet and the River Island chain of shops. According to John Cusack, Manging Director of Ceridian, “We are delighted to accept this award. It is a huge boost to Ceridian in Limerick to have our service recognised in this way. Payroll has become an increasingly complex process that can take up valuable hours of an employee’s time every pay period. Over the last few years we have seen a huge shift in trend, with more and more companies looking towards the outsourcing option for their payroll” Speaking at the Payroll Awards Ceremony, Eamonn Corcoran, Chief Executive of IPASS said, “Ceridian was selected as overall winner for both of these awards based on their outstanding level of service and support to their clients and also for their commitment and achievements made to their payroll staff by providing ongoing training, support & career development” The establishment of IPASS in 2000 has created a representative body for payroll personnel and IPASS’ mission is to train, develop and support the payroll profession. Payroll professionals work on behalf of the 200,000 employers, processing the wages for the 2,000,000 people working in the economy, managing roughly €60 billion a year in wages and €16 billion going to the revenue. The size and complexity of this undertaking is not matched by any other group of workers in the country” he added. www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

What Women Want... Shh It’s a Secret! Unlock the Secret with a Shopping & Spa Break at Cork’s Hayfield Manor Guys, buying the perfect Christmas gift for your other half can be a stressful experience. It is the time of year that you want to express your love, however, grand gestures can easily go wrong and Christmas morning is a time when you don’t want to be met with a withering look and a wistful sigh. Hayfield Manor Cork’s Prestigious 5 star hotel offer you the opportunity to “get it right” this year with a Secret Pre Christmas Shopping Weekend Break including a unique personal shopping experience with Cork’s leading Style Consultant, Lisa Crosby who will advise you on what to buy for your better half. As you and your partner arrive at Hayfield Manor you can both relax in the friendly

When you arrive back to the hotel Hayfield Manor can arrange to hold any items you purchase and can send them to a specified address so that she need never know you left the luxurious surroundings. That evening you can both enjoy fine dining in Orchid’s Restaurant with a fabulous meal prepared by Head Chef Graeme Campbell safe in the knowledge that the stress of Christmas Shopping has been alleviated. You will have both enjoyed a wonderful weekend and on Christmas Morning you will know you made the right decision when you see your partner’s eyes light up as the perfect presents are unwrapped and you both recount the story of that blissful weekend in Hayfield Manor.

IIB Bank Rebrands To KBC Bank

Damien Quigley IIB Bank Limerick H & S

IIB Bank plc, which has offices at Bishop’s Quay, Limerick, has renamed and rebranded its operations in Ireland. Renamed KBC Bank Ireland plc, the move will provide a consistent global identity for the bank, with a platform for businesses operating in internal and external markets through the Group’s global network. The Bank, which is wholly owned by the Belgian banking giant, KBC Bank NV - one of the world’s top 50 banks, has offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Galway and employs approximately 700 people in Ireland. KBC Bank Ireland has already established itself as a leading provider of business and personal financial services in Ireland, and through its relationship focus has built strong franchises with many Irish businesses and corporates.

atmosphere knowing that all of your needs will be catered for. Unwind in the Drawing Room or with drinks by the crackling fire in the Library prior to a restful night’s sleep in a Manor Room. The following morning after a hearty breakfast your partner can enjoy an indulgent Elemis Spa Treatment in the Beautique Spa and as the therapists soothes away her aches and pains Hayfield Manor will organise a taxi for you to meet your very own Personal Shopper. Armed with a description and details of your partner, Lisa Crosby will take you on a Personalised Tour of the beautiful one off boutiques and shops in Cork and help you buy the perfect gift. www.businesslimerick.ie

The Secret Shopping & Spa Package includes two nights luxury accommodation in a Manor Room with a Full Irish Breakfast each morning. A Five Course Meal in the renowned Orchids Restaurant, €50.00 of complimentary treatments and a Personalised Shopping Trip with style consultant Lisa Crosby is also included for €245 per person sharing. For more information on this package or other packages please log onto www. hayfieldmanor.ie and for more information on Personal Shopper Lisa Crosby email morepeople@gmail.com.

Damien Quigley, Senior Manager with KBC’s Mid-West office told us: ‘The branding move recognises KBC Group’s confidence in its operations throughout Ireland, in the Irish economy and in the resilience of Irish business at local level and nationally. We see this move as a significant milestone in our presence in the region in terms of the future growth of our businesses here and the apparent opportunities for Irish business through KBC’s global network.’ The bank’s mortgage division, IIB Homeloans, one of Ireland’s leading providers of homeloans finance, is now renamed KBC Homeloans. 47

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | NEWS

“Good Entrepreneurs” Lost To Irish Economy Insolvency seminar told that “good entrepreneurs” could be lost to Irish economy through slow bankruptcy processes. Holmes O’Malley Sexton seminar in Limerick hears that Irish bankruptcy systems are cumbersome and need to be reviewed. Personal Bankruptcy legislation should be amended so that “good entrepreneurs” entangled in the credit crunch can be fast-tracked through their insolvency and play their part in rebuilding the Irish economy, a Holmes O’Malley Sexton organised seminar has heard. In what was one of the first events of its kind to be held in the Mid-West region, the Insolvency & Corporate Restructuring Seminar hosted by the Limerick law firm at its Henry Street offices heard that unless legislation is amended to quicken up the bankruptcy process, a host of entrepreneurs could be lost to this nation at a critical time. The warning was given by one of the country’s top insolvency experts, Mr John McStay, of Dublin based McStay Luby, who told the gathering of Limerick bankers, accountants and financial consultants that the Irish legal processes for dealing with personal insolvency are way too cumbersome. “At present the insolvency process for individuals in Ireland is cumbersome and we need a more fleet-footed way of dealing with insolvency because with the current level of debt, many good entrepreneurs,

who have given personal guarantees on corporate borrowings, may end up facing personal bankruptcy. The country is going to need good entrepreneurs the very minute this economy starts to turn butr many of them are going to be unfortunately tied up for a long time in personal guarantees or, in particular, where borrowings were undertaken in a personal capacity, which applies to many residential property developments,” he said. Concurring with Mr McStay’s comments, Mr Harry Fehily, Managing Partner of Holmes O’Malley Sexton also warned that directors of companies in difficulty will need to be vigilant not to pay themselves excessive salaries while their operations are experiencing difficulties or they could end up being pursued in the courts by liquidators. Mr Harry Fehily also warned that directors of insolvent companies may, in addition to being pursued for a return of those excessive salaries, could also face the prospect of being restricted from holding a directorship for up to five years if they behaved irresponsibly. Mr Fehily said that in April of this year the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Director reported that some 2,100 directors were disqualified from being appointed as a director or otherwise being involved in the promotion, formation or management of any company. This figure, he warned, will inevitably increase in the current

economic climate if directors are found to have behaved irresponsibly, including by paying themselves excessive salaries while their company was experiencing difficulties in the run-up to insolvency. “In the event that a company becomes insolvent and is wound up, a liquidator will inevitably scrutinise the actions of management/directors in the lead up to insolvency and this will include examining if excessive salaries were paid to directors,” he said. “In the current economic climate, company directors need to be extra vigilant and take particular care in the manner in which they manage a company’s affairs. Director salaries may need to be reviewed, particularly when the company is facing potential insolvency. Directors should certainly ensure that any salary payments are incidental to the business of the company. “Where a director continues to receive a significant salary in the face of economic uncertainty, and the company subsequently becomes insolvent, the director may also end up having to convince a High Court judge that he or she should not be restricted or even disqualified from acting as a company director in future.” Holmes O’Malley Sexton is one of the largest legal practises outside Dublin and specialises in Insolvency and Corporate Rescue as well as corporate and commercial law.

Etihad Unveils Global Sports Sponsorship Deal Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has extended its growing array of international sports sponsorships to Australia in a new deal which will see the famous Telstra Dome in Melbourne re-named from early next year as the Etihad Stadium. The 55,000 capacity stadium, opened in 2000, is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, which caters for both sporting and entertainment events. The five-year deal is Etihad’s first major sporting sponsorship in Australia and will see the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s branding feature prominently inside and outside the stadium, including on perimeter signage and giant score boards. Irish travellers will be able to fly one-stop from Dublin to Melbourne, via Etihad’s hub in Abu Dhabi three days a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Return one-stop flights from Melbourne to Dublin, via Abu Dhabi will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. 48

www.businesslimerick.ie

..... .......................................................................................... BL | CHAMBER

Broadband, Investment Into Region and Costs of Doing Business are Key Concerns for Limerick Firms Limerick Chamber recently undertook a survey of the business community in Limerick and its environs. It asked members the key issues which are impacting on their business performance. Unsurprisingly, the current economic slowdown is having the greatest impact on businesses. Maria Kelly, Limerick Chamber CEO commented on the findings. "The top four issues which impact on businesses in Limerick are the current economic slowdown, availability and speed of broadband, investment into the region and the costs of doing business. These are all issues which the Chamber has, and will continue to lobby for on a regional and national level onbehalf of our members". With a membership base of 560 companies the Chamber wanted to ensure that the services it offers meets the needs of its members. "Now more than ever as we face difficult economic times the business community in this region needs a strong chamber working on its behalf. We want to ensure that our members have a voice and that their concerns are listened to" Ms. Kelly said. "We asked questions not only on the quality and range of services on offer from the Chamber but also about the priorities of businesses in Limerick in the current economic environment. This is a very significant survey as it has provided us with a very good snapshot of the concerns of businesses in the region. We had an overwhelming response rate of 32% and the feedback and suggestions we received from members will form our policy and lobbying priorities for the year ahead" commented Ms. Kelly.

Priorities For Businesses

Another major concern for businesses is the

promotion of the city centre and Limerick's image nationally. Businesses expressed a strong desire to get people back into the city to create a vibrant and cosmopolitan city centre. There are many people working to promote the city, however the Chamber feels a more unified approach is needed. "The Chamber is currently in the process of establishing a City Centre Action Group. This group will have a defined set of objectives and outcomes and will not be just another talking shop" Ms. Kelly stated "Investment in the region, connectivity to Shannon Airport and Regional Infrastructure have always been at the top of the Chamber's lobbying priorities and have been raised at the highest level of government in meetings with key Ministvers; most recently with Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey. We also look forward to raising these issues when the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan is with us next month for our President's Dinner" said Ms. Kelly.

Other Findings

Almost 80% of respondents said that there is a need for training in their company. The most common training needs for businesses are Sales & Marketing, Presentation Skills, Performance management, Team Building and Customer Care. The Chamber is currently finalising the winter schedule for Chamber Business School courses which will take account of these needs. Maura Mc Mahon, Sales & Marketing Manager at the Chamber stated, "We were delighted to see that our networking events and business breakfasts continue to prove very popular with our members. We are holding a Joint Networking evening with Shannon & Ennis Chamber's in Dromoland

Castle on Wednesday 12th November which will give our members the opportunity to network with 100 other companies. Almost 50% of the companies who took part in the survey are interested in offering member to member discounts. We are currently compiling a list and reviewing a system which we can put in place to encourage our members to do business with one another". Calendar of events: NOVEMBER Friday 7th November PRESIDENTS DINNER @ 7.30pm Venue: Thomond Park Guest Speaker: Minister Brian Lenihan T.D. Minister For Finance Entertainment: Oliver Callan, Nob Nation Wednesday 12th November REGIONAL NETWORKING EVENING WITH SHANNON & ENNIS CHAMBERS @6.30pm Venue: Dromoland Castle Thursday 20th November LEADERSHIP SEMINAR @ 6pm Venue: The South Court Hotel DECEMBER Tuesday 2nd December BUSINESS BREAKFAST @ 7.30pm Venue: The South Court Hotel Friday 12th December CHRISTMAS LUNCH @12.30pm Guest Speaker: Barry O'Leary CEO, IDA Venue: Strand Hotel Please contact Maura McMahon on 061 217 604 or email: info@limerickchamber.ie for more information.

The Limerick Chamber Network Evening 8th October at the Radisson SAS Hotel & Spa.

Brian Shanley & Keith Darcy, Ulster Bank, Ann Morris, Limerick Chamber Skillnet, Paul Walsh, Sunshine Juice, Speaker, Maura McMahon, Limerick Chamber and Silivie McCarthy Ulster Bank(Sponsor). www.businesslimerick.ie

Padraig D'arcy, Lufthansa Technik Turbine, Cormac McCarthy, Magico with Jim Corbett and Maria Donoghue, Donoghue Corbett Architects. 49

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

f the o s r e Winn ur rene p e r ent 08 ar 20 e Y e of th Gold Medal for Confectionary in the Blas na hEireann Food Awards 2008

SALLYMILLS win Entrepreneur

David & Nora McCaffrey, Sallymills

Sallymills Handmade Foods won the Limerick City Enterprise Board main award at Limerick Business Week, the ‘Overall Entrepreneur of the Year 2008.’ This award completes the many awards and acclamations showered on this relatively new company over the last four years. The company was conceived in 2004, from again relatively humble beginnings, as a Saturday Milk Market Trader. Proprietors, David & Nora McCaffrey saw their hobby of home baking and confectionery blossom from preparing small quantities for sale in Saturday`s Market, to moving in to a Shannon Development unit in Crossagalla Industrial Estate, employing a team of five. “Café and restaurant owners visited our stand in the market and asked us to produce baking and confectionery for sale in their premises. We have built up a client list for a consistently quality product which is what our customers expect and receive,” said David. Now 80% of the business

is confectionary and desserts, including cakes for special occasions and catering for events. They also produce a range of traditional soda breads, scones and preserves making up the remaining 20%. “It was fabulous to win this prestigious award and both Nora and myself feel it is an acknowledgement of all the hard work by our staff and ourselves over the last four years. This is a great incentive to improve our services and products even further and to make Sallymills Handmade Products a household name. In 2006 we won the Best New Business Award, 2007 Best Manufacturing Award, 2008 Gold Medal in Confectionery at the Blás na hEireann food festival in Dingle, it has been a great four years.” said David. Both David & Nora`s background is far from the food industry but in many ways theirs backgrounds have complimented their now chosen direction. Nora is a graphic designer so her creative design for their logo, web site and product have been invaluable at the outset of the company and to-day. David is a manufacturing engineer and his skills have been an enormous asset to the company as it grows. www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROFILE

of The Year 2008 David has a family tradition in the flour milling industry. In times gone by, his family owned a floor mill in Rathangan, Co.Kildare called Sally Flax Mills, which was well renowned as a market leader of the day. Sallymills no longer mill flour and is now a protected building, but David and Nora have continued this tradition by calling their company Sallymills Handmade Foods. “The passion for the food, the product knowledge and the combination of both our skills and experience and professional qualifications is the successful recipe in our manufacturing business. We are continually searching for new products to improve our selection and the area of our handmade restaurant quality desserts continues to grow,” said David.

Sallymills have trade stands in both the University of Limerick, Students Union Courtyard, every Tuesday 12 5pm and also continue to be part of the Limerick Milk Market on Saturday mornings. We are very excited about the proposed new development plans for the Milk Market. We feel great loyalty to the Milk Market as it was there that we got our start in business. Our ambition is to play a greater part in the new Milk Market Development by establishing our own working bakery with retail shop and café. Extending the Saturday Market to a daily market will take time but I believe it’s a distinct possibility. Sallymills can benefit the new market concept with our skills, combined with those of the many local artisan producers of Limerick’ added David.

Sallymills Handmade Foods can be contacted on

061 318924, 086 82 18 746 or check out their new website:

www.sallymillsbakery.com

Nora has just completed their new website and they have introduced a most interesting and innovative idea. “Nora has developed the online presence for our business and introduced a service online allowing people to plan their special occasions throughout the year. It is a pre-book ‘Cake Planner’. It allows you to plan for those special occasions throughout the year. You enter the date and requirements of the occasion and we deliver on that special day to your house or chosen venue. www.businesslimerick.ie

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | NEWS

Launch of Unique Tourism & Travel Collection Minister for Defence Mr Willie O’ Dea TD was at the University of Limerick today to formally launch the Mc Anally Collection at the Glucksman Library. The collection is a library of Irish travel, topography and heritage literature spanning 400 years of publications and represents more than 50 years of dedicated work by the late solicitor and book collector Mr Ciarán Mc Anally. The collection ranges from 17th century material to present day guides and contains many original manuscripts and accounts of travel in Ireland. The Mc Anally Collection will add to existing UL Library holdings including the Norton Collection to form the most important resource on the history and development of tourism and travel within Ireland. The acquisition of this unique archive was made possible by a generous philanthropic donation by Dr Dermot Smurfit who is a Director of the University of Limerick Foundation. Professor Jim Deegan, Director of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies (NCTPS) at UL said “Since the establishment of the NCTPS we have endeavoured to develop a unique collection of tourism material at the University Library. This collection is a priceless acquisition for the University and, moreover, for Ireland as we can now be confident that a significant part of our heritage will be preserved in perpetuity. It will undoubtedly provide a vital research resource for our students and will provide the basis for significant scholarly works in the future”.

