Derry~Strabane Connecting with Global our Diaspora September 2017
In This Issue
Welcome I am delighted to welcome you to the Derry~Londonderry Diaspora Newsletter. The Derry~Londonderry Diaspora project was established by Derry City and Strabane District Council with the aim of connecting with the Derry~Londonderry and Strabane Global Community wherever you may be living.
NORTHWEST TRADE MISSION TO BOSTON
In this edition you will find information find interesting articles about what is happening in Derry City and Strabane District, bios of Derry~Londonderry Diaspora, human interest stories about Derry and Strabane connections, a snapshot of jobs & key employers recruiting in the area.I hope you find the ezine interesting and we would love to hear from you, so get in touch! Email: investment@derrystrabane.com
DIASPORA PROFILE Mark A. Owens
USA CONSULATE INVESTMENT TOUR
BECOME A VISIT DERRY~LONDONDERRY AMBASSADOR
Who we are... Invest Derry City and Strabane are the official Business promotion agency for Derry City and Strabane District Council. Our mission is to tell Derry~Londonderry City and Strabane District’s story to an international audience. Our purpose is to promote our region internationally, as a premier location in the world to invest, work, study and visit and to maintain and develop links with those who have a connection with Derry~ Londonderry City and Strabane District. We are here to help companies grow and thrive in the Derry ~ Londonderry City and Strabane District region. Supporting Start Up, Growth and Innovative Businesses of all sizes to help fulfil their potential. We provide free,
bespoke and confidential packages of advice for foreign and domestic companies and potential investors, whilst using our unrivalled local knowledge of the region to undertake wideranging property searches. We can also support your initial recruitment stages to assist with finding core staff, specialists and make relevant recruitment agency introductions for general hiring. We also offer aftercare support to recent investors. Our services are available to national and international companies that wish to relocate to, export from or expand within the Derry City & Strabane District. For more information: http://www.investderry.com
Northwest Trade Mission to Boston (USA) Background The Ireland NW Trade & Investment Mission, led by the Mayors and Chief Executives of Donegal County Council and Derry City & Strabane District Council is part of a wider investment strategy to promote Ireland NW as a compelling and attractive investor proposition. Following the success of the 2016 delegation of 17 local companies, a second trade and investment mission is to visit, its dual aims are to assist indigenous companies to do business in export markets raising the profile of our region in the NE coast of USA market as an investment location.
This year’s trade missions focuses on our key growth economic sectors: • Creative Digital Technologies • Life & Health Sectors • Advanced Manufacturing, Materials and Engineering (AMME)
Companies from Derry City and Strabane District that are attending this year’s trade mission are: • A&E Global • C-TRIC • HidInImage • MakeMatic • NeuroConcise Ltd • O’Neills Sport • Troll Inc • Type 40 Creative The Derry City & Strabane District companies will also be joined by a number of companies from the Donegal Country Council Area. This mission offers unique opportunities and benefits to participants including access to: • Key economic & Government decision makers • Exceptional Networking Opportunities
For more information on the Trade Mission or to arrange to meet with any of the companies please contact:
investment@derrystrabane.com
• Tailored B2B Meetings • In-market Intelligence • Pre and Post Mission Support • Finance packages for Travel & Accommodation
A look back at the first North West delegation to Boston ~ in 1718! In November 2017, Derry City and Strabane District Council, in partnership with Donegal County Council, will be taking a trade mission to Boston USA. This follows the first delegation trip, made approx. 300 years ago, in which patrons were seeking new opportunities in the New World, but in this case it was land grants as opposed to business investment. This first delegation, inspired and led by Presbyterian ministers, was the first step in what was to become a large scale exodus of Ulster-Scots from Ulster throughout the 18th Century. 311 inhabitants of the North of Ireland (including Presbyterian Ministers from NE Derry and NW Antrim) appointed Rev William Boyd, by petition dated 26 March 1718, to negotiate a grant of land from Samual Shute, governer of New England. The negotiations were entrusted to William Boyd, Presbyterian minister of Macosquin (1710 to 1725), who crossed to Boston in 1718. Assurances of support were given by Shute. It is uncertain how many of the petitioners actually emigrated on Boyd’s return but it is known that neither Boyd nor any of the twelve ministers who signed the petition did so. James MacGregor, son of Captain MacGregor of Magilligan and minister of Aghadowey Presbyterian Church, 1701 to 1718, accompanied by some of his congregation, arrived in Boston on August 4, 1718. Sixteen families went to Casco Bay, Maine and remained there during the winter. On October 31, 1718,
James MacGregor and Archibald Boyd presented a petition, ‘on behalf of themselves and 26 others already arrived in Boston and forty more families who were about to emigrate from Ireland’, for a grant of land to the house of representatives of Massachusetts. They obtained the right to settle in twelve square miles of unclaimed Massachusetts land. In the spring of 1719 the little colony left their winter quarters at Casco Bay and went to Haverhill, where they heard of a fine tract of land about 15 miles distant, called Nutfield, from the abundance of chestnut, walnut, and butternut. The encouragement offered by the Governor was so favourable the colony of Nutfield was informally organised on April 11, 1719. They began to cut timber and erect log cabins along Westrunning Brook. In May 1719, Reverend James MacGregor assumed pastoral charge of the settlement, thus the first Presbyterian congregation in New England was formally organised. In June 1722 Nutfield, by a charter granted by Governor Samuel Shute in the name of George III, was incorporated as the town of Londonderry. As well as being one of the founding fathers of Presbyterianism in New England and of the town of Londonderry, New Hampshire it is said James MacGregor had, as a 12 year-old boy, the honour of firing the great gun in the tower of St Columb’s Cathedral, answering the ships which brought relief to Derry to end the siege of 1689.
