TINKERING AT THE EDGES
The recent tragic death of a Canadian tourist after what seems to have been an unprovoked attack was something I never wanted to hear or read about.
I’m
sure the general public were equally shocked by this senseless act.
This heinous act of violence exasperates the reality of how unsafe our cities and large urban areas have become.
Like a lot of people, I have experienced and witnessed the lack of visible Garda presence on our streets and tourist attractions throughout the country. I am not advocating a police state, but feel the lack of Garda personal on the beat and on our streets is assisting in ever-increasing lawlessness.
I was recently fortunate to visit a number of our European neighbours: Barcelona and Nejra in Spain, and Munich in Germany. Barcelona is in the news regarding the concern of local people around over-tourism. I can attest to this scenario. When I visited in January, it was impossible to obtain access to the must-see attractions the city offers. It was extremely busy and chaotic at some of those sights. That said, I didn’t feel in any way unsafe or anxious for my wellbeing or safety. There was a visible police presence in most areas I visited - and these police were visible on
most streets and large shopping areas. More recently I visited Nejra and Munich. Nejra is a well-known tourist destination for Irish people and has a vibrant offering of attractions. The restaurants stay open and serve until around 10pm, after which people can party at clubs in the area. Police presence was evident and visible on all the main thoroughfares and environs. The overall experience was one of feeling safe and not on my guard.
My trip to Munich coincided with the Euros and was a different situation. At the start of my visit, Denmark and Serbia were playing. The town centre was crammed with supporters from both teams and the Serbs were the more boisterous and loudest. A subtle police presence was visible: groups of strategically positioned officers. As the afternoon went on the loutish behaviour became more worrying and unpleasant, with drink-fuelled Serbian
supporters commandeering the town centre. It was quite frightening to try and navigate the centre and apparent it wouldn’t take much to change the situation to something more sinister. At that point, police in full riot gear emerged and formed pods in and around the square. The unspoken word was that no unsavoury behaviour was going to be accepted.
As we left the police began moving fans towards the Metro stations and ensuring they vacated the area. Nobody tried to confront this zero-tolerance position taken by the authorities for law breaking or disruption. When you consider how we police our cities and large urban areas it is not rocket science to recognise the glaring problem. During the Europa and GAA there was a visible Garda presence. This was acknowledged by Tourist SOS, a newly named tourism support organisation: the Garda numbers created a safer environment for those attending the events.
CEO of Tourist SOS, Lisa Kennedy, said in an interview: “With the Europa Cup Final recently, we saw a lot of Gardaí on the street and it shows that it does have an effect on people’s behaviour. I do think that a physical presence is important and I think that it does add to the feeling of reassurance and the security of people.” Boots on the street: pure and simple. No excuses, no prevaricating, action and action now.
A strange and maybe concerning scenario emanating from Europe is the targeting of destination hotspots, such as Barcelona, Rome, Canaries and Venice by locals who are tired of the tourism boom and impact on the local population. People in restaurants have been sprayed with water by locals. Authorities in Rome have imposed fines for sitting on the Spanish Steps, an iconic landmark. A daytrip visitor fee is now in place for visitors to Venice.
Airbnb is also seen as a major contributor to a number of ills: from attracting boozy groups, partying raves and reducing the amount of rental
Cyril McAree, Editor
property for locals and workers in tourism regions. Hoteliers have long questioned how Airbnb operators are allowed disrupt the sector, especially considering the lack of monetary offering they contribute to marketing and promotion in the regions they are based in. Barcelona has targeted these operators and is now putting a restriction on the number of days they can lease short lets in the course of a year.
Maybe it is time to look at the elephants in the room in Ireland, stop tinkering around the edges, and get serious about these issues.
GERMAN-BASED ACTOR AND INFLUENCER EXPLORES IRELAND
A popular actor and influencer in Germany, Olivia Marei, has been visiting Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and the Wild Atlantic Way as a guest of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. Olivia – who grew up in Vienna and now lives in Germany – stars in
a well-known German TV series called GZSZ (Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten), in which she plays the role of a detective called Toni. She has a large following on social media, with around 176,000 followers on Instagram and 77,000 on TikTok.
NEWBRIDGE SILVERWARE HOSTS KILDARE TOURISM GROUP
Into Kildare, the official tourism body for County Kildare, recently welcomed 40 members to a collaborative event and lunch held at Newbridge Silverware. The event highlighted Kildare’s attractions and accommodations while also introducing new members such as Palmerstown House Estate and the Heritage. Pictured are: Aine Mangan, CEO Into Kildare, and Ronan Mackey, Newbridge Silverware
SPOTLIGHT ON IRELAND IN NEVADA
Tourism Ireland and four tourism companies from Ireland recently attended the annual Global Travel Marketplace West (GTM West) in Henderson, Nevada. Pictured are: Siobhan Naughton and Barbara Wood, both Tourism Ireland; Finola McDermott, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum; Niamh O'Neill, O'Donoghue Ring Collection; John Higgins, National Trust - Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre; and Evelina Alimaite, Ei Travel Group, at GTM West in Nevada.
WORLD CLASS WALKING IN DONEGAL
Donegal Camino 2024, a seven day walking festival now in its fourth official year, will run from 1 September - kicking off at Ireland’s highest point, Malin Head - until 7 September when it will finish on Sliabh Liag, Europe’s highest sea cliffs. The Camino, a fundraising event for Cancer Care West Services in Donegal, is set to attract walkers from all over the world. Visit www.donegalcamino.ie for more information.
TAKING LIBERTIES
Hyatt Centric Hotel in The Liberties, Dublin, has been awarded a Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Best of the Best Award for 2024. This accolade places the hotel among the top 1% of hotels globally. Speaking about
their achievement, Jane Bridge, Hotel Manager [pictured] said: “We are on cloud nine since receiving this highly esteemed award. To be compared to top 5-star hotels across the world is a very special recognition.”
EU FUND LEAVES FRESH TRAILS
Fáilte Ireland has announced the first round of approved investment grants for projects under the EU Just Transition Fund. 22 projects have been approved for €27.1million investment under the scheme, which include walking and cycling trails on former industrial peatlands and
investment in Local Authority and State Agency tourism and visitor experience projects.
Further projects are expected to be announced in the coming weeks and months.
Amongst the beneficiaries are Waterways Ireland, who have been granted €637,500
PERFECT HARMONY FOR INUA
The iNUA Hotel Collection recently celebrated their 5 year anniversary with their charity partners Down Syndrome Ireland. iNUA presented 25 colleagues with recognition of service awards, ranging from “new starters” to “16 years of service”.
of funding for two projects in the Midlands. An allocation of €487,500 will provide the Royal Canal Greenway with signage, digital enhancements, and “iconic creative pieces”.
More details can be found at: www.emra.ie/eu-jtf
DALATA BRIGHTENS UP BRIGHTON
Dalata Hotel Group has created 65 new jobs with the opening of a 226-guestroom hotel on Brighton’s waterfront. The 4-star Maldron Hotel Brighton is Dalata Hotel Group’s first hotel on the south coast, located a few minutes away from Brighton Centre, a 13-minute walk from the train station and 25 minutes from Gatwick airport by car.
MALDRON MAKES MOVES ON MANCHESTER
Dalata Hotel Group has created 32 new jobs with the official opening of its second Maldron Hotel in Manchester. Maldron Hotel Manchester Cathedral Quarter, a 188-bedroom hotel, features the brand’s Grain & Grill restaurant and a Red Bean Roastery coffee dock. The Chapel Street hotel also features two state-of-the art meeting rooms for business travellers.