Speaking at the launch, the President of UL, Professor Don Barry said “the collection represents a unique research opportunity to enhance our understanding of the development of Travel in Ireland and it reinforces the status of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies as Ireland’s leading research institution on all facets of Irish Tourism”. The NCTPS and the Glucksman Library have very ambitious plans on how the numerous images and recollections of tourism contained in the Mc Anally Collection can be linked to future tourism development in Ireland. Professor Deegan outlined how the use of Information and Communications Technology would be adopted to bring the collection to life. This exciting development follows from work

which the NCTPS has been undertaking on behalf of Fáilte Ireland with Dr Martin Hayes of the Wireless Access Centre at UL whereby images, video and dialogue will be relayed to mobile phones. This would mean that in the future tourists will be able to source a great deal of the information from the Mc Anally collection directly by phone and as such the collection will provide a wealth of opportunities for the tourism industry across the country. Minister Willie O’ Dea congratulated the University of Limerick Foundation for its role in sourcing the philanthropic gift that made this possible and he also thanked the Mc Anally family for their contribution to the acquisition of this collection of very valuable books and manuscripts.

Minister Willie O'Dea, Dermot Surfit (Benefactor of the collection), Prof. Don Barry (UL president) & Imelda McAnally at the launch of the Mc Anally Collection at the Glucksman Library.

Top Uk Tour Operator Visits Limerick Key representatives from Shearings Holidays, one of the UK’s largest tour operators were in the Shannon Region this week as part of a familiarisation trip organised by Shannon Development and Tourism Ireland UK. Shearings carry almost 900,000 passengers in 2007 across its range of air, cruise, rail and coach tour holidays. Shannon Development is working closely with Shearings to help them grow their coach tours business to the Shannon Region. While in the Region the group visited Limerick city, Kings John’s Castle and Foynes Flying Boat Museum. Pictured during their visit to the Shannon Region are (far right) Sophie Cann, Product Manager Shearings, and Paul Mockler, Head of UK Tourism Marketing, Shannon Development, with senior sales staff from Shearings Holidays. 52

www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ................................ .............................................................................................. BL | NEWS

All Black and Red for Breakfast

Pictured at the announcement of the Munster Rugby All Blacks Breakfast Briefing which will take place in Thomond Park banqueting facilities on Monday 17th November are Mick O'Driscoll, Keith Earls, Kate Sheahen, St Gabriels Centre, Shaun Payne and Máire O’ Leary, CEO, St,.Gabriel’s Centre. All proceeds from the event will be donated to St Gabriel's Centre.

Rugby Fans have an opportunity to enjoy breakfast with some of the leading names in world rugby at the Munster Rugby Breakfast Briefing on Monday 17th November. New Zealand Coach Graham Henry and Munster Rugby’s Tony McGahan will be joined by senior players from both teams for a discussion over breakfast on a range of rugby issues. Steve Tormey, Sales and Marketing Director for Toyota will also give a presentation on the growth of sports sponsorship in the Irish market. The Breakfast Briefing will be held in the Thomond Park Stadium banqueting room and proceeds from the event will be donated to St Gabriel’s School and Centre, Dooradoyle. Glyn Billinghurst, Munster Rugby’s Sales & Marketing Manager outlined “The Breakfast Briefing will form a key part of the overall celebrations for the official opening of Thomond Park Stadium. This event will provide fans with a wonderful opportunity to listen to some of the leading rugby names in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere and hear the different perspectives of the coaches and players”. He added “there has been such a build up in anticipation of the Munster v New Zealand match that we felt it would be a good opportunity for members of the business community and supporters to meet and listen to Tony and Graham along with Steve Tormey from Munster’s main Sponsor, Toyota. The panel of coaches and players will deal with issues such as preparation, www.businesslimerick.ie

training and their general views on the world game. We are also delighted that this event will support St Gabriel’s School and Centre, and help raise funds for the great work they do in the provision of early intervention programmes, education and therapy services for up to 500 children and young adults with physical and sensory disabilities and special needs in the mid west region. The Breakfast Briefing will start with a presentation from Steve Tormey, Toyota’s Sales and Marketing Director, who will outline the role of sports sponsorship in modern business. Toyota are title sponsors of Munster Rugby and this year became one of the inaugural sponsors of the GAA Football Championship. This will be followed by a Question & Answer Session with Graham Henry, Tony McGahan and a number of senior players from both squads. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions in an open forum. The Munster Rugby Breakfast Briefing will take place in Thomond Park banqueting room on Monday 17th November from 7.30a.m. to 9.00a.m. Registration and breakfast will start from 7.30 a.m. followed by a Question & Answer Session.

Calling All Gourmands and Artisan Food Producers! Celebrity chef and Slow Food advocate Clodagh McKenna is coming to Limerick to join in on the first birthday celebrations of Slow Food Limerick & Region. The gourmet feast is being celebrated with a multi-course dinner tasting menu and expertly matched wines to follow in the steps of its renowned inaugural gourmet extravaganza also held at the Limerick classic Brasserie last November. This year's celebration dinner will copy the successful format of last year's launch event which was a record sell-out that attracted the attendance of local gourmands, artisan food producers and suppliers, many local dignitaries and also guest of honour, Darina Allen, who addressed the feasters warmly explaining the ethos and benefits of Slow Food. To secure your reservation for this unique event celebrating local and seasonal good food, please contact Market Square Brasserie on 061 316311.The gourmet 9 course dinner to be held at Market Square Brasserie on November 13th with carefully paired wines and a sparkling reception is €100 for nonmembers and €75 for members. Membership can be bought online in advance at www.slowfood.com

Tickets are available only from the Thomond Park Stadium Box Office on 061.421100 or online through the Munster Rugby website. Admission is by prepaid ticket only. Tickets for this event will cost €50 each or a table for 10 for €450. For more information visit www.munsterrugby.ie 53

.................................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

O&F News This Month Susan Mulvihill of Olio & Farina is delighted to bring to Business Limerick readers some easy yet satisfying recepies to keep the winter blues at bay! See page 11. O&F Limerick and Galway will be at The Great Irish Food Festival held in the Salthill Hotel, Salthill, Galway on Sunday 16th November from 2pm to 7pm. Cooking Demonstration is being held in O&F Galway on Friday 21st November, Wine and Food Appreciation is being held in O&F Limerick on Tuesday 25th November. Susan Mulvihill has been running the 1st O&F franchise in Ireland located at 2 Little Catherine Street Limerick for 3 years. You can visit Susan in the shop or contact her by mail limerick@olioefarina.com regarding this month's recipes or for any further information. Tel: 061-319133.

Susan Mulvihill, proprietor, Olio & Farina, 2 Little Catherine Street

‘Think Global – Not Local’ ‘Winning sales is the key to start-up success’ – that is the key message from an expert line up of speakers presenting on winning sales techniques to an audience of 200 entrepreneurs, sales professionals and investors at the 2nd MidWest Entrepreneur Showcase in Limerick. The Seminar and Showcase event is organised by the Enterprise Acceleration Centre (EAC) at Limerick Institute of Technology as part of Limerick City Business Week and consists of a half day Seminar and Showcase featuring clients of the EAC and the Limerick Enterprise Acceleration Platform (LEAP) participants. Launching the 2nd MidWest Entrepreneur Showcase, Mr. Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said , “While the only constant in today’s business environment is change, Irish Small and Medium sized companies have shown themselves to be remarkably adaptable in managing change. This flexibility and adeptness has been a crucial factor in the outstanding success of Irish enterprises. We have witnessed the emergence of Irish companies competing in global markets and forging ahead as market leaders and innovators in their sectors. “ Continued Mr. Ryan “Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a hugely significant contributor to local, regional and national economies. Our entrepreneurs are making real and valuable contributions 54

in every part of every county throughout the country - in terms of employment and innovative capacity, and through anchoring the social fabric of their respective localities.” Mr. Frank Hannigan, CEO of Yougetitback. com, speaking today about ‘Building a Global Footprint’ believes that companies who think globally are better positioned to survive than companies who think locally in terms of winning sales and developing products. He also believes that recessions have little impact on the success rate for start-ups. Said Mr. Hannigan “Inputs cost less and there is still demand for good services and products. In spite of all the bad news around a global recession and availability of funds, we should not lose heart. There are billions of dollars in Venture funds. They only make a profit if they can spend that money investing in smart start ups. If the ideas are good enough institutional investors still have to invest.” The objective of this year’s MidWest Entrepreneur Showcase event is to present entrepreneurs with key techniques, tools and real life experiences on how to win sales in order to drive the development of early stage businesses from start-up to international business success. Mr. Graham Royce, Manager of the LEAP Programme said today, “The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for 2007 saw the level of entrepreneurial activity in

Ireland increase from 7.4% to 8.2%, which demonstrates that our focus on supporting innovative start-up businesses and maximising their growth potential is starting to bear fruit. Ireland remains to the fore in terms of entrepreneurial activity in the EU. In order to sustain growth in the sector, incubator centres such as the Enterprise Acceleration Centre at LIT need to continue to develop crucial links with the business community and the Government agencies such as Enterprise Ireland who assist businesses to attain HPSU (High Potential Start-Up) status and gain access to financial supports such CORD (Commercialisation of Research & Development) funding. With offices all over the world, EI is critical to providing the support network required to help these businesses to succeed on the global stage.” Companies exhibiting at the Showcase include Off We Go Publishing, the Limerick based publishing company founded by Avril Webster who will be taking the opportunity to launch the company’s website www. offwego.ie Emutex, founded by Limerick software engineers John Twomey and Mark Burkley who recently received CORD funding from Enterprise Ireland and are currently developing licensable software ingredients for wireless office telephony products with products in the pipeline for 2009 and Resourcekraft, supplier of sophisticated energy management systems and identified as a High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) by Enterprise Ireland. www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | MARKETING

Old Friends Are Best Managing Customer Relationships The marked slowdown in the economy has prompted many companies to revaluate the way they do their business. During the Celtic Tiger era many companies simply presumed on an insatiable market demand and a culture of “take it or leave it” prevailed. Focus is rapidly shifting from fast transaction-based acquisitions towards the building of lasting business relationships.

Relationship Marketing The objective of relationship marketing is to turn customers into regularly purchasing clients and to progressively develop bonds, thus changing them into loyal supporters and ultimately strong advocates of the company. Relationship Marketing sees the quality of the customer base as the company’s true assets. The true value of customer retention compounds, often unnoticed, over time. The initial cost of customer acquisition is extremely expensive. This includes the costs incurred from sales prospecting, advertising, marketing and client setup costs. It takes five times the effort to create a new customer than it does to maintain an existing one. Should customer tenure be brief, recouping these costs may make the relationship extremely unprofitable. CRM databases have become an accepted means of tracking customers and anticipating their purchasing patterns - but this flow of information does not improve loyalty unless the company acts upon the information.

The Economics of Loyalty Let us analyse the cumulative cost savings over a period of time: Whilst the base profit may remain constant, as the relationship with the customer lengthens, company profits can almost double through retaining every additional 5% of customers. Gaining a deeper understanding of the client’s requirements allows producers to become very efficient. When dealing with a stable customer base, companies are in a better position to judge the exact amount of retained stock required. Customers, in turn, learn how to use their suppliers system more efficiently and thus mutual savings are made.

Annual Customer Profit

Traditional accountancy practice has developed reporting systems that focus on profitability on a year-to-year basis. Conventional asset appraisal makes little distinction between sales revenue from long-term loyal customers and that from new customers. Customer acquisition has often been treated as a current expense rather than an investment over the lifetime of the customer. Investors inherently monitor the size of a company’s market share but rarely scrutinise the quality of their customer base.

The Leaking Bucket The acquisition and retention of customers has often been likened to pouring liquid into a business bucket that has a hole in its base. When businesses are running well the hole is small. When the operation is weak and customers are less satisfied, existing customers fall out of the business a faster rate than the new customers being poured in to replace them. If we accept that Profitability Through Loyalty existing customers provide greater profitability than REFERRALS newly acquired customers, then the replacement of PREMIUM PRICE new for old, while seemingly retaining the same size of CROSS SELLING customer base, amounts to a haemoraghing of the COST EFFICIENCIES businesses profits. BASE PROFIT

Profitability would appear to be dependent on customer ACQUISITION COST YEAR contact time. If a customer Source: Reicheld (1996) The Loyalty Effect defects prematurely it to lead to a financial loss. Thus, Revenue growth can be further enhanced the strategy of retaining loyal customers through cross-selling opportunities and provides a greater long-term dividend to cost savings caused by economies of the company. Businesses should seriously scale. With the passing of time customer consider a strategy of actively seeking out loyalty increases. Consumers tend to groups of inherently loyal customers, and become less price-sensitive and so are focusing on satisfying their needs, at the willing to pay a premium price. Yet further cost of excluding the mainstream. The savings are made when loyal customers adage “old friends are best” is grounded become Ambassadors –acting as a in sound commercial sense. 1

QED

MARKETING SOLUTIONS

Telephone: 061 - 357 858 Mobile: 086 8190890 Email: eamon@qedmarketingsolutions.com www.businesslimerick.ie

powerful “hidden sales force” by endorsing the company’s products to people of similar mindset. Not only is a referral a more cost-effective form of customer acquisition, research indicates that referred customers are also potentially more loyal.

Knowledge is Vital in Business Eamon Dillon, MMII(Grad.) MBA 55

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | NEWS

Young Boss Launches Big Boss Events Big Boss Events Ltd. is the newest event management and promotion company to hit Limerick City. Founded by local entrepreneur 20 year old Philip Geraghty, this is an enthusiastic young business that brings the party to you. Big Boss Events works on the principle of bringing its clients the best in music and entertainment that there is to find. Partnering with leading hotels, retailers and entertainment venues in Limerick City, the young Company plans to cater for all markets but right now is focusing on the student market (ages 13 to 25) offering tailor made debs and college ball packages, college student nights and school discos. Unique events such as Monday Night Madness, targeted at college students, are planned for Limerick City during November. Monday Night Madness has proved to be a huge success in other towns around the country including Ballybunion in Co. Kerry and in a first for Limerick City, the event will consist of many fun, interactive games including Rock, Paper, Scissors and Celebrity Matchmaking. Philip began his business career at the age of 16 and has been organizing events since then whilst working towards the development of his business idea for Big Boss Events, which currently employs six people part-time. Said Philip, “Organizing events is something I am very passionate about and I wanted to create a business which offered something different in the marketplace. Right now, we are focusing on the student market

Philip Geraghty, Big Boss Managmenet.

and we are working closely with schools and colleges to provide tailor made debs and college ball packages and unique events for school and college students in the City. We will do everything from organizing the food to booking the DJ. Our debs package inlcudes discounts for students with retailers around the City for dresses, tuxedos etc. which are included in a voucher booklet exclusive to Big Boss Events. Our aim is to be as creative as possible and to offer unique events with a ‘twist’. “ Philip is an active player with Old Crescent RFC and has played golf competitively for Limerick. Continued Philip, “We work closely with the schools and colleges to ensure that events are properly coordinated and organized to ensure peace

of mind for students and parents alike.” “I am also passionate about Limerick City and believe that it is totally under utilized as a venue for larger events. I see no reason why we shouldn’t compete with other towns and cities around Ireland on this level and in the future, I would hope that Big Boss Events can play a part in bringing the next ‘mini Oxygen’ or ‘Green Energy style’ festival to Limerick,” concluded Philip. Monday Night Madness will take place on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th of November in Scotts Bar Limerick. For further details of these events and others including the Big Boss Events Halloween school disco event on the 29th of October, log onto www. bigbossevents.ie or www.bebo.com/Ibiza_ Club_Nights or contact Big Boss Events on 087 743 6548 or phil_gera@hotmail.com.