The 390 names of the earliest settlers of Londonderry, NH are on the ‘map of a large portion of the orignal town of Nutfield settled in 1719 and chartered as Londonderry in 1722, prepared and drawn by Revd. J G McMurphy’. Each was granted a lot suitable for a homestead upon which relatives or friends might locate at the invitation of the grantee. Each family was allotted 120 acres: a 60 acre houselot and a 60 acre woodlot. It is estimated a thousand people, departing from Derry and Coleraine in 10 ships disembarked at Boston in 1718. The importance of this cannot
be measured in terms of number alone. The significance of 1718 is that the floodgates of emigration were opened for the first time as an outlet for the distressed and discontented. They demonstrated to tens of thousands of relations and friends they left behind in the Bann and Foyle valleys that life in America was a practical alternative to the economic hardship and religious grievances in Ireland. Written by Brian Mitchell Contact us at genealogy@ derrystrabane.com
Map of Diaspora Locations
The USA, Canada, The UK and Australia represent the locations with the largest number of diaspora from Northern Ireland. Derry~Londonderry diaspora can be found from Boston & Philadelphia (USA) to the Far East and the Gulf States. If you are aware of any diaspora please share this newsletter across your network.
In the Spotlight About Skylight Financial Group Skylight Financial Group’s history can be traced back to 1886 when Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), a leading mutual life insurance company run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders, established an office in Cleveland. Since then, MassMutual has enjoyed a long history of financial strength and strong performance – surviving wars, depressions, recessions and changing market conditions.
Mark A. Owens Chief Marketing Officer, Skylight Financial Group
A general agency of MassMutual, we also represent other fine companies and as one of the largest home-grown financial planning firms in Cleveland, have combined experience of 70 financial planning professionals.
What roles you held before chief marketing officer of the skylight financial group? Since moving permanently to the US in 2001 I have held various roles, basically working my way up the corporate food chain if you will – all in the Cleveland area. My initially job/work visa back then was a trainee manager position with Enterprise Rent-a-Car, moving to branch retail manager in the first year. Success continued over the next 6 years with early mornings and late evenings, I moved to State Farm Insurance as a field marketing specialist in Northeast Ohio. A great opportunity but over time becoming more virtual and involved working from home - which bored me to death! An opportunity to join Skylight Financial Group came calling in the summer of 2013 to become their new Director of Marketing. The company is owned by a Belfast man who has been here a bit longer than me, Paul Fox. This job really encompasses everything I love doing – dealing with people directly and in particular the community. I recently became our Chief Marketing Officer nd with some reshuffling of our team, my new role leads my work to develop areas such a marketing communications, including advertising, market research and social media and lead the firm’s community outreach in both Northeast Ohio and the Columbus/ Dublin region.
What does your role as INUSA Regional Vice President Entail? As regional VP of the Irish Network USA I am serving as a link between the national organization and the various chapters in my region. I am a founding member of the Irish Network Cleveland Chapter so I’ve been heavily involved from the start. To maybe back up on what the Irish Network is all about, it is an organization that actively helps Irish and Irish American professionals across the US to connect with their peers and to develop relationships that will foster success in their business, economic and social ventures. We work closely with companies and business owners to make connections in Ireland for outward investment and vice versa for those in Ireland looking to build contacts here in the US. We definitely see this as a two-way street, and with a lot of government connections on both sides of the Atlantic these interactions become easier and more fruitful.
