Network Magazine - Issue 21

WATERFORD CHAMBER

Phone 051 872639 or email info@waterfordchamber.ie or order online at waterfordchamber.ie

Tramore, Upper Grange & Parnell Street

CONTENTS

With Christmas just around the corner, it is a good time to keep those positive vibes going and the recent announcement for the North Quays is a welcome boost as we close out the year.

The coming-on-stream of SETU and the development of the airport have often been described as a game-changers for the city. The same can be said here the revised vision for the North Quays created by the newly appointed SDZ developer, Harcourt Developments, is certainly encouraging, along with the involvement of the Comer Group in Waterford Airport. These are major players in the world of business and their interest in Waterford is hugely encouraging. Three massive projects within a short space of time it brings optimism and hope. Waterford is on the move, the future is in our hands so let’s continue to support each other in every way we can.

One way we can all do that this Christmas is to support the Waterford Shop Local Gift Vouchers. With up to €1,000 now available tax-free, Waterford employees must be given every opportunity to shop locally this Christmas. By choosing the vouchers as a reward for staff, or giving to family and friends, you will not only be giving them the gift of choice but you will also be gifting the business community that supports you in business. So please remember Shop

Waterford, Support Local.

Among the following pages you will see the fantastic work being done in our business community, from award wins to global ambitions. Speaking at our recent Annual Dinner, Claire Cronin, US Ambassador to Ireland revealed that Ireland was the ninth largest investor in the US. What an incredible fact…a country of five million people and we are producing global leaders whether it is in business, sport or the arts.

But it all starts at home and the grassroots is where we can develop this talent. We need more collaboration, more joined up thinking, more belief in ourselves, because the rest of the world can see how great we are.

So while our US friends celebrate Thanksgiving, we need to stop for a moment and be grateful too. Waterford is the best place to live, great things are happening and where more work is needed, we have the brightest minds willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Let’s embrace 2023 with positivity and a renewed sense of enthusiasm.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Gerald Hurley CEO, Waterford Chamber

“The global economy is being hit by a perfect storm.”

– Jim Power, Economist

“The transformative effects of this investment are guaranteed to bring significant benefits.”

– Michael Walsh, Waterford Council

“Waterford is a county of stunning beauty with a proud sporting culture.”

– US Ambassador, Claire Cronin

“Times are changing and we need to move with them.”

– Paul Nolan, Waterford Chamber President

Message from Gerald Hurley, Waterford Chamber

Backing Waterford with pride and passion

After 35 years as a ‘blow-in’ to Waterford, you’ll find it hard to meet someone so passionate about Waterford and its development as this year’s Waterford Chamber President, Paul Nolan. Here he speaks to Lynda Lawton about his long-standing career with Dawn Meats, his pride in his family and some of his favourite memories growing up in Kildare.

There are many words that have been used to describe Paul Nolan – full of per sonality, a rugby fanatic, a leader, a hard-worker, the list is extensive, but one surmounts them all – a family man.

Husband of 35 years to Eileen and father to twins Rosemary and Robert and youngest Jack, Paul is immensely proud of his family and still holds dear the values his father taught him at a young age.

“My father was a great man. My mother passed when I was six and I still feel that loss today. But we were very lucky to have such a dedicated father. He was there for us at our most delicate time. The

things he taught us and the values he gave us through example are very important to me. He didn’t drink or smoke, and worked hard six days a week but still made time for the Sunday drive and the thrill of ice-cream.”

As a father himself now, Paul is feeling the dreaded ‘empty nest syndrome.’ “All have fled to the far corners of the world now, and though Eileen and I miss them ter ribly, we are so proud of them all. Rosemary is a police detective in Brisbane and recently got married; Robert is teaching in Singapore and Jack has just recently moved to Vancouver hoping to continue his work in sports physio. The three

children are gone and we have four clocks on the wall instead, all with different time zones of course.”

Paul is no stranger to living in foreign parts himself, having first left his native Kildare to study in London and then moving to Saudi Arabia to work in the meat industry. But his education in the family business began a lot earlier than that.

“My family are five generations of family butchers, so I knew I would always work in the meat business – it’s in the blood I guess you could say! At six, I started taking an interest, by seven I was becoming a nuisance in the shop, by nine I was actually working in

the shop and from the age of 10 I was making burgers after school but as I got older, I most enjoyed serving our customers.

“I had some fantastic mentors along the way, and luck and timing were everything. A long time ago now, I met a man who was starting out in Waterford and we needed each other. 35 years later and I am still with Dawn Meats alongside Dan Browne and although now retired, we remain loyal friends and colleagues.”

Mentorship is very important to Paul and now, as a mentor himself on the Regional Leaders Programme, he is only too willing to impart his own life experience with the next generation.

“I enjoy the opportunity to meet with the participants on the programme and to push them to challenge themselves. I have always trusted my gut instinct and always looked forward. That is what made me who I am – I think. Life is too short for regrets and what ifs, so encouraging the next round of leaders to drive on and have an impact is really important. They are the people who will make a difference to Waterford and the wider region now.”

From meeting Senior Government officials to address ing the European Parliament on pertinent issues to Waterford and the wider region, around economic development, Brexit, the Agri-food business and more, Paul is a vocal advocate for his adopted city.

“As a Chamber we must ask the hard questions. We are here to represent our extensive member ship and our business community faces struggles every day. Yes, Waterford is progressing well, but there is so much more we need to do. We now have SETU, which is a potential game-changer. We need, however, a properly funded university, with a footprint in terms of adequate teaching space, accommodation and an increase in research and development capabilities.

“Yes, the Airport looks on its way to reopening, but again it needs to be functional, it needs freight as well as commercial flights, in the same way as the North Quays needs to be a mixed use development.

“Energy, housing, connectivity... our lobbying agenda is extensive and we will continue to challenge and questions, ask for transpar ency and accountability. Times are changing and we need to move with them.”

Energetic to move forward and not look back, Paul does have a fondness for nostalgia at times and coming into the festive season, he recalls fond memories of the Christmas rush in the family butchers.

“With the city about to bath in the magnificent glow of Winterval, our city is definitely the Christmas venue of choice for visitors in Ireland and I look forward to the sounds, sights and smells take me back to my youth in Naas as all members of our family teamed up with Dad in our butcher shop

lending any spare time we had for the magic month of December. Working shoulder to shoulder with each other, taking the Christmas orders from our customers, I can still hear that “a 15lb hen turkey please and don’t leave the giblets in”, “6/7 lbs of ham – now a nice centre piece and not the shankend” or “that spiced beef was magic last year and you were right – a lot better cold in a sandwich.”

“I still recall the buzz of December 23rd and 24th as we diligently slipped through the labels dangling in alphabetical order from the necks of the turkeys and the hams floating in the brine before wrapping them, thanking the customer and passing them on to my sister at the cash register before shouting “Who is next please?” or sometimes being put in your place as the ‘occasional help’ with – “It’s okay, your father knows what I have ordered.”

“On Christmas Eve we went home to a hearty ‘tea’ and reflected and shared our stories of the past few hectic days adamant that a long and deserved rest was on the cards...but come St. Stephen’s night all that was quickly forgotten!

“Christmas is a time for family, for sharing and for being thankful and for looking forward to a new year. 2023 suggests a lot of promise for Waterford, and as Chamber President I will do my utmost for the business community.

“In the meantime, I wish all our members, readers and wider community, every good wish and happiness this Christmas.”

As a Chamber we must ask the hard questions. We are here to represent our extensive membership and our business community faces struggles every day.

Chamber Dinner focuses on growing links between Waterford and the US

Building a brighter future was the resounding message at the Waterford Chamber Annual Dinner on Friday night last in the Tower Hotel.

United States Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, took to the podium in front of business leaders at the black tie event which was sponsored by RelateCare.

“Tonight, we are here in Ireland’s oldest city to cel ebrate the region’s business community - a region that is globally renowned for its creativity and innovation.

Your companies, both large and small, play a critical role in enhancing the growing trade and investment linkages between Ireland and the United States”, said Ambassador Cronin.

Opening the event, Mayor of the City & County of Waterford, Cllr John O’Leary said: “Being able to showcase the existence and success of other global companies already in the region and the presence of

established clusters in their sectors is a huge advantage in demonstrating to potential investors the confidence these companies have in what Waterford and the South East has to offer.