UCD Smurfit School Amongst Top 20 In Europe UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School has been ranked 19th in Europe and 61st in the world by the Financial Times ranking of the world’s top 100 Executive part-time MBA programmes, to be published Mon, 27th October 2008. Once again, the Financial Times ranking lists the school as the only Irish business school amongst the top 100 business schools in the world, up from 88th place in 2007. This year, the School has also been ranked 16th in Europe and 40th in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit's ranking of the world’s top 100 fulltime MBA programmes and 38th in the world by the Financial Times Masters in Management ranking. 56

Results for the Financial Times Executive MBA programme at UCD Smurfit School reveal an increase in average graduate salaries of seventy-three percent in the three years since graduation. Professor Tom Begley, Dean of UCD Smurfit School, commented on the results today saying: “We are delighted to be the only Irish business school ranked in the top 100 in the world by the Financial Times. We will continue to devote resources to making UCD Smurfit School a centre of excellence in business education globally. Steps being taken to achieve this level of excellence

include an innovative new MBA curriculum and a continued emphasis on attracting the best quality students.” As part of UCD Smurfit School’s international strategy, the school has benchmarked itself against the best schools globally over the last ten years. UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is one of only 25 schools in the world and is the only Irish School to hold the ‘triple crown’ of accreditation from the three centres of business and academic excellence –EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB. For further information on these rankings log onto ft.com or economist.com. www.businesslimerick.ie

..... ....................................................................................... BL | RECRUITMENT

Performance Evaluation It’s that time of the year again, when many of us have completed or are preparing for our annual performance appraisal. But, why is it important that we take this exercise seriously? And why is it crucial that we should prepare accordingly? . Performance evaluation serves a number of purposes in organisations. Management uses evaluations for general human resource decisions. Evaluations provide input into important decisions such as promotions or reward allocations and also identify training and development needs. They also fulfill the purpose of providing feedback to employees on how the organisation views their performance.

These include the following: 1. There is a high demand on supervisors to know what all subordinates are doing, which is time-consuming. 2. Standards and ratings may vary widely and often unfairly as some raters are tough, some more lenient. 3. Personal values and bias can sometimes replace organisational standards. 4. It may be difficult for the supervisor to give negative feedback; therefore he/ she may give average ratings to inferior performers. 5. Performance evaluation ratings can boomerang: negative feedback (i.e. criticism) can cause the employee to perform worse.

Lee-Ann Enright Lee-Ann Enright is a Consultant with la crème in Limerick and specialises in the successful placement of office

Each of these functions of performance evaluation is important. In order to maximise employee motivation, the objectives that employees are expected to achieve should be clear and a favourable performance evaluation should lead to rewards that they value. Who should do the evaluating, however? The obvious answer would seem to be the employee’s immediate boss. However, peer evaluations can also be reliable sources of appraisal data: daily interactions provide them with a comprehensive view of an employee’s performance. Furthermore, a boss can offer only a single evaluation, but peers can provide multiple appraisals. On the downside, peers may be reluctant to evaluate one another and biases based on friendship or animosities are possible. Self evaluations are currently increasingly popular; they tend to lessen employees’ defensiveness about the appraisal process and they stimulate job performance discussions between employees and their supervisors. Another recent approach to performance evaluations is the use of 360-degree evaluations. These provide feedback from the full circle of daily contacts that an employee might have (customers, bosses, and peers) and are in common use in American organisations. There are, however, common pitfalls associated with performance evaluations. www.businesslimerick.ie

How then, can Performance Evaluations be improved? Although there are no procedures that will guarantee accurate performance evaluations, the following suggestions can significantly help to make the process more objective and fair. It is recommended that managers be trained in how to conduct constructive feedback sessions. An action plan (with clear objectives) should be agreed with the employee. The necessary support (training and development needs) should also be agreed. It is important to emphasise the employee’s job-relevant behaviour in the course of a performance evaluation, rather than character traits.

support staff across all sectors within the Midwest region.

For further information please contact Lee-Ann Enright la crème, 98 Henry St, Limerick t. 061 430939 e. lenright@lacreme.ie.

www.lacreme.ie

An effective review - one in which the employee perceives the appraisal as fair, the objectives as clear, and the climate as constructive can result in the employee being informed about the performance areas in which he or she needs to improve, and determined to correct any suggested deficiencies. This can often best be accomplished by allowing the review to evolve out of the employee’s own self-evaluation.

la crème is a division of Premier Group. 57

............................................................................................................................. .... BL | RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH

Moy House, standing proud in its majestic splendour overlooking Lahinch Bay was our destination for November’s restaurant of the month. Moy House was built in the mid eighteenth century as a dwelling house for the then landlord, Sir Augustine Fitzgerald and set on 15 acres in one of the most picturesque locations in West Clare.

It has been gently brought into the twenty-first century retaining its classical charm, it oozes charisma and ambience, blending tastefully with today’s luxury requirements. On entering into this elegant country house, we closed the door and left the challenges of to-days world firmly outside. We were greeted by Emily Keating, Assistant Manager, who led us through their splendid reception hall with a blazing open fireplace and down to the most impressive conservatory restaurant. The view here is breathtaking, the Cliffs of Moher, Lisscannor, and Lahinch across the bay. There is a wonderful welcoming presence here, a most intimate restaurant catering for thirty diners in exquisite surrounds. Crisp white linen table cloths, silver candelabras, romantic lighting blending with period furniture creating this perfect moment in time. Emily was a very capable host, most knowledgeable as she introduced us to their fine menu.

We started with Flash Fried Scallops, Caramelized Pork Belly, Cauliflower Cream, Crispy Shellfish Ravioli, Crabmeat Risotto, Sauce de lá Mér, Confit Rabbit & Duck Terrine, Orange & Vanilla Essence, Petit Salad, Pan-seared Foie Gras, Raisin & Apple Compôte, Apple Jús. Main Course Rack of Suckling Pig, Crisp Bok Choi & Bell Pepper Salad, Pickled Shitakes, Soy Dressing, Wild Fillet of Turbot, Provencal of Mediterranean Vegatables, Herb Scented Polenta, Light Garlic Jús, Sirloin of Hereford Beef, Wild Sauté Mushrooms, Parsnip Purée, Pepper Sauce, Roasted Monkfish Tail, Asian Style Vegetables, Black Tiger Prawns, Thai Red Curry Foam. 58

Desert: Homemade Lemon Tart, Vanilla Ice- Cream, Selection of Irish Cheeses, Mixed Seed Crackers, Pickled Pear Chutney, Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake, Swiss Chocolate Ice-Cream.

An excellent meal created by a most accomplished chef Daniel O'Brien, in his unique style of modern Irish cuisine with French and World influences. His artistic abilities were to the fore with his wonderful presentation of superb dishes. The service was excellent, friendly and efficient. The restaurant here has been highly commended by many restaurant guides including the Georgina Campbell Ireland guide, and it is of little wonder with the standard of cuisine at this high level. Brid O’Meara is the General Manager and is responsible for the excellent attention to detail in this smooth run operation. It was a most enjoyable evening in Moy House and we can highly recommend it to Business Limerick readers. Moy House is also a member of the exclusive Irelands Blue Book of elegant luxury accommodation and fine dinning in Country House Hotels, Manor Houses and Castles. Telephone 065 708 28 00 to secure your place at this fine table or check out their website @ www.moyhouse.com. www.businesslimerick.ie

..... .................................................................................... BL | NEWS

SFI/Dell 'Young Women in Engineering' Scholarship Awards Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD announced the winners of the 2008 Science Foundation Ireland/Dell Young Women in Engineering Scholarship Awards and announced details of the 2009 Scholarship competition at a ceremony in Dublin on October 23rd, 2008. These awards aim to encourage more female students into engineering as an undergraduate degree and future career. Presenting the ten winners (full list below) with their scholarships, each valued at €20,000, the Tánaiste said 'It is essential, particularly in the current economic climate, that we continue to foster an interest in science and engineering among students. The reality is that within science and, specifically, engineering as a discipline, women have been underrepresented. If not fittingly addressed in the long-term, this could hinder our global competitiveness. The SFI/Dell Women in Engineering Scholarship, now in its third year, has been a shining example of how collaboration between industry, Government and our young citizens can bring about a dynamic partnership that yields results.' The scholarship package comprises an annual award of €2,000, a Dell Precision M20 notebook computer, together with the assistance and support of a research active mentor throughout their undergraduate career and the opportunity to spend summers in a research internship in university or industry. The Tánaiste said it was timely that this scholarship ceremony was taking place against the background of Budget 2009: 'Budget 2009 saw the Government reiterating its commitment to engineering and scientific research, with over €300

million capital funding announced for the continued implementation of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) 2006-2013, of which €179million will be allocated to SFI.' The Tánasite added 'This Government remains firmly focused on creating a worldclass scientific and engineering base here in Ireland and it is our collective hope that the scholarship recipients will, indeed, be spurred on from their success here today to further explore the potential and opportunities offered by engineering.' General Manager of Dell, Mr. Dermot O'Connell, said: 'Now more than ever we need to attract young people and young women into the engineering field. For Ireland to maintain its competitiveness in the future and for it to be a true Knowledge Economy we need a workforce qualified in the sciences, technology and engineering. Initiatives and partnerships like this are vitally important if we are to communicate to students, before they make their career choices, the wealth of opportunities that a career as an engineer offers.' Speaking at the Award Ceremony, DirectorGeneral of SFI, Prof Frank Gannon, said; 'Strategic SFI linkages such as this, involving industry and the educational sector, form an essential part of our role in supporting research excellence in Ireland. Furthermore, the recent extension of SFIâ€™s remit into energy research reflects growth future opportunities in this sector, where engineering skills will be required more than ever. We are excited about the new opportunities that have presented themselves in this area, and are confident that the next generation of engineers and scientists will play an active role in pushing the boundaries of discovery into the future.'

Winners of: Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD with the 2008 Science Foundation Ireland/Dell Young Women in Engineering Scholarship Awards Winners: Emma Tarpey, Leah McCabe, Prof Frank Gannon, Director General, SFI ,Stephanie Quinn, Anna Killeen, Justine Forkin, Carol Murphy, Marie Kane, Dermot O'Connell, General Manager Dell, Ireland; Grace Burke, Saorlaith Shuibhne and Niamh Nash. www.businesslimerick.ie 59

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . BL | NEWS

www.athearoadrace.com Launch Athea Road Race Club announced the launch of its newly designed website. Conor Harnett, Club Chairman stated that it should be of great interest to our sponsors and supporters in the Munster Region. This launch coincides with the third anniversary of one of the greats of Road Racing - Richard Britton RIP and there is a Tribute page dedicated to Richard in their website along with tributes to other road racing greats! Since its formation in 2002 Athea Road Races has gone from strength to strength with local gardai estimating over 20,000 people attending this year's event. The Athea Club have now made this event a permanent fixture on the National Road Racing Calendar.

A huge amount of work goes into organising such an event, with great support being received at all times from Officials of MCUI, clubs members, gardai, scruitineers, medics and of course all the marshals and crowd control people who without their participation, our event would not be possible. Safety has always been a major priority with the club, and in 2007, they introduced the idea of purchasing synthetic bales. These were welcomed by all of the clubs as well as they being a superior form of safety, it is hoped over time they will help reduce each clubs annual bills. Athea's commitment to the riders is foremost and they focus on having one of the largest Prize Funds in the South.

Sponsorship comes from both Local and National companies, large and small and the introduction of Quinn Direct as a Major Sponsor in 2007 was indeed a great achievement for the club. This year saw the inaugural showing of Athea Road Races on Setanta Ireland with a possible viewing capacity of hundreds of thousands. This again shows the advancement of the event and are hoping to sell copies of their DVD later in the year. Athea Road Race Club wish to thank Alan Armstrong, Richard Toolan, Jimmy McQuigan, Adrian O'Donovan, Brendan Lennon (biker.ie) and anyone else who in any way that has helped them to create this web site. A Special Thanks to Eamon at EMDZINE.COM who has worked tirelessly over the last few weeks putting this together. A big thank you to James (JJ) Kelly who made his dream of bringing motorcycle road racing to the South West of Ireland come true, Connie Herbert who achieved what he set out to do, which was to put Athea on the map and for everyone else who in any way has made this possible. With over 300 photos, an on-board the circuit video clip with John Burrows and many features and links, you can enjoy browsing through the web pages ... Athea Road Races "...where people experience the need to see speed...! "

Margaret Carroll (Club Secretary) and Joanne Kelly Walsh (Race Secretary), Athea Road Race

Cork International Airport Hotel Just a short stroll from Cork International Airport – via a specially created walkway which connects the airport terminal to the hotel - and located in Cork Airport Business Park, Cork International Airport Hotel is a unique 150 bedroom four star hotel with striking aviation-themed interior and avant-garde design that help to set it apart from anything else in the Irish market. Furthermore, from the specially imported trees which line the entrance to the hotel to the carefully created one-off pieces which have been specifically chosen to celebrate the rich heritage in modern aviation history, the Cork International Airport Hotel is a hotel that will leave a lasting impression on all those who pass through its doors. 60

The hotel’s uniqueness is clearly visible in the Pullman Lounge a specially designed comfort zone for hotel guests in need of some relaxation while waiting for a flight. The Pullman Lounge allows guests the luxury of booking their very own chair – even for one hour - in which they can pass the time enjoying music via personal headphones, watch DVDs or TV, get the latest flight information, check emails or just ease away those aches and pains in a leather massage chair. The Pullman Lounge even has shower facilities to allow visitors to freshen up in advance of their flight.

the aviation theme through to the hotel bedrooms, which come in Economy Class (standard), Business Class (executive) and First Class (suites). So, like the very best airlines, Cork International Airport Hotel offers rooms to suit the different needs and tastes of its guests, ensuring that all enjoy their stay. Cork International Airport Hotel Cork Airport Cork, Ireland Tel: +353 21 454 9800 Fax: +353 21 454 9999

No stone has been left unturned as Cork International Airport Hotel has brought www.businesslimerick.ie

. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BL | ARTRITE

‘Limerick Printmakers’ with Mark Whelan Kate Wrixon graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design as a printmaker in 2001, and after hold various positions in administration in different fields, become Arts Administrator of the Limerick Printmakers in January

“When one graduated as a printmaker before 1999, one had to leave Limerick in order to produce work, there were simply no provisions in Limerick for the Printmaker. I am glad to say 1999 saw inspirational and courageous steps been taken by Melissa,

“2009 is LPS’ tenth anniversary and we have major shows to celebrate this event, among the events being planned are a two man show by Jack Donovan and Martin Finnan, and a members show selected by Sinead Dineen of MI.

of this year. Limerick Printmakers was set up by three graduates of LSAD in 1999: Melissa O’Brien, Claire Boland, and Kari Fri, with grant aid from the Limerick Enterprise Board in the form of £12,000. It was set up Kate tells me as a facility to provide a workspace for printers, to provide a platform to showcase the work of Printmakers locally and nationally.

Claire, and Kari. Limerick Printmakers received their first revenue funding from the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaion in 2003, and they have been supporting us since. From October 30th to November 20th we will show ‘Breach Of Contract’. It is a collaborative work by Des Mac Mahon and Derek O Sullivan. We are also planning our Christmas members show for December for 2008

Long standing members include Fiona Quail, Dave Lilburn, Gavin Hogg, Sinead O Reilly, to name but a very few of LPS’ list of prestigious members,” stated Kate.