THREE CHARITIES BENEFIT FROM LORD MAYOR’S BALL
The Dublin Lord Mayor’s charity ball has raised €150,000, for three charities: the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, Breast Cancer Ireland and A Lust for Life will each now receive €50,000. The first two charities were chosen by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de
BELFAST WELCOMES NEW HOTEL
Belfast’s newest hotel, voco Belfast, was officially opened in the Gasworks district following a £3.6 million refurbishment of the former Gasworks Hotel. voco is part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies with more than 6,000 international locations. The launch was attended by over 200 guests including John McGrillen, Chief Executive of Tourism NI, and Eddie McKeever, President, and Janice Gault, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation.
Róiste, while the third was picked by The Round Room at the Mansion House.
Pictured are de Róiste and Padraic O’Kane, from the Round Room, presenting the cheque for €150,000 to Andrew from A Lust for Life, Kevin from IMNDA and Adelle from Breast Cancer Ireland.
TRIGON’S WORK ENVIRONMENT PRAISED
PROMOTING KERRY TO MANCHESTER DIASPORA
Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland attended the recent Northern Community Gaelic Games in Manchester, to promote festivals happening in Kerry later this year.
Pictured are: Carina O’Brien, Vice Consul General of Ireland for the North of England; Joseph Cruise, Tourism Ireland; Helen O'Connor-Barry, Kerry County Council; Sarah Mangan, Consul General of Ireland for the North of England; Seán Hopkins, Chairperson of the Provincial Council of Britain GAA; Azeta Seery, Fáilte Ireland; and Cllr Jim Finucane, Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council.
Trigon Hotels, which includes the Cork International Hotel and the Metropole Hotel, has been recognised as one of Ireland’s Best Workplaces in Hospitality in 2024. The hotel group is one of 51 organisations announced by Great Place to Work. Over 39,575 employees in the hotel industry were invited to take part in a survey over the last couple of years.
IRELAND ON PAR WITH THE BEST
Joe Shannon, G Golf Ireland; James Broom, Tourism NI; Karen Collins, Killeen Castle; Ann Marie Murphy, Fáilte Ireland; Emer Mac Diarmada, Tourism Ireland; and Matt Doherty, Visit Derry, at the Scandinavian mixed golf tournament in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Great Place to Work were then able to investigate and understand the employee experience within these workplaces.
Pictured from the HR Department at Trigon Hotels are: Katriona Hourihan; Eanna O’Brien; Kathleen Linehan, Strategic Director of HR at Trigon Hotels; and Deirdre Staples.
MULTI-MILLION POUND FACELIFT FOR LOUGH ERNE RESORT
Lough Erne Resort General Manager Gareth Byrne (centre) celebrates the resort’s multi-millionpound revamp with Jeff Mahan (left) and Mark Ward (right), from operators TRU Hotels and Resorts LLC. For more information, visit lougherneresort.com
A BRIDGE TOO FAR?
German actor and comedian Uke Bosse filming at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge for a new Tourism Ireland campaign.
ACCESS HOSPITALITY EXPANDS HOTEL SOFTWARE PORTFOLIO
SUMMER IN THE CITY
Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel is underway with its new Summer Soirée Series, a trio of events taking place on the hotel's iconic Rooftop Bar & Terrace in June, July and August. These gatherings promise a perfect blend of gourmet cuisine, bespoke cocktails, and live music. Guests will be treated to sharing plates and light bites, crafted by the hotel's renowned Executive Chef, Gareth Mullins. Each dish will be paired with bespoke handcrafted cocktails, and accompanied by a live DJ.
www.anantara.com
The Access Group, a business management software provider, has added SHR Group - a global hotel and casino technology specialist - to its hotel management technology suite. The latest acquisition gives the Access Hospitality division a full range of hotel operations, distribution, and guest engagement solutions for its partners in North America.
By pairing SHR with Guestline - an end-to-end hotel platform which Access acquired in 2023 - Access Hospitality customers “will have a comprehensive integrated technology solution”.
SHR’s 2,000 hotel customers joins Guestline’s 3,000 properties.
LOUGH ERNE RESORT NAMED HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Lough Erne Resort has been named Hotel of the Year (75+ Rooms) at the Licensed & Catering News (LCN) Awards 2024 in Northern Ireland. The category was sponsored by Bath Fitter, a bathroom renovation company, and judged by a “mystery guest’s” inspection of the venue according to a strict set of winning criteria.
GARDEN OF EDEN
Elmer Dool, horticulturist, is leading new guided tour of Mount Congreve Gardens in Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford in honour of his late father, Herman Dool, who worked as Garden Director in Mount
DALATA LIGHTS UP LIVERPOOL
Dalata Hotel Group has created 75 new jobs with the opening of a 268-guestroom hotel in Liverpool city centre. The 4-star Maldron Hotel Liverpool is Dalata Hotel Group’s first hotel in the city, located on Park Lane and just a fourminute walk from the Liverpool One retail paradise and 15 minutes from Lime Street Station.
Congreve Gardens from the late 1960s for forty years. For further details see mountcongreve.com
N.I. ROOM REPORT REVEALS ALL
Sumer Northern Ireland has released its annual Hotel Industry Survey. According to the report, 2.31 million hotel bedrooms were occupied across the region in 2023, a 10.5% increase from 2022. Last year, bedroom letting rates reached an all-time high, averaging £134.32 compared to £127.98 in 2022 with hotel services such as food and
DALATA TRADING UPDATE
Dalata Hotel Group’s trading update for the first six months of 2024 shows a busy May and June period. All four regions are expected to outperform 2023 with Group RevPARi 3% ahead of 2023 levels, according to the report. Corporate demand “remains strong and ahead of last year”. For the six months, ending 30 June 2024, Adjusted EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization] is expected to be in excess of €105 million, surpassing 2023 levels, with RevPARi marginally below 2023 levels (-1%). Pictured is Dermot Crowley. Dalata Heart of Hospitality.
beverage sales growing during the year. Overall, income reached a new benchmark high of £92,314 per available room. Pictured are (l-r): John McGrillen, Chief Executive Officer at Tourism NI, Brian Clerkin, Managing Director of Sumer Northern Ireland and Michael Williamson, Consultant at Sumer Northern Ireland.
SHAPING BRIGHTER FUTURES
Members of the IHF People Day 2024 Shaping Brighter Futures organising committee:
Aaron Mansworth (Trigon Hotels); Emer Corridan (Cahernane House Hotel); IHF President Michael Magner (Cork's Vienna Woods Hotel); Denyse Campbell (Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport); Dara Cruise (Co Ant Hospitality); IHF Chief Executive Tim Fenn and IHF Director of People Services Deirdre Fitzsimons.
GRAND DESIGNS
Interior Designers O’Donnell O’Neill have appointed two additional directors: Aisling Healy and Marie Smyckova who have both been working with O’Donnell O’Neill for a
number of years, rising rapidly through the positions of senior designers and design associates and now to directors. O’Donnell O’ Neill Design has studios in Dublin and Belfast and was formed in 2001.
APPOINTMENTS
BRINGING CULTURE TO CLISTE
Michelle Cooney Assoc CIPD has been appointed Group People & Culture Manager at Cliste Hospitality.
