Dundalk duo’s new venture will help musicians Blow to local workers as Argos announce plans to close

DunDALk men Pete Rust and Dagan Fleming have teamed up to launch a new version of their music industry website Fanify.

The pair met during the pandemic and since then have been working hard together to turn their business idea into reality.

According to Fanify CeO, Pete who grew up in Old Muirhevna on the Dublin Road, music has been his life since he was a young boy.

“I attended Gael Scoil Dhun Dealgan where I was taught the fiddle by Gerry O’Connor. I went on to the Marist and did Applied Music in DkIT,” said the 31-year-old.

He also studied music technology and sound engineering in Pulse Recording College in Dublin.

“Music was very much the only thing I did growing up from about the age of 12 or 13. I’ve been playing guitar and writing my own songs since I was around 14,” he said.

“I’ve also done several Internet-based courses in digital marketing over the last seven or eight years to promote music.

“When Covid-19 hit I switched over to the digital side and we set up two You Tube channels called ‘Lock up Orignal and Lock up DJs.”

Pete and Dagan have recently raised €400,000 for their tech start up project, a website called Fanify.

It is a tool for musicians to help them automate promotional activities and help them build an online presence.

“The vast majority of musicians don’t have the time or inclination to spend marketing their music in order to bring it to a large fan base,” said

Pete.

“They might put a lot of work in and eventually get their music on Spotify only to end up with 20 monthly listeners.

“They are left wondering where do they go from here. The answer is Fanify. We would say don’t’ waste your time, go back to playing music and let us market your work.”

Fanify Business Development Manager Dagan Fleming, aged 39, attended Bay estate nS and Dundalk Grammar School and studied music technology and sound engineering in Temple Bar.

According to Da- gan, Fanify will benefit the artist because it’s a global product and will save the musician a lot of time.

“On the website there is a dashboard and you can have that for social media content. It will be stream-lined and optimised and geared and tailored towards musicians,” said Dagan.

“In the middle of the pandemic we filmed a lot of local acts in the Teeling’s Distillery and we also produced the St Patrick’s Day video with Alvaro as I sit on the St Patrick’s Day Committee for the St Patrick’s Day parade.

“We have a long history of producing content locally. The only way artists in Ireland will survive and flourish is if they get support.”

Fanify has free features and it also operates a subscription service for uS$14.99 per month. It is currently just in dollars but Pete and Dagan have plans to offer the service in different currencies over time.

For more information please visit Fanify.io.

An estimated 15 to 20 employees at Argos Dundalk in the Retail Park have been affected by the announcement that Argos is to close all stores and operations in the Republic of Ireland at the end of June.

On average there are between 15 to 20 people employed at each store in Ireland with the announcement affecting 580 Argos employees nationwide.

There will be no change to the retailer’s operations in northern Ireland, Scotland, england and Wales, where Argos is performing well.

In a statement issued by Argos, the company said it arrived at the decision to leave Ireland following a long period of careful consideration and a thorough review of its business and operations in the country.

Argos is a retailer of general merchandise products, including toys, technology and consumer electronics.

Argos concluded the investment required to develop and modernise the Irish part of its business was not viable and that the money would be better invested in other parts of its business.

“Argos operates a bespoke model in the Republic of Ireland that is significantly different to its wider uk operation and today’s announcement only relates to Ar- gos stores in the Republic of Ireland,” the company stated.

“everyone at Argos recognises that this news will be unsettling for all its colleagues, some of whom have served Argos customers in Ireland for many years, and disappointing for its loyal customers.

“Argos is committed to doing everything it can to support its people and is talking to 580 colleagues, across 34 stores in the Republic of Ireland about their options.”

The statement continued: “As part of its consultation with colleagues and Mandate, the recognised trade union, Argos will propose an enhanced redundancy package that goes well beyond its statutory obligations.

“The small number of colleagues not eligible for redundancy under Irish Law are expected to receive a one-off goodwill payment.

“To further support colleagues, Argos has also committed to a programme of wider support over the coming months.”

Andy McClelland, Argos Ireland Operations Manager, said:

“We understand this is difficult news for our customers and colleagues.

“As with any major change to our business, we have not made this decision lightly and we are doing everything we can to support those impacted.

“On behalf of everyone at Argos I would like to thank our colleagues, customers, suppliers and partners for their support to our business.”

Argos stores will remain open to customers in the Republic of Ireland until 24th June 2023. Following the announcement, Argos will begin the process of gradually winding down its Irish business.

As part of this, customers in Ireland will no longer be able to pay for orders via the Argos website or place orders via its home delivery service after 22nd March 2023.

Orders placed up to this date will continue to be fulfilled and customers will still be able to reserve products online and pay for them in store until the point of business closure.

The aftersales, returns, refunds and exchanges policy will continue to apply until Argos stores close.

Customers will be able find more information about how this policy will continue, in line with the retailer’s statutory obligations, after its stores have closed.