Call For Submissions Issue 10 of Revival

Exhibition of Paintings by Brian Mc Mahon and EJ Peters

Revival Poetry Journal is calling for submissions from local, national and international poets for the next issue which will be published in Limerick, Jan 2009. The deadline for submissions is: Issue 10 is the 30th Nov 2008. Email: revivalpress@eircom.net or 2008revival@gmail.com. Submission guidelines: www.revivalpress.ie. Mark Whelan is a Limerick born poet. He is a co-founder and on-going committee member of Cuisle: Limerick City International Poetry Festival. www.businesslimerick.ie

Thinkk Creative host a two man show by long time established artists and collaborative duo; Brian Mc Mahon and EJ Peters. Brian and EJ have long been associated with organising exhibitions both in Limerick, but also further a field, Tipperary Town, Dublin, many of which proved to be quite successful namely the twice yearly open exhibition held in the Halla Ide space, now sadly gone. Their latest exhibition opens at the Thinkk Creative Gallery in Cecil Street, run by Keith Kerley on Thursday November 27th at 8.pm. and runs until Saturday December 20th 2008.

Limerick Printmakers gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaion.

THE CLOUDS AT PLAY Oh yes, he managed to get up today. Even if he dies moving from one place to another, it¹s better than to stay in bed. Above the forest¹s ridge, the sky is stalemate as I speak, half blue, half grey. Oh yes, he managed to get up today. I¹ve been reading the records. He didn't deserve what happened him, no matter what they say. The clouds are pictures from a children's book whose colours have resolved themselves in grey. He was not involved in it, just in the way. We'll pursue this matter further some time soon. It's wonderful to watch the clouds at play I see toes, a flock of sheep, and a dog¹s head. And yes, he managed to get up today. CIARAN O'DRISCOLL Ciaran has published five books of poetry and a book of memoirs and is a co-founder and ongoing Cuisle committee member. 61

............................................................................................... BL | ARTS

"Rugby" The Popular side’ Art Exhibition by Ger Mallen

Tripod is an exciting exhibition with a difference. Artist Victor Bradshaw, sculptor Geoff Raleigh and photographic artist Billy Hayes have come together to the Georgian House to Exhibit their most recent works. This exhibition is well worth a viewing as this display of artistry represents an honest insight into the creative talents of these three well known Limerick artists. In a recent interview with Victor Bradshaw, he said he was really looking forward to this exhibition. “The Georgian House is a special place, it’s a place for the heart of the artist – people who express art from the heart. Painting is something I am compelled to do. An image that you have created in your mind, suddenly appears physically on your canvass.” Tripod is an exhibition from the heart, not to be missed! Tuesday 11th – 25th Nov 2008

Limerick born Artist Ger Mallen is holding his first solo art exhibition at Istabraq Hall, City Hall, Limerick, from the 8th to the 21st November. “Rugby - The Popular Side” will be an exhibition presented in various medium including acrylic, pencil, ink, conte and charcoal. Paintings will include The High King (Paul O’Connell), Stand Up & Fight, Thomond Park 1978, Hook & Pope RFC, Dodo Reddan, Clubs of Limerick Rugby, Richard Harris, Michael Galvin and many more past and present legends of Munster, Irish and Limerick Rugby. Cartoons will include Woody, Paul O’Connell, John Hayes, Gerry McLoughlin’s famous try in Twickenham and ‘Je suis un Prop’ featuring Peter Clohessy. The exhibition will also feature two large cartoon versions of the haka featuring Doug Howlett and a surprise player! A step by step instruction for a child or the young at heart to try their hand at drawing their favourite player will be provided. Ger a past pupil of CBS, Sexton Street and Crescent College Comprehensive Limerick grew up in Woulfe Tone Street, Limerick and spent his young years going to Thomond Park for Munster Senior Cup matches, where unfortunately his local team Young Munster were usually on the receiving end of a defeat by Shannon. Ger often wondered if he rather Richard Harris who was the ‘jinx!!!’. He recalls on the day of Young Munster’s All-Ireland league triumph, not only did he not travel to the match, he avoided the radio and all news of it, pacing around the People’s park until the game was over, but joy of joy when the cup was won and the fans spilled out from the train station and straight into Charlie St. George’s. Colourful characters such as Dodo Reddan were a part of his childhood along with Ginger McLoughlin, Brendan Foley, Colm Tucker and Tony Ward. Unlike so many who claim to have been there on that wonderful day, he wound up in Thomond for the All-Blacks game in 1978

as a member of Sam Benson’s Boherbouy Youth Band, ot exactly understand what all the fuss was about at the time. Ger who now works as fireman in Cork hopes the exhibition will offer a unique glimpse into part of his native city’s unique heritage and culture and hopes that the people who are kind enough to attend will find something to enjoy, perhaps something that sparks a memory or brings a smile. He has carried out commissions of the 1982 Triple Crown Winning team and the 1978 Munster team for the legends of Rugby dinner held by Newbridge RFC. In addition he has completed a number of private commissions. The Exhibition is free and open to the public during regular business hours Monday – Friday 10:00am - 17:00pm including lunchtime. It will be open on Saturday 8th November from 10.00am to 2.00pm and again on Monday the 17th November until 8pm. A percentage of proceeds of the sale of paintings will go to the Injured Rugby Players fund in Ireland.

Majella O'Neill Collins Exhibition: BODY OF WATER

29th Nov - 23rd Dec

West Cork Arts Centre, North St, Skibbereen, Co. Cork

Tel: 028 - 22090, Fax: 028 - 23237, Email: westcorkarts@eorcom.net 62

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | ARTS

Colin Fry Colin Fry experienced his first message from beyond the grave at the age of ten and began his work as a medium aged seventeen. His extraordinary powers as a medium and psychic were recognised by many people in the spiritualist movement, including the great Doris Stokes. Eventually, with their encouragement he turned fully professional. This move was prompted by the sad death of his stepbrother, with whom he had been especially close. Through his television series, ‘6ixth Sense’, and subsequently through theatre appearances in the UK, Ireland and around the world, Colin has forged a particularly close relationship with a wider public. He enjoys a huge following and his regular public demonstrations play to sell-out houses. In these shows, he regularly astounds individual audience members with the accuracy and prescience of the messages that he offers from the spirit world. These messages will frequently cause tears, followed a moment later by laughter. So much so that after the demonstration it is not unusual to hear the comment, ‘He has changed my life!’

Colin takes his work very seriously, but likes to perform with a light touch. As he says at the beginning of every demonstration, ‘Uncross your arms to release your energy, and for God’s sake, smile.’ This approach helps to make the experience of a Colin Fry performance quite unique and intensely theatrical – he is after all, quite literally, dealing with matters of life and death. Apart from his solo theatre work, Colin Fry also works with other mediums. Most recently these include Derek Acorah as well as T J Higgs, with whom he is currently touring. He also stars, along with T J Higgs, in the television series, ‘Psychic Private Eyes’. Along with Derek Acorah and T J Higgs, Colin will be performing next year, as one of ‘The Three Mediums’, this will also be filmed, to become a celebrity-laden television special when they perform at London’s Hammersmith Apollo Theatre. University Concert Hall, Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th November at 8pm

Colin Fry

European Opera Centre Inaugral Visit To Limerick with Offenbach Double Bill Talented young singers from the European Opera Centre arrive at LIT Millennium Theatre on Friday 14th November with the Irish premiere of Offenbach’s rarely heard opera, Un Mari a la Porte, together with a delightful short work, Les Fables de la Fontaine. Jacques Offenbach, regarded as the “Father of Operetta” and dubbed by Rossini as “The Mozart of the ChampsElysées” is probably best known for his final composition, The Tales of Hoffman together with his earlier work Orpheus in the Underworld. Un Mari a la Porte (A Husband at the Door), however, is a sparkling one act operetta concerned only with a Lady with a Secret - A young man, Florestan, has fallen down the chimney into Suzanne’s bedroom on her wedding day where she has locked herself- with her best friend Rosita- after a tiff with her husband-towww.businesslimerick.ie

be Martel, the local Bailiff. Martel is at the door seeking reconciliation but how are she and Rosita going to keep the presence of the intruder a secret? To add to the intrigue, the Bailiff is currently chasing Florestan! A highly talented young cast – including both singers and actors - from France and Spain has been rehearsing for this staging by the French actor/director, Bernard Rozet. Musical preparation is by Laurent Pillot – the Director the Opera Studio at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; both will accompany the cast to Limerick for this preview performance before the work is recorded and performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra as one of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture events. The evening also gives us the chance to hear Offenbach’s settings of the charming and amusing Les Fables De La Fontaine (Fables of La Fontaine). Both the performances will be costumed dramatisations,

accompanied by Nicolai Krügel from Munich on piano. The European Opera Centre, currently based in Liverpool during the city’s European Capital of Culture year, provides practical training for singers and other young Europeans intending to develop a career in opera. Since its launch in 1997, the Centre has attracted trainees from 33 European countries many of whom have gone on to take leading roles in major opera houses. University Concert Hall is delighted to welcome the EOC to Limerick as part of the venue’s own ongoing support and assistance for the development of the Opera art-form in Ireland. LIT Millennium Theatre Friday 14th November at 8pm

.................................................................................................................................... BL | HEALTH & WELLBEING

The Living for the City Project The Living for the City Project is a fundraising project that is the brainchild of Niall Colgan, creative director of Belissimo. The goal of the project is to raise significant funds for the Limerick Youth Service. This will be achieved through 5 fundraising events, the final one being the Joey Hannon Triathlon in May 2009. A team of 20 have been selected for the Dave Sheahan Triathlon Team from total beginners to international triathletes. Niall himself had not exercised for years until he took me on as his personal trainer in August. Lisa Horgan on the other hand is an international triathlete. A strict training programme has been designed for all the triathletes. I have consulted with each of the triathletes and designed specific and personalised training, nutrition and supplement programmes. Lisa Horgan is giving up her time to do swimming lessons a few times per week and her husband Eamonn Horgan is giving cycling lessons. During the week there are swims, cycles and runs

organised for the group and on Sundays at 12 I do a flexibilty session with the team in the studio in Dave Sheahan Gym in Windmill Street Limerick. Also there is a spinning and ab class combo on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 6.15am - 8am in Dave Sheahan Gym. I have also given free membership to my facilities to each member of the triathlon team. Halfords were kind enough to supply Niall with his bicycle. Specsavers and Adrenalin Sports owned by a member of the triathlon team, Chris McGill are providing the team with full kit and bags. UL have given special rates to all triathletes for use of the 50m swimming pool. So this event is not being taken lightly and expect to see 20 fantastic achievements in May 2009. Niall is leading the way at the moment and proving to be an inspiration to the others having lost nearly 3 stone and 8% bodyfat. He has strictly adhered to his programme and is training twice a day on some occasions.

Dave's Monthly Advice: 7 Weeks to Christmas As you are reading this there will be approximately 7 weeks to Christmas. Around this time people start making the excuse that they might as well wait until the New Year to get into a routine, that there is no point now. What is the point if there will probably be many parties, nights out and organising Christmas itself? Of course there is a point. Certainly take a break over Christmas for a few days and enjoy yourself but on the lead up to it keep a good routine. You just have to work around nights out, shopping etc. Always remember there are 24 hours in a day and there will always be an opportunity to even do 20 minutes of exercise a few times a week.

Regarding food there is no need for it to fall by the wayside. Generally keep a good routine and if you have something to go to just be better during that day. Another point is that 7 weeks is plenty of time to see a good difference in your shape so why not achieve that, then enjoy Christmas and get back on track in the New Year. At least then you will have progressed, possibly gone back a little and rectify it in a week or two. This would be much better than for the weeks before going backwards, then disimproving further during Christmas and then having a mountain to climb in January. Quit the excuses and use the fact that there are 7 weeks left as a motivation instead.

Tel: 061 061 424936 424936 Tel: web :: www.davesheahan.ie www.davesheahan.ie web email :: davesheahan@davesheahan.ie davesheahan@davesheahan.ie email

Exercise Tip: Importance of Your Torso People often forget the importance of the torso. When you think about it everything you do involves the torso. However most people don’t use it correctly when exercising. When doing aerobic exercise it is very important to hold your body upright by tightening the whole midsection and lower back. Otherwise you will slouch and cause back pain. When doing weights you are increasing your chance of injury if you are not using your torso correctly. You will not be standing in the correct position, you will bend your back a lot and basically you will be unable to do exercises correctly. At all times keep the midsection and lower back contracted and tight. Do exercises to tighten these areas also like crunches and back extensions.

Inspirational Quote : “There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either IN or you’re OUT. There’s no such thing as life in-between.”

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | SPORT

A New Dawn At Beautiful Thomond Park with Mal Keaveney BUILT inside 20 months for a budgeted €40 million, the new 26,000 capacity Thomond Park, designed by AFL, is a wonderful sporting arena that adds immensely to Limerick’s international recognition as a centre-of sporting excellence, both on an off the field. It was always hoped that the famed venue would retain its fortress-like quality, which certainly appears to be the case. The terracing remains, as do four giant cornered floodlights and even those in the 15,000 new seats in the two covered stands will be close to the action. The venue also has major conferencing facilities, a host of corporate boxes, plenty of eateries/ bars and a players’ area. “I don’t think supporters are going to change too much over a year – there is still going to be a lot of bitterness and stuff when people go to games. We’ve very knowledgeable supporters here. I’m hopeful and pretty confident the atmosphere will be retained.” Commented Munster hooker Jerry Flannery ahead of its opening. Unquestionably, the new venue is strikingly impressive, delivered on time and within budget, which owes much to its Development Committee headed-up by IRFU committee member Pat Whelan, a hooker on the fabled side that beat the All-Blacks at the venue in 1978, a former Irish player and manager. And, given that it was delivered in such a punctual manner one must not forget that the IRFU had to engage in serious negotiations to purchase 13 privately owned homes at Knockalisheen Road. The main project contract was awarded to PJ Hegarty, while the design was

www.businesslimerick.ie

the responsibility for Murray O’Laoire Architects (local, but actually the 26th biggest in the world). THE MUNSTER Rugby Interactive Museum, the Munster Walk and Munster Rugby Store will also be central components of the new Thomond Park, as will the administrative offices of the Munster Branch. Kilkenny-native John Cantwell, a self-confessed Munster supporter, is the stadium’s new director. Attempts to sell the naming rights were quickly shelved and it will remain Thomond Park for generations to come, a venue that witnessed the epic Munster win over the All-Blacks of 1978 and in more recent times the ‘miracle’ victories achieved in the Heineken European Cup against Gloucester (2003) and Sale only two short years ago. Munster supporters will have been at the new venue already for the opening Heineken Cup visit of Montauban, a contest that very nearly went pear-shaped for the reigning champions, and a series of Magners League outings. An upcoming important date in the Heineken Cup is the arrival of ASM Clermont Auvergene to Thomond Park on December 13th, a week after Tony McGahan’s side will have visited Stade Marcel Michelin. BEFORE all that, however, is the special 30th anniversary commemorative tie between Munster and New Zealand, the most famous sporting win ever achieved by an Irish Team of any nature on Limerick soil. Some reports would have you believe that 100,000 people were crushed into Thomond back in ’78, the truth is that, yes, it was full an awful lot more punters now wished they had made the journey for a

most special sporting occasion, one that has been celebrated so brilliantly on stage in the last few years. Already, tickets are long gone for this month’s repeat fixture. It's a tremendous coup and a notable honour for Munster rugby as the All Blacks visit Limerick as part of their November tour of Britain and Ireland. New Zealand were only too happy to accept the honour of participate in the officially opening match of the fully revamped Limerick venue, a fact confirmed by New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew. “Munster has a proud history including their famous 1978 victory and a European Rugby Cup final this season," said Tew. “We are delighted to be part of another chapter that also has commercial benefit for both teams. One of our aims is to find additional revenue to support the game in New Zealand. As rugby people we're glad to see it take the shape of a midweek match.” Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald was equally enthusiastic that an agreement had been reached to play the match and said: ”I can't think of a better way to celebrate such an auspicious occasion than for Munster to play one of the top-ranked teams in the world in our own stadium. We are honoured they have accepted our invitation to help us open the new Thomond Park and we are looking forward to a fixture that has already captured the imagination of the public at large.”