FOREVER YOUNG
Mandy Young is the new Group Director of Revenue at Trigon Hotels, the Cork-based group which operates The Metropole Hotel and the Cork International Hotel. The Cork native started her career in an advertising agency in Paris working for over 10 years on global accounts including Nestle and l’Oreal. She has extensive experience in revenue growth for domestic and international companies here in Ireland. She also has experience working in the newspaper, airline, leisure centre and car rental sectors.
CORK’S NEW RECRUIT
Roisín Flynn has been appointed as the Director of Sales at Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork.
NEW CEO IS FINE CHOICE
David Beers has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels EMEA. As the new CEO, David will focus on strategic growth and financial performance for the region which currently counts nearly 400 open hotels located in 17 countries across four hotel brands including Ascend Hotel Collection, Clarion, Comfort And Quality.
David started his career with Choice 25 years ago in Canada, holding a variety of leadership positions across sales, marketing and operations. In his last role as Head of International Operations, he was responsible for defining and implementing initiatives to drive operating efficiencies with our franchisees enhancing our value proposition.
Bespoke online learning and development for tourism industry professionals. On-demand tourism learning, anywhere and on any device.
SIGN UP TODAY AT FAILTEIRELAND.IE/LEARNIFI
KNOWING YOUR ONIONS
Rising Culinary Star, Adam Nevine, Calmly Showing How It’s Done on Home Turf!!
Adam Nevin was born 30 years ago in Maynooth into a well-established local building family. His career path was a very different one, however. Today, he is one of Ireland’s brightest culinary stars. After a stint working in some of the finest kitchens in Dublin and then the UK, he is back working in his hometown as head chef at the Morrisson Room in Carton House Fairmont.
Most recently, Adam worked at the Dorchester Hotel in London. Before that, his blazing career path brought him to the 2-Michelin-star restaurant/pub The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. From an early age, Adam displayed an attraction to kitchen and a strong aversion to the building site:
“They used always bring me on site when I was around 14 or 15,” says Adam, “but I absolutely hated it. I didn’t want to be outside and I couldn’t be dealing with the cold weather aspect of it. The kitchen can be a tough environment too, but it’s a different kind of tough – more suited to me.”
Growing up watching his mother and grandmother cooking in the kitchen gave him a taste for the creative side of food. In his home, the option of buying a birthday cake was never a realistic one.
“My youngest memory is being about 8 to 10 years old,” says Adam, “cracking eggs and weighing out the floor for my grandmother… I always liked it. I’ve happy memories of food from an early age; from sharing meals and cakes with people. It was always fun and there was always a great sense of achievement when you made something.”
Adam isn’t the only chef whose early memories of cooking at home with an older relative have been formative in becoming a chef. Another trait he shares with several of his professional colleagues is that of academic under-achievement:
“I wasn’t much good in school,” says Adam. “I was a bit of a messer! I couldn’t wait to get out of there, to be honest.”
His first foray into the business was as a porter in a local café, Twist, during Transition Year.
“I didn’t care what I was doing… I was happy to be washing up or whatever. I just wanted to get into a kitchen and see what it was like.”
At school, there was very little support for his clear passion for the culinary arts, with some teachers going so far as to discourage him from the sector completely.
“A number of teachers said nasty things to me; that I’d never go on to be something because I was always quite ‘bold’ in school.”
In contrast, his family were supportive, telling him that if this was something he was interested in, then he should do it. Adam admits that he saw little of the school doors in his final year in Secondary School, sitting his Leaving Certificate more as a box-ticking exercise than anything else.
He kept his job in Twist, working every weekend, and by the time he had finished with his Secondary education, he had progressed to preparing starters and parts of the main courses –assisting the chef while still on washing-up duty.
“Gavin, the chef, was very supportive and he really opened up my eyes to cooking… I didn’t like onions when I started in Twist and he was always saying that you have to have onions for flavour in cooking, so eventually I got into using onions… I love onions now!”
Cooking Skills
Under Gavin’s tutelage, he gained a basic grounding in many of the elementary cooking skills – from making roux sauce to dicing vegetables.
At the age of 19, Adam went to the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin as Commis Chef. Here, he experienced a steep but very worthwhile learning curve.
When Adam left two years later, it was to London, to work as a Chef de Partie at the Alyn Williams’ restaurant in the Westbury Hotel.
Access to Produce
Adam maintains that the UK was ahead of Ireland in terms of the quality of the restaurants and the access to better produce. In fact, he believes that British restaurants still have access to better produce.
Access to Produce
“For example, the asparagus is in season now but I have to order my asparagus one week in advance. Restaurants in London can order it today and have it by tomorrow.”
While such a product that has to come from France might be an obvious target, Adam points out that even fish is hard to get in Ireland.
“It’s very hard to get a wild turbot, for example… we’re an island nation that can’t get
seabass comes from Spain and France. A lot of Irish boats are catching it but they have to land it elsewhere… it’s crazy if you ask me, although these days we are getting better at the beef side of things, and the lamb.”
Irish Catering Industry
Adam has high hopes for the catering industry in Ireland, particularly at the high end of culinary art where he works. “I think that what’s good
cause we’re more educated about cooking now. There are so many people doing different things and Instagram has had a massive influence on that aspect of it.
“It’s all about food education and knowledge. You just get out there and see what food sources are around you.”
He’s a big believer in learning by doing; by making mistakes and seeing what went wrong.
“If you make a mistake and you learn from it, then it’s not a mistake,” says Adam. “I see young chefs messing something up but once they’ve done it a few times they won’t make those mistakes again.
Teamwork at Carton “They see me not getting angry. I just say things like, ‘Don’t panic… you’ve still 2 hours to go until service… you’re all right… together we’ll get there in the end’.
It’s teamwork. If you burn a tart and hide it, for example, that’s when I’ll get angry.
The trust is broken and with a kitchen, the only one that suffers is the guest.”
At Carton House, there’s a good work-life balance in operation, with long hours but a short week – often four days on and three days off.
“We’re all very young in the kitchen,” says Adam. “We’re all full of beans, working hard trying to please everyone.”
Made in-House
“The food is quite classical with a modern twist… flavour always comes first in my opinion. I always do a dish based on pure flavour. Visually, it has to be beautiful and elegant and sharp too. We don’t cut any corners –everything is made in-house.
“One of the other things I like to do in the kitchen is to move people around. So, for example, you have your own canapé section for the first two months. Then you’ll be moved onto the garnish section or the pastry section… we rotate it every two months. I want them to leave me as accomplished chefs. If you start with me as a commis chef and you move around all the sections, and you’re brilliant at every section, I’d never want you to stay with me because it wouldn’t be fair on you. I’d like them to go and work somewhere else – a level up from where they are.”
Hands-on
Adam believes that apprenticeships are probably the way to go –particularly in the area of fine dining, where he believes that you have to get into a kitchen and work your way up.
“You need to work in a professional kitchen; to feel the benefits of a professional kitchen. If you’re going to college for four days and only spending one day in my kitchen, for example, you’re not going to learn a lot… If you’re in there every day, you’ll learn a massive amount. I’d say you’d learn in six months in a kitchen what you’d learn in college in a year.”
Engaging with Guests
Adam always encourages his staff to get out into the dining room and engage with guests. It helps to remind them, he says, of why they are doing what they’re doing.
“You can often ask yourself, ‘why am I working so hard?’ but when you go out into the kitchen and speak to people and realise how happy you’ve made someone or how special you’ve made someone’s occasion… seeing the delight on people’s faces is second to none.