“There are 79 IDA Ireland client companies located in the South-East, with more than half of these located in Waterford, employing almost 9,000 people. Ireland’s South East is the fastest growing region in the fastest growing economy in Europe and the FDI Magazine recently recognised us as the number one “European Region of the Future” for our FDI strategy. Our competitive business environment and thriving sectoral ecosystems make the region an ideal location to grow or locate business.”

During his address, Waterford Chamber President Paul Nolan said: “I am optimistic about opportunities that exist for our companies to expand their footprint

in the US market and about our capacity to continue to attract significant, high-quality investment from the United States. This will require a concerted effort on the part of our business community, supported by Government and our State Agencies and we at Waterford Chamber are only too willing to play our part.

“We are all here because we have all chosen to invest in Waterford. We are building a vibrant and sustainable city, strongly leading the South East, where there are over 30 companies with direct links to the US. We in Waterford are positioned to lead in terms of business development, economic growth and educational excellence. We have set an optimistic and ambitious vision for the future of Waterford.”

Speaking on behalf of sponsors RelateCare, Conor O’Byrne, CEO said: “RelateCare is very proud to

sponsor the Waterford Chamber Annual Dinner, which once again has proved itself to be an invaluable occasion to not only celebrate Waterford business, but exchange ideas, aspirations and ambitions as part of increasing partnership and commerce across the region. The presence of US Ambassador to Ireland, Claire D. Cronin, is a compelling endorsement of the entrepreneurial and commercial potential of the south-east, and her advocacy for the continuation and strengthening of partnership in business, trade and investment between Ireland the United States is extremely well-received.”

The Annual Dinner was sponsored by RelateCare and the drinks reception was sponsored by RE/MAX Team Fogarty Auctioneers.

US Ambassador hails Irish generosity and global ambition during Annual Dinner address

Building a brighter future was the resounding message at the Waterford Chamber Annual Dinner in the Tower Hotel, as United States Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, took to the podium in front of business leaders. Here, we recap on her address at the black tie event.

“When I came to Ireland I said I didn't want to be just the US Ambassador to Dublin as there’s a whole great country to see. I made a pledge that I would visit all 26 counties and I’ve done that already before I went home in April and so this is my second time around.

“Waterford is a county of stun ning beauty with a proud sporting culture and of course home to the globally renowned Waterford Crystal, which I visited on my last trip here. But the extraordinary relationship that exists between the United States and Ireland is based upon our ancestral, cultural and historic ties, and today this

relationship is further strengthened by our vast trade and investment flows across the Atlantic.

“America and Ireland both understand that working to gether as like-minded partners with shared values is the best recipe for success. Irish generosity and global ambition are well matched by American desire to do business with the best and most trusted partners. As President Biden’s Ambassador to Ireland, I’m hon ored and excited to be part of our ever-growing and deepening re lationship. Tonight we are here in Ireland’s oldest city to celebrate the region’s business community a

region that is globally renowned for its creativity and innovation. Your companies, both large and small, play a critical role in enhancing the growing trade and investment linkages between Ireland and the United States. This region is home to American companies who have chosen Ireland as a gateway to Europe and beyond American companies such as Tegus; I’ve met some gentlemen from there tonight who have established operations here.

“The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Whitfield Hospital is another great example of the innovation between our two

countries and at the same time the story of Irish investment in the United states is just as inspiring. Irish companies from all sectors and of all sizes are increasingly looking to the United states as a place to grow their global footprint.

“Think of this Ireland is the ninth largest foreign direct inves tor in the United States. It’s an extraordinary fact when you think about it, a country of five million people. I use this anecdote all the time when I say I come from Brockton MA and I’m very proud of my hometown. We’re also known as the city of champions, a home of Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano, so pardon the boxing analogy, but I always say that Ireland punches above its weight for sure when contributing to that investment in the United states.

“Many Waterford companies are forging their success stateside. Take RelateCare a remarkable example of how a small Irish com pany is having a positive impact by providing services to healthcare providers across the United States. Today I had the wonderful opportunity to visit RelateCare and their team, and they told me very proudly about their jobs at RelateCare and how passionate they are about the work they do.

So, keep up the good work, we’re very happy to have you in the United States and we can’t wait for the future of RelateCare in the US as well.

“RelateCare was one of 40 companies that joined the Embassy at Select USA this year. In June we all went to Washington DC as Select USA is a federal program that supports foreign direct invest ment. The summit takes place in Washington DC every year. It’s a one-stop shop for international companies looking to invest in the United States and we would like to see more Irish companies there next year. So I’m strongly going to encourage you to learn about our program and come along with us next year. If you want to expand your global footprint, the Embassy is here ready and willing to help you make that choice.

“A new growing aspect of our bi lateral relationship centers around diversity, equality and inclusion, all which are vitally important to the Biden administration. Our Embassy is utilising every opportunity to promote diversity, equality and in clusion, while engaging with people from all walks of life from cor porate gatherings to underserved communities across the country. Through our Embassy’s open doors programme, we are welcoming diverse groups from across Ireland to our home in the Phoenix Park. We want to send a clear message that diversity, equality, inclusion and accessibility benefits everyone. The data is clear diverse partici pation and representative leader ship consistently yields benefits for our economies and for our communities. As business leaders you understand the challenges first-hand of doing business against a rapidly changing economic and geopolitical backdrop. Whether it’s shoring up protection against cyber threats, battling supply chain disruptions or continuing to fight the pandemic, you have kept

your shoulders to the wheel and I commend you and your teams for the resilience that you demonstrate each day.

“I can't leave tonight without discussing what is happening in Ukraine, it’s a tragedy. President Biden’s support for Ukraine and President Zelensky has been and will continue to be rock solid. It’s more important than ever that the US and EU relations remain strong. Our rapid and common response to Russia’s aggression has demonstrated that our partnership has never been stronger or closer. We applaud the generosity of the Irish government and the Irish people for its support for displaced Ukrainians coming to this country. My friend and proud Waterford native, former Irish Ambassador to the United States, Dan Mulhall speaks frequently of the warm welcome the Irish receive across the United States and the same can be said for Americans here in Ireland.

“We share a unique bond that is not matched by any other two nations worldwide and we should be incredibly proud of that and although we face a time of global uncertainty, the outlook for the US Irish relationship is strong. It’s important that together we celebrate our historical past and look to the future to promote two-way tourism and grow jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. President John F. Kennedy called this part of the world his ancestral home and during a visit in 1963 he said, ‘This is not the land of my birth but it is the land for which I hold the greatest affection,’ and these words deeply resonate with me.

I look forward to continuing to meet new friends this evening and to engaging with Waterford Chamber on our future areas of collaboration, so thank you.”

Ireland is the ninth largest foreign direct investor in the United States, it's an extraordinary fact. ”

UPMC Kildare Hospital - Clane

UPMC Aut Even Hospital - Kilkenny

UPMC Whitfield Hospital - Waterford

UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre - Waterford, Cork

UPMC Sports Medicine Clinic - Waterford, Limerick

UPMC Outreach Centre - Carlow

Funding and developers secured for

Nort h Quays

The Government has given approval for €170.6m of investment in the Waterford North Quays Infrastructure Project.

This transformative project will create a sustainable modern mixeduse development that will harness and extend Waterford’s city centre, whilst reinstating the primacy of the river by creating a compact and vibrant core centred on the River Suir.

According to Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. John O’Leary, “This investment represents another significant step in bringing the development of the North Quays to reality and delivering a strategic economic and social catalyst for Waterford and the region.

“The North Quays will not only be a game changer for Waterford’s future economic development, but the benefits will also permeate the region’s environmental, tourism and cultural sectors.”

The funding announced will deliver the public infrastructure that will serve both the SDZ site and the public, including enhanced multi-modal access routes, an integrated transport hub and the sustainable transport bridge.

Waterford’s new state of the

art Transport Hub will be unique in Ireland and will put Waterford at the forefront of integrated city centre transport infrastructure, with train, bus, taxi, cycling and car parking all in one location. The North Quays will be connected to the heart of the city centre by a new sustainable transport bridge for pedestrians, bicycles, and a courtesy bus service.

Gerald Hurley, CEO of Waterford Chamber, has said the funding is a step closer to achieving the ambitions for Waterford and the wider region laid out in the National Planning Framework and will have an immediate effect in terms of job creation.

“The development of the North Quays, providing residential, retail and commercial units, will create a significant number of jobs, both in the short term during the construc tion phase and on completion of the project. It is expected over 200 people will be employed during the development of the site which will commence next year and between 1,200 and 1,500 people employed in phase one of the development from 2025.

