As we head into the 2014 Holiday Season, we are already seeing a great buzz around the town as visitors take time to enjoy all the amazing things to see and do in our area. So as Kenmare Chamber of Commerce & Tourism (KCCT) and the sub-committees step-up and prepare for the Season, we have been working on a range of initiatives, activities and events.
We held our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday. A huge thank you to all who volunteered on the day and those who sponsored it: Sean Daly & Co., Whytes Centra, Dennison Design and Lorge Chocolatier. The sun shone, the Easter Bunny arrived to check it all out, Scott brought goats, sheep and other animals, and over 400 children joined the hunt!
May Madness
We are really looking forward to more fun events throughout the month including:
9-11th A Weekend in Kenmare, Photographic Kenmare Chronicles
16th Pink Disco Kenmare Pink Ribbon at Brook Lane Hotel
18th 10k Walk Kenmare Pink Ribbon
23rd Sheen Valley Rose Competition with a Twist at Kenmare Bay Hotel
June
1st Kenmare Family Day The Square
2nd Children’s Car Boot Sale – SuperValu Underground Car Park
14th Celtic Tenors at Sheen Falls Hotel
Fresh faces hard at work
Before we go any further, we are delighted to announce that Kenmare has a great new team of staff at the helm taking care of a range of administrative and marketing duties for Kenmare and its surrounding areas. We have Carol, Senior Administrator and Dora ,Junior Administrator, who have been with us since last year. We are delighted to welcome Trish as the new Events Coordinator and Marie, our new GoKerry Coordinator. The Kenmare Chamber of Commerce & Tourism (KCCT) office is now staffed full-time and if you have any queries then please contact:
KCCT Members Business on chamber@kenmare.ie
Kenmare Community News & Public Information on news@kenmare.ie
Information on Festivals & Events on events@kenmare.ie
Marketing Information on marketing@kenmare.ie
Tourist Information on info@kenmare.ie
Encouraging Community & Social Participation
In response to the feedback of the wider community, KCCT has been undergoing substantial changes over the past few months which we have been updating you on. We are trying to provide an organisation of value to the commercial, community and social interests of Kenmare and its surrounding areas. As such, we are now offering Club Membership for a nominal fee of €20 which includes access to competitive insurance and free advertising through Kenmare.ie and social media. If you have any suggestions as to how we can deliver a more inclusive alliance between commerce and community and how we can provide practical supports, then we would be delighted to hear your ideas which you can email into chamber@kenmare.ie or talk to one of our committee members:
Name Role
Raymond Ross Chairperson
Steven O’Sullivan Vice-Chairperson
Helen Mc Dwyer Secretary
Kate Mc Loughlin Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Jeremiah Foley Membership Officer
Donald Lynch Financial Team
Margaret Mc Carthy
Sarah Durkan
Kenmare represented at County initiatives
The new KCCT chairperson, Raymond Ross, and committee members have been very busy over recent months representing Kenmare at various regional initiatives including the SKDP Cluster Support & Development Programme for the Kenmare Beara Tourism Cluster. As a result, Raymond is keen for everyone to know that the Beara Cluster is open to businesses, development groups and individuals on the Beara Peninsula interested in strengthening businesses through collective marketing. They are encouraging members to work together to share information and market the Beara. The current project they are working on is brand development, App and Website.
The new Beara Steering Committee is as follows: Allihies: Tara Hanley (Allihies Copper Mine Museum); and Shiela Sheehan (Allihies Holiday Homes); Adrigole: Paul Harris (Dromagowlane House) and Owen Johnston (Hungryhill Lodge, Hotel & Campsite); Bere Island: John Walsh (Bere Island Projects Group) and Barry Hanley (Bere Island Holiday Homes); Ardgroom & Eyeries: Connie Torpey Downey (Garra Fado Gardens) and Fran Cronin (Cappa House Holiday Retail); Bonane: Stephen O’Sullivan (Molly Gallivan’s Visitor Centre) and Benoit Lorge (Lorge Chocolatier); Glengarriff: Chris Harrington (The Blue Loo Bar); Kenmare: Anne Barret (Kenmare Tidy Towns & Kenmare Bay Project); Tuosist: Sue Floy (Beara Gallery); and A Grand Day Out: Connie Torpey Downey (Garra Fado Gardens)
Please contact your area representative if you would like any further information.
Kenmare Chamber of Commerce and Tourism was represented at the Kerry Airport Tourism Kerry Meeting which was hosted by Kerry Airport Management. It was stated by the airport team that the lifeblood of Kerry airport is the foreign tourism business which brings in approximately 70,000 tourists to the county each year. The aim of the meeting was to create closer links between tourism operators (accommodation and service providers) and the airport so as to increase visitor numbers to Kerry via the airport. Also present were Tourism Ireland, GoKerry and Destination Kerry and discussions were held around Kerry was not being marketed effectively and addressing the need for the overall branding of the county.
Another countywide meeting that KCCT and Kenmare Marketing & Events Group attended was the new co-operative destination marketing initiative – Destination Kerry Tourism Forum. The proposed Forum will be run by a committee comprising Destination Kerry Tourism Forum members, Go Kerry Management and contributing Groups to manage and deliver each of the agreed marketing initiatives. This initiative is in the early stages of development but we will keep you informed to its progress.
Immediate Plans
Our new Kenmare Events Coordinator is organising, with the assistance of the Festival Committees, and volunteers, the ‘4 Seasons’ themed stands at the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle Kenmare Stage on Saturday 5th of July. The purpose of this stand will be to promote all the fantastic festivals & events and showcase what Kenmare and its surrounding areas have to offer all year round.
Be sure to support Kenmare Family Fun Day on Sunday 1st June organised by Kenmare Marketing & Events Group. The park in the Square will be taken over and transformed into a magical and crazy field of summer fun including a bouncy castle, sports day races, arts & craft tent, Zumba dance & yoga tent and the chance to create amazing sand art with the Sandyman. Tickets are €10 per child: Morning Session from 10am – 1pm or Afternoon Session from 2pm – 5pm from Kenmare – Chamber Office, O’Sullivan Fordes, Café Mocha, The White Room and O’Shea’s (Main Street), Kenmare and Bonsai Boutique, Killarney. There will also be a Children’s Car Boot Sale from 11am – 1pm on Monday 2nd June in the Supervalue Underground Car Park. To book a spot for your car for only €10, please email events@kenmare.ie.
We would also like to remind you to send us in your contact details if you would like to be included in any emails regards Chamber initiatives and public information that comes to our attention and may be of value to the wider community.
Kenmare Together – It begins with each one of us
Think Local | Shop Local | Eat Local | Enjoy Local