“I would like to get a Michelin star here… I think we just need to focus on what we do and do it to the best of our abilities.
If it happens, it will evolve naturally from there. I’m not going to get too obsessed with it because at the end of the day, it’s the guests who are the most important and the guys in the kitchen and the learning and sense of togetherness and producing the best possible food that you can.”
IHF People Day
A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR HOTEL CAREERS
Focusing on career development, leadership, wellbeing, inclusivity, AI and more, over two hundred hoteliers from across the country recently gathered at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise for the third annual Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) People Day – Shaping Brighter Futures Conference.
Reflecting on the event, IHF President Michael Magner outlines that passionate, empowered and supported people are the defining characteristic of any successful hotel or guesthouse and vital to long-term, sustainable success.
“In our profession, we quite rightly take great pride in the outstanding guest experiences we provide, our warm welcome and the world-class service that defines the Irish hospitality sector. Of course, this is all down to our amazing people and our hotel and guesthouse teams. Contributing to every
guest’s smile, every seamless check-in and every memorable stay, are the fantastic people leaders who tirelessly work behind the scenes to make it all happen.
“We are after all a people industry. It is really our teams and countless individuals – right across our sector – who are the backbone of our success. And that is why we are here today – to take a closer look at how we can continue to develop a thriving environment and culture where our people are supported to develop and flourish to their full potential.
Our focus is on how we can build on the fantastic progress already being made, creating truly diverse and inclusive workplaces that attract and retain talent and continue to offer great career opportunities to so many people.
“Ours is a profession with an energy and enthusiasm like no other, and one with so many opportunities. And what an amazing profession, with over 65,000 livelihoods directly supported by hotels and guesthouses and over a quarter of a million supported by our wider tourism industry.
IHF People Day Speakers & Panellists pictured with IHF President, Michael Magner.
“Combined, this represents 13% of the country’s entire working population. We make such an enormous contribution right throughout the country in every town, city and county the length and breadth of Ireland.”
“It is great to have an opportunity to look at how we, as individual businesses, can best accommodate, encourage and enable the many wonderful people who have chosen a career in hospitality. This event not only brings us together, but it also provides a platform to engage in meaningful discussions about vital issues within our sector.
An exceptional line up of expert speakers, alongside panels of our peers, discussed insights into how we can create a culture of inclusiveness, personal growth and innovation where our teams have the support they need to achieve their goals.
“This is an essential strategic objective for the IHF and an integral part of our focus on
supporting career development and nurturing people within our sector. Right across the country hoteliers are investing in their teams, whether through bespoke education and training initiatives such as the IHF Skillnet programme, or through an increased focus on wellbeing, diversity and inclusion at work.”
“You need to be able to learn in a way that’s constant, and you have to challenge yourself and your team to be able to learn in more detail,” AI Ireland President Mark Kelly.
Speaking at the event, Broadcaster David Meade said, “People Day has been an incredible opportunity for the industry to come together and ask really big questions, not just about where we all are now but more importantly, where we’re going in the future. I was really struck by the enthusiasm, by the ambition, and by the genuine
ability to lean into the tough stuff and the challenges that we’re facing today. It is obvious that the future is bright and that starts with our people.”
“Talent attraction, talent acquisition, talent development are so critically important,” Talent Development Leader Jonathan Logue.
Hotel Manager at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Joseph Scott Lennon shared, “I think the key point for me would be the value proposition that we're offering our teamsknowing how difficult it can be to attract people to our industry. How we make them feel safe, valued and that they’re progressing in their individual careers, whether it stays with us in hospitality or goes into other areas.”
“The key takeaway for me, is that piece around intelligent recovery and making sure in an industry like hospitality that we take an opportunity to switch off and that we take an opportunity to look after ourselves and recover,”
Performance Psychologist Caroline Currid.
IHF President, Michael Magner
Social Entrepreneur, Dil Wickremasinghe commented, “It’s probably one of the busiest times of the calendar for hotels, and it’s just lovely to see so many people who work in the hotel industry really invested in the topic that I’m speaking about, which is diversity and creating a more inclusive workplace. Everyone can do their piece in relation to creating a more inclusive society.“
Commenting on the career opportunities within the sector, IHF President Michael Magner added: “The world really is your oyster in this wonderful profession. It is such a dynamic industry offering excellent career prospects, swift promotional opportunities and what can only be described as a life less ordinary where you get to meet and work with great people. Our hotels sector in
particular offers great potential for career progression with management roles across all areas of operations – whether your ambition is to work in general management or to focus on a particular area such as sales and marketing, food and beverage, IT or HR. A career in tourism presents a wide range of exciting options suitable for individuals at any stage of their working lives.”
IHF People Day 2024 was kindly supported by Alkimii, Fáilte Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation Skillnet.
ARIANE & BUNZL MCLAUGHLIN UNITE IN TREND-SETTING
CERAMICS
MARRIAGE
Glenn Ewart has been involved in the world of table ceramics for over 35 years. Having worked for a number of different companies, such as Churchill, he is now Head of Sales for Europe at Ariane Ceramics.
Ariane is part of Umberto Ceramics, which was founded in India by (amongst others) Dr. Khadel Massaad. He was one of the experts who established the hugely successful RAK Ceramics in Rhas Al-Khaimah, UAE. After a split from RAK in 2014, the Swiss national moved to Gujarat in India, bringing his
expertise to the fledgling organisation with the aim of making the new factory the most technologically driven ceramics factory in the world. Since early 2022, Ariane has teamed up with Irish distributor Bunzl McLaughlin in a deal that is spearheading Ariane’s likely dominance in this marketplace over the coming years.
Part of Bunzl plc and supplying the trade since 1874, Bunzl McLaughlin is an established market leader in the hospitality and catering sectors across Ireland, providing non-food consumables and equipment.
“They asked me if I’d be interested in a partnership and I immediately said, ‘yes’,” ...says Ewart of the moment that the arrangement between Ariane and Bunzl -McLaughlin was proposed.
“It comes from a long history of having worked with them over the years. They’re very trustworthy, they’ve got a great team of people and a great reputation in the market.”
Ariane’s factory in India is, according to Ewart, “the most technologically advanced ceramics factory” that he has seen in his 35 years of working in this sector.
When Ariane began ten years ago, Ewart says, their factory became a world leader in sustainable manufacturing, long before others in more ‘developed’ countries had caught onto it.
“Everything that we make, up until the point that it’s fired, is 100% recycled material. So if you make a ceramic bowl out of clay and it gets broken along the process, that can just be put back into recycling.”
“The plant also has a system for harvesting rainwater for re-use in the manufacturing process.”
“And, of course, being in India and in a very hot state, there’s plenty of sunshine and we have solar panels that are providing about 35% of the power needs of the plant. All of the offices are powered 100% by solar power. We are currently planting 1300 trees at the site to help nurture a green environment”
It’s not something that one might readily associate with the Indian industry, but this is probably what the near future is going to look like.
“You talk
to
people
about India
and they might shake their heads and picture some
run-down
sweatshop somewhere,” says Ewart.
“We’ve got 700 people employed in the factory. We house them, feed them, we give them their health care, we educate their families and on top of that, we support the local community… we even have our own ambulance and doctors on site.”