.................................................................................................................................... BL | RUGBY

Early Christmas For Limerick Rugby Fans By Mick Galwey It is a case of Christmas come early for Limerick rugby fans this month. The All Blacks clash with Munster in Thomond Park could very well be the highlight of the season. This is the biggest rugby occasion that the city has ever seen and the hype and build-up around the game is going to be massive. It’s no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the rugby world will be focussed on the Treaty City that day. Given the way that professional rugby is developing, the game on November 18 will possibly be the last occasion that we see a major touring side play an Irish province. The focus of international visits by Southern Hemisphere nations is now on test matches. They come for a month, play three European tests and the likes of the Barbarians and then they’re gone. That New Zealand agreed to come and open Thomond Park is a massive endorsement of Munster rugby. I suppose it also reflects the extent to which that famous victory in 1978 – which is still a central part of the whole Munster myth – also resonates within Kiwi rugby. As I have said previously, it is unfortunate that Tony McGahan hasn’t a full hand to play from for the game. But the simple fact of the matter is that he will have to make do with his second string pack because

the bulk of his first team are going to be on Irish duty. You’d imagine that there is enough strength in depth in the Munster panel to give the tourists a go but that was before the showing against Ulster in Ravenhill. Our second pack played that night – the same eight which more or less face New Zealand – and they struggled against a home side which is parked at the foot of the Magners League. If Munster were to play as poorly against the All Blacks then they’d be blown away. To have any chance against the visitors we will have to break even up front. Ironically, in the three Kiwis and Paul Warwick we have the potential to cause all sorts of difficulties for the tourists behind the scrum. For Doug Howlett, Rui Tipoki and Lifeimi Mafi this is going to be a huge game. They won’t want to be steamrolled by their countrymen and they will certainly be driving on the lads around them. It’s going to be a difficult afternoon for the frontline Munster players who’ll have to watch the game from the sidelines. They’re heads might very well be with the Irish setup but their hearts that day will surely be in Limerick. Looking forward to Ireland’s autumn tests,

Mick Galwey

it was interesting that Declan Kidney has declined to experiment for the Canada game. Citing the requirement that Ireland secure a second-place seeding for the 2011 World Cup, the Irish coach looks intent on playing his strongest possible side for all the first two games at least. I hope he gets the chance to try out some of the new lads on the block – youngsters such as Keith Earls – because experience at this level is critical to their development. In terms of the shape of the team, it is hard to see any of the Munster front five being displaced. They have been the form

www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | RUGBY

players since the start of the season and they should nail down the front and secondrow berths on merit. Paul Wallace should get the nod in the back-row, with Shane Jennings, Alan Quinlan and Jamie Heaslip battling for the other two spots. The Leinster duo will be slight favourites but Alan Quinlan is in cracking form and if he doesn’t start then he’ll have to make the bench. Ronan O’Gara will probably be the first man named on the team but picking his partner in the half-backs will not be as clear-cut. If I were to put money anywhere, I’d bet that Eoin Reddan will get the nod. The former Old Crescent man should shade it over Tomás O’Leary. There will be some interesting choices across the rest of the backline. Rob Kearney is likely to get his chance to make the full-back berth his own. However, Girvan Dempsey might not be out of the reckoning. www.businesslimerick.ie

Brian O’Driscoll is another certainty but the number 12 shirt and wings will be difficult to call. Luke Fitzgerald will be in the running but so will Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble, and possibly Ian Dowling and Keith Earls. On the question of the Irish captaincy, I was disappointed that Declan Kidney didn’t make a clean break with the past and appoint Paul O’Connell. Brian O’Driscoll has been a great leader for Ireland but he has really bounced back to his best for Leinster this season since the burden of team captaincy has passed on to Leo Cullen. A similar move at national level might have been the way to go. But while O’Connell has missed out on leading Ireland, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him captain the Lions on the tour to South Africa next summer should the Six Nations go well for him.

Returning to the local scene, the AIL is back in full swing although it hasn’t been the best of starts for most of the Limerick sides. The exception is Bruff. The county outfit have continued their good form of last season and are in second place in Division 2. Old Crescent have opened well enough and are positioned mid-table. Unfortunately, Thomond have picked up just two points from their opening four games.Division 1 has a decidedly unfamiliar look to it, with Clontarf, Blackrock, St Mary’s and Old Belvedere hogging the top four places. Shannon are placed fifth. UL/ Bohemians start to the campaign has also been slower than anticipated. However, it is still early days and a lot can happen between now and the end of April 2009. The pick of the results from a Limerick perspective to date was Young Munster’s win away to Cork Constitution. That was a great effort. 67

............................................................................................................................... BL | NEWS

New ‘Social Partnership’ Between Businesses & Communities – BITCI • BITCI calls for greater commitment by businesses to local community initiatives • O2 CEO Danuta Gray spearheads ‘Seeing is Believing’ tour in Limerick Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), the country’s leading corporate responsibility advisory group, today called for a new level of ‘social partnership’ between corporations and the communities in which they operate, as part of its ‘Seeing is Believing’ tour in Limerick. The tour - part of Corporate Responsibility Week, a nationwide BITCI initiative to promote responsible and sustainable business practices in Ireland - showcased a number of major community relations programmes in Limerick, including the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre and Limerick Youth Service, to the group of business leaders on the tour. Tina Roche, CEO, BITCI, said: “At a time of uncertainty in business circles, both locally and globally, businesses must show more commitment to the communities in which they are based. If a business is a partner in the community, it is essential that they recognise that now, in a time of

greater need, their community needs that support”. “Ultimately, a company, regardless of size, cannot succeed, unless it has the support of local citizens and stakeholders. We have seen today some terrific examples of how businesses can interact positively at a community level, but we are looking for companies to create a new ‘social partnership’ with communities in which they are based for the lasting benefit.” The ‘Seeing is Believing’ tour was led by Danuta Gray, CEO of O2 Ireland. The key elements of the tour were a visit to the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre, where the group were briefed on the history of the enterprise centre and how the local business community has supported the regeneration of the long neglected areas of Moyross and Southill. The tour also involved a visit to the Limerick Youth Service (LYS), which works

to develop opportunities for disadvantaged young people. The LYS works with young people at risk from drugs and young people exposed to violence and homelessness. In addition, the tour visited Salesians Secondary School in Limerick, where O2 Ireland provides work experience opportunities and mentoring for senior pupils. Danuta Gray, CEO, O2 Ireland, said: “We take a huge pride in our work with the local communities in which we operate. We believe that we have a responsibility to have a positive impact on these communities and to enable our people to actively participate in the areas they live in.” “Today’s tour shows how business, of all sizes and industries, can interact with community based initiatives for the better and we fully endorse BITCI’s efforts to embed community relations into corporate behaviour across all segments of the business community,” said Ms. Gray.

Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) Adds New Agencies Network now has 40 member agencies on six continents with combined revenues in excess of $100 million Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), the international network of leading independent public relations agencies, of which Dublin-based Cullen Communications is the sole Irish member, today announced a major expansion to its roster with the addition of two new agencies, in London and Washington, D.C. The worldwide network now comprises 40 independently-owned public relations agencies on six continents, with more than 800 professionals and revenues in excess of $100 million (U.S.). The new agencies are The SPA Way (London) and Xenophon Strategies (Washington). They were announced 68

following PRGN’s semi-annual meeting in Boston earlier this month.

Frank Cullen, Chief Executive of Cullen Communications and current President of the network, commented, “For quite some time, PRGN has been identifying appropriate strategic partners in both Washington, D.C. and London. Our overarching priority is to enhance the

network’s expertise to provide clients with effective and strategic counsellors in both the governmental capital of the United States and Europe’s largest metropolitan and financial centre. With The SPA Way and Xenophon Strategies, our network is poised to address those needs with locallygrown, independent agencies that know and understand the market better than our multi-national competitors.” Founded in 1996, PRGN now has a presence in 22 of the world’s top 30 GDP-ranked countries. Agency members are independent, owner-operated public relations and communications agencies that share expertise and resources, while providing broad-based comprehensive communications strategies to clients worldwide. www.businesslimerick.ie

.....

NOVEMBER 2008

Shops on O’Connell Street, Limerick City O’Connell Street, Limerick city continues to be an attractive and in-demand trading street for retailers. Rooney Auctioneers (Limerick) Limited have finalised transactions on three very attractive new shop units on O’Connell Street, Limerick.

O’Connell Street, Limerick.This was the former “Nestors” Pub/ Restaurant/ Nightclub. Prior to that it was a famed shop known as “Nestors” which traded in fishing tackle/ guns/gifts/toys etc.

2 O’Connell Street: “Foot Solutions” Foot Solutions have just opened for business in this excellent trading location. This is a company based in Cork City now opening retail units at Limerick; at Galway; at Waterford; etc.

59/60 O’Connell Street: “Food Fair” A top class “Food Fair” has just opened for business in this busy trading location on the site of the former “Nellie Martins” News Agents known to generations of Limerick people. This is a great boost to trading in Limerick’s premier street Rooneys are now negotiating on four different restaurants in Limerick city where new traders will be commencing business very shortly.

28 O’Connell Street : “Sequoia Lane” Sequoia Lane have just opened for business in a most attractive retail unit next door to the Augustinian Church at

2 O’Connell Street: “Foot Solutions”

59/60 O’Connell Street: “Food Fair”

28 O’Connell Street: “Sequoia Lane”

Hillstone Lodge, Mill Road, Corbally, Limerick Property Partners de Courcy O’Dwyer are delighted to bring to the market a one off mature site in this unrivalled location. The site comprises of approx. 0.0211 hectares (0.5 acres) and is regular shaped in configuration with approx 40 meters road frontage. Located on the west side of the Mill Road one of Limericks finest residential locations. This is a mature and tranquil setting. The property comprises of a part derelict cottage with extensive mature trees throughout. The site which would lend itself to either a substantial one off house or up to four units (subject to pp) is for sale at a quoting price of €430,000. For full PDF brochure please log on to www.propertypartners.ie or contact Property Partners de Courcy O’Dwyer 061 410410 Barrack House, O’Connell Avenue, Limerick. www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROPERTY

TO LET PART THIRD FLOOR, IVERNIA HALL, 97 HENRY STREET, LIMERICK. • Third generation office space in limericks main “cbd” area • Office accommodation has been fitted out to a very high standard throughout • Car parking available in basement car park • Adjoining occupiers include the Limerick Post, Anglo Irish Bank, Michael Punch & Partners etc.

TO LET GROUND FLOOR & BASEMENT, 11 THOMAS STREET • The subject unit is located in Limericks “Café Quarter” just off O’Connell Street • Unit fronts onto the newly pedestrianised street • Unit has been recently upgraded & modernised to a high standard • Adjoining occupiers include the Bagel Factory, O’Connors Restaurant, Relish & Au Bars

TO LET GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL UNIT, SHELBOURNE ROAD, LIMERICK. • Well located ground floor commercial unit • Unit comprises of c. 500 sq. ft. of retail with ancillary accommodation • Walking distance from city centre • Ideally suited to many uses (subject to pp)

TO LET GROUND FLOOR, 64 O’CONNELL STREET, LIMERICK. • Well fitted out ground floor accommodation • Corner profile unit • Front & side access • Floor plate of 950 Sq. Ft. to include open plan offices & two private offices • Ideal for a number of uses to include solicitors, architects, engineers, etc.

TO LET UNIT 2B, ANNACOTTY BUSINESS PARK, ANNACOTTY, CO. LIMERICK. * Newly constructed modern industrial facility • Unit benefits from dock leveller • Good access to limericks southern ring road • Good circulation area & parking to front • Adjoining occupiers include Instore, Wilmotts Creche, Shannon Transport & Cosgrove Transport ltd.

TO LET RETAIL UNIT, TODDS BOW • Centrally located unit just off Cruises Street • Unit comprises of c. 1,100 Sq. Ft. over 3 floors • Ideally suited to a number of uses • Adjoining multi storey car parking • Rent: €40,000 per annum

TO LET BY ASSIGNMENT ENTIRE BUILDING, 62 WILLIAM STREET, LIMERICK. • Limericks prime retailing location • Ground floor retail of c.72 Sq. M., entire building c. 300 Sq. M. • Adjoining occupiers include French Connection, Dixons, Boots, Lifestyle Sports, Brown Thomas & Peter Mark • Advertising hoarding on gable end of building

TO LET COMMERCIAL UNIT, CASTLEMUNGRET, DOCK ROAD, LIMERICK. • Unit comprises of c. 6,000 Sq. Ft. with yard area of c. 7,000 Sq. Ft. • High profile unit with frontage onto a national primary road • Located c.2.5 km from city centre • Adjoining fourth river Shannon crossing due for completion in 2010 • Rent €12 PSF or €72,000 PA

www.decourcyodwyer@propertypartners.ie 70

(061) 410410 www.businesslimerick.ie

.................................................................................................................................... BL | PROPERTY

TO LET PART 3RD FLOOR, 24 BARRINGTON STREET, LIMERICK • Part third floor office unit comprising front & rear office c. 440 Sq Ft • Ready for occupation • Located in Limerick's "CBD" area • Surrounding occupiers to include a mixture of indigenous & multinational companies along with various professional bodies to include solicitors, accountants, architects, engineers etc. • Rent: €10,000 per annum

TO LET FULLY FITTED OFFICE SUITES, MUNGRET COLLEGE, MUNGRET • Mungret College is one of Ireland’s most notable Georgian period buildings • Mungret College has been recently com pletely refurbished & reinstated throughout • Office units available from 25 Sq. M. Up to 2 entire floors • Units have been fully fitted out & are ready for immediate occupation • 3 car parking spaces per 93 Sq. M. • Overlooks large green park area

TO LET GROUND FLOOR, 10 THE CRESCENT, O’CONNELL STREET • Ground floor office unit with return, stores & wc, whb • Ready for occupation • Many original features • Available on short lease • Located in Georgian Limerick with near by occupiers to include accountants, solicitors, architects etc.

FOR SALE DEVELOPMENT SITE, HILLSTONE LODGE, MILL ROAD, CORBALLY • Beautiful mature site with existing derelict residence • Superbly located on Limericks Mill Road • Ideally suited for 1- 4 units (subject to pp) • Site comprises c. 0.5 acre • Frontage of c. 40 metres

FOR SALE/TO LET UNIT 2 WESTGATE HOUSE MICHAEL STREET • Well located unit on the outskirts of Limerick city centre • Unit comprises of c.1500 sq ft of ground floor office/stores plus 1500 sq ft of offices fitted out to good standard • Unit benefits from 2 car parking spaces to the rear • Ideally suited for a number of uses and ready for immediate occupation

FOR SALE/TO LET OFFICE UNIT LEVEL 4 CORNMARKET SQUARE, DENMARK STREET • Office unit on fourth level Cornmarket Square • Unit comprises of approximately 1,200 Sq. Ft • Unit benefits from substantial tax allowances • Option to acquire two adjoining car parking spaces • Fully fitted out to good standard

TO LET WAREHOUSEING UNIT, PATRICKSWELL • Modern industrial facility with extensive yardarea • Units available from 5,000 sq. Ft. To 20,000 Sq. Ft. • Located in Patrickswell, just off the Southern ring road • Very secure site • Entire yard area of c.25,000 Sq. Ft. • Rent from €5 per Sq. Ft.

FOR SALE/TO LET COMMERCIAL UNIT, BROAD STREET • Well located unit on the outskirts of Limerick city centre • Ideally suited for a number of uses • Fully fitted out to a very high standard • Benefiting from secure car parking to rear • Unit available of 1,428.3 Sq. Ft.

www.decourcyodwyer@propertypartners.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

TO LET INDUSTRIAL UNIT WITH YARD AREA, DOCK ROAD, LIMERICK • Modern industrial unit of 3000 Sq. Ft. • Yard area of c. 0.5 acre (22,000 Sq. Ft.) • Well located just off Irish Cement roundabout • Adjoining Limericks 4th river Shannon crossing due for completion in 2010

(061) 410410 71

............................................................................................................................... .... BL | NEWS

Shannon Business Community Told To Examine Their 'Leadership Competences' "The difference in a good and great company is the leadership provided at management level. With three out of four businesses failing once their founder retires, business owners now recognise the need for effective leadership in their companies and are hungry to improve these skills and apply practical leadership ideas which will improve their impact as a leader, straight away," said Mike Gaffney of Galway-based Leadership and Management Development company LEAP, addressing a Shannon Chamber leadership seminar in Shannon last week. Over forty business leaders from the Shannon area attended this lively seminar

and went away not only questioning their leadership styles, but assessing their individual strengths and weaknesses as a leader, having been urged to 'Know Thyself'. Speaking after the event, Helen Downes, interim chief executive, Shannon Chamber, commented: "This event was timely in light of the current economic downturn. The attendees listened intently to Mike Gaffney's authoritative words. They certainly left with a lot of food for thought knowing that leadership brings clarity to a business and that success is built on this clarity. Commenting on the high level of attendance

at the event, Mike Gaffney added: "LEAP is delighted to be able to help owners with this pertinent challenge. We are delighted with the response we received from the business community in the Shannon region to this event and we would like to thank everyone at Shannon & District Chamber who contributed to its success.' The event ended on a positive note when the event's sponsor, Smart Telecom, offered Shannon & District Chamber members or new customers a 15% discount. Shannon Chamber will host similar businessfocused events in the coming months. Details will be posted on the Chamber website: www.shannonchamber.ie.