“The North Quays will have a tremendous impact on the city centre, with high spec office space,

additional retail space and much needed housing. In terms of tour ism, the proposed 4 star hotel, a visitor’s centre and of course a state of the art transport hub will be a fantastic boost to tourism offering in the city centre.

“Waterford is on the move and today’s announcement is a welcomed step forward on that journey.”

Michael Walsh, Chief Executive, Waterford City and County Council also welcomed the announcement, “The transforma tive effects of this investment are guaranteed to bring significant benefits to the region and help make Waterford a better place to live, work and invest in.”

A revised vision for the North Quays has been created by the newly appointed SDZ developer, Harcourt Developments.

Harcourt Developments is a Dublin-based property develop ment and management company with a broad portfolio of awardwinning projects. The company develops residential and com mercial projects and has developed and operated and tourism & leisure projects. It has had real estate interests in thirteen different countries.

An important part of Harcourt’s philosophy is to integrate cultural and artistic elements into their projects, and they take pride in creating beautiful buildings and attractive amenities.

Their portfolio boasts Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, Northern Ireland’s most important regeneration pro ject. Located in the world-famous birthplace of Titanic and home to the Game of Thrones television production, Titanic Quarter is a vibrant, mixed-use scheme with over 1.8 million sq.ft. (140,000 sqm.) of commercial space, plus residential, retail, and hospitality and tourism spaces. Titanic Belfast is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions.

Park West Plaza in Dublin is Ireland's largest business and technology campus. The Park extends to 230 acres accommodat ing a mix of office (103,000sqm.), industrial (205,000sqm.), retail (6,000 sqm.) leisure and residential accommodation.

Harcourt Developments

Shopping Centres include Galway Shopping Centre, Donaghmede Shopping Centre in Dublin, Letterkenny Shopping Centre, Laois Shopping Centre, Limerick’s Parkway Shopping Centre and the Longwalk Shopping Centre in Dundalk.

Harcourt Developments cur rently have over 4,000 residential units at various stages in the plan ning and in development including Park West & Parklands at Citywest, Dublin and Bellingham Waterfront in Washington State.

Harcourt Developments is engaging with the Ireland Strategic

Investment Fund (ISIF) on structur ing an investment proposal for developing the site that would be capable, subject to due diligence and the necessary approvals, of attracting capital on a commercial basis. The Land Development Agency is engaged in respect of the residential element. These investments are integral in achiev ing the objectives set out on the National Planning Framework, which calls for the rapid expansion of Waterford city to over 85,000 people.

Place Ireland’s Best To Live

The Gateway to Success

Digital Photogrammetry Lab at Walton Institute

On Monday 24 October 2022 the official launch of South East Technological University (SETU) took place. The formation of SETU brings together over 550 research active staff, nine research centres, one research institute, and four Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways.

SETU is unique to the Technology Gateway net work as it is the only university in Ireland with four Gateways; SEAM, the PMBRC, Design+, and the TSSG Gateway in Walton Institute.

The SETU Technology Gateways exist to facilitate collaboration between cutting edge research and dis ruptive industries. Funded by Enterprise Ireland, each

Gateway works in conjunction with industry to aid the research and development of innovative products and services through a dedicated team of full-time researchers and engineers, and provides technical, advisory, and funding supports for SMEs in Ireland. In essence the Gateways provide an R&D service to the region.

The Gateways within SETU specialise in very different areas from advanced manufacturing, phar maceutical science, applied design to ICT creating a diverse ecosystem of innovative research within the south east.

WALTON INSTITUTE

Walton Institute is a cornerstone of ICT research and development activity in Ireland since 1996. Based in SETU’s West Campus at Carriganore, Co Waterford, the aim of the Institute is to investigate futuristic next-generation technologies, to verify their capabilities and applicability for today’s society, and to work in collaboration with industry to ensure their commercialisation through the TSSG technology gateway.

As the commercial interface of Walton, the TSSG gateway helps with the development of technological solutions applicable to all types of products and services, offering ex pertise throughout the entire lifecycle of the development process. The gateway has a research engagement process to support start-ups, micro-SME’s, scaling SME’s, and multinationals which is a proven successful formula for demanddriven, cooperative research and development. From there, the team can address your needs in state-of-the-art-analysis, wire-framing and mobile architecture development.

https://waltoninstitute.ie

DESIGN+

Based on campus in SETU Carlow, Design+ has a proven track record in knowledge transfer and deliver ing innovation solutions to industry. With a primary focus on design strategy and product design, Design+ has the resources onsite for R&D support in the form of additive manufacturing capabilities, rapid prototyping, 3D print ing, and electronic prototyping. Design+ engages with companies on a one-to-one basis and through programmes; companies from multiple sectors including engineering, ICT and bioscience, can access a vast range of research expertise and development support. Design+ is focused on supporting industry through a design led approach to encourage and increase growth and innovation. http://designplus.ie

SEAM

SEAM (South Eastern Applied Materials) is an ISO 9001:2015 accredited industry-focused applied research and development facility based in SETU Waterford. It provides innovative materials engineering solutions for research and industrial partners seeking assistance on mate rials related issues that cannot be solved.

SEAM holds an impeccable track record of executing over 3,800 direct funded industry projects since its launch in 2009. SEAM’s unique strength lies in its ability to anticipate, understand, and respond quickly and professionally to industry needs by providing competitive customised solutions and, more importantly, act as a one-stop-shop for getting the job done. https://seam.ie/

PMBRC

The PMBRC (Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biology Research Centre) Technology Gateway is the industry engagement arm of the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre, based on the Cork Road campus of SETU in Waterford. While the growing phar maceutical and medical device sectors were the primary targets initially, the work of the Gateway has proven to be relevant to a broad range of industries including food, beverage, veterinary, agri-products, industrial technologies and cosmetics.

The core PMBRC Gateway team specialise in advanced analytical, materials and formulation science projects, while the wider research centre provides expertise in a wide range of scientific disciplines including molecular biology, biomedical science, pharmaceutics and engineering. http://pmbrc.org

Laboratory at PMBRC

Researchers at Design+

Additive Manufacturing Lab at SEAM

Institute for Information and Communication Systems Science

Successful End of Year

for Waterford City & County Council

Environmental, Health and Housing projects have featured strongly in Waterford City and County Council’s work plans in the second half of 2022, with works commencing on several national schemes of note.

CULTURAL QUARTER

In Waterford City’s Cultural Quarter, the Council has commenced works on the creation of a new community and cultural hub in the heart of the area. With funding of €651,654 awarded through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), the repurposing of 16 18 Barker Place on O’Connell Street will result in a creative multi-purpose venue for community and educational use. It is expected that the development will vastly contribute to the overall vibrancy of the city and its Cultural Quarter.

SHARED ISLAND FUNDING

Waterford City and County Council was also the re cipient of Shared Island funding recently as Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced the award under the Shared Island Local Authority Development Funding Scheme. The Council, in partnership with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, has been awarded almost €250,000 to initiate regeneration projects in Portlaw and Dunmore East in Waterford along with the partner communities of Portglenone and Glenarm in Antrim.

HOUSING

The Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar TD, visited Waterford in October where he paid a visit to Summerfields, a new development located in Kilbarry, a part of Waterford City and County Council’s new Affordable Housing Scheme. The new estate is described by its develop ers Whitebox Group as Waterford’s newest planned ‘urban village’ and located within walking distance of the city’s main educational and employment centres. A social housing development in Larchville, completed by Waterford City and County Council in Autumn 2021, was also shortlisted as finalist in the Irish Building and Design Awards in the ‘Housing Project of the Year’ category. Funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ programme, the project consisted of five new housing units.

Four Waterford projects were also among the beneficiaries of the recently announced “Pathfinder Programme” launched by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD. The programme consists of 35 exemplar transport projects to be delivered by local authorities within the next three years. Waterford’s North Quays project featured in the ‘Public Transport’ stream while the neighbourhood of Lismore Park will be converted to a pedestrian, cycle, and public transport centred community, seeing a redesign of the major routes and green spaces of the area.

FORWARD PLANNING

Looking ahead, Waterford City and County Council’s Forward Planning team has been shortlisted in the ‘Excellence in Tech within Planning’ category at the 2022 RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Awards for Planning Excellence. These awards continue to recognise and reward the brightest talent in the profes sion; the most outstanding plans, projects and people helping to transform economies, environments, and communities. The Waterford project shortlisted is the ‘StoryMaps’ mapping portal, which formed part of the draft Waterford City and County Development Plan.

EXPANSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTHRELATED PROJECTS

A move towards more environmentally conscious and sustainable communities was also evident in several

schemes and awards run and received by the Council in 2022. In this regard last September, Waterford and Tipperary Council’s launched a Public Consultation to examine feasibility of a Waterford Greenway – Suir Blueway Connection, potentially linking Carrick-onSuir, Co. Tipperary to Kilmeadan, Co. Waterford. This proposed connection has the potential to deliver a differentiated visitor experience connecting to and supporting the economic development of the urban centre of Carrick-on-Suir and the rural villages of Portlaw and Kilmeaden.

FIRE SAFETY

With safety at the forefront of their campaign, Waterford Fire Service was once again urging people to be vigilant of fire risks in their homes, with a special emphasis on testing your smoke alarm. Fire Safety Week took place this year from October 17th to 23rd, with the campaign encouraging all homes to have working smoke alarms and to test them weekly.

SLÁINTECARE

October saw the launch of Sláintecare Healthy Communities in Waterford where the Council along with the HSE initiated the programme. Sláintecare Healthy Communities provides new opportunities for communities to be involved in actions that can nurture health and wellbeing. Being able to do this gives local people a sense of control over what happens where they live and work.

ADULT FITNESS PARK

The People’s Park recently provided the backdrop for the installation of a new adult fitness park, encouraging citizens to get out and get active. The large range of exercise equipment allows for a wide range of body weight exercises to be completed across all muscle groups and the set-up of the equipment enables users to experience an outdoor exercise circuit according to ability. Waterford City and County Council, with support from Waterford Sports Partnership’s Active Cities Waterford project, replaced the old equipment that had been in situ for over 10 years.

ENVIRONMENT

Focussing on the environment, the annual nationwide survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) of beaches and harbours found Tramore to be one of the beaches ‘Clean to European Norms.’ Nationally, litter levels are on the rise, however Tramore was one of eight of the 33 areas surveyed to receive the ‘Clean’ designation. The promenade was well served by litter bins and all aspects of the area surveyed were in excellent condition according to the report. The results achieved show the important collaborative efforts of the Council’s ground crews and the tireless work of Tramore’s voluntary groups such as Tramore Tidy Towns and Tramore Eco Group. Education around matters environmental is impor tant and to this end, October saw the launch of the 2022 “Tom Murphy Car Sales Volkswagen / Waterford City and County Council Schools Litter Challenge.” Fifteen secondary schools throughout Waterford registered to take part to help make County Waterford cleaner. This competition will see the schools carry ing out clean ups of their local area over six weeks to compete for €1,500 prize money. It is hoped that the challenge helps to develop a sense of pride and ownership in our communities when it comes to litter and the environment.

NORTH QUAYS

Rounding out a successful period for funding, the Government gave approval in November for €170.6m of investment in the Waterford North Quays Infrastructure Project. This investment represents another significant step in bringing the develop ment of the North Quays to reality and delivering a strategic economic and social catalyst for Waterford and the region. The North Quays has the potential to be a game-changer for Waterford’s future economic development, and the benefits will also permeate the region’s environmental, tourism and cultural sectors.

Uncertain Economic Times

By JIM POWER, Economist

The old Chinese proverb about living in interesting times is certainly being fulfilled just now. We have come through two very challenging years of varying levels of Covid restric tions, and then just as we felt we were returning to some semblance of normality, Putin invaded Ukraine and the rest is history.

The net result of Covid and the Ukrainian crisis is that inflation has become embedded and is con tinuing to run at seriously elevated levels; interest rates are being increased aggressively; and there is a general consensus that the UK, Euro Zone and EU are likely to experience recessionary conditions over the coming months. China, the world’s second largest economy, is also in considerable difficulty.

All in all, the global economy is being hit by a perfect storm and there is a distinct lack of visibility regarding the immediate future. Intense uncertainty is now the name of the game, but it appears

certain that 2023 will provide many challenges for the global economy and global policy makers. Official forecasters generally believe that there will be some moderation in price pressures in 2023 on the back of slower global growth and an easing of energy prices, but there is still an acceptance that inflation rates will remain well above what central bankers would desire. The off-ramp for Putin is a very important consideration, but there is no obvious solution.

The European Central Bank (ECB) increased its key refinancing rate by 0.75 per cent on October 27th. This took the key rate up to 2 per cent, following

increases of 0.5 per cent at the end of July and 0.75 per cent in September. In relation to future interest rate tightening, the ECB president struck a somewhat more conciliatory tone in the press con ference after the October increase than at the previous post-interest rate increase press conference. However, it seems highly likely that rates could increase by at least another 1 per cent over the coming months. These rate increases will of course be replicated here in Ireland.

To date, the Irish economy has proven remarkably resilient in the face of the strong global economic and interest rate headwinds. The labour market performance has been very strong in 2022.

Employment reached a record high of 2.554 million at the end of Q2 2022. This is the highest level of employment ever achieved in Ireland and indeed recruitment and retention of talent is still a major challenge for many businesses. The

unemployment rate declined to 4.4 per cent of the labour force in October, down from 5.3 per cent a year earlier, and unemployment at the end of October stood at 117,500, which is 20,400 lower than a year ago. Merchandise exports are up over 30 per cent in the first eight months of the year and tax revenue buoyancy from Income Tax, corporation tax and VAT has pushed the Exchequer into strong surplus. This tax revenue buoyancy allowed the Minister for Finance deliver a budgetary package of €11.3 billion, without having to resort to borrowing. This stands out in marked contrast to the disastrous and ultimately failed UK mini-budget.

It should come as no surprise that consumer confidence has weakened sharply so far this year due to the Ukraine war, the escalating cost of living, rising interest rates and general uncer tainty about the global economic outlook. In September, it reached the lowest levels seen since March

2020 and the second half of 2008. The weakness in sentiment is now being reflected in a slowdown in consumer spending. In the year to September, the volume of retail sales was 7 per cent lower than a year earlier. Business confidence is also understandably much more fragile.

It seems inevitable that Irish growth will slow over the coming months, but the slowdown is likely to be limited to certain sectors, with hospitality and non-essential retail looking most vulnerable. Thankfully, the Irish economy is facing the current difficulties from a position of considerable strength on a number of fronts, but the evolving difficulties for the global technology sector will inevitably have some impact on employment and corporate tax revenues.

Looking ahead to 2023, it is likely to be a more challenging year and businesses will need considerable support and will need to be man aged very carefully. For Waterford, the recent announcement of

funding for the North Quay development is good news, but like the rest of the country, the local business environment will be challenged by rising interest rates, global recession and domestic cost and price pressures.

 Jim Power is one of Ireland’s leading and best-known economic analysts. Jim has a wealth of experi ence in delivering insightful economic analysis, forecasts and commentary to both Irish and international audiences. He writes regularly for national newspapers and is a regular contributor to radio and TV debates and discussions, and podcasts such as The Stand and Win Happy.

Phone: 01 499 0097 Email: jim@jimpowereconomics.ie Web: www.jimpowereconomics.ie Twitter: @JimPowerEcon

Happy Christmas from Nolan Farrell & Goff

Happy Christmas from Nolan Farrell & Goff LLP We'd like to thank all our clients for their support during 2022 and wish everyone a safe and healthy New Year.

We'd like to thank all our clients for their support during 2020 and wish everyone a safe and healthy New Year.

NOLAN FARRELL & GOFF LLP SOLICITORS & NOTARIES

steps to reducing energy costs this winter 5



By Fergus Sharkey, SEAI

2022 has brought extreme energy price impacts. This is continuing to present huge challenges to businesses. SEAI provide supports and advice for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Reducing energy demand, improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy will protect your business from energy price impacts now and in the future.

The steps that business can take immediately will save money, but will not immediately offset the historic price rises currently occurring. The tips below will help business respond as best as possible during this winter and are routine opportunities to immediately save money. Other supports are being offered to support increased energy costs directly as part of Budget 2023, but the below tips will help businesses control costs further.

We have prepared five steps you can take right now to reduce your heating, lighting, electricity and manufacturing costs this winter.

HEATING

• Reduce temperature setpoints so the heating turns off when tem perature reaches 19 degrees. Set your AC to come on at 24 degrees or higher.

• In corridors, storerooms and other areas of higher physical activity, your heating temperature setpoint can be below 19 degrees. You should also turn off heating in vacant spaces.

