Bridge PR

12/06/2019

Well done to all Limerick 2030 for achievement here. Limerick not just about great Georgian architecture; it's current work - certainly Limerick Twenty Thirty's - clearly also has a stroke of class about it.

31/01/2019

One Kerry and four Limerick schools are set to go head to head to see which is most tuned into the future energy needs of the region after being shortlisted for the final of the biennial Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) ‘COMPASS’ transition year competition.

The schools have made it beyond an initial round of record entries for a competition established to raise awareness of the potential of the Shannon Estuary and SFPC as an economic driver of national importance.

The event will be held at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum on Friday, February 8th next, with the winners being presented with their awards by local Minister Patrick O’Donovan, while they will also get to hear from Limerick’s All-Ireland winning manager John Kiely, himself at second level school principal at Abbey CBS in Tipperary.

The five schools have been shortlisted from a record number of entries for the competition from schools across Clare, Kerry and Limerick.

Outgoing champions, Salesian College Pallaskenry, have made it through to the final round to get a shot at defending their title with their ‘Under the Sea Team (Seaweed into Biomass)’ project. They will have strong Limerick company from Laurel Hill Secondary School, who will present their ‘Working Waves Team’ project; Coláiste Mhuire Askeaton with ‘The Reclaim & Sustain Team’ and John The Baptist Community College with a project called ‘Wishy Washy - Tidal Turbine Power’.

The sole Kerry school to make it through from the two other counties is Causeway Comprehensive with their project ‘KTPE’ (Kerry Turbined Powered Energy).

Looking ahead to the final, SFPC Pat Keating said: “This is our third year hosting this competition and it’s high on our agenda in terms of its role in educating young people from this region as to the importance and potential of the Shannon Estuary, the opportunity for it to become a major employment hub and our own role as a company in it. The interest in the competition has grown with each event and we are expecting a lot of excitement and energy but also some very interesting and innovative ideas on Friday week,” he said.

Harbour Master and Chairman of the Judging Panel for the competition, Mick Kennelly, said that based on what the judges have seen so far, the standard has gone up again this year. “We've been hugely impressed by the standard. It was a really difficult job to whittle it down to five very worthy finalists. The final itself is a great day, great occasion. There’s a fantastic atmosphere at the event, huge excitement. The Museum is packed and the noise deafening as the individual schools shout on their respective teams as they give their presentations. We’re expecting great excitement on the day.”

In addition to the perpetual trophy, the winners get a commemorative gold medal, an iPad each and their school also gets a €2,000 prize. All runners-up will receive a silver COMPASS medal and a day’s sailing on the Shannon Estuary, kindly sponsored by Foynes Yacht Club.

The competition judges are Committee Chairman and SFPC Harbour Master Mick Kennelly; Helen Downes, CEO of Shannon Chamber; Anne Morris, Skillnet Manager Limerick Chamber; Lindsay Sharpe, Strategic Marketing Specialist, ESB Networks; Joseph Coleman, Centre for Robotics & Intelligent Systems, University of Limerick.

23/11/2018

Such a fun night working with this bunch – never a dull moment when you have Jacqui Hurley and Dáithí Ó Sé in the room!

Mary Immaculate College, Ireland

20/11/2018

15/11/2018

Shannon Duty Free, the world’s first and most famous Duty Free, has scooped honours in the Annual Retail Excellence Ireland Awards.

In the latest in a run of awards for Shannon Group companies, the famous store that has recently undergone a major revamp has been announced as ‘National Visitor Store’ of the Year in the 21st Annual Retail Excellence Ireland Awards, the most prestigious in the industry, took place on Saturday in Killarney. In addition to the award, Shannon Duty Free has also been named among the Top 5 Stores in Ireland for all retail.

The awards recognise the very best in retail excellence amongst the organisations 1,850 members who employ over 300,000 staff across all retail sectors in Ireland. They are judged and won on the basis of success across 10 pillars of excellence, including design, environment, product range and customer service as set out by Echo Chamber, a leading UK retail advisory group. Each store’s financial performance is also judged by Grant Thornton.

Shannon Duty-Free’s success comes after an overall €40 million investment programme at Shannon Airport on a range of customer-focused projects. In recent years Shannon Duty-Free shop, the world’s first Duty Free has been totally redeveloped.