€100 Million Stolen From Irish Homes Limerick has recorded a 28% increase in the incidence of burglary, according to the 2008 eircom PhoneWatch Burglary Report - the most comprehensive report on burglaries in Ireland. This represents 7.9% of burglaries in the counties outside Dublin (down from 8.4% in 2007). Limerick is now placed fourth in the top five burglary hotspot list, with only Dublin, Kildare and Cork experiencing a higher rate of burglary. The report – which tracked burglaries between June 2007 and June 2008 - also revealed that February was the most targeted month for burglaries in Limerick. Now in its eighth year of publication, the 2008 eircom PhoneWatch Burglary Report found that a staggering eight out of ten burglaries take place while their occupants are at home, a figure which has steadily increased with each year of the Burglary Report. In 2004, only five in ten burglaries were reported to have taken place while occupants were at home. The statistics strongly suggest that residents are not adequately securing their property while they are at home, and that burglars in turn are not deterred by home occupancy.

October is the most popular time of year for residential burglary nationwide, with 11% of all incidents occurring in this time period. May, June and July are the least targeted months of the year, suggesting that cover of darkness in the winter months can be a strong motivating factor in opportunistic and planned burglaries. The report also reveals that an average value of €3,996 was taken from each home burgled, which equates to an approximate total of €100m worth of goods stolen from Irish residential households between June 2007 and June 2008 - a 16% increase on last year’s figures. While Dublin remains the worst-hit county in Ireland, it is the remainder of the country which has seen the greatest increase in incidences of burglary, demonstrating that the phenomenon is not restricted to big cities. Findings indicate a massive 36.2% increase outside of Dublin since the 2007 report, while Dublin has increased by 24.5%. The top four most targeted counties outside Dublin remain Kildare (6.2%), Cork (5.2%), Limerick (5.2%) and Meath (5%). Wexford is a new entry to the top ten burglary hotspots, with 3.4% of all burglaries committed there. Meanwhile,

Waterford has fallen three places to number ten (3.3%). Dublin accounts for 34% of all burglaries – a 24.5% increase on this period last year. When the figures are combined with the surrounding commuter belt of Wicklow, Kildare, Meath and Louth, they account for more than half (53.7%) of all burglaries nationwide. Within Dublin, the Southside of the city accounts for over half (54.7%) of all burglaries committed – a slight decrease on last year’s figures of 60%. The most targeted postcode in Dublin is the South County area, accounting for 14.9% of the total in the Dublin area. The areas least likely to be burgled include Dublin West, Dublin 17 (Coolock, Darndale) and Dublin 20 (Chapelizod, Palmerstown). The counties outside Dublin which experienced the greatest increase in the proportion of burglaries since last year’s report include Clare (increased from 3.2% in 2007 to 4.5% in 2008), Offaly (increased from 2.2% to 3%), Galway (increased from 5.2% to 6.4%), Louth (increased from 5.8% to 6.9%) and Wexford (increased from 4.1% to 5.1%). www.businesslimerick.ie

ACCOUNTANCY COURSES BPP Professional Services 89 O’Connell Street. Limerick Tel: 061 310884 Fax: 061 310984 Email: limerickreception@bpp.com Web: www.bpp.com/ireland

Grant Thornton Chartered Accountants, Mill House, Henry St, Limerick. Tel: 061 314622 / 061 312744 Fax: 061 317691 / 061 418038 Email: limerick@grantthornton.ie Web: www.grantthornton.ie

ADVERTISING AGENCY Southern Advertising Killoran House, Catherine Place, Limerick. Tel: 061 310286 Fax: 061 313013 Email: info@southernadlimk.com Web: www.southernad.ie

HDS Partnership Registered Auditors – Accountants – Tax Consultants – Business Advisors 2nd Floor,RiverPoint, Lower Mallow Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 445000 Fax: 061 445060 E-mail: mail@hds.ie Web: www.hds.ie Horwath Bastow Charleton Accountants and Business Advisors Horwath House, The Red Church, Henry St. Limerick. Tel: 061 310311 Fax: 061 318899 E-mail: info@horwath.ie Web: www.hbcl.ie Moore Stephens Patrick McNamara Accountants and Business Advisors Pamdohlen House, Dooradoyle Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 229666 Fax: 061 302144 Email: info@msmcnamara.ie Web: www.mspatrickmcnamara.ie John Quirke & Co. Racefield House, Dooradoyle, Limerick. Tel: 061 301260 Fax: 061 307863 Email: jonhquirkeandco@eircom.net O’Donovan Caulfield Lavin 1 Mt. Kenneth Place, Henry St, Limerick. Tel: 061 411000 Fax: 061 411001 E-mail: info@odcl.ie O’Hurley Blair Irwin 3rd Floor, Mount Kenneth House, Henry St, Limerick. Tel: 061 401122 Fax: 061 401144 E-mail: info@obi.ie Web: www.obi.ie

www.businesslimerick.ie

Spark Marketing Communications 100 O’Connell St, Limerick. Tel: 061 409251 Fax: 061 409255 E-mail: info@sparkmarketing.ie Web: www.sparkmarketing.ie AIR CONDITIONING Batt O’Connor Air Conditioning Contact: Batt O’Connor Ballykenneddy, Ballingarry, Co.Limerick Tel: 069 68407 Fax: 069 68407 Mobile: 086 8122220 Email: bocac@eircom.net ARCHITECTS & BUILDING ENERGY RATING ASSESSORS Brian O’ Donoghue Tait Business Centre, Dominic St., Limerick. Tel: 061 410318 Fax: 061 414315 Mob: 086 8122271 E-mail: architecturalservices@eircom.net ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES, BUILDING ENERGY RATINGS ASSESSMENTS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT Absolute House Plans Ltd. 4 Willow Crescent, Riverbank, Annacotty, Limerick. Tel/Fax: 061 331969 Mob: 087 2957494 Email: info@absolutehouseplans.ie Web: www.absolutehouseplans.ie ARTISTS Una Heaton Tel: 086 3735015 Email: unaheaton@eircom.net Web: www.unaheatonart.com

Carmel T. Magigan Tel: 086 8197726 Email: ctmadigan@eircom.net Web: www.carmelmadigangallery.com AUCTIONEERS DTZ SHERRY FITZGERALD Hibernian House, 105 Henry Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 418111 Fax: 061 418112 Email: limerick@dtz.ie Web: www.dtz.ie G.L Auctioneers, Valuers & Property Consultants 65 O’Connell Street, Limerick. Contact: Geraldine Leddin Tel: 061 467188 Fax: 061 467190 Email: info@propertylimerick.com Web: www.propertylimerick.com John Shaw Auctioneers M.I.P.A.V. 1 Lower Mallow Street, Limerick Tel: 061 311133 Fax: 061 314666 Email: john@johnshawauctioneers.com Web: www.johnshawauctioneers.com Frontline Estate Agents 28 Mallow St, Limerick. Tel: 061 400544 Fax: 061 400585 E-mail: frontline@iol.ie Web: www.property.ie/frontline

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTANTS BDO Simpson Xavier Business and Financial Advisors 4 Michael Street, Limerick Tel: 061 414455 Fax: 061 414172 Email: info@bdosx-limerick.com Web: www.bdosx-limerick.com

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

..... ........................................................................................................................ BL | DIRECTORY

BAR, BISTRO & NIGHTCLUB Aubars 49-50 Thomas Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 317799 Fax: 061 317572 Email: sales@aubars.com Web: www.aubars.com BARS & NIGHTCLUBS Peter Clohesseys Bar & Sinbin Nightclub Howleys Quay, Limerick Tel: 061 468100 Fax: 061 404863 Email: eimear@peterclohessey.ie Web: www.peterclohessey.com BISTRO The Cornstore, 19 Thomas Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 609 000/ 609 001 Fax: 061 409 334 Email: info@cornstorelimerick.com 73

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

........................................................................................................................ .... BL | DIRECTORY

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

BUILDING CONTRACTORS Ace Services Glenameade Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 393 049 or 061 393 982 Fax: 061 393 303 Email: aceservices@eircom.net BUILDING SUPPLIERS Ballysheedy Building Supplies Ballysheedy, Co. Limereick (next to ‘ Weigh In’ bar) Tel: 061 445660/ 061 445666 Mob: 087 2490666/ 087 6983444 BURGLAR ALARMS & SECURITY SYSTEMS Clifford Security Alarms 16 Wickham Street, Limerick Tel: 061 313033 / 440151 Fax: 061 317412 Email: info@cliffordsecurity.com Web: www.cliffordsecurity.com BUSINESS BANKING Allied Irish Bank (AIB) Contact: Kieran O’Regan Lower Cecil Street, Limerick Tel: 061 406200 Fax: 061 409002 Email: kieran.j.o’regan@aib.ie Web: www.aib.ie Anglo Irish Bank Anglo Irish Bank House, 98 Henry St., Limerick Tel: 061 461800 Fax: 061 461898 Web: www.angloirishbank.com Bank of Ireland 125 O’ Connell St., Limerick Tel: 061 419791 Fax: 061 418554 E-mail: david_p.kennedy@boimail.com

Permanent TSB Sarsfield Street – 061 318922 Dooradoyle – 061 484846 William Street – 061 317933 Email: info@permanenttsb.ie Web: www.permanenttsb.ie Ulster Bank Midwest Business Centre 14 Henry Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 316757 Fax: 061 312971 E-mail: midwestbusinesscentre@ulsterbank.com Web: www.ulsterbank.com BUSINESS COACHES Action Coach Business Coaching Unit 1 C, Annacotty Business Park, Annacotty, Limerick. Tel: 061 338682 Fax: 061 338682 Email: joepower@actioncoach.com Web: www.actioncoach.com/joepower BUSINESS ENTERPRISES O’Callaghan Enterprises Head Office 47 Upper William Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 414224 Fax: 061 405171 Web: www.ocallaghanenterprises.com BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS Limerick Chamber 96 O’ Connell St, Limerick Tel: 061 415180 Fax: 061 415785 Email: info@limerickchamber.ie Web: www.limerickchamber.ie Shannon & District Chamber of Commerce Shannon Business Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare Tel: 061 360611 Fax: 061 360440 E-mail: admin@shannonchamber.ie Web: www.shannonchamber.ie

Bank Of Scotland Ireland Bank of Scotland House, Shannon Street, Limerick Tel: 061-209300 E-mail: info@bankofscotlandireland.ie Web: www.bankofscotlandireland.ie

BUSINESS SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS Business Computer Solutions Ltd BCS House Dock Road Limerick Tel: 061 311 311 Lo-Call: 1890 818 400 Fax: 061 311 313 Email: direct@bcs.ie Web: www.bcsdirect.ie

IIB Bank Riverpoint, Bishops Quay, Limerick. Contact: Damien Quigley Tel: 061 448600 Fax: 061 468468 Email: damien.quigley@iibbank.ie Web: www.iibbank.ie

CompuCount Ltd. 18 Cois Luachra, Limerick. Tel: 061 305033 Fax: 061 305291 Email: sales@compucount.ie Web: www.compucount.ie

BUSINESS TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Lantel Networks Ltd Roselawn House, National Technological Park, Limerick. Tel: 061 3503580 Fax: 061 350360 Email: info@lantel.ie Web: www.lantel.ie BUSINESS TRAINING ORGANISATION FAS FAS Services To Business Raheen Business Park, Raheen, Limerick Tel: 061-487975 Fax: 061-229447 E-Mail: des.murphy@mw.fas.ie Web: www.fas.ie CAR DEALERS Clareview Motors Ennis Road, Limerick Tel: 061 221000 Fax: 061 221060 E-mail: info@clareviewmotors.com Web: www.clareviewmotors.com Pat Keogh BMW Tipperary Road, Limerick Tel: 061 422600 Fax: 061 422622 Email: info@patkeogh.com Web: www.patkeoghbmw.com Pat Keogh NISSAN Tipperary Road, Limerick Tel: 061 313355 Fax: 061 312311 Email: info@patkeogh.com Web: www.patkeogh-nissan.com Lyons Of Limerick & Nenagh Main Ford Dealers, Ballysimon Road, Limerick Tel: 061 413344 / 067 33442 Fax: 061 413699 / 067 33436 E-mail: sales@lyonsoflimerick.com Web: www.lyonsoflimerick.com

www.businesslimerick.ie

ISS Facilities Unit 11, Ashbourne Business Park Dock Road, Limerick Tel: 061 500300 Fax: 061 500301 Contact : Brian Kelly Mobile: 087 9159108 Email: brian.kelly@iss.ie Web: www.iss.ie

CATERING Country Fresh Catering Bulgaden, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick. Tel: 063 20001 Fax: 063 20165 E-mail: bulgadencastle1@eircom.net Web: www.bulgadencastle.com

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE SERVICE Elite Cleaning Service Rose Cottage, Woodpark, Castleconnell, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 372133 Fax: 061 372627 E-mail: elitecleaning@eircom.net Web: www.elite-contract-cleaning.com

Mortell Catering 49 Roches Street, Limerick Tel: 061 415457 Mob: 087 7973419 E-mail: mortb@eircom.net Web: www.mortellcatering.com

Noonan Services Limited Docklands Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick Tel: 061 312077 Fax: 061 315712 E-mail: nsllimerick@eircom.net

CCTV & ACCESS COMMUNICATIONS Advanced Monitoring No.2 Pillar House, Little Ellen St. Limerick Tel: 061 319 375 Fax: 061 311 805 Mobile: 087 2596955 / 087 2395039 Email: advancedmonitoring@eircom.net CHARTERED SURVEYORS, VALUE ENGINEERS, & PROJECT MANAGERS Bruce Shaw Partnership Bruce Shaw House, 6 Hartstonge Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 493515 Fax: 061 493516 E-Mail: contactus@bsplim.ie Web: www.bruceshaw.ie CLEANING Clean Habit B2 Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare. Tel: 061 361461 Fax: 061 361868 Email: mary@cleanhabit.com Web: www.cleanhabit.com Complete Cleaning & Maintenance Services Director: Pat McLoughlin Roxboro Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 409596 Mob: 087 9622222 Fax: 061 409591 www.compclean.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

COACH HIRE Martin’s of Limerick Annacotty Business Park, Biddyford, Annacotty, Co. Limerick. Tel: 061 333100 Fax: 061 333102 Email: martinscoaches@eircom.net Web: www.martinscoaches.ie COMPUTER NETWORKING SALES & SUPPORT Action Point Unit 8B, Plassey Enterprise Centre, National Technology Park, Limerick. Contact: David Jeffreys Tel: 061 337 632 Call-Save: 1850-ACTION/ 1850 228 466 Fax: 061 301 924 Email: info@actionpoint.ie BCS Computers BCS House Dock Road, Limerick Tel: 061 311 311 Lo-Call: 1890 818 400 Fax: 061 311 313 Email: direct@bcs.ie Web: www.bcsdirect.ie Fitzpatrick Computer Group Mill House, Henry Street, Limerick Tel: 061 493300 Fax: 061 417219 Email: sales@fcg.ie Web: www.fcg.ie