• Make sure timers are set to the correct date and time. Variations in working hours on weekends and Bank Holidays should be consid ered when setting controls.

• Ensure your boiler is serviced regularly to ensure its operating efficiently. Ask your service techni cian to confirm that your condens ing boiler is condensing.

• Identify and seal any draughts and improve insulation where pos sible. Ensure that external doors shut automatically.

LIGHTING

• Ensure lights are switched off when not needed and con sider installing motion sensors in infrequently used areas such as storerooms, toilets, and corridors to prevent lights being left on unnecessarily.

• Maximise the use of daylight and consider installing daylight sensors in areas that use both natural and artificial light. These can automate lights to turn off or dim to account for changing levels of daylight in the room.

• Reduce lighting levels where possible. Minimise lighting in nonworking areas such as corridors. This can be done by removing tubes from multi-tube fittings, but don’t go too far – make sure you maintain safe lighting levels.

• Reconsider external and feature lighting needs. Security and

outdoor lighting can be high-pow ered and energy intensive. Make sure a timer and daylight sensor controls are set accurately.

• Replace failed or inefficient light bulbs with LEDs. These can now have paybacks of only a few months.

ELECTRICITY

• Ensure you are on the best electricity tariff available. Look at how much electricity you use on average and compare the tariffs available from suppliers.

• Switch off equipment when not in use (printers, laptops, monitors, or larger equipment).

• Shift as much of your energy use as possible to be outside the peak hours of 5-7pm. If your electricity tariff has a cheaper night rate, think about what operations can avail of this rate rather than the day rate.

• Install Solar PV to generate renewable electricity.

• If you are running equipment with poor power factors, such as florescent lamps or air conditioning units, your supplier will bill you for having to supply extra current to your premises. You will see this on your electricity bill as LPFS (low power factor surcharge) or reactive power charge. Reduce the cost of this by installing power factor correction equipment.

MANUFACTURING

• Check for and activate ecomode on equipment so that anything that’s idle after 10 minutes goes into standby mode and use a blank screensaver on computers and laptops.

• Ensure any motor in use is the right size for the job they are to perform. Large motors operating small loads are inefficient. When a motor is sized appropriately and

operating at or near its power rat ing it will be more energy efficient. Consider also retrofitting your motors with variable speed drives.

• Undertake a comprehensive survey for leaks or hotspots in any air, steam, or hot water systems. Fix and damage or gaps in pipe insulation.

• Ensure that heavy energy using equipment has routine mainte nance carried out in line with manufacturers guidelines.

• Employ energy monitoring and an energy management system to ensure you understand and optimise energy use.

LONG TERM PLAN

Businesses should also start to plan for longer term energy efficiency and renewable energy projects to reduce demand and emissions as part of Ireland’s overall en ergy transition. SEAI’s advice is to transition to a low carbon business over five steps:

1. Understand your energy use

2. Create an energy action plan

3. Complete an energy audit

4. Invest in energy efficiency upgrades and renewables

5. Monitor, track and report  For an overview of the grants and supports available from SEAI to support you on each of these steps, please go to www.seai.ie

Cash for Kilowatts

Can you explain what Cash For Kilowatts is to a customer from a non-technical background?

Cash for Kilowatts is a post instal lation grant offered by Energia for energy savings achieved on energy conservation measures implemented on an existing facility. We provide the client with support throughout the grant process and offer Measurement and Verification assistance. The grant is a one off payment based upon the kWh saved per annum. To be eligible for the grant, each business must contact us prior to carrying out any upgrades.

How does Cash For Kilowatts benefit a business?

The grant helps to reduce the payback period of the implementa tion of the energy conservation measure. Through the measure ment and verification process, businesses can see the direct results of their investment.

What is the easiest / simplest / most effective upgrade a cus tomer should consider as their starting point?

Upgrades really do depend on the business and their processes. If a building requires an upgrade, it is always best to get a professional in to assess what the simplest upgrade

would be. It usually depends on the life cycle of the equipment that has been installed. Upgrading old inefficient equipment is usually a good place to start.

Do small upgrades make a difference?

Small upgrades make a differ ence over time. The savings over a period will make a difference cumulatively. Not only is there an immediate change in consumption but that change will continue to help the building/process be more efficient.

Why should my business con sider an upgrade?

We all have a duty to reach our net-zero targets and every up grade leads us closer to that goal. Upgrades not only make your building/processes more efficient, but they also reduce running costs.

How easy is the Cash For Kilowatts process for a business?

The process is simple, we engage with each business prior to the en ergy conservation measures being implemented. During this meeting we establish our measurement and verification plan. The client then updates us once the works are commissioned and we then complete the savings calculations

and submit the application to the SEAI. We offer continuous support throughout the process.

How much could a business save by using Cash For Kilowatts?

The reward of Cash for Kilowatts is directly proportional to the invest ment made. The more you save the more beneficial Cash for Kilowatts will be.

What are the most common sources of energy inefficiency / wasted consumption?

Inefficiencies can come from a few different places in a building. The most common source is ineffective insulation and windows/doors not being sealed correctly. Another frequently occurring inefficiency is incorrect time schedule run ning plant and equipment when the process is not required, or the building is unoccupied.

Any trends / innovations in energy efficiency in the last few years?

There has been a lot of develop ment around heat pumps and the various ways they can be used to reduce consumption. We have started to see some interesting uses for them in the process and manufacturing industries.

THE ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND

TOYS4ENGINEERS at

Over 80 companies from across Ireland showcased their technologies and innovations at the event which was organised by Waterford Chamber, in partnership with Engineering the South East and sponsored by Energia.

Speaking after the event, Gerald Hurley, CEO Waterford Chamber said: “Early feedback suggests this was the best Toys4Engineers Expo yet and that is down to the fantastic exhibitors who turned up on the day with the very latest technologies. The atmosphere was electric and I have never seen such enthusiastic networking.

“The amount of business done on the day was heartening with plenty of promises of follow up meetings and of course we had over 80 meetings during our Meet the Buyer offering. At the end of the day, as a Chamber our main goal here was to bring businesses together to generate sales leads and make new contacts. From what we saw on the day, this was certainly achieved.”

Running concurrently to the Expo was the Green Conference, which was opened by Grace O’Sullivan MEP and boasted the best in speakers, including Stephen Kent, Waterford native and CEO

of Business Eireann; Klaus Habfast from Grenoble in France, the European Green Capital for 2022 and Bill Wilson, NTT Data UK, among others.

In the region of 1,000 people passed through the Arena during the day and plans are already afoot with Thursday, October 5th 2023 confirmed for next year’s event.

For more information see www. toys4engineers.ie

ENGINEERING SOUTH EAST

THE

Engineering the South East and Waterford Chamber joined forces recently to present Toys4Engineers 2022, which was a huge success. Here, Lynda Lawton speaks to Manager Stephen Rooney on the importance of the cluster and its aim and ambitions for the future.

Q: Stephen, tell us how Engineering the South East came about?

A: Enterprise Ireland identified that the practice of industry “Clustering” was gathering momentum across many European countries in recent years. In short, clustering happens where companies working the same sector collaborate together to improve their overall offering. We don’t have to look too far away for exceptional examples of this. In Northern Ireland for example, over 65% of certain global mobile ag gregate crushing and screening equipment is designed and manufactured within in a 26-mile radius around Tyrone. This is an example of an organic cluster that has essentially grown by itself.

EI decided to invest in growing Irish Clustering activity and hence the Regional Technology Clustering Fund (RTCF) was created and out of that twelve Educational Outreach Managers have now been appointed in various Technological Universities (TUs) across the landscape of Ireland. The TU base is really

important as research shows that the most successful clusters have a leading knowledge provider central to the cluster region. In our case the newly established SETU is that provider.

Q: Why an Engineering cluster?

The idea was sparked by the history of the region. The old Carlow Sugar Factory for example gave life to a thriving community of engineering related suppli ers and sub-suppliers that over the years branched off and have grown into international experts across many engineering fields. These days we have a hugely diverse engineering ecosystem across many different disciplines in the South East and the cluster helps keep that growing.

Q: Who is the cluster for?