What is a memorable experience for you that represents the best of Derry City and Strabane District? For me it’s the people of Derry. There are a lot of people here who go on tours of Ireland and do the usual castles and touristy things – but I can honestly say that 100% of the time I tell people to visit Derry they come back with nothing but rave reviews of the people and how welcoming they were. And it stands true, no matter where you go in the country – I have run into Derry people here in Cleveland or in Boston, Chicago and even Nashville, and it’s like you were right back in Derry having a pint – we all know the same people or know someone that does, we all help each other out when needed. Just look at the recent #GetJackBack campaign. It seems like the whole town got behind this on both sides of the community. It is great to see. I love getting home, usually once a year – fish supper for dinner and a chicken curry half-n-half after the bar closes – where else would you get it? For more information on Skylight Financial go to: www.skylightfinancialgroup.com
Top tips for tracing Irish Ancestry 1 Location, Location, Location The key to unlocking Irish family history origins is the knowledge of place. In tracing your Irish ancestors the most important piece of information to treasure, to be gleaned from either family folklore or record sources, is any information as to a place of origin of your ancestors. Knowing a County of origin is a good starting point, but ideally you want to find out a Parish. Village or Townland associated with an ancestor. John Steinbeck, Nobel prize-winning author who visited Derry in August 1952 knew exactly where his roots lay: “We were looking for a place called Mulkeraugh. You can spell it half a dozen ways and it isn’t on any map. I knew from half-memory that it was near to Ballykelly, which is near to Limavady, and I knew that from Mulkeraugh you could look across the lough to the hills of Donegal.”
2 Before you go near the records, talk to your family
It makes no sense to spend days trawling through websites to find out your great-grandmother’s surname if someone in the family already knows it. So first, talk to parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and find out what they know.
3 Surnames and naming Don’t place any importance on the precise spelling of any of the surnames you’re dealing with. Although the spelling matters to us now, before the 20th century extraordinary variations regularly occur in different records.
4 Start from what you know The only cast-iron rule of family history is that you start from what you know and use it to find out more.
5 Get help Get some idea of the background to your family surnames and have a look at some of the recommended basic guides to tracing family history.
If you want to find out more about your ancestry in the Derry City and Strabane District please see: genealogy@ derrystrabane.com or www.rootireland.ie
How can I become a Visit Derry~ Londonderry Business Ambassador? The Visit Derry Ambassador Network is an exclusive collaboration of dynamic local professionals from the medical, academic, cultural and corporate industries who act as ‘Ambassadors’. ‘Ambassadors’ promote the city as a conference destination throughout their extensive network of industry connections, colleagues, clients and suppliers through membership of professional Associations, Societies and Institutes. Over 70% of conferences are won due to the role played by a key local contact in the field our Ambassadors have helped us secure major national and international conferences. For more information get in touch with Visit Derry now, you will be surprised at how rewarding it can be to host a national or international conference in your home city.
E: Aoife.thomas@visitderry.com T: +44 (028) 7137 7577 You will be surprised at how rewarding it can be to host a national or international conference in your home city on behalf of your organisation!
What’s happening in Derry~Londonderry and Strabane? Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2018 The Foyle Maritime Festival returns to Derry~Londonderry in July 2018 and will host the stopover of the Clipper Race 2017-18 as they near the end of their Round the World Journey. Queen’s Quay will once again be transformed into a maritime wonderland full of fun, activities, music, arts and crafts as we prepare to welcome the Clipper Race yachts back! For More Information: www.foylemaritimefestival.com
Ireland Rugby World Cup 2023 Derry took one step towards staging part of the 2023 Rugby World Cup after Ireland’s bid to host the competition reached the next phase. Ireland’s bid includes a list of 12 possible stadia where games could take place and Celtic Park in the Brandywell is one of them. With a a proven track record of hosting major global events including the G8, Giro d’Italia, MTV Music Awards, the World Police and Fire Games, the Clipper round the World Yacht Race and the Irish Open Golf Championship Northern Ireland as part of the joint bid is optimistic. The winning Bid will be announced in late 2017. So watch this space! For More Information: www.irishrugby.ie/ireland2023
European Capital of Culture 2023 Derry and Strabane have submitted a join bid with Belfast City Council to become European Capital of Culture in 2023. Derry previously held the title of UK Capital of Culture in 2013, Every year, two cities are designated Capital of Culture by the European Union (EU) and organise a series of cultural events. The UK was already lined up to host the event in 2023 before the country voted to leave the EU in June 2016. Three non-EU cities have held the title in the past Istanbul in 2010, Stavanger in Norway in 2008 and Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2000. UK cities have previously been European Capital of Culture twice - Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008. The winning UK city will be announced in late 2018. So watch this space! Get involved in supporting the bid internationally: www.weare2023.eu @WeAre2023 @WeAre2023
Part of the Lumiere festival during Derry’s 2013 UK City of Culture celebrations.
