Скачать или смотреть A Message from Neil Grant Chairman Cork Branch Irish Hotels Federation

It is that time of year again! Time for the Cork Branch of the Irish
Hotel Federation Tourism Dinner. After last year’s sell out event we
polled our attendees to get their feedback, we received phenomenal
feedback though one item that came up as a development point was
the speeches. It was felt they were too long, so…………. we have
listened and we are switching things up a little!
You are receiving a few pre-recorded words to address you before
the event and to be played during the meal this evening. Other than
that we will be keeping speeches to a minimum, we do listen, this is
your night!

I would like to start by thanking all of you, for your support of this
evenings Annual Tourism Dinner for 2019, again Sponsored by Kings
Laundry, hosted at the wonderful Clayton Silver Springs.

Thanks to our County Mayor, Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan, we are
delighted to have you with us this evening, we are aware of your
busy schedule and grateful you have been able to join us, you are
always a great champion of Tourism in County Cork and you take a
great photo too, not to mention your regular foray’s Whale Watching
off Courtmacsherry.

Thanks to the Dalata group and to Joe Kennedy who is overseeing
this evenings events. Special mention to Norina O’Callaghan &
Mariska Schmidt who have been a part of the committee and been
so accommodating in the lead up to our big night! Simply put, we
can’t wait for what will be a great night.
A word on our sponsors. Firstly our main sponsor Kings Laundry who
backed our event for the 4 th year in a row, hopefully Alan we can sit
down again and discuss the future as we truly feel that King’s
Laundry are amazing partners for this great Dinner.
Alan Murphy and King’s Laundry sponsorship has been so generous
and has allowed us to raise t he bar and support our fundraising for
branch activities, our chosen charity and worthy Tourism Causes.
Thank you Alan for your unstinted support over the past 4 years, and
your generous increase in your support for the past 2 years.
Alan, your support and approach towards the Tourism Dinner very
much mirrors your ethos in the day to day business, you and King’s
Laundry are simply a pleasure to deal with! Thank you.

On the Charity, this year’s charity is Enable Ireland, a charity that
works to enable and empower children and adults with disabilities to
achieve independence, choice, and inclusion in communities across
Ireland. Only this year they have opened the most amazing facility in
Cork so please do dig deep for the Raffle folks as funds raised will go
to this great cause.

To our current officers, Secretary Peter Loughnane of Ballymaloe &
Treasurer Finola Mallon of Jury’s Cork City, during the year you have
taken on projects such as the Employee of the Year Lunch at the
beautiful Castlemartyr Resort and the summer fundraising event, our
evening in Dwyer’s of Cork, both of which were an immense success
this year, well done both of you and Thank you.

And off course to Mary O’Donovan, our branch Administrator, you
have taken us to another level in our organisation and with each
passing year your influence on how our branch can support our
members grows. You are quite simply priceless and our members
similarly value your contribution.

I will point out that whilst I am a fiercely proud Scotsman, I
guarantee you, when I am overseas at Trade Shows or on Sales
Missions I am Cork through and through! I think the folks in Select
Hotels can testify to this as can our Pure Cork teammates.

On that, Cork was phenomenally well represented at World Travel
Market in London last week, which is great credit to all of you
wonderful Tourism Professionals that are in the room tonight. It was
even commented upon by Minister Brendan Griffin where he
commented “Well done guys, you are here in force” when being
arranged for the obligatory Pure Cork team photo.

Thank you Michael, Norina O’Callaghan (Clayton Silver springs), Amy
Horgan & Janice O’Connell of the Talbot Group, Finola Mallon (Of
Jury’s Cork City), Aaron Mansworth (Trigon Hotels Director), Peter
Loughnane (Ballymaloe House and our Branch Secretary), Brian
Bowler (The Montenotte), Brendan Comerford & Shaun Cooney (The
Castlemartyr Resort), Mariska Schmidt & last but my no means least
a warm thank you to Clayton Silver Springs very own Joe Kennedy
who has supported and appeased us at every turn in organising and
hosting this great celebration. This is Joe’s last big gig at Silver
Springs. Be sure to show your appreciation this evening.
Now the biggest thanks of all must go to the irrepressible Mary who
cracked the whip and kicked us into shape!

To get back on point this dinners own success has very much
mirrored the growth in Tourism Nationally and shown the fortitude
that has seen Tourism be a key driver in the Irish economy from
those dark days of 2011/2012.