A: We primarily focus on the region’s Engineering related SMEs. However, a number of large and

Edmond Conolly, Manager of the South East Regional Skills Forum; Lily Holmes, Managing Director of PB Machine Tech; Stephen Rooney, Manager of Engineering the South East; Dr. Frances Hardiman, Head of faculty of Engineering at SETU Carlow campus; Michael Carbery, Head of operations at Keenan Alltech & Chairman of ESE board.

multinational companies play a pivotal role in providing cred ibility and improving the reach of the cluster. We also have a really strong Steering Group guiding us that includes nine of the region’s best engineering and manufacturing companies. It’s really important that the cluster be industry-driven, and the fact that senior manage ment of these companies are involved ensures we stay relevant with our activity.

Q: Working closely with South East Technological University, Engineering the South East has been instrumental in the development of a number of programmes in the region. Who are these programmes designed for?

A: The cluster companies have been pivotal in creating a number or courses. We have a new Level 6 in Manufacturing and Design that is aimed largely at upskilling employ ees working in manufacturing that in many cases don’t have a rec ognised qualification but do have years of relevant experience. This provides employers with a way of recognising the ability of their staff and strengthen their CV. Another one that is really exciting is our new Cert in High Voltage Electrical that will kick off in May 2023. There is a huge need for this and industry is really backing us in the development of the programme.

Q: How important is the new SETU to developing the sector?

A: SETU is a huge boost for the region and it’s great to be part of it.

We need more people choosing Engineering as a career, we simply don’t have enough engineers coming out of the system to fulfil demand. The crea tion of SETU and the future investment that will be made in it will ensure that engineer ing as a career path is considered by more of our region’s best talent.

Q: Engineering the South East recognises the importance of the apprenticeship system to our region’s Engineering eco system. What are the benefits of the apprenticeship model?

A: Our companies are really passionate about the apprentice ship system and from these companies we produce world-class talent that have skills that stay with them for life. Qualified apprentices demand high salaries, and career path progression options are end less. ‘Learning by Doing’ is consid ered by many industry owners to be the best way to learn.

Q: One of your core pillars is to increase awareness of what R&I activity is happening in the region and make people aware of how you they be a part of it. Toys4Engineers is just one ex ample of this. How did it benefit your members?

A: We had a separate ‘Education and Research’ section at T4E this year and it worked really well. We

got lots of enquiries from compa nies eager to engage. Many com panies feel that they are too small to be involved in significant R&D when in fact they are unknowingly doing it every day in their own facilities. We try to make it easier for these companies to take what they are doing and bring some academic direction and outputs to it. The results are a healthier R&D ecosystem that has potential to be on par with anything else in Europe.

Q: How can companies join Engineering the South East?

A: It’s easy really. Just get in touch with us and we can run through how we work and companies can decide if it’s right for them. We have a subscription membership model that helps sustain the cluster but like everything there has to outputs that companies can see value from. Many of the collabora tive projects we work on try to address issues that are real but that currently have no existing solutions for. They take time to solve but the outcomes make for a stronger engineering sector in the region that helps strengthen all associated companies.



For further information contact Stephen Rooney, Cluster Manager at 059 917 5270 or stephen.rooney@ setu.ie or visit www.engineeringthe southeast.com

Two gongs for Waterford at National Business Woman of the Year Awards

Two Waterford business women took home awards from Network Ireland’s Business Woman of the Year Awards which took place in Galway recently.

Ann Marie Shannon, Director & Co-owner of Veritas Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors, was awarded Judges’ Special Recognition Award in the Emerging New Business Awards.

“Network Ireland has taken me on a fabulous journey of self-development and promo tion this past year through its ethos of women supporting each other in business. Network Ireland Waterford’s unwavering encour agement and support copperfastened my determination and resiliency furthering the success of my business. To draw close to what has been an exciting year of involvement with Network Ireland, I was thrilled when I received the Judges’ Special Recognition Award this month in Salthill, Galway. I

feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a wonderful experience all the while making life-long friendships with awe-inspiring women across the country.”

Karen Murphy of Murphy Larkin Timber Products was awarded ‘National Highly Commended’, in the Employee Shining Star Awards.

“I’m immensely thankful to Network Ireland for this Highly Commended accolade. I would like to extend my gratitude to the inspirational group of Waterford women who offered me their support and encouragement during the process. Awards at this calibre create a real sense of self-belief and offer motivation and empow erment for all women in business. #PowerOfBelief is well and truly instilled!”

A total of 350 applications were put forward for this year’s awards through 14 regional branches of Network Ireland and the awards were selected from 71 women on the awards shortlist.

Ann Marie and Karen were winners in their categories in the Network Ireland Waterford Businesswoman of the Year Awards in Waterford Castle earlier this year.

The conference and awards ceremony is an annual event bringing business women together from around the country. President of Network Ireland Waterford, Margaret Julian said, “This year’s event had speakers who brought both inspiration and uplift to the room. The theme was the “Power of Belief” which is a very power ful emotion and is certainly the driver behind so many businesses, so it was wonderful to hear the backstories.”

“We were delighted to bring home two very worthy awards for the Waterford Branch; our finalists and members in the Waterford branch supported each other through the process, so it really was a win for everyone,” she said.

Step back in time and experience the Christmases of days past at Mount Congreve. Imagine an enchanting Christmas setting, filled with the scents of mulled wine and cookies, the sounds of festive carols, and the romance of an enchanted forest. Enjoy festive afternoon teas, wreath-making workshops, Christmas Family Movie Nights as well as our shopping nights in the Secret Garden shop.

During the hands-on festive wreath-making workshop you will walk the gardens with Horticulturalist Aoife Munn and she will share her top tips for picking yuletide foliage and natural materials.

Get the kids ready for Christmas with a family drive-in movie under the stars at Mount Congreve Gardens. Drive into Mount Congreve Gardens and enjoy family-friendly movie fun on the big outdoor screen. Drive in yourself and leave in your car.

Christmas Shopping Nights

This year, we will feature a wide range of gifts, stocking fillers and gifts for under the tree that reflect the beauty of nature and the gardens. Discover a collection of luxury lo cal artisan produce and unique gift ideas. Become a member to receive extra discounts. Visit mountcongreve.com for further details.

Congratulations to all at Faithlegg, who were recently named Country House Hotel of the Year for Munster at the Irish Hotel Awards, while also claiming the nods for Hi’s Most Stylish Hotel 2022 and Hi’s Most Stylish Luxury Dining Experience 2022.

National Women’s Enterprise Day, held in Faithlegg House Hotel & Golf Club, was a wonderful day and night of networking, fabulous food and engaging discussion. Helping the Waterford Local Enterprise Office celebrate National Women’s Enterprise Day was an exciting panel of successful female entrepreneurs. Those who attended heard from Kamila Bystrzonowska, owner of award win ning restaurant Momo, Margaret Julian, Director of GDPR Audits and President of Network Ireland Waterford Branch, and Karen Tompkins, owner of broadcasting and media production company The Treasure Vox.

Female entrepreneurs and budding businesswomen from across Waterford were encouraged to look to the future as the theme of this year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day was “Our

Future, Our Way”. Teresanne O’Reilly, Managing Director of the Digital and Branding company TheForest.ie was MC for the day, and Frances O’Reilly of DogDry was the 'Leading Light' for this year’s NWED event.

60 YEARS OF THE TOWER HOTEL

The Tower Hotel celebrated 60 years in business this year while also com memorating 6 years as part of Neville Hotels. The Tower Hotel was acquired in November 2016 by The Neville Hotel Group, a family owned and managed company, based in Co. Wexford and with properties in Dublin, Kilkenny and Wicklow.

Further plans are underway for the hotel, with the addition of new bed rooms, new conference and meeting room space and additional car parking.

Neville Hotels believe that The Tower Hotel and Waterford would prove a very attractive venue for large conferences if facilities were available, and this in turn would benefit Waterford City.

SCHOOLS TAKE ON LITTER CHALLENGE

The 2022 Tom Murphy Car Sales Volkswagen - Waterford City and County Council - Schools Litter Challenge was launched recently at Tom Murphy Car Sales. Fifteen secondary schools throughout Waterford registered to take part in a litter challenge to help make County Waterford cleaner. This competition, sponsored by Tom Murphy Car Sales Volkswagen, will see an impressive fifteen secondary schools carrying out clean ups of their local area over the next six weeks to compete for the €1,500 prize money. The competition will be judged by a member of Irish Business Against Litter who run the Irish Anti- Litter league of cities, towns and villages each year.

