Hello from Travel Directories Ireland,
Spring is in the air and summer's on the way, with bright hopes for the coming months we wish you a happy Easter and Saint Patricks Day.
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This Issue:
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1. Tourism News
2. Travel Directories Ireland News
3. Poem
4. Final Thought
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1. Tourism News
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Tourism & Travel statistics for the third Quarter of 2001, released by the Central Statistics Office, are disappointing, though hardly surprising considering the extraordinary influences on the market last year (FMD & 9/11).
First 9 months of 2001:
drop of 5.9% in visitor numbers to Ireland
drop of 4% in total number of bed nights
rise of 5.4% in revenue earnings from overseas visitors (?3 billion).
More:
www.gov.ie/tourism-sport/pressroom/Pressrel_2002/pr_min_06022002.htm
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The announcement by the Government, on February 5th, of plans for a rapid turn-around airport facility at Dublin Airport to service low-cost airlines, should help to increase visitor numbers, especially from Britain and mainland Europe next year, as the facility is to be operational for the 2003 season. Aer Rianta are said to be "proceeding rapidly" with plans for an expansion of facilities at Cork Airport.
More: www.gov.ie/tec/press02/february5th02.html
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Minister Mary O'Rourke also announced, on January 28th, a rail expansion study. Among routes to be assessed is a proposed western rail corridor linking Sligo, Galway, Limerick & Cork.
More: www.gov.ie/tec/press02/january28th02.htm
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Closing Dates for applications for grant aid from the Tourism Development Scheme are:
Bord Fáilte: Friday 22/3/2002
More: www.bftrade.travel.ie/product_development/
Dept. of Marine: Thursday 28/3/2002
More: http://marine.gov.ie/display.asp/action=sitetext/loc=538
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2.Travel Directories Ireland News:
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We have added a forum/message board to the site to allow you in the industry to raise issues, share information and voice your opinions, e.g. with the General Election planned for May/June are there issues which you think should be raised with election candidates?
Be the first to have your say: www.dirl.com/forum/tourism/
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Let the world know of events in your area for 2002, from jumble sales to international festivals, just click on the address below and fill in the details (free service).
www.dirl.com/forms/events.htm
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Promote your area "Free of Charge". Just write a brief description of whats available in your town/village to see and do in your own words, and we will publish it in the five languages (photos welcome and will be returned). And don't let that word "write" scare you. you're not writing fiction or poetry you're just revealing facts about your area.
Take advantage of this now its "Free".
More info:
e-mail: nuala@dirl.com
Phone: 052 42810
If you are not interested in this offer but know someone who would be, please pass on this information.
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A reminder to all customers to check that their rates and contact information for 2002 are accurate and up to date.
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3. Poem
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THE FOUND-ONS OF BALLYCORNISH
The music was playing
With dancing and swaying
And drinkers all looking for more,
then at two in the morning,
without any warning
There came a loud knock at the door:
The Whole room, it fell into silence
with hysterical panic and dread,
some punters, they flew up the staircase,
The others, to out houses, fled.
It's the Garda, it's the Garda
Who comes from Sliebh Mish,
To gain promotion is his dearest wish;
He's got lots of names in his notebook,
They're the found-ons of Ballycornish.
They were some great races
To find hiding places,
To lie in a bed would be best,
But you have to try harder
To fool this shrewd Garda
Than to go ' tween the sheets fully dressed;
The cards were still dealt on the table,
The turf was ablaze in the hearth,
But the players had gone to the bathroom
and were trying to hide in the bath.
A few went erratic,
They climbed in the attic
And hid in the dark of the night,
But the giggles and laughter's
That came from the rafters
were caught by the Garda's flashlight;
Three men locked themselves in the closet
And each had a bottle of "Powers"
And if the quick Gaurd hadn't found them
They'd have kept themselves happy for hours.
Some men made a hay bed
Up over the cow shed
And thought that they couldn't be found,
But were soon out of luck
When they stood on a duck
Which gave a loud quacking sound;
Some other returned to the presses
and the cellar, just under the bar,
another, he curled himself neatly
In the boot of the Gardas's squad car.
A young lass called Mary
She got quite contrary
When the Garda, he asked her to leave,
But the innkeeper caught her and said "She's my daughter!"
The Garda said "I don't believe !"
Well, the garda, he got his promotion,
He's a sergeant, he got his dear wish;
And the long-line of folk in the courtroom
Are the found-ons of Ballycornish.
Taken from "A Kaleidoscope of Poems and Verse", written and published by Peter Howarth, Castleisland, Co. Kerry. (066) 7142696 howarth@ireland.com
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4. Final Thought
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No-one is ever too old to learn, but many people keep putting it off anyway.
Slán,
Travel Directories Ireland