The fact of being able to proudly show the kind of sustainability credentials that their operation has is a very important selling point, Ewart says. And for companies ordering stock from Ireland, the stock isn’t coming directly from India the majority of the time, but from Ariane’s facility in the Netherlands. That way, stock can be delivered to Ireland within a matter of days of an order being received. The clay used in their manufacturing operation comes from the best source available in Germany.
“It’s like when you’re buying anything,” says Ewart.
“When you’re buying a car, you can buy a good car or you can buy a top-of-the-range car. The reason that we get a lot of our raw materials from Germany is that we want to create a product which is a very creamy white – an ivory white, very similar to Villeroy & Boch and very similar to the top-end Wedgewood Royal Doulton type of product. It’s a very warm colour. If you use a slightly different clay, you’d get a grey white.”
The type of clay used also allows for the addition of a high percentage (8% in this case) of alumina in the product, which gives it whiteness and strength, as well as great heat-retaining qualities.
“We just did some tests with a couple of football clubs in the UK,” says Ewart.
“The chefs came back to me and said, ‘I can’t believe it – the plates are still hot after nearly one hour’.”
“We supply so many top-end restaurants and hotels around Europe,” says Ewart, who cites the Vatican as one of their clients. “Another of our clients, for example, is a three-star Michelin restaurant in Spain… It’s quite something. It’s almost like a kind of secret that, thank goodness, someone like Bunzl-McLaughlin recognises its potential… you’re going to see this brand really coming into its own over the next 18 months in Europe.”
The company specialises in ‘reactive glaze’. It’s a more expensive process but it means that, even though patterns might be the same when starting out, they end up slightly different, making each piece of tableware unique.
Of their top ranges, there is Equinox, Lir (with its Irish thalassic theme, it’s perfect for seafood restaurants), Freckles and Jaguar. The latter is a mix-and-match range with lots of beiges and browns. There’s also Lagoon, a very on-trend range with which splash beige works very well.
“We sit and listen to chefs a lot,” says Ewart. “Chefs are the ones who give us the steer on food and design trends. Then, we look at how hotels are changing and the modernisation of designs and looks for hotels.
“We work with a number of designers all over the world. We’ve got five designers from Europe and one from Japan. They help us figure out what are the next trends.”
Apart from the ceramics factory, Ariane has also built a stoneware factory close by. There’s a wide range of quality levels available in the world at the moment and Ariane’s level is firmly at the top. “Our stoneware will be pitched at a higher level,” says Ewart, “ because we’ve discovered a way of making stoneware that makes it a lot stronger than what’s out in the market. It’s a bit of a secret –we’ve found this Canadian/Indian guy who’s quite something. We’re hoping to bring samples over to Ireland very shortly.”
Ewart has been working with Bunzl McLaughlin for about 7-8 years at this point but this partnership arrangement is a unique one a ‘term marriage’ in which both partners appear to be delighted to participate.
A partnership like this suits a high-end brand because it reinforces its quality, rather than allowing the brand to become just another commodity. Otherwise, Ewart explains, it means that customers buy into the price, not into the brand or what it stands for. The relationship ceases to become a symbiotic one and the process becomes a race to the bottom. Delivering quality is of vital importance in the catering and tourism sector.
Or, as Seán Martin, Sales Director with Bunzl McLaughlin puts it,
“I’m excited to unveil our partnership with Ariane, a company that perfectly aligns with our core values. Central to these are sustainability and innovation. This collaboration has enabled us to introduce a cutting-edge premium crockery solution.”
“Through
our commitment to offering high-quality crockery solutions, exemplified by our latest collections created with Ariane, we recognise and address the financial challenges businesses face.
It gives us great pride to provide customers with genuine value for money, and the competitive edge they desire.”
For now, the future looks bright. The success of the Bunzl-McLaughlin/Ariane collaboration is evident in the significant increase in turnover within a short period. This growth attests to the synergy between the two companies and their shared vision for excellence in the ceramics industry. By focusing on delivering premium products and fostering a strong partnership, Ariane and Bunzl McLaughlin are setting a new standard for the sector in a partnership that emphasizes the importance of quality, sustainability, and customer-centric values.
MEETINGS AND EVENTS RECEPTION
AT CLAYTON HOTEL CARDIFF LANE
We offer a customised reliable and cost-effective solution to all your audiovisual requirements.
If you are looking for advice and guidance for an up-coming project in your hotel, restaurant or bar, please contact us for a consultation
AT THE HELM OF A NEW ERA
WITH DALATA IN DUBLIN’S DOCKLANDS
For the past 19 years, Conor O’Kane has manned the helm of Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane, a 304-bedroom, 4-star property, located in the heart of the Dublin Docklands. During his tenure, O’Kane has seen the surrounding area transform from a post-industrial hinterland, to become a mecca of global tech, economic prosperity, cultural diversity and gastronomic excellence.
“What makes Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane so successful, is the people who work in it,” explains O’Kane.
“Of course, it helps that we have an incredible product and a fantastic location, but it is the experience and the attitude of my team that allows us to continually innovate and move with the times and together, we are very much looking forward to taking Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane into a new era.” The ‘new era’ O’Kane talks of,
comes off the back of significant investment into the property in recent years. A staged development plan has already seen the opening of their new Meeting and Events centre adjacent to the hotel, and further investment rounds in 2024 and 2025, will see a complete renovation of the hotel’s public spaces, and the construction of an additional 120 bedrooms to the hotel.
“The Dublin Docklands is poised for huge growth over
the coming years, with many companies moving into the area. This will bring an influx of people, and we intend on being ready to meet the demand,” explains O’Kane.
“When the development plan is complete, we will be one of Dublin’s largest city centre hotels, with 424-bedrooms, a state-of-the-art Meeting and Events centre, a very wellequipped gym and swimming pool, and a high-quality food and beverage offering all on-site.
“We
will be in a prime position to meet the needs of the many companies located in the Dublin Docklands, and a big focus for us, will be on capturing a share of Dublin’s Meeting & Conferencing business”
This area of Dublin is certainly on the rise. In 2023, Salesforce opened their largest European office on North Dock, Dublin 1, and Google, who are already a well-established part of the Docklands business community, are in the process of expanding the footprint of their European Headquarters Office. However, it is the much-anticipated arrival of TikTok into the Dockland that has O’Kane feeling very positive about the future.
“The past few years have been some of the most challenging of my career. All hotels were impacted by Covid restrictions, but as a city centre hotel, with an almost exclusively corporate client base, we really felt it!”
Having a company such as TikTok opening their office next to our hotel feels like a real ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ moment, and there is a sense that things are finally returning to normal at Cardiff Lane.
“Although we were successful in pivoting our offering to cater for the domestic leisure market during the Covid restrictions,
we always knew that the time would come when these restrictions would be lifted, and companies would scale up their operations again,” explains O’Kane.
“This is why I was very conscious of the needs of our corporate clients when it came to designing our new Meeting & Events centre.”
Meeting & Events centre
Walking through the Meeting & Events centre, this is apparent. It has street level access, with a full ground to ceiling glass façade, allowing for plenty of natural light to flow into the entrance lobby. The main plenary space, the Grand Canal suite, makes great use of two large sky lights in the ceiling, while the three lower groundfloor meeting rooms cleverly incorporate faux-windows, which give the effect of natural sunlight. The whole centre feels bright and airy, and this is enhanced by a sophisticated air filtration system that continually recirculates fresh air throughout the centre.
State-of-the-art conferencing technology has been installed
in all meeting rooms, allowing for a seamless and successful conferencing experience.
