Shannon

Saturday’s airshow to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first commercial transatlantic flight, a milestone in Irish aviation history, at Shannon Airport is expected to attract some 40,000 spectators. However, it will also provide a platform for several anti-war groups to stage peaceful protests. Groups opposed to the continued use of the airport by the US military have said the airports recent history is “not one to be proud of”. John Lannon of Shannonwatch said, “While it is fitting to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first commercial transatlantic flight from Shannon Airport and to acknowledge its important role in aviation in Ireland, we cannot ignore the fact that in the last 15 years it has been used to illegally invade Iraq and Afghanistan and has been part of the CIA’s global campaign of kidnapping and torture”. “Shannon became the original airport gateway between the US and Europe and was the birthplace of Duty Free. It is now a gateway …

In a week dominated by aviation-related headlines, Shannon Chamber hosted a luncheon seminar where two key players in the tourism and travel sectors – Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland and Suzanne Boda, senior vice president Asia, Canada, Europe and Cargo, American Airlines – were guest speakers. The lunch, sponsored by American Airlines, was held in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Limerick and attended by representatives from the business, tourism and hospitality sectors. Chamber president Kevin Thompstone said in his introductory remarks that access and connectivity is the key to increasing visitor numbers to the West of Ireland. “With just over 5% of international traffic to Ireland, Shannon delivers 15% of the West’s, 37% of Shannon’s and 12% of the South-West’s overseas holidaymaker bed nights. This demonstrates the link between access to Shannon and tourism activity in Shannon and the surrounding regions. The West has the product and the amenities and is proactively creating awareness, through Tourism Ireland, in international …

HAVING been a member of the Pioneers since she was a teenager, it’s no surprise that Bridie Hendrick describes herself as “very loyal” to the organisation. Bridie will receive her 60-year pin at a ceremony on June 12 at SS John & Paul Church, while others who have also reached certain landmarks will be recognised. Speaking about her decision to throw her lot in with the organisation, she says, “I joined it when I was 14 in Armagh. At that time, you’d go into the probationers and the Pioneers when you were 16. There were eight in my family and we all joined. One of them broke his pledge but all the rest of them stayed Pioneers. Non-smokers and non-drinkers the whole lot. In those days, there were no women going into pubs or things and you didn’t see drink much. It was easier for people than it is now.” While times have changed since her Armagh childhood in the …

ST Patrick’s Comprehensive were represented at PE Expo 2015 at Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun and took the prize for best overall project. The school was represented by fourth-year students, Lauryn Dooley, Elora McFall, Cliodhna McNeilis, Clara Moore and Jenny Power with their project entitled Skill Components of Fitness in Rugby and Gaelic Football, Specifically Co-ordination and Punting. The study initially involved an analysis of video-recorded matches to identify the use of the six skill-related components of fitness in both rugby and Gaelic football. Its second phase required the students to use their knowledge of PE theory and applied maths, as they used mathematical formulae to calculate the range and velocity of punts taken using the knowledge that the ideal angle of projection for such a skill is 45o. The findings illustrated that both sports require the use of all skill components of fitness and that the ideal 45o angle of projection elicits the punt with the greatest distance. The girls received …

THE new Government scheme to encourage entrepreneurs to set up new businesses has been given a broad welcome by Shannon Chamber. The SURE scheme, which aims to encourage people in PAYE employment, unemployed people and retired people to start their own business, will operate as a refund of income tax paid by the person starting the business in the six years prior to the business being started. All income tax paid in those six years can be claimed as a refund under the scheme, subject to anoverall limit of 41% of the total investment in the business. Acknowledging that Ireland has an entrepreneurial spirit, Shannon Chamber chief executive, Helen Downes said, “We cannot underestimate the value of investing in new start-ups. There are so many talented people in this country and we need to retain them not train them for export. Initiatives of this nature, and the ideas that flowed from the recent Action Plan for Jobs stakeholder forum, all …

PROFITABILITY at Shannon Airport “improved considerably” in 2014, a year in which passenger numbers also rose by 17%. That’s one of the messages from Shannon Group’s 2014 annual report, along with a commitment from Shannon Group chief executive, Neil Pakey, to correct what he called “historic underinvestment” at the airport and other facilities under the remit of Shannon Group plc. In the annual report, Mr Pakey outlined that “profitability of the airport has also improved considerably in 2014, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of €4.6 million, an increase of 34% on 2013. This increase in profit was achieved in part through passenger growth and new routes, but also by managing cost efficiencies.” Mr Pakey added that work on lowering costs will continue this year, as will capital investment at the airport. “We will continue to address the operating cost base in 2015 and identify further cost efficiencies to ensure our sustainability and enable us to compete …

Shannon Chamber has stepped into the world of sport to equip business executives with the wherewithal to operate at optimal performance levels. Renowned high-performance expert Gary Keegan, who devised a world-class talent management programme for the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA), has been drafted in to give a half-day seminar to both Chamber members and non-members on Wednesday, May 20 at 8.30am. The seminar is being held in the viewing gallery at Shannon Airport. Drawing analogies between business and sport, Mr Keegan will show how leadership, strategy, culture and execution for results are dependent on cultivating a high-performance ethos within a company. Speaking ahead of the event, Shannon Chamber’s chief executive Helen Downes said: “In his time with the IABA, and now as director of the Irish Institute of Sport, Gary Keegan has demonstrated his ability to get the best out of teams. In his five years with the IABA, Ireland won 29 medals at European, World and Olympic levels, …

Nearly €5m is to be spent on developing 25 new social housing units in Clare, as part of a new nationwide investment programme. Ten homes are being built in Quilty, along with 15 more at Tullyglass in Shannon at a combined cost of €4.75 million. The money forms part of a newly-announced investment programme worth €312 million that seeks to build 1700 new homes throughout Ireland. Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government, Alan Kelly said the first major direct build social housing programme is part of the first phase of  the Government’s social housing strategy. €312 million has been approved which will see an additional 1,700 social housing units come on stream by 2017 with an estimated 3,000 additional jobs in construction created. The projects, which cut across each local authority area, range in size from small numbers of units to projects of over 50 units for some of the Dublin local authorities. Minister Kelly said local authorities …