Managing Director of Shannon Airport, Andrew Murphy said the rewards recognise the exceptional commitment to high standards applied by staff of Shannon.

He said: “Shannon is steeped in retail history and since independence our Duty Free store has been on a journey to reposition itself, not only as a leading retail outlet in Ireland, but also to reset standards in the duty free industry itself.

“Our focus has been to create a store that is true to its sense of place in the West of Ireland, showcasing proudly the very best of authentic quality Irish products along with attracting new leading global brands in a design led environment.

“But perhaps most importantly, these awards recognise the exceptional commitment to high standards that our staff have achieved on a daily basis in the store. It wouldn’t be possible to succeed without their continued hard work and contribution. We are extremely proud of them and the service they provide to consumers.”

Head of Commercial at Shannon Airport Darren Smyth, echoed Mr Murphy’s comments. He said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive these awards. It represents the huge effort made by our staff who have adopted Shannon’s ethos of continued growth and excellence of service. We have repositioned Shannon Duty Free as an industry exemplar in the industry. Our hard work will continue as all of customers can look forward to the very best commercial experience when they fly and shop at Shannon.”

15/11/2018

Heroic family's proud legacy to Marion Kelly delivered:

The family of a Nenagh, Co. Tipperary woman, who died just under a year ago after a trial drug that had turned her life around was withdrawn, have said that the agreement reached by the HSE and the drug manufacturer to make it available again indefinitely is hugely welcome but bitter-sweet.

Responding to confirmation that the HSE and CSL Behring - the manufacturers of the drug Respreeza – have announced the treatment is to be guaranteed for the 19 Irish people battling the rare disorder Alpha-1 antitripsan deficiency, the family of Marion Kelly (53) have expressed relief that the common sense denied Marion has now at last prevailed.

The Kelly family have spent the 12 months since Marion’s death leading a campaign to secure the long-term provision of the drug and have said today that the positive outcome means that her death was not entirely in vain. All patients battling the disorder were informed yesterday that the drug has been secured indefinitely.

Marion was one of just 21 people countrywide with the rare disorder, Alpha-1 - a genetic condition that can cause severe lung and liver problems – that were put on the trial 11 years ago but she died shortly after the trial was withdrawn, following the failure of the HSE to reimburse it.
The former hairdresser’s death came just a fortnight after she made a desperate plea for help on social media as she told of her fear for her life after the government and the HSE “decided to take that drug (Respreeza) away from us”. At the time, six months free supply of the drug sat in storage in Dublin, while the HSE refused to pay for the administration of the drug.

The furore immediately following her death saw the administration of the drug being restored within days of her passing for six months.

In a statement today, the family said: “Today we are relieved with the outcome on the long term provision of Respreeza for the Alpha-1 patients who participated in clinical trials. This is a campaign that Marion started and was very passionate about while she was alive and would have wanted us to fight until a positive resolution was found for her fellow alpha 1 patients. Thankfully, today that fight ends and Marion can rest in peace.

“For nearly three years the Alpha-1 patients have had to live with a lot of uncertainty around the supply of Respreeza, the drug that has given them such a good quality of life for 11 years . They had to endure a period of time without the drug and during this time Marion and Anna Cassidy tragically passed away.”

The statement continued: “At a time when the patients should have been focusing on their health, they and their families had to fight for the right to not have this drug and effectively their lives taken away from them. There is still a massive question mark as to why that happened and that’s a question mark that rests on Marion’s grave.

“However, notwithstanding the needless loss of her life and all it has done to our family, today we are hugely consoled by the fact that the others, Marion’s friends and companions in this fight, can be at ease after the HSE finally listened and agreed to put this drug back on.”
The family said, however, that though this is a positive day in so many ways, Marion’s loss weighs heavy on them.
“We are in no doubt that Marion would still be with us today if it was not for the inaction of the HSE. The HSE had the means to do something but instead chose to sit idly by while Marion fought for her life until she could fight no more.

“While today’s news is the outcome we wanted, this was not a journey we would have ever wanted to embark on. Compounding our loss was the frustrations experienced through interactions with the HSE. We felt a distinct lack of compassion for our case and had to push this the entire way.