The Grand Canal Suite features a 170” LED screen, ceiling speakers and Clickshare wireless connectivity. Each of the smaller meeting rooms feature an 86” CleverTouch interactive presentation screen, with a built-in digital whiteboard and teleconferencing facilities; Ideal for hybrid meetings and events.
“The opening of our Meeting and Events centre, has really strengthened our hotel’s standing within the market,” says O’Kane.
“As a preferred hotel for many of the companies in the Docklands area, we are now in a position to partner as a full-service hospitality provider, and can cater for a wide variety of meetings, conferences and corporate lunches, dinners and BBQs.
“Marketing has been a huge focus area over the past year,” says O’Kane.
Conor and his Team at the launch of The Heart of Hospitality at Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane.
€3m Investment
“Dalata Hotel Group recently announced a €3m investment in its three main brands: Dalata Hotel Group, Clayton Hotels and Maldron Hotels. All three have all been redefined, resulting in both a clearer visual identity and stronger market positioning.
“The new visuals, alongside the carefully redefined messaging, will support Dalata in fostering closer relationships with its customer base, throughout the customer journey. The project commenced in 2023, with consumer research and brand design, which has led to the creation of new websites, brand imagery, brand creative and advertising campaigns.
New internal and external signage will be installed over the next 12 months across the portfolio.” Innovation is also a key focus for the Dalata Hotel Group, with continuous innovation aimed at driving efficiencies and building customer and employee satisfaction levels.
“In 2023, a time-in-motion study was completed on how we clean our rooms,” says O’Kane,
“and by looking at this in detail and refining how we do things, we reduced the time spent cleaning rooms at our Irish hotel by 10 percent and retained high customer satisfaction scores.
Another key area for us around innovation is that of our food offerings; customer tastes are continuously changing and we need to innovate to meet their expectations.”
Strong ESG Standards
The group are also setting the strongest standards in the area of ESG.
“In
terms of environmental sustainability, I am very lucky to have a committed team who have championed sustainability across the hotel,” says Conor.
“We have fostered a culture of reduce, reuse and recycle in the hotel.
Over the past year we have seen a marked reduction in waste, water and energy across the hotel, and the momentum is growing, with the help of an active Green Committee, made up of members from across various hotel departments.
This has resulted in us being awarded Gold standard by Green Tourism.
“We were honoured to receive the ‘Responsible Business Award’, at the 2023 Dockland Business Dinner. This shows companies in the area that we stand by the commitments we have made to the environment, our people and society.”
“At a group level, we are also continuing our journey on several key ESG related areas.”
Decreasing Emitions
Some of the highlights include decreasing Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions per room sold by 27% vs 2019 levels and we’ve reduced our water consumption per sleeper by 13% vs 2019 levels.
Dalata was delighted to achieve the Investors in Diversity Silver accreditation in 2023. This involved a survey of all employees on their real-life experiences of inclusion and diversity practices in Dalata. We also achieved accreditation in the form of the IBEC KeepWell Mark in Ireland & Health at Work Workplace Wellbeing Charter in the UK. These are the gold standard for health, safety, and workplace wellbeing in Ireland & the UK.”
IFSA ANNUAL GOLF OUTING 2024
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY!!
The IFSA Annual Golf Outing will take place on Thursday, 5th September in Castleknock Golf Club. Alongside the general competition teams from the various association trade bodies will be challenged by a ‘crack IFSA 3-ball grouping’ for the title of IFSA Association Challenge Champions and the Contract Catering fraternity will again compete for the coveted Contract Caterer’s Trophy.
This a fun and friendly day providing an opportunity to connect with foodservice colleagues and friends. Places are limited - so book by Thursday, 22nd August 2024.
more information contact: Louise McLoughlin at
CALL OUT TO PROFESSIONAL KITCHENS FOR OPEN KITCHEN WEEK 2024
Open Kitchen Week, an initiative from Chef Network, will take place countrywide from the 11th to the 17th of November, and registration is now open for host kitchens.
The programme offers a unique opportunity for aspiring chefs at any stage of their life, from transition year students to mature food enthusiasts, to gain real-world experience working 'behind the pass' in some of Ireland's leading restaurants, hotels, bakeries and cafés. For participating establishments, it offers an unmatched opportunity to promote a constructive industry experience, attract fresh talent and help to secure the future of the industry.
Launched in 2023, the inaugural event saw over 50 of Ireland’s professional kitchens invite 300 members of the public to experience what it's like to work in a real professional kitchen.
Host kitchens can commit to anything from a 2-hour visit to a full day, giving participants the opportunity to experience various aspects of kitchen life, from ‘prep’ time to a full service.
Kitchens already signed up for 2024 include Michelin -starred Aniar, Rare at Blue Haven, Osprey Hotel, Clayton Hotel Galway, Praline Pastry and Chocolate Shop, Gather & Gather at Airbnb, Allo’s Bar Bistro Townhouse, Guinness Storehouse and Killeavy Castle Estate.
Open Kitchen is supported by industry partners including the Dalata Hotel Group, Gather & Gather and Henderson Foodservice.
Chef Network is looking for kitchens that can offer a positive kitchen experience to become Open Kitchen hosts.
Caterline: Pioneering Food Service Solutions in Ireland
Caterline: Pioneering Food Service Solutions in Ireland
For over 34 years, Caterline has been a family-run cornerstone in Ireland and Northern Ireland’s food service industry. Whilst partnering with leading equipment manufacturers, Caterline’s expertise spans bespoke kitchen design, installation, training, and after-sales service support, ensuring comprehensive and tailored solutions.
Step into Caterline’s state-of-theart showroom and demonstration kitchen, where culinary innovation comes alive. Offering their customers a unique experience, they provide tailored live demos with equipment, a unique service in the industry. Serving segments such as supermarkets, quick service restaurants, convenience stores, and hotels, Caterline provides specialised solutions to enhance
efficiency and productivity across a diverse and ever-evolving industry. Focused on their customers' future growth, Caterline considers scalability, return on investment and total cost of ownership, while offering environmentally sustainable solutions.
Exclusively distributing renowned brands such as Eloma, Vitamix, Zumex, Botinkit, Heinzelmann, Pacojet, RoboQbo and many more ensures Caterline’s customers access to toptier equipment. These collaborations enable them to offer high-performance solutions that meet the demands of
modern food service operations. Passionate about enhancing pro ductivity and profitability, Caterline provides cost-effective solutions that deliver real value. Smart kitchen solutions that increase innovation and reduce labour requirements and costs, helping clients achieve their operational goals efficiently.
Caterline's unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability and customer satisfaction has made them the leader in the food service industry. By offering comprehensive, tailored solutions and after-sales service, they continue to set the standard for excellence, making Caterline a trusted partner in success for food service businesses across the nation.
McBreen Environmental, a leader in nationwide drainage and environmental services, proudly introduces an enhanced service offering for the hospitality industry—our new interactive customer dashboard and portal.
Developed by our sister company Edac Environmental Compliance Ltd, this cutting-edge tool allows hotels and restaurants to effortlessly track and manage essential maintenance activities, including grease trap maintenance, dry riser testing, pump station monitoring, legionella testing, water audits, and more. This innovation ensures that your establishment remains compliant and operates smoothly, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
With a fleet of over 80 vehicles, state of the art machinery and a highly experienced team of technicians, McBreen Environmental guarantees top-quality service delivery. From a sustainability standpoint, we take a giant leap forward. We treat, screen, and process edible oils, fats, grease, from interceptors and sludge from pump stations at our advanced waste processing facility, Breffni Organics. The processed waste is transformed into fertilizer, contributing to a greener planet and showcasing our commitment to environmental responsibility.