O’Connor Network Services (ONS) Ardnataggle, O’Briens Bridge, Co. Clare Tel: 061 343412 Fax: 061 343413 Mobile: 087 8118690 E-mail: info@ons.ie Web: www.ons.ie PAQ IT Solutions PAQ IT House, Mayorstone, Limerick. Tel: 061 326792 Fax: 061 326791 Ennis: 065 6868333 Galway: 091 755666 E: info@paqit.com W: www.paqit.com CONSTRUCTION Roadbridge Ltd Ballyclough, Ballysheedy, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 419855 Fax: 061 414767 E-mail: headoffice@roadbridge.ie Web: www.roadbridge.ie CONTRACT & EVENT CATERERS Masterchefs Hospitality Epicurean House, Robert Street, Limerick Tel: 061 411522 Fax: 061 402021 Email: sales@mhm.ie

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

CARPETS & FLOORING Provincial Floor Coverings Raheen Business Park, Raheen, Limerick. Tel: 061-227100 Fax: 061-227000 E-Mail: sales@pfl.ie Web: www.pfl.ie

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

..... ........................................................................................................................ BL | DIRECTORY

CORPORATE GIFTS Craft Innovations Corporate Gifts Ltd. 5 Quin Street, Limerick Tel: (061) 415198 Fax: (061) 415208 Email: info@craftinnovations.ie Web: www.craftinnovations.ie Friendship Wines & Hampers Contact: Joe Crowley Tel: 061 455225 Mob: 087 7607495 Email: joe@friendshipwines.ie Web: www.friendshipwines.ie DINING FURNITURE SOLUTIONS G & A Manifold (Showrooms) Unit 6E, Docklands Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 312777 Fax: 061 313434 Email: to info@gamanifold.ie Web: www.gamanifold.ie 75

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

........................................................................................................................ .... BL | DIRECTORY DISPLAY SignLynx Contact: Jack O’Loughlin Franklin Motor Yard, Cahernorry, Ballysimon, Limerick. Tel: 061 333736 Mob: 086 8094420 Fax: 061 333737 Email: jackoloughlin@signlynx.ie Web: www.signlynx.ie

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

DRAINAGE & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Walsh Environmental Services Drainage & Environmental Specialists The Cottage, Lower Meelick, Co. Clare Tel: 061 325757 Fax: 061 325700 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Des Ryan Electrical Ballyneety, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 351643 Mobile: 087 9121561 Email: info@desryanelectrical.com Web: www.desryanelectrical.com EVENT MANAGEMENT Funireland Event Management Little Orchard, Dooneen, Crecora, Co. Limerick. Tel: 061 320292 Fax: 061 320294 Email: info@funireland.com Web: www.funireland.com Woulfe Event Management, Tower View House, Glenview Avenue, Farranshone, Limerick. Tel: 061 321979 Mob: 087 7631999 Email: woulfeeventmanagement@eircom.net Web: www.woulfemanagement.ie FINANCIAL CONTROL / ACCOUNTING / BOOK-KEEPING SERVICES Hogan Financial Management Ltd 50 O’Connell Street, Limerick Tel: 481444 Fax: 061 481445 Email: info@hoganfinancial.ie Web: www.hoganfinancial.ie FITNESS EQUIPMENT Gymfix ( Irl) Ltd. Unit 1, Dromkeen Industrial Park, Dromkeen, Limerick. Tel: 061 388000 Fax: 061 388011 Fax: info@gymireland.com Web: www.gymfixireland.com 76

FLORIST Flowers Forever Designer Florist Rachel & David Hannon Raheen Roundabout, Limerick. Tel: 061 307123 Fax: 061 307123 Email: flowers4ever@eircom.net FOOTWEAR RETAILER Michael Gleeson Shoes 26 William Street, Limerick Tel: 061 417407 FREIGHT FORWARDING & LOGISTICS International Cargo Services ICS House Raheen Business Park, Raheen, Limerick Tel: 061 500 800 Fax: 061 500 801 Email: ciaran@intlcargo.com Web: www.intlcargo.com GLASS AND MIRRORS Mirror and Glassworx Unit 1b, Annacotty Business Park, Limerick. Tel: 061 333630 Mob: 087 2808184 Fax: 061 333631 Email: info@mirrorandglassworx.com Web: www.mirrorandglassworx.com GOLF COURSES Castletroy Golf Club, Golf Links Road, Castletroy, Limerick. Contact: Patrick Keane Tel: 061 335 753 Fax: 061 335 373 Email: manager@castletroygolfclub.ie Web: www.castletroygolfclub.ie Limerick County Golf Club Ballyneety, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 351881 Fax: 061 351384 Email: lcgolf@iol.ie Web: www.limerickcounty.com Limerick Golf Club Ballyclough, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 414083 Fax: 061 319219 Email: lgc@eircom.net Web: www.limerickgc.com

GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN Customer Care Solutions Anne Sheehan, Harbour House, Locke Quay, Limerick. Mobile: 087 6684819 E-mail: info@customersolutions.ie Web: www.customersolutions.ie Edgewater Graphics Contact: Hugh Charlottes Quay, Limerick Tel: 061 318318 Fax: 061 318308 Email: hugh@egraphics.ie Web: www.egraphics.ie GRAPHIC, WEB & FILM DESIGN Irish Design Front (IDF) Marine Village, Killaloe, Co.Clare Tel: 061 375412 Mob: 086 8176337 Email: info@idf.ie Web: www.idf.ie GYM/ PERSONAL TRAINING DAVE SHEAHAN GROUP Dave Sheahan Personal TrainingSouthcourt Hotel, Raheen & Lahinch Road, Ennis. Dave Sheahan Gym Windmill Street, Limerick Dave Sheahan, Just for Her - Courtfields, Raheen Tel: 061 424936 Email: davesheahan@davesheahan.ie Web: www.davesheahan.ie HANDHELD EDI SOLUTIONS CompuCount Ltd. 18 Cois Luachra, Limerick. Tel: 061 305033 Fax: 061 305291 Email: sales@compucount.ie Web: www.compucount.ie HEALTH & SAFETY O.T.S. Ltd (Operative Training Services)

GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANCY Optic Nerve Design Group The Mill, Glentworth Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 316955 Fax: 061 316965 E-mail: info@opticnerve.ie Web: www.opticnerve.ie

Roselawn House, National Technology Park, Limerick Tel: 061 633236 Email: office@otslk.com www.businesslimerick.ie

HOME FURNISHINGS Limerick Paint Supplies Pennywell Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 411292 Thomondgate, Limerick. Tel: 061 329828 Fax: 061 415874 Mob: 087 2503448 HOTELS Castletroy Park Hotel, Dublin Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 335566 Fax: 061 331117 Contact: Ursula Cullen Email: ucullen@castletroy-park.ie Web: www.castletroy-park.ie Hilton Hotel Ennis Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 421800 Fax: 061 421866 Email: reservations.limerick@hilton.com Web: www.limerick.hilton.com Limerick Marriott Hotel Henry Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 448700 Fax: 061 448701 Contact: Ursula Cullen Email: ursula.cullen@limerickmarriott.ie Web: www.LimerickMarriott.com The Castleoaks House Hotel Garden Suites and Riverside Holiday Homes Castleconnell, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 377666 Fax: 061 377717 E-mail: info@castleoaks.ie Website: www.castleoaks.ie Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel & Revas Spa Adare, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 605100 Fax: 061 396073 Email: reception@woodlands-hotel.ie Web: www.woodlands-hotel.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

The George Boutique Hotel O’Connell Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 460 400 Fax: 061 460 410 Contact: Mr. Altaf Khan Email: thegeorge@lynchotels.com Web: www.lynchotels.com The South Court Hotel, Adare Road, Raheen, Limerick. Tel: 061 487 487 Fax: 061 487 498 Contact: Mr. Diarmuid Ring Email: southcourtreception@lynchotels.com Web: www.lynchotels.com HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE ASSESSORS Auray Assessors Specialists in Property Claims Tel: 061 317264 Fax: 094 9541723 Email: aurayassessors@eircom.net Web: www.aurayltd.com

INK REFILL & TONERS Ink Refill Depot 7B Denmark Street, Tel: 061 446446 Fax: 061 446456 Email: Brendan@inkrefilldepot.ie Web: www.inkrefilldepot.ie INSULATION Aerobord Ltd. Askeaton, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 604600 Fax: 061 604601 Email: mail@aerobord.ie Web: www.aerobord.ie INSURANCE BROKERS & ADVISORS Robert Ryan Insurance 3 Newenham Street, Limerick. Tel:061 319268 Email: robert@ryaninsurances.ie IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT Avocent International Avocent House,

HR Consultants The HR Channel Contact: Fiona O’Carroll Ballycarney, Clarina, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 353154 Mobile: 086 2051727 Email: fionaocarroll1@eircom.net

Shannon Free Zone,

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT AND EXECUTIVE & BUSINESS COACH Elaine Ryan & Associates Unit 7, Elite Business Park, Smithstown, Shannon, Co.Clare. Tel: 086 2381555 Email: elaineryanhr@eircom.net Web: www.elaineryanandassociates.com

Ballysimon Road,

INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS GK Wealth Management Ltd 20 The Crescent, Limerick. Tel: 061 448420 Fax: 061 312882 Email: info@gki.ie Web: www.gkwealth.ie

Shannon, Co. Clare. Tel: 061 471877 Fax: 061 471871 Email: info-europe@avocent.com Web: www.avocent.ie KITCHEN & BEDROOM FURNITURE Betterbuy Kitchens 41 Eastlink Business Park,

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

C&M Safety Ltd Contact Name:Margaret Culhane The Curlews, Killeaney, Glin, Co. Limerick Tel:068 34527 Fax: 068 34562 Email: info@cmsafety.com Web:www.cmsafety.com

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

..... ........................................................................................................................ BL | DIRECTORY

Limerick. Tel: 061 413144 Fax: 061 774313 Email: david@betterbuy.biz Web: www.betterbuy.biz LABEL MANUFACTURERS Impact Labelling Systems Ltd. Contact: Richard Fox 77/78 Eastlink Business Park, Tipperary Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 437990 Fax: 061 437995 Email: info@impactlabelling.com LETTING AGENTS & PROPERTY MANAGERS Castle Estates

INDUSTRIAL Sercom Solutions Sarsfield Rd: Raheen Business Pk; Raheen, Limerick. Tel: 061-226600 Fax: 061-226640 EMail:kevin.vaughan@SerComSolutions.ie Web:www.sercomsolutions.ie

50 O’Connell Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 440411 Fax: 061 311907 Email: limerick@castle-estates.ie Web: www.castle-estates.ie 77

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

........................................................................................................................ .... BL | DIRECTORY LIFE & PENIONS Niall Cantrell Life & Pensions (Tied Agent of Eagle Star) Kilmore, Co. Clare (via Limerick). Mobile: 087 2545718. E-mail: niallcantrell@eircom.net

MARKETING Customer Care Solutions Anne Sheehan, Harbour House, Locke Quay, Limerick. Mobile: 087 6684819 E-mail: info@customersolutions.ie Web: www.customersolutions.ie

LIFE & BUSINESS COACHING Pathfinder 31b Cecil St. Limerick Tel: 061 215750 Mob: 086 8123834 E-mail: pathfinder@o2.ie

Molly D Marketing Castlecrine, Sixmilebridge, Co.Clare Tel: 061 369898 Mob: 086 2371508 Email: dympna@mollydmarketing.ie Web: www.mollydmarketing.ie

LIFT SERVICES Mid Western Lifts Corcanree Business Park Dock Road, Limerick Tel: 061 400123 Fax: 061 400121 Email: info@mwls.ie Web: www.mwls.ie LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORES Brown Thomas 16 O’Connell Street, Limerick Tel: 061 417222 Fax: 061 412191 Email: ldwan@brownthomas.ie Web: www.brownthomas.com MARQUEE HIRE O’Donovan Marquees Birdhill, Co. Tipperary Tel: 061 379328 Fax: 061 379328 Email: podmarquees@eircom.net Web: www.odonovanmarquees.com MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS Profiles at Work Executive Coaching, Training, Psychometric Testing Ballyheefy, Killaloe, Co. Clare Tel: 061 376461 Fax: 061 375496 Mob: 087 2640028 Email: amckles@eircom.net Web: www.profilesatwork.com MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICES May Day Management Consultants Tait Business Centre, Dominic Street, Limerick Tel: 061 316960 Fax: 061 314161 Email: info@maydaymanagement.ie Web: www.maydaymanagement.ie 78

MARKETING CONSULTANTS Martin Mc Guire & Associates Dock Road, Limerick Tel: 061 228822 or 061 229233 E-mail: martinm@martinmcguire.com Web: www.martinmcguire.com MARKETING RESEARCH & CONSULTANCY BDO Simpson Xavier 4 Michael Street, Limerick Tel: 061 414455 Fax: 061 414172 Email: info@bdosx-limerick.com Web: www.bdosx-limerick.com MODULAR CONTAINERS, CABINS & OFFICES Ballysimon Containers Eastway Business Park Ballysimon Road, Limerick Tel: 061 312530 Fax: 061 313520 Email: morgan@asp-ire.ie Web: www.asp-ire.ie MODULAR OFFICE ACCOMODATION Asp-ire Advance Space Providers Ireland Eastway Business Park Ballysimon Road, Limerick Tel: 061 312530 Fax: 061 313520 Email: morgan@asp-ire.ie Web: www.asp-ire.ie MORTGAGE & FINANCIAL SERVICES Mary Larkin Financial Services 38 Roches St, Limerick. Tel: 061 411822 Fax: 061 411840 Email: larkin@indigo.ie ODCL Financial Services and Mortgages 1 Mount Kennett Place, Henry Street,Limerick. Tel: 061 411000 Email: financial@odcl.ie

MORTGAGES, PROPERTY, MAINTENANCE & INVESTMENTS Moore Stephens Patrick McNamara Financial Planning & Mortgage Solutions Life & Pensions – Mortgages – Investments – Wealth Management Pamdohlen House, Dooradoyle Road Tel: 061 229666 Fax: 061 302144 Email: fsinfo@msmcnamara.ie Web: www.mspatrickmcnamara.ie Redmond Mortgage & Pensions 1A Hartstonge Place, Upper Hartstonge Street, Limerick Tel: 061 446629 Fax: 061 446809 Mobile: 087 8290736 E-mail: tommy@redmondmortgages.com OFFICE EQUIPMENT Gerry Webb Office Equipment 72 Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick Tel: 061 467380 Fax: 061 467380 Mobile: 087 2625768 Email: webfurniture@eircom.net OFFICE EQUIPMENT / PRINTING & STATIONERY Curley Copy Centre Little Ellen Street, Limerick. Contact: Eileen Tel: 061 315331 Fax: 061 315171 Email: jhcurley@eircom.net OFFICE FURNITURE SYSTEMS G & A Manifold (Showrooms) Unit 6E, Docklands Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 312777 Fax: 061 313434 Email: info@gamanifold.ie Web: www.gamanifold.ie Metro Office Supplies Unit 2 Crossagalla Enterprise Centre, Ballysimon Road, Limerick Tel: 061 432000 Fax: 061 432001 E-mail: metrosales@eircom.net Web: www.metrooffice.ie OPTICIANS Vision 2 Opticians 6 Henry Street, Limerick Tel: 061 469310 Fax: 061 469309 Email: info@vision2opticians.ie Web: www.vision2opticians.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

PACKAGING IPS Industrial Polythene Solutions Contact Name: Sean O’Carroll Annacotty Business Park, Annacotty, Limerick. Tel: 061 508980 Fax: 061 508984 Email: sean.ocarroll@ipslimited.ie Web: www.ipspackaging.ie PEST CONTROL Curtin Pest Control Rosmadda Business Park, Ballysimon Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 419901 Fax: 061 419504 E-mail: scpestcontrol@eircom.net Web: www.curtinpestcontrol.ie Rentokil Pest Control Ballysimon Road, Limerick Tel: 061 412588 Fax: 061 310836 Email: pcsales@rentokil.ie PENSIONS & INVESTMENTS Karl Daly Pension & Investment Ltd. 2nd Floor, Riverfront Building Howleys Quay, Limerick Tel: 061 318701 Fax: 061 318702 Mobile: 086 2602326 Email: karl@karldaly.com Web: www.karldaly.com or www.ssiaideas.ie PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURER Schwarz Pharma UCB (Schwarz Pharma Ltd) Shannon Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare. Tel: 061 714100 Fax: 061 714101 Email: info@ucb-group.com Web: www.ucb-group.com PHOTOCOPIERS MJ Flood (Ireland) Ltd. (Sales & Service) 23 John Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 312211 Mob: 087 7815252 Fax: 061 415595 Email: limerick@mjflood.ie Web: www.mjflood.ie www.businesslimerick.ie