MARY LEADS THE WAY WITH NEW BOOK

Waterford Chamber Regional Leaders Programme mentor Mary Hayden has published her first book called From the Ground Up: 10 Basic Building Blocks for Business. The book is a practical guide that breaks down the fundamental concepts a business owner needs to understand in order to have a successful business. Mary started writing the book during the first lockdown back in 2020, drawing from her 25 years of working with corporate and privately-owned companies within all business life stages (start-up, growth, and mature turnaround). This first edition has been published just in time for Christmas as Kindle eBook on Amazon and a Physical Paperback copy. For more information see www.maryhayden.com

YULETIDE FESTIVAL SPARKS CREATIVITY AT CHRIST CHURCH

Christ Church Cathedral are thrilled to be hosting Yuletide Fest this Deceber, in association with Winterval. It's time to get creative! Gather your school, group, colleagues, friends or enter yourself by making a Christmas scene out of any medium you wish (socks, ties, timber, wicker, bottles, Lego...whatever you have to hand) and of anything seasonal. Displays can be any shape or size. There are a lot of creative people out there and it’s a positive way to get your business talked about. For more information and entry forms, contact christmas treewaterford@gmail.com

COFFEEHOUSE LANE WINS INAUGURAL WATERFORD DIGITAL AWARDS

Waterford Local Enterprise Office, together with Waterford City and County Council are pleased to announce Coffee House Lane as their first Waterford Digital Awards Overall Winner.

The ceremony, which took place at Dooley’s Hotel on 28th October, aimed to recognise and reward SMEs based in County Waterford who have developed their ecommerce and digital platforms as part of their product offering.

Coffeehouse Lane, the overall winner, is an Artisan Coffee roaster and producer with strong Waterford roots. It is owned by the Bergin family and run by Mark Bergin.

Mark was obviously delighted to win the award, “Any modern retail business needs an effective digital sales and promotions platform. Our website is an extension of our business and our family’s attitude to our work. We’re thrilled to win this, the first Waterford Digital Awards trophy and would like to thank the team at the Local Enterprise Office who have helped us grow and grow, for many years now.”

Blue Plaque Waterford’s Trail

2022 marks the centenary of the long and successful career of Waterford’s most celebrated female photographer, Annie Brophy. Born in Johnstown, Waterford in 1899, Annie Brophy attended the Mercy Convent school and was noted as a student with artistic flair. She began her training as a photographer with Mr. Hughes of Manor Street in 1915. With her younger brother Billy as her assistant, she founded her own studio in 1922, working as a professional photographer at No.9 Barker Street.

“If you live in Waterford, there is probably an Annie Brophy pho tograph somewhere in your home – hanging on a wall, perhaps, or lurking in a box in your attic” wrote Irish Times columnist Michael Kelly some years ago.

Two Waterford Civic Trust plaques identify her home, which housed the studio where thousands of photographs were taken, immortalising people from the city, county and beyond. The photograph attached here is of Ms. Brophy with one of her cameras and tripod which was taken in her later years.

Annie Brophy never married, she retired in 1978, and when she died in 1986, she left an archive of

over 65,000 negatives; acquired by Waterford City Council in 2005, and currently held in safekeeping by Waterford City Archives. This huge body of work spans well over half of the 20th Century!

Known as ‘Ms. Brophy’, her work and life has featured on national and local programmes such as ‘Annie Brophy Photography Exhibition 2007’. This exhibition entitled ‘Brophy’s Babies’ was held in Waterford Central Library, reminding me of my mother’s comment of Ms. Brophy’s ability to put both mother and baby at ease! Donal Moore, City Archivist, com mented at this event: “It was a very unusual thing for a young woman to become a professional photog rapher”. Also, ‘Wedding Photos –Annie Brophy 2008’; TG4’s ‘Annie Brophy’s Photo Album 2010’; RTÉ One’s ‘Annie Brophy Exhibition Waterford 2011’ – definitely worth viewing by our readers!

She was obviously a very forward-thinking and determined person to have embarked on a career which at that time was overwhelmingly a male-dominated field. Her talent for the art shone through, including painstakingly colour-tinting black and white photographs.

She also captured highly

significant moments of time in Waterford’s history. Catherine Foley and her team worked on TG4’s production ‘Annie Brophy’s Photo Album 2010’. She wrote in The Times about the jail wall collapse of 1943 (leaving nine dead and seventeen injured): “Opposite [Ms. Brophy’s] house stands the old jail wall…scene of a terrible tragedy in 1943...Brophy had the compul sion, determination and focus to take her camera and tripod outside and photograph the scenes outside her door.”

Annie Brophy captured tens of thousands of images following fam ilies from babyhood to adulthood, including spur-of-the-moment occurrences of social and histori cal import, the evidence of which would not exist today without Ms. Brophy and her camera.

 Waterford Civic Trust is a registered charity and is a company limited by guarantee. We have erected Heritage Blue Plaques in many locations in Waterford City and County. Contact us at Brick Lane, Greyfriars, Waterford.

www.waterfordcivictrust.ie

A Civic Trust Blue Plaque is a permanent sign installed on a building in a public place to commemorate a link between notable figures of the past and the buildings in which they lived or had some connection to. It is a unique way to highlight these special achievements and celebrate those who have helped to shape our heritage and history.

Researched by MARCUS COPLEY, Waterford Civic Trust

Christmas in Tramore

The Christmas parade makes a welcome return to Tramore this year, as local children are invited to join Santa and his special friends to kick start the festive season down Main Street at 5pm on Friday, December 2nd.

Along with the parade, there will be live music, food trails with Taste Tramore and lots of Christmas cheer spread throughout the town. Christmas in Tramore is organ ised by Waterford Chamber, in conjunction with Waterford City & County Council and EveryEvent, and speaking about the festival Lynda Lawton, Operations Officer

with Waterford Chamber says, “It’s great to be able to plan a full festival again post-Covid and we are adding extra magic touches this year to reflect that. Thanks to festi val funding from Waterford City & County Council, we can support a number of community groups who have their own Christmas offering while also having live music every weekend and Santa has promised he will visit every Saturday too!

“This is a celebration for the whole community and everyone is welcome to join the parade for the launch. The fabulous children from the Vicki Graham Stage School will entertain us on the Plaza and Santa

will meet with the boys and girls to make sure they have been good this year!

“We also want people to come out every Saturday to shop local, support the restaurants as part of the Taste Tramore Festive Food Trail and enjoy some live music along the way.

“We will have lots of decorations and installations going up through out the town, so bring the camera and make some memories at the fantastic displays.”

For more information on Christmas in Tramore, keep an eye on Waterford Chamber’s social media channels.

The Winterval of wonder

The Magic of Winterval returns to Waterford this Christmas from 18th November to 23rd December. Here are some of the highlights of this year's fesitval. Visit winterval.ie for the full schedule of events & activities, locations and bookings.

Busk Aid

BuskAid is a charity appeal with the goal of raising much need funds for Tinteán Housing, a Waterford based homeless charity. Donation buckets will be all around Winterval on the day, but you can donate at any time right here.

Gerbola's Christmas Circus @ The Winterval Big Top

Step into Gerbola’s Christmas Circus throughout Winterval. You are sure to be mesmerised by their high-flying trapeze troupe, deathdefying stunt riders, along with a host of acrobats, hilarious clowns and lots more.

SuirCon

Traditional Christmas Market

Soak up the sparkly Christmas atmosphere and yuletide spirit, browse the many Christmas craft and food stalls and support local, regional and national producers, makers and creators this festive season.

Santa Paws

If you are the proud owner of a polite pooch, why not reward your fur baby with a trip to see Santa If your pup has his heart set on a chew toy or a big tasty bone from the butchers put in a word with the big man and make sure the gift of their dreams is under the tree on Christmas morning.

Winterval is proud to present Waterford’s Newest Comic Convention, Suircon. Comic Convention is guaranteed to wow with special guests, lots of vendors and artists, interactive props and a cosplay competition.

House of Waterford Crystal Winter Music Series

Showcasing Waterford huge musical talent from jazz trios, Christmas carollers, acoustic guitars and harps. Come along and take in the Christmas spirit it has something for everyone.

GLOW @ New Street Gardens

Winterval has created a glowing oasis with everyone corner draped in fairy lights. The glow is guaranteed to soothe the senses whether you are a child or an adult.

Jingle Bells

It's time to get your bikes decorated with fairy lights and tinsel and off course the Christmas jumpers for you and join our short 2km family friendly cycle route suitable for ages 6+.

Starts from Gladstone Street December 9th at 7:30pm.

Haydn's 'The Creation'

"Notable Works" will present one of Haydn's best loved works - his Oratorio "The Creation''.