International Relations
Australian High Commissioner Visit to Derry~Londonderry
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Visit Derry~Londonderry Business representatives from Pennsylvania have said there could be major opportunities for Derry-based businesses to expand into what has become one of the world’s largest economies. Talks have also been taking place around partnership work with Ulster University about trans-Atlantic collaboration. Joseph Burke, Deputy Secretary for International Business Development at the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and Richard Kilner, Managing Director, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania European Investment Office, visited the city in March and delivered a presentation on potential investment Engagement with Derry & Strabane Council has been ongoing since with plans to strengthen ties between the two regions. For more information: http://www.investderry. com/pennsylvania-expansion-potential-for-localcompanies/
USA Consulate Investment Tour
On 30th May 2017. Invest Derry City & Strabane made their way to Invest Northern Ireland Headquarters in Belfast to discuss Investment opportunities with the UK Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The Chinese delegation of 18, representing Chinese companies operating in the UK were in Northern Ireland to learn about our location as a place to invest and do business. Feedback from the Chinese delegation on our investment proposition was extremely positive and a number of relationship have now been formed.
Pictured at the Australian High Commissioners visit to Derry are, from left, George Fleming, Fleming Agri-Products, Kieran Kennedy, O’Neills Sportswear, Sharon Forbes, Finrone Systems, The Hon. Alexander Downer, Australian High Commissioner to the UK, Paul Kirkpatrick, DuPont, Stephen Gillespie, DCSDC, Rosalind Young, DCSDC, Richard Andrews, Australian Ambassador to Ireland, Sinead McLaughlin, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce.
Derry City & Strabane District companies had an opportunity to explore wider trading opportunities when they met the Australian High Commissioner, Alexander Downer on 13th January 2017. Director of Business and Culture at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Stephen Gillespie, said the meeting came at an opportune time given the UK’s impending withdrawal from the European Union. “This was a useful meeting for the local business representatives, some of whom have existing business interests in Australia,” he noted. “Our unique situation as a highly populated border region means the potential local implications of Brexit are more complex and it is therefore important for local businesses to explore all their trading options. “The Commissioner gave an insight into possible trading opportunities in Australia which will allow local business leaders to effectively explore and plan for the future.” Asia and Oceania, which includes Australia, was the biggest market for exporters from the North last year, excluding the European Union (54.3 per cent in quarters one to three) and North America (26.5 per cent in the same period). Asia and Oceania accounted for 8.7 per cent of all exports. Agriculture solutions specialists Finrone Systems, agricultural equipment manufacturers Fleming Agri, sportswear brand O’Neills and Dupont were among those who met the Commissioner. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Sinead McLaughlin said: “Despite the geographical distance between our areas, Australia has significant trading opportunities for businesses in our region to explore. “O’Neill’s Sportswear have had a successful sales office in Adelaide for almost two years now and Australia’s vast agricultural sector means there are a range of opportunities for local businesses like Finrone Systems and Fleming Agri.”
China Chamber of Commerce UK: Investment Presentation On 14th June 2017 7 members of the Irish International Business Network (IIBN) hosted by the USA Consulate in Belfast, will be conducting an Investment Tour of the Derry City and Strabane District. IIBN is the
leading network of Irish entrepreneurs and business professionals. The objective of IIBN is to facilitate greater communication and connectivity between successful Irish business people all over the world with a view to identifying and exploiting new business opportunities. Read about the visit including profiles of attendees in our next e-zine. For more information on IIBN: http://iibn.com/
Business News provision of budget hotel accommodation in Londonderry by offering a three-star quality option for visitors.