PHOTOGRAPHY Brendan Gleeson LIPPA NUJ 25 Cherry Avenue, Caherdavin Lawn, Limerick Tel: 061 453253 Mobile: 087 2159325 Email: gleesonphoto@eircom.net www.bgleesonphoto.com

PUBLIC RELATIONS Echo Marketing 5 The Mews, Hartstonge Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 409353 Mob: 087 9892463 Email: aileen.galvin@echomarketing.ie

John O’Brien Photography High Street, Limerick City Tel: 061 412833 Email: obrienphotos@oceanfree.net Web: www.jobrienphotography.com

Molly D Marketing Castlecrine, Sixmilebridge, Co.Clare Tel: 061 369898 M: 086 2371508 Email: dympna@mollydmarketing.ie Web: www.mollydmarketing.ie

PLANT HIRE & SALES Newport Plant & Tool Hire Ballymackeogh, Newport, Co. Tipperary. Tel: 061 373737 Mob: 086 0664137 E-mail: info@npt.ie Web: www.npt.ie PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUS SERVICES & PRIVATE HIRE Bus Eireann Colbert Station Limerick Tel: 061 313333 Fax: 061417166 Email: info@buseireann.ie Web: www.buseireann.ie PRINTING Mc Kerns Print & Design Glentworth Street, Limerick Tel: 061 417611 Fax: 061 419816 Email: mckernsgs@eircom.net Mc Namara Printers Smithstown Industrial Estate Shannon, Co. Clare Tel: 061 361782 Fax: 061 363271 Email: sales@mcnamaraprinters.ie Web: www.mcnamaraprinters.ie PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Able Marketing 50 Thomas Street, Limerick Tel: 061 417575 Fax: 061 410055 Email: sales@ablemarketing.ie Web: www.ablemarketing.ie PROPERTY DEVELOPERS Tiernan Properties Arthurs Quay House Arthurs Quay, Limerick Tel: 061 412462 Fax: 412251 Email: info@tiernanproperties.ie Web: www.tiernanproperties.ie PRIVATE HOSPITALS Barringtons Hospital Ltd Tel: 061 490500 Fax: 061 312939 Email: info@barringtonshospital.com Web: www.barringtonshospital.com

MKC Communications Contact: Niamh Quinn 22 Log Na gCapall, South Circular Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 303779 Fax: 061 305802 Mobile: 087 1220119 E-Mail: niamh@mkc.ie Web: www.mkc.ie O’Brien Communications 30 Ashbrook Grove Ennis Road, Limerick Tel/Fax: 061 457999 Mobile: 086 6019214 Email: Kieran@obriencommunications.ie PUBLIC RELATION CONSULTANTS Fianancial Dynamics Cois Na Sionna, O’Briens Bridge, Co. Clare Tel: 061 372643 Mobile: 087 2497290 Fax: 061 372645 Email: eugene.hogan@fd.com Web: www.fd.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

OVERSEAS PROPERTY Balkan Property Investments Ltd (BPI) 4 Pery Square, Limerick. Tel/Fax: 061 313200 Email: info@bpigroup.ie Web: www.bpigroup.ie

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

..... ........................................................................................................................ BL | DIRECTORY

PUBLIC RELATIONS & EVENT & MEDIA MANAGEMENT Woulfe Event Management Tower View House, Glenview Avenue, Farranshone, Limerick. Tel: 061 321979 Mob: 087 7631999 Email: woulfeeventmanagement@eircom.net Web: www.woulfemanagement.ie RADIO STATIONS (NATIONAL) Limerick Live 95 FM P.O Box 295 Radio House, Richmond Court, Dock Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 461900 Fax: 061 419595 E-mail: mail@live95fm.ie Web: www.live95fm.ie

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

........................................................................................................................ ..... BL | DIRECTORY RTÉ lyric fm Cornmarket Square, Limerick. Tel: 061 207300 Fax: 061 207390 Email: lyric@rte.ie Web: www.rte.ie/lyricfm Contact: Aodán Ó’Dubhghaill & Julie Knight

RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS Work Access Ltd. 1st Floor, Pillar House, Little Ellen Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 493095 Fax: 061 409345 Email: info@workaccess.org Web: www.workaccess.org

RECRUITMENT BDO Recruitment BDO Simpson Xavier 4 Michael Street, Limerick Tel: 061 414455 Fax: 061 414172 Email: info@bdosx-limerick.com Web: www.bdosx-limerick.com

RESTAURANTS Poppadom Award Winning Indian Cuisine Unit 2C, Robert Street, Corn Market Square, Limerick Tel: 061 446644 www.poppadom.ie

Brooks Recruitment Hotel & Catering 86 O’Connell St., Limerick. Tel: 061 413022 Fax: 061 312799 E-mail: info@brooksrecruitment.com Web: www.brooksrecruitment.com

Thai Gourmet The White House No.2 Glenthworth Street, Limerick Tel: 061 312012 Fax: 381773 Email: gourmet@eircom.net Web: www.thaigourmet.ie

Irish Recruitment Consultants Deloitte & Touche House, Charlottes Quay, Limerick Tel: 061 313744 Fax: 061 417553 Email:admin@irishrecruitment.ie Web:www.irishrecruitment.ie Manpower Limerick Branch 1 Michael Street, Limerick. Contact: Niall Harris Tel: 061 312230 Fax: 061 312280 Email: limerick@manpower.ie Web: www.manpower.ie Richmond Recruitment Hibernian House, Henry St: Limerick. Tel: 061-413111 Fax: 061-416699 E-Mail: midwestjobs@richmond.ie Web: www.richmond.ie Staff Solutions Unit 2 Belfield House, Ennis Road, Limerick Tel: 061 329250 Fax: 061 329252 E-mail: info@staffsolutions.ie Web: www.staffsolutions.ie RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY RECRUITMENT WEBSITE IrishJobs.ie Head Office South Block, The Malthouse, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2. Tel: +353 1 670 9900 Fax: +353 1 670 9901 Email: info@irishjobs.ie Web: www.irishjobs.ie

SECURITY Avantguard Security Solutions Avantguard House Coonagh Cross, Limerick Tel: 061 323832 Fax: 061 323834 Mobile: 086 6004350 Email: pryan@avantguard.ie Web: www.avantguard.com Advance Securities Imperial House, Roches St., Limerick Tel: 061 411197 Fax: 061-400695 E-mail: info@advancesecurities.com Web: www.advancesecurities.com Westside Security Systems Ltd. Private Security Licence Number: 00095 Rathuard, Donoughmore, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 419610 Mobile: 086 8164444 Email: wsa@eircom.net Web: www.westsidesecurity.com SECURITY SHREDDING & CONFIDENTIAL WASTE DGD Papers Ltd. Bay M1, Raheen Business Park Limerick Tel: 061 491333 Fax: 061 491335 Email: info@dgdpapers.com Web: www.dgdpapers.com

SIGNAGE SignLynx Contact: Jack O’Loughlin Franklin Motor Yard, Cahernorry, Ballysimon, Limerick. Tel: 061 333736 Mob: 086 8094420 Fax: 061 333737 Email: jackoloughlin@signlynx.ie Web: www.signlynx.ie Sign It Ltd Unit 6, Eastway Business Park, Ballysimon Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 469900 Fax: 061 417502 Email: Sales@signit.ie Web: www.signit.ie Sign & Print Unit 3 Takumi Building, Raheen Business Park, Limerick. Tel.: 0 61 487000 Fax.:0 61 484881 Email : sales@sign-print.ie Web : www.sign-print.ie Signsplus Unit 7, Eastlink Business Park, Ballysimon Road, Limerick. Tel: 061 437950 Fax: 061 437940 Email: sales@signsplus.ie Web: www.signsplus.ie SOLICITORS Holmes O’Malley Sexton Bishopsgate, Henry St: Limerick. Tel: 061-313222 Fax: 061-310414 E-Mail: info@homs.ie Web: www.homs.ie TAXATION BDO Simpson Xavier Personal and Corporate Tax Advisors 4 Michael Street, Limerick Tel: 061 414455 Fax: 061 414172 Email: info@bdosx-limerick.com Web: www.bdosx-limerick.com TEAM BUILDING Funireland Team Building Specialists Little Orchard, Dooneen,Crecora, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 320292 Fax: 061 320294 Email: info@funireland.com Web: www.funireland.com

www.businesslimerick.ie

WINE MERCHANT Davide Wines Davide Bisaschi Selected Wines Italian Wines Specialist Tel: 085 7593228 Email: davide@davidewines.com

VALUER Jim O’ Shea Auctioneers Mungret Village, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 210055 Fax: 061 210248 Mobile: 087 2361439 Email: info@auctioneer-oshea.ie Web: www.auctioneer-oshea.ie

WINE RETAILERS Fine Wines Fine Wines Group, Tipperary Road, Ballysimon, Limerick Tel: 061 417784 Fax: 061 417276 Email: mdaly@finewines.ie Web: www.finewines.ie

WATER COOLERS & DISPENSERS Crystal Clear Leamy House, Hartstonge St: Limerick. Tel: 061-454962 Fax: 061-454449 Mobile: 087-2561239 E-Mail: info@crystalc.ie

The Wine Buff 17 Upper Mallow Street, Limerick Proprietor: Mike O’ Mara Tel: 061 313394 E-mail: mike.omara@thewinebuff.com Web: www.thewinebuff.com

WATER CONSULTANTS Allied Aquatech Water Treatment Consultants 3 Kyle House (office & shop) Henry Street, Limerick Tel: 061 319777 Mobile: 086 1555568 Fax: 061 319778 Email: pjdawson@eircom.net Web: www.h2o4u.ie WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL Mr Binman Luddenmore Grange, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick Tel: 061 351127 Fax: 061 351918 Email: info@mrbinman.com Web: www.mrbinman.com WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT IEG DESIGN Contact: Padraig O’Connell Railway Road, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick. Tel: 063 20869 Fax: 063 20775 Email: poconnell@iegdesign.com Web: www.iegdesign.com WEIGHT LOSS Motivation Weight Control Clinic 58/59 Thomas Street, Limerick. Tel: Limerick 061 411699 Cork: 021 4272735 www.businesslimerick.ie

To subscribe to our Business Directory Listing please contact: Yvonne Sheehan on 061 - 214738 or Email: yvonne@businesslimerick.ie

THE A – Z OF BUSINESSES

TRAINING & CONSULTANCY Procad Training Portal House, Raheen Business Park, Limerick. Contact: Adrian Carmody Tel: 061 498900 Fax: 061 304080 Email: training@procadgroup.com Web: www.procadtraining.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

..... ................................................................................. BL | DIRECTORY

New Booklet For Diabetes Patients Around 200 Irish people die every year as a result of contracting pneumococcal disease. A new booklet entitled ‘A winter prescription for people with Diabetes’ was launched today calling for people with diabetes to be vaccinated against the potentially fatal pneumococcal disease. The booklet was developed by Sanofi Pasteur MSD and The Diabetes Federation of Ireland (DFI). Pneumococcal disease can lead to pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia. Between1996–2006, over 200 Irish people have died per year as a result of contracting pneumococcal disease. Currently, 200,000 people are known to have diabetes in Ireland . At present diabetes care accounts for about 10 per cent (€350 million) of the total health budget. This initiative is designed to educate patients on how to best manage their diabetes during the winter months when they are also more susceptible to other conditions such as pneumococcal disease. The Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland recommends that everyone aged 65 years and older should be offered the pneumococcal vaccination and all infants should be offered vaccination as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. Individuals of any age who are in the at-risk groups which include diabetes mellitus, chronic heart, lung, or liver disease and immunosuppressive conditions should also get the vaccine. Anyone who is in any of the atrisk categories should speak to their GP about pneumococcal vaccination which is available free of charge. Pneumococcal vaccination helps protect against serious pneumococcal diseases, such as septicaemia and meningitis, caused by the pneumo bug (Streptococcus pneumoniae) which lives in the back of many peoples’ throats. Pneumococcal diseases are spread by coughing, sneezing or close contact. The booklets will be available from The Diabetes Federation of Ireland and your local GP surgery. The Pneumococcal campaign is sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur MSD. 81

Lime

......................................................................................... BL | TECHNOLOGY

Backing Up Data - Why You Need To Do It This is one of the most important, yet also one of the most neglected areas of computing. Backing up your data should be at the top of your computer maintenance list, right next to Virus Protection. Without data backup or virus protection, you are running the risk of losing your data. And it will happen, don't think that you don't have to worry about it. Why should you back up? Data loss can happen in many ways. One of the most common causes is physical failure of the media the data is stored on. You probably have everything saved on your PCs hard drive. That hard drive will not live forever. To quote a friend of mine, "there are only two types of hard drives - the ones that have failed and the ones that will fail." Yes, normally hard drives will live for years without incident. But eventually they will die. It might happen gradually, by more and more bad clusters accumulating until most of the drive is unusable. Or it might happen suddenly, the hard drive just dies without warning. Another bad storage media are floppy disks. They are good for temporary storage and maybe transporting information, but not for permanent data storage. Another possible cause for data loss is power failure or spikes. It can result in loss of the document you are currently working on because you did not save it before the power failed and your PC shut down, or in loss of your entire hard drive because a power surge fried your motherboard and destroyed the file

allocation table of your hard drive. Also worth mentioning is data loss through virus attacks. There are plenty of nasty computer viruses out there that will delete files on an infected machine. That's why Virus Protection is just as important. What data should you back up? You might think that you probably don't really have anything worth backing up, nothing important, no big deal. Let's go through just a few items to jog your memory. Let's start with your website data, images & content, do your run a content management facility: how about favourite places on the Internet and that long list of bookmarks. Do you want to lose all those? How about the e-mail addresses from all your friends? That would take a long time to accumulate those again. What about that to-do list you wrote? Or about that nice picture somebody e-mailed you and that you saved? How about that family history you collected over the years and put into a database? Maybe you have a document for work, like a presentation or a spreadsheet that you created at home and don't have a copy on your work PC? Think about that saved game of your favourite game where it took you weeks or months to get to that level. These are just the most common examples, and I know that after thinking about it for a while you will realize that there is a lot of information you don't want to lose.

by Padraig O'Connell Be organised To make backing up your data easier, it helps if your data is organised. If you save all your data in the program folder of the program the data is used in, e.g. Word documents in C:\Office\ Word, Excel documents in C:\Office\Excel, you will have a lot of fun hunting down all your files and making sure you didn't forget anything when backing up. Believe me, it gets old real fast. Instead, you should make a point of saving all your documents, no matter what it is, in one central location. That's what the My Documents folder is for. You can make subfolders called Private and Business, and subcategorize those more. This way 95% of your backup will be done by simply copying the My Documents folder. Very easy and convenient. But don't forget, as I mentioned earlier, to also back up your bookmarks and e-mail data. If you use MS Internet Explorer, you need to back up the folder C:\Windows\Favorites which contains the bookmarks and the folder C:\Windows\ Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book for your e-mail addresses and the folder C:\ Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express for your e-mail if you use Outlook Express. If you use Netscape, you need to back up the folder C:\Program Files\Netscape\ Users\(your user name here), it contains all your Netscape related data.

www.businesslimerick.ie

Limerick Now A4

10/31/08

11:55 AM

Page 1

upper william street. crescent shopping centre. patrick street, LIMERICK (061) 413854 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;connell street, CLONMEL, co tipperary

w w w . t o n y c o n n o l l y. c o m

JET SET

............................................................................................................................... BL | XXXXXXXX

The Saab 9-3 range provides everything from a 1.8i to 250 bhp V6 Aero engines, all meticuously crafted and beautifully designed. But then we do have a history of designing jet fighters. Give yourself a thrill, book a test drive today.

The Saab 9-3 range from â&#x201A;Ź34,495* The fuel consumption figures are L/100km Urban 7.2 - 17.3, Extra Urban 4.4 -7.7, Combined 5.4 - 11.1, CO2 147 - 266g/km * Delivery and related charges additional. Model shown is for illustrative purposes only.