The is a melodic uplifting musical creation will be sung by a 60 strong choir to a 20 piece orchestra and conducted by Dr. Kevin O’ Carroll. Not to be missed.

Wizards & Dragons

They've Watched.... They've Waited... Now you're invited to see the once mythical Dragons come to life. Enter the House of the Dragons for this impressive exhibit of animatronic mythical creatures and be immersed in historic tales of Dragons.

Take a sleigh ride in this magical VR experience

Seating up to 8 people, you will be seamlessly transported into a virtual 4D journey with an incredible range of motion tilting you forwards, backwards and side to side, the sleigh’s movements have been specially designed to mirror those of the full 360 degree experience.

Christmas Tractor Parade

In Association with Suir Garages, Passage Cross, Dunmore Road, Waterford. The Quays of Waterford will light up as the farming community illuminates the city with their sparkling tractors and farm machinery. The event will take place on the Waterford Quay on Sunday December 18th only, at 6pm.

Christmas delights… with Jenny Flynn

Jenny Flynn is the award-winning Executive Chef at Faithlegg, having most recently led the culinary team to being named Hi’s Most Stylish Luxury Dining Experience 2022 and Country House Hotel of the Year Munster in the Irish Hotel Awards. The 2 AA Rosette holder is passionate about producing creative dishes using high quality local produce and can regularly be seen on television sharing her culinary expertise. Here, Jenny shares some of her Christmas favourites for us all to enjoy over the festive period.

Jenny’s Christmas pudding

I keep the fruit in a dark warm place for a week before I make my pudding. The fruit absorbs all the flavour of the alcohol and it rehydrates the fruit to its former juiciness. I also love the smell. This recipe will make two 2lb puddings.

INGREDIENTS

• 350g raisins

• 225g currants

• 225g sultanas

• 100g glace cherries

• 100g candied peel

• 75g almonds

• 400g breadcrumbs

• 10g salt

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• 225g suet

• 225g brown sugar

• 1 lgr carrot 185g grated

• 1 cooking apple

• 1 lemon + 1 orange

• 2 tablespoon black treacle

• 100ml Muldoon’s whiskey

• 4 eggs

METHOD

Soak all the fruit with all the spices and liquid mix together very thoroughly and leave for a couple of days. Stir it every day, don’t forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish!

Put the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix with fruit mixture. Fill into pudding bowls; if plastic wet the lids, cover with a double thickness

of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle also for ease of lifting.

Steam in a covered saucepan of boil ing water for 4 hours or less depending on size. The water should come half way up the side of the bowl. Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.

After 5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours depend ing on the size, remove the pudding. Allow to get cold and re-cover with fresh greaseproof paper. Store in a cool, dry place until required.

To serve the plum pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite. Serve immediately on very hot plates with brandy butter and fresh cream.

Jenny's Humble Trifle

It wouldn’t be Christmas without trifle. Here is my recipe to make the humble trifle into something magical and delicious. Black cherry and orange trifle makes approx. 6 portions. You can make these in individual glasses or one large one.

INGREDIENTS

For jelly base:

• 1 large tin of black cherries, strain and keep stock 400ml

• Good pinch of ginger & mixed spice

• 1 clove and 1 star anise

• 300g chocolate sponge

• 3 leafs gelatine

For the custard:

• 1 Vanilla pod, 600ml cream

• 150g castor sugar

• 4 large free range egg yolks

• Zest of 2 oranges (washed to remove any wax)

• 25g corn flour

Topping:

• 600ml freshly whipped cream fresh cherries chocolate shavings

For the Chocolate and pine mousse:

• 110g egg yolks

• 50g cream

• 1 gelatine sheet, bloomed in ice water

• 125g milk chocolate melted

• 125g dark chocolate, up to 70 per cent melted

• 35g sugar

• Water as needed

• 100g egg whites

• 375g cream, whipped to soft peaks

• A teaspoon Pine tree washed dried and ground (dried Christmas tree)

METHOD

1. Whip the egg yolks and ground pine tree with the whisk attach ment in a mixer until they are pale yellow and reach ribbon stage.

2. Bring the 50g of cream to the boil, add the bloomed gelatine sheet and stir until dissolved. Pour the mixture over the milk and dark chocolates to make a ganache.

3. Put the sugar in a small pot and pour in just enough water to cover. Heat and bring to a temperature of 120°C.

4. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and in a steady stream pour in the hot sugar syrup to make an Italian meringue.

5. Assemble the mousse by folding the whipped yolks into the choco late ganache, followed by the warm Italian meringue and lastly the whipped cream. Do not over-mix. Chill until required.

To make the jelly base: Allow the gelatine to bloom in ice cold water. Warm the syrup with the spices. Cube the sponge and put in the base of the trifle mould with cherries. Put soften gelatine in the hot syrup do not allow to boil again, a little bit of sherry or crème de cassis can be added if you like it. Strain over the sponge and allow to set in the fridge.

To make the custard: Boil the cream and orange zest, beat the egg yolks, sugar and scraped vanilla pod together until light and fluffy, dissolve cornflour in small amount of milk, mix thoroughly to ensure no lumps remain. Pour over some of the boiled cream, continue whisking until all cream has

Tomato & Pear Chutney

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg tomatoes all shapes and sizes

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 300g peeled and chopped onion

• 3 medium pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

• 100g golden raisins

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

• 4 whole cloves

METHOD

been added, then return to the heat and heat gently until it coats back of a spoon. Strain and allow to cool slightly before pouring on the set jelly. Cut orange in rounds and put on the inside of the glass and pour in custard to hold it in place.

Finishing touches: I like to add berries cooked with sugar and mulled wine to give it an extra layer. Whisk the cream and put on top of the custard. Leave in fridge overnight to al low layers to set together. Garnish with fresh cherries, mint and piped chocolate mousse (you can use the mousse as a separate dessert, I just used it to finish the top of the trifle for the wow impact).

This is a base of any trifle, if you don’t like cherries as the base you can use strawberry or any fruit. I just love cher ries especially around Christmas. You can also add more booze, depending on your guests, to the custard mixture. You have endless ideas with this one.

Heat oil in medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until pears are tender and mixture thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Discard cloves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool and put in sterilised jars.

Waterford City’s history brought to life by digital story walking trail

Waterford City and County Council (WCCC) in partnership with Imvizar, have launched a new digital walking trail featur ing augmented reality (AR). This fantastic trail has been funded by Fáilte Ireland under the Destination Town’s Initiative. The Waterford Digital Story Trail explores the history, culture, and heritage of 15 different locations in the heart of the city centre, including Reginald's Tower and Waterford Crystal.

Through the use of augmented reality smartphone technology, visitors and locals can experience Waterford’s past by watching digital animations of characters and architecture appear as if they are in the physical world right in front of them. The trail can be accessed for free by scanning one of the numer ous QR codes on signs located throughout the city trail.

In addition to meeting life-like characters from Waterford's past, scanning the QR code also provides

an audio tale from an historical figure, coupled with interesting facts and a timeline of events. Spanning over a thousand years of Waterford’s history, tourists can listen as Reginald—a Viking King and warlord from the 10th cen tury—describes his quest to launch raids all over Ireland and watch as Thomas Francis Meagher—the Leader of the Young Irelanders in the 1848 Rebellion—raises the first Irish tricolour.

Waterford’s history of master craft making is also recognised; Rachel Penrose—the wife of one of the founders of Waterford Crystal, William Penrose—appears in a recreation of an 18th century glass-blowing scene. Trail users can also meet Anastasia Fleming, a silversmith from the late 1700s, and see a reimagined façade of her silversmith shop.

Adele Keane, Creative Producer, Imvizar said:

“When crafting the digital story trail, we wanted to focus on

conserving Waterford's heritage by giving voices to both wellknown and lesser-known historical figures. By hearing their stories, and sometimes seeing them in their surroundings, we can better put ourselves in their shoes and imagine what life was like as a silversmith in the 18th century or as a young soldier in World War I.”

WCCC hopes to further promote Waterford's culture and history to both visitors and locals with the launch of the digital trail. The new augmented reality story trail from WCCC offers a fresh perspective on storytelling that evokes emo tions and allows users to walk away with a more memorable experience.

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To see the trail in action, visit: https://digitalstorytrail.visitwater ford.com/ (The Digital Story Trail is a mobile experience)

Explore the city of Waterford among Vikings, rebels, and ancient heroes.

Scan the QR code to experience this fifteen stop audio and visual journey.

Scan with your mobile device