Holiday Inn invests in Derry~ Londonderry The Duddy Group is investing £7million to build a new Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Londonderry creating 47 jobs. The project is being supported by Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities. Announcing the investment, Invest Northern Ireland’s Chief Executive Alastair Hamilton said: “This new hotel will address a gap in
The hotel will have 116 bedrooms, a Marco Pierre White New York Italian Restaurant, 2 meeting rooms and 3 retail units and will provide accommodation for up to 40,000 visitors a year bringing significant additional revenue to the city. The economic benefit also includes the creation of 47 jobs as well as employment generated during the construction phase and the ongoing benefit to the local supply chain through the purchasing of consumables for use in the hotel. The addition of this internationally acknowledged brand will underline the city’s position as a quality destination and will contribute to achieving government’s targets to grow tourism revenues to £1 billion and visitor numbers to 4.5 million by 2020. The new hotel will be located on the corner of Strand Road and Great James Street, not far from the Peace Bridge and close to other key tourist sites such as the Guildhall and the City Walls. For more information: http://www.investderry.com/ holiday-inn-invests-in-derrylondonderry/
LaunchPad and Peoplesafe set up shop in Derry, creating 16 new jobs LaunchPad and Peoplesafe, two highly successful software companies that were founded in England, have established new offices in Derry and plan to create a total of 16 new jobs in the city over the next 12 months. LaunchPad, a London-headquartered startup that develops video recruitment software, is establishing a European centre in Derry and will be recruiting ten new team members to fill customer service and software development vacancies. LaunchPad creates data and video interviewing and screening technologies that help recruitment and HR professionals make smarter and more objective hiring decisions. Peoplesafe, a Sheffield-headquartered tech firm that develops digital devices, smartphone apps and online platforms designed to ensure the safety of lone workers, is planning to establish offices in Derry and recruit software developers for 6 new software development vacancies. Founded in 2004, Peoplesafe has now developed a full portfolio of safety solutions for lone workers across a range of sectors. For More Information: http:// www.investderry.com/launchpadpeoplesafe-create-16-new-jobs-derry/
Cognitive Analytics Research Lab launched with £4m investment in Derry Ulster University has cemented its reputation as a global leader in data analytics research with the launch of Northern Ireland’s first data analytics institute, creating 12 new research level posts and delivering £4 million in salaries over the next 5 years. Bringing together businesses, government and advanced research expertise, Ulster University’s Cognitive Analytics Research Lab, will build upon the University’s existing internationally renowned research expertise in data analytics. It will be headquartered at Ulster University’s Magee campus with offices in Belfast campus. With 90% of the data in the world today being created in the last two years, data analytics research and the development of cognitive applications to support rapid decision making has never been more important. The global potential is vast across multiple domains including health and medical research, financial technology, international finance, advanced manufacturing and energy, media, and increasingly, government policy and decisions. The Cognitive Analytics Lab will harness the full potential of over £30 million already recently invested by the University into data analytics related research projects. It will consolidate existing and future high-quality skills and resources to drive the local research agenda and enhance Northern Ireland’s international competitiveness. For More Information: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/cognitiveanalytics-research/about
Derry to London Air Route announced The UK Government has announced £3.8 million for a Derry to London air route. BMI Regional has been chosen as the preferred operator for the route between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted, following a competitive tender process by Derry City & Strabane District Council. Flights began on 2nd May 2017. The
new BMI regional service will be twice daily except Saturdays (when there will be one flight each way) and timed to compliment business schedules. £3.8 million in UK Government funding will allow 13 return flights to connect Londonderry to London every week. The new service will allow business passengers to get to central London and complete a full day’s work before returning home. For More Information: http://www.investderry. com/derry-to-london-stanstead-air-route-announced/
Diaspora Events/Connections Come join our highly skilled and professional team of staff! Enriching lives, building careers and supporting communities. The North West Regional College (NWRC) has been at the heart of life in the North West of Northern Ireland for more than 100 years. Across the passing of time it has stood as an important institution renowned for delivering an extensive range of learning and career opportunities to thousands of learners. As an employer, North West Regional College has provided hundreds of jobs across its teaching, support and technical areas. As a supporter of the local
economy, it has nurtured local enterprise through expert training and skills development. If you are interested in joining our team of staff, please visit our website at the link below. Recent jobs included fulltime lecturing posts in Computing (Data Analytics), Fabrication and Welding, Early Years and Health and Social Care. Support posts have also been recently advertised in Technical areas and Administration. Our Parttime Lecturing Register is currently open and receiving applications for a range of subject areas. For more information please visit our website at http://www.nwrc.ac.uk/jobs/ or contact our Recruitment Team on 0044 2871 276 026.