Our integrated approach not only supports the hospitality sector in maintaining high standards but also promotes sustainable waste management practices. McBreen Environmental's enhanced service offerings are designed to provide peace of mind, allowing you to
focus on delivering exceptional experiences to your guests while we handle the critical behind-thescenes operations.
We offer free on-site assessments with one of our dedicated key account managers who will provide a tailored quote and service level agreement.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit http://www.mcbreenenvironmental.ie phone 0818 66 33 33 or email sales@mcbreen.ie.
Since its inception in November 2020, Choice People has experienced significant growth. We are a specialized agency that provides recruitment services, including contract, temporary, and permanent staffing solutions in various sectors such as Commercial, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, and Manufacturing & Production.
Our core values of Commitment, Integrity, and Trust are not merely words; they are the pillars that support our company and steer us in delivering exceptional service to both our candidates and clients. Being members of IFSA, we are dedicated to fostering relationships across all divisions. We provide special 'IFSA Rates' for the members, so we encourage you to contact Clodagh today for more information and to learn about our recruitment services.
Reach out to discuss your recruitment needs and I will be happy to assist you.
Clodagh Szakacs 086 032 2886
clodagh.szakacs@choicepeople.ie www.choicepeople.ie
Gourmy Foods Ltd was formed 3 years ago and is registered in Ireland and based in Dublin. We are involved in the food service sector. We have BRC Agents & Brokers grade AA accreditation.
Amongst several products, we are supplying coconut milk from Thailand packed in 2.8kgs tins x 6 and 400ml tins x 24 per carton. Our milk, which we bring to Dublin in 20ft containers and store in Dublin 11, contains 70% coconut extract. This compares favourably with most other brands with 50-55% coconut extract.
In addition, our prices are competitive. We can deliver throughout Ireland and would be pleased to quote if provided with full details of destination and size of order. Our MOQ is one carton but we will provide a sample of one 400ml tin free of charge. We also supply a range of herbs and spices in both food service pots and in bulk. You can see the pots if you visit our website: www.gourmyfoods.com
Please contact Howard Cartlidge for more information:
Tel: 01 547 9073 Mob: 087 388 6548
Hospitality professional who changed careers 9 years ago and entered the field of hospitality recruitment. Having previously worked across various sectors of the hospitality industry hotels, cruise lines etc over a 15-year period. I decided to hone my expertise and use it to assist clients and candidates in finding the best fit for them; to enhance their careers/businesses all the while ensuring they find a suitable work life balance that suits all parties. As a mom of two I understand the challenges that present while working full time. I love this industry and the opportunities it has offered me to date in my own career. I would like to share that passion with you.
Join Tierney's LIVE Virtual Cyber Security Coffee morning, hosted by Managing Director Kevin Tierney and security partners Huntress.
Wednesday 31st July, 11am -11.45am with a short Q&A recap.
Session 1 Focus is on Employee Security Awareness Training for your organisation.
Click here to RSVP or email sales@tierneys.ie
POETRY SLAMS & PILGRIMAGE: The Work-in-Progress of Literary Tourism
A poet friend of mine in Cork occasionally comes to Dublin to perform, which is how I landed one night at a poetry slam at the Pawn Shop, an eclectic cocktail bar and dance club in city centre. As I slipped into a seat, I overheard an audience member say she was passing through Dublin from the American South. I was surprised—not that the woman was attending a poetry slam but that she’d somehow become aware of this local-flavoured event in the first place.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have been. After all, if someone was going to stumble onto a poetic battleground, it was likely to happen in a city like Dublin. You only have to turn a corner here to spot quotes from Oscar Wilde, Yeats, Heaney, or Kavanagh spraypainted across walls or engraved onto metal plaques.
And while the crowds queuing for the Guinness Storehouse or St. Patrick’s Cathedral might have conspicuous mass, Dublin’s status as one of the world’s 53 UNESCO Cities of Literature means there’s also plenty of draw here for tourists looking to spark their own muse or walk in the footsteps of literary greats.
I can’t speak for all of these language-lovers, but perhaps I can speak for a few. We tend to be a contemplative bunch. Given the choice between a cocktail party and crawling into bed with a book, we’re likely to choose the book. We might be okay with dressing up if it means getting into character (think the Bloomsday Festival in June or Bram Stoker Festival at Halloween), and we get a high from being in a crowd as long as it’s the kind snapping its fingers at an open mic night.
I know where to find these literary resources and events now that I’ve lived here for a few years, but how easy are Ireland’s literary attractions for tourists to find?
Not overly difficult, it turns out—as long as you’re willing to look. A Google search for attractions in Dublin yields the likes of The James Joyce Centre, Book of Kells, Sweny’s Pharmacy, and the Museum of Literature Ireland. Drill further down on Ireland.com or DoDublin.ie and you’ll find mention of the city’s bookstores and the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl. Searching in Cork turns up Eventbrite listings and mention of the West Cork Literary Festival, while searching in Limerick yields Eventbrite accompanied by mentions of the memoir Angela’s Ashes and the Limerick Writers’ Centre.
These rather streamlined results belie what Dominic Taylor, Director of the Limerick Writers’ Centre, asserts is the city’s rich literary heritage. ‘We have loads of poets and loads of writers as such,’ he says. As for whether a significant number of tourists make their way to Limerick specifically in search of it, however, Taylor says he saw more of that kind of pilgrimage occurring following the publication of Angela’s Ashes in 1996 and its subsequent rise to fame. ‘Frank McCourt put Limerick on the map by writing Angela’s Ashes,’ he says. ‘Kate O’Brien is probably one of our most pre-eminent novelists. She wrote a lot of novels that were banned in Ireland because of the content of them. There were sexual references there that didn’t suit the people here in Ireland at the time. She was also banned from Spain by General Franco.’
One could perhaps view the trouble with Spain as early testament to Limerick’s potential for garnering international attention, but Taylor says local authorities are slow to adopt the region’s literary heritage for tourism. And while Fáilte Ireland has acknowledged the city’s need to cultivate that very thing, says Taylor, support for doing it hasn’t yet come.
According to Simon O’Connor, Director of the Museum of Literature Ireland in Dublin, what Fáilte does do is provide a networking framework that brings together individuals from Dublin’s cultural sector. ‘It feels like a very collegiate place,’ he says, ‘like the people who are running the different museums and galleries and visitor attractions all kind of know each other and work with and support each other.’
This doesn’t, however, necessarily translate into sites like MoLI being on the radars of Dublin’s tourist crowds. MoLI’s visibility is high locally, says O’Connor, with about thirty-five percent of its audience coming from Dublin or Ireland. International exposure is harder to measure. There’s a dearth of tourist-focused advertising among Dublin’s cultural centres that he attributes to the prohibitive cost of
marketing and to media space being in the hands of a small pool of owners. ‘It’s a hard city to make people aware of cultural activity in,’ says O’Connor. ‘There’s limited capacity and space to advertise in the public realm.’