“Those running the HSE need to reflect on this because the reality of our experience is that the duty of finance won out over the duty of care.”

The family went on to thank the many people who had helped them get this result, not least the drug company, CSL Behring, Deputy Alan Kelly and Minister Simon Harris. “We will be forever thankful to Deputy Alan Kelly for kicking open the doors for us and for his tireless support during this campaign and loyalty and support to Marion prior to her death. We also would like to express our sincere appreciation to Deputy Micheál Martin and Deputy John Brassil for continuously supporting the Respreeza campaign.

“We would like to also acknowledge Minister Simon Harris for his influence on today's decision. From the moment we met him we had confidence we were dealing with someone who would honour a commitment and he did. Finally, thank you to CSL Behring for their openness and hard work in staying the course on this with the HSE and ultimately ensuring this positive result.”

Concluding, the family said of Marion: “We miss Marion terribly but we are very proud of her legacy, which today is the provision of Respreeza for her remaining alpha 1 family and also the potential to open the door for the drug to be reimbursed for other patients who will very much need Respreeza in the future. Her death should have been avoided but, at least, has not been entirely in vain.”

Niamh Kelly Aideen Fahy Eoin Kelly

31/10/2018

Really enjoyed working with Mary Immaculate College, Ireland on their graduations last week. Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane showing the wrists of All-Ireland champions for sure. Them besides, a lot of happy faces on a special day.

30/10/2018

A privilege to meet and work with inspirational Megan Ennis at the weekend and tell, in this video, of her heroic journey to a very happy graduation on Saturday. Congratulations Megan and also to Mary Immaculate College, Ireland's LINC Programme (Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years) for the support they gave.

18/10/2018

Tim Moynihan, from Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry and his daughter Doreen travelled to the heart of Rwanda in central/eastern Africa to see themselves the remarkable impact that the last dairy cow from his farm has had on the Rwandan family. Tim gave up dairy farming six years ago and rather than sell his last cow he donated it through Bóthar to a family near Rwamagana in east Rwanda.

The single cow is just one of an ever growing ‘Bóthar’ herd that is transforming the lives of families across Rwanda – a nation that was savaged by the fastest killing spree in the history of the world almost 25 years ago when up to 1million people were slaughtered in its 90-day genocide.

The aid agency has been sending Irish dairy cows and other food-and-income producing animals such as goats, pigs and sheep to Rwanda – it also has projects elsewhere in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia - since the late ‘90s thanks to the generosity of the Irish farmers and the wider public.

Its current programme in Rwanda is in support of the Rwandan government’s ‘One Cow Per Family’ project which aims to reduce extreme poverty in rural areas of the country by providing each poor family with a cow.

The donation of Irish cows, which have a yield six times that of the best local cows, have had a transformational effect on the lives of an estimated 1,000 plus families.

Bóthar heifers arrive in calf, with each recipient family agreeing to pass on the first-born female calf to her to another family. Bóthar returns each year to re-impregnate the cows, so the cycle continues.

Prior to being given a heifer, each family undergoes a six-month programme of training in animal husbandry, water-harvesting and basic horticulture practices.

14/09/2018

Limerick hurling stars delivered a finale last night that University Concert Hall’s 25th Anniversary Gala Concert audience won’t forget.

Gearóid Hegarty and Dan Morrissey gave the packed UCH crowd an encore they weren’t expecting when they were sprung from backstage with the Liam McCarthy Cup in hand as a special rendition of ‘Limerick You’re A Lady’ was in full voice.

The county anthem - led by singers Richie Hayes and Limerick’s own Amanda Minihan and Mairead Buicke – was in full voice when the players made their move.

“It was a special moment. We’d just had an incredible celebration of what UCH means to Limerick and then the players stroll out on the stage with the Liam McCarthy Cup,” said attendee and life-long Limerick hurling fan Donal Ryan.

“It took everybody by surprise and was a perfect ending to a special night. I don’t think I’d ever heard Limerick You’re a Lady performed so well but then the lads stroll on stage and people just sprang to their feet. You could see what it means to people here.”

The show, which had over 80 performers contribute, celebrated 25 years of the first purpose-built concert hall in the country.

