The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE Cliffs of Moher Centre annual report for 2019 has recently been filed with the Companies Registration Office, and showed that it had a turnover of €2.77 million for the year in question.
On average it employed 75 people during 2019, down by ten on the previous year, while its wage bill for the year was over €2 million, with overall staff costs of €2,316,321.
Regarding events since the close of 2019, the document states, “The Directors have assessed the relevant factors and in particular the risks on the Company’s business model, potentially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a rapidly evolving situation resulting in a high level of uncertainty nationally and globally and has the potential to have a significant impact on the Company through
*Possibility of high staff absenteeism impacting the company’s ability to manage its business on a day to day basis.
*Significant and prolonged supply chain interruptions.
*Financial implications for the business.
“The company has implemented its business continuity plan to ensure the Company’s business operates and is managed on a day to day basis. This plan includes remote working of employees where possible. The Visitor centre was closed from March 14 to mid June following Government guidance. Since reopening the Company has implemented all Government operational guidelines and the Company will continue to operate during the crisis over the coming months.”
It adds that while the ultimate extent of the impact on the Centre can’t be known as yet, the directors don’t believe it will stop it continuing as a going concern. It also claims that the company is “well positioned” to deal with the risks arising from Covid-19.
At the time of writing the Cliffs are still open, but only for people who live within five kilometres of them.
An exhibition on the theme of traditional music was recently launched at the Cliffs and it stated, “Clare is renowned as the spiritual home of traditional music in Ireland and this exhibition seeks to marry our on-site tradition with the wider heritage across the county and distill it into a unique homage to our living culture. All aspects of the exhibition, from conception to completion was undertaken by Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience staff, many of whom are talented musicians in their own right; some generously loaned their own much-treasured instruments, making the exhibition a labour of love.
“The nucleus of the work focuses on the many talented musicians living close to the cliffs and instruments on display include an accordion, concertina, fiddle, and tin whistle.
“The exhibition also includes items that would have been an intrinsic part of any rural Irish household including a 200-year-old table covered with oil cloth, a griddle, fire tongs, hobnail boots, St Brigid’s cross, and a national newspaper of the day.
“The exhibition also displays a freehand drawing of Dinny McMahon, the trailblazing and original busker at the Cliffs of Moher who is still very fondly remembered.”
Owen Ryan
Owen Ryan
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked for a number of other regional titles in Limerick, Galway and Cork.