O’Connor contrasts this with cities such as London, where even a walk through a Tube station—past its vibrant and insistent array of West End posters and V&A announcements— instantly brings visitors current with the city’s cultural offerings. ‘I suppose the sense of the cultural life of [Dublin] is kind of what the visitor has to go and dig out for themselves rather than seeing and feeling it around them,’ says O’Connor. ‘I suppose it means that for a lot of cultural activity, its visibility exists only online. It’s digital space, social media space, paid digital advertising. Marketing is pretty far down the list.’
In Cork, Jason Fisher—co-founder of Prose & Woes, a poetry and music performance evening held at The Liberty Bar—says tourists have to rely on blogs, word of mouth, or the ‘What’s On’ page on PureCork.ie to discover literary events in that area. Fisher (who goes by j.j.f.) is a poet himself—the very poet, in fact, who was the reason for my attendance at the Pawn Shop poetry slam. He says it's unusual to find tourists in the audience at Prose & Woes, and while regional literary tours can be found—again, by Googling them—they’re only likely to enter someone’s awareness if that person is already on the hunt for them. He suggests that proactive outreach to international literary groups such as the New York-based Irish American Writers & Artists Group might be one way to put more flashing lights around Ireland’s attractions.
So, while tourists might regularly pause and pose at the sculptures, alleyway murals, and doorway plaques that justly (and rather Instagram-ably) commemorate Ireland’s
remarkable literary heritage, they’re still left largely unsupplied with the specifics of the country’s myriad writing centres, museum exhibits, libraries, literary walking trails, festivals, and poetry nights.
Until the narrative is flipped from ‘tourist goes looking for literary attractions’ to ‘literary attractions go looking for tourists’, O’Connor says MoLI remains mindful of its mission and audience. Speaking of MoLI and other sites that engage with literature, O’Connor says, ‘These spaces are increasingly the quieter, calmer within our public realm because they’re really about an activity that is actually quite quiet and calm. Because of the art form the museum is focusing on, it can be an antidote to the transactional world outside it. This has the potential to be a very special place in the middle of the city.’
For those lucky enough to have found it, it already is.
DON'T LET THE SELLER MISS THE SALE
Square’s POS platform has saved on time, money, and helped business growth internationally.
Now it’s geared up to help restaurants and delis reach new heights.
On June 24, 2024, technology company Square hosted one of its series of Supper Club events at a restaurant in Dublin. A guest panel discussed topics that included local vs. global food sourcing, seasonal menus, and supplier transparency.
Participants in the Irish restaurant industry will be familiar with Square’s business management products and point-of-sale (POS) technology tools, but the
company has emerged as more than just a service provider in Ireland’s food and beverage sector – it is an active participant.
Square’s Supper Club events and its sponsorship of the Restaurant Association of Ireland awards is more than a marketing strategy. It allows the company to get beneath the skin of the industry, create a forum for industry peers to meet and foster open and honest conversations.
And in addition, it helps the company to remain tuned into the requirements of the industry to help improve their products accordingly.
“We're always trying to learn,” John O’Beirne, Executive Director of Square Europe, tells H&R Times. “We feed that knowledge back to our product teams to make sure we introduce updates into the next release of our products.”
This
approach boils down to a three-pillar mantra: “Can
we save sellers time? Can we save them money? Can we help them grow their business?” The company strives to make good on its tagline: “Don’t let the seller miss a sale.”
Square’s origin story began in 2009 when Jack Dorsey (co-founder of Twitter) effectively invented the Square card reader with his colleague Jim McKelvey. The concept was to allow people to pay for products with smartphones (then beginning to become ubiquitous). Square grew from a single product card reader into a suite of financial services - primarily in the U.S. but also across territories such as Australia, Canada and the UK. Square has based its European headquarters in Ireland for the past eight years where its offices employ 300 people across Square and its parent company Block.
This POS technology revolutionised the market for SME and large businesses. Traditionally, POS tech pricing rates differed depending on the amount of a seller’s usage. There were different fee scales or transaction-based fees. Square introduced flat, transparent fees.
“Irrespective of whether you take a card or cash, we have a flat fee. Merchants know exactly what they are going to pay. There are no surprises,” says John O’Beirne, who joined Square last December from Bank of Ireland where he spent 20 years in various senior positions.
Other innovations included the removal of contracts between seller and POS provider. The Square Terminal is a handheld device for everything from taking orders, to checking inventory, taking payments or printing receipts, versatile mobile and easy to set up. Payment speeds are equally transparent. “Our products are really quick at allowing you to take a payment,” says John. “It gets in touch with the card issuer’s bank, allowing instant authorisation. A deli or a coffee shop could have 50% of a day's activityor more - in the space of one hour. You need something that is not going to take forever to dial up and authorise. It has to process sales quickly.”
Square hardware and software tools are not only geared toward helping hospitality businesses handle payments and sales. They also have the power to streamline inventory, staffing, invoicing, and many other functions that help hospitality businesses.
The platform lets restaurants set menus. When the waiter takes an order on the terminal, that order can be zoomed back into the kitchen which speeds up the production process through Square’s Kitchen Display System. The business owner or manager has access to Square’s dashboard, which gives a real-time overview of sales and other insightful data. It can also be used for stock control and staff management, allowing a restaurant manager to plan ingredient purchases and staff rotas.
“It takes disparate, complex elements of running a business and makes them simple: saving time and money,” says John.
“A manager running a restaurant at size or scale now has a dashboard they can access at any point. Even if a manager is not in their restaurant, they can see how busy the restaurant is via their phone. I was with a seller recently who ran a bakery during the day and a sit-down restaurant in the evening. They were able to compare and contrast their business activity at the same time a year ago. By looking at the dashboard, they were able to understand which things sold well on a particular day and plan accordingly.”
Square’s global insights and analytics – gleaned from their POS platforms - are invaluable for anyone involved in foodservice. Their recent coffee report revealed that flat whites make up the most popular (non-retail) coffee purchases in Ireland, accounting for 25.4% of all sales, followed by americanos (22.1%). International data, combined with detailed breakdowns of a trader’s performance, saves time, money, and helps grow a business.
“Insights can teach us about how people are improving or enhancing their business; how they are growing their revenue by learning from other businesses,” continues John. “What are restaurants like mine doing? What is making them successful? How are they growing?”
The system allows a restaurateur to effortlessly build their own marketing database. “You can then work out, ‘How much of my business is coming from what proportion of my customers?’ What do I want to offer them from a loyalty perspective?” Simple philosophies underpin Square. For example, if a seller has network problems – their 4G connection or Wi-Fi goes down – the platform allows the seller to take payments offline: “A restaurant will still be able to take the payment and doesn't lose the sale”. Square has cyber fraud and risk teams and
“strives to protect” sellers, merchants or customers.
“As a full payment service provider we make sure everything a seller does, in terms of taking payments, is fully compliant. We scan transactions for fraud or charge backs. If something goes wrong, our customer service and account management teams take over. If there's a disputed transaction we can pause the account and investigate what exactly happened. It's about trying to get to the truth as quickly as possible.” Square’s account management and customer success teams help sellers of all sizes, be they small, or “larger sellers” where POS interactions “tend to be more individual or complex”. In these cases, a dedicated point of contact helps the seller come to a solution.
The company plans to continue making business interactions easier for Irish restaurants and foodservice businesses in the months and years to come. “The platform is constantly being innovated and worked on, so a seller is getting improvements the whole time.”
Between payment processing, and data analysis, Square is on a mission to ease the burden and increase the efficiency of running a restaurant.