Since it was opened by Moloney with The Chieftains and a host of other leading artists 25 years ago, over 3,500 events have taken place at UCH, attracting over 2 million people.

05/07/2018

The world’s largest collection of model aircraft has gone on permanent show in the most appropriate home possible for it – the very airport where the obsession began for a collector to purchase 1,500 plus specialist diecast models.

Farranshone, Limerick man Michael Kelly (67) has put his incredible aircraft collection on view in Shannon over six decades after his preoccupation with aircraft as a young boy began there.

The collection, which the retired fitter/plumber began assembling from his mid-teens and spent €25,000 each year on at its peak, outgrew his old farmhouse home just 400m from the River Shannon but has found a new one at Shannon Airport. The collection, which is housed in display units in a dedicated gallery area just off the departures lounge, includes every popular aircraft to have flown as well as many lesser well known, right up to modern day versions.

Explaining the long journey that led to the collection, Michael recalled: “It started back when I was a little boy. My Dad, God rest him, used to bring me to Shannon Airport. When I saw aircraft I just fell in love with them. Whatever was between the airplanes and I, it was just magic."

The young boy’s early infatuation with aviation never abated and, with no model aircraft shop available in Ireland, he made his first trip to the UK when he was 16.

“Dad gave me the money to go to this lovely man in Wales. That was the beginning of my real journey. He (model aircraft dealer) had so many beautiful planes and I was amazed. He said to me, ‘you're very brave little boy to come here, I'll send the planes onto Ireland and your dad can pay me when he has the money’. That was the beginning.”

However, it was when Michael was put in touch with a world-wide, exclusive dealer of model aircraft based out of a hotel at Heathrow Airport that his pursuit really took off. “I was told, if you get in with this guy, he will get you anything. So, I headed over to this man, Nigel Milton Tompkins, with £10,000 Irish punts at the time in my pocket in ‘84. It was huge money that I had saved, mad money. But I was working hard and I was making money.

“I took 17 planes on the day. That's how I kind of broke the mould. I was taken under the wing completely within a few visits. I was able to hit Heathrow then, at least once every six weeks every time. I had this airport (Shannon) wore out. Over the period of time when I look back on my accounts I would have spent about €25,000 a year, over 20 years. I spent a luxury house on it. I live in an old restored farmhouse in Limerick city and we built a room then off the house, 65ft long, to put all my models out there on a display.”

More and more people heard about what he had assembled and, ultimately, the reality dawned that it was far too important a collection not to be public. A quick meeting with Niall Maloney, Shannon Airport’s Director of Operations and an agreement was reached to relocate it to a designated gallery area airside, just off the departures lounge.

Said Niall: “I’d heard from colleagues about this collection in a house in Limerick and, of course, about Michael and was advised to go see it. When you walked in through the front door, there was planes left of me, there was planes right of me, there was planes in front of me. They were everywhere. It was an aviation-enthusiast’s heaven.

“Over a number of engagements with Michael we discussed what could be done. It’s a wonderful collection and deserves to be seen by the public. We were only happy that we could bring it here to Shannon with his goodwill.”

The Shannon Operations Director said Michael’s passion for his aircraft is infectious. “Once you meet Michael his enthusiasm, his knowledge of all these planes comes across instantly. He knows every aircraft type, has all the history behind where these aircraft were, where they were flown, who they’ve flown. This is the world’s largest diecast model collection in the world. We’re just delighted, with Michael’s goodwill, that it’s based here now in Shannon.”

Looking back on his journey, Michael said: “I don’t regret a bit of it. It was a very hard journey that I absolutely adored. No regrets. I’m chuffed that they’re in Shannon now. It’s a job well done as far as I’m concerned now. I feel now personally that it’s a great achievement.”

21/06/2018

Shannon based staff of leading global synthetic diamond manufacturer Element Six will take to the streets of Limerick on Friday as they embark on a 12km walk/run charity event in aid of Limerick Su***de Watch. The event will take place at 1pm from University Limerick to the Bridges in Limerick City.

The Limerick Su***de Watch charity is a volunteer group that provides vital services around Limerick city in su***de prevention and interventions. The walk/run is the latest charity event to be organised by the company. Earlier this year Element Six delivered a cheque worth €16,700 to the Mid-West based charity Cliona’s Foundation.