Check out.. GAA Jewellery on TV3 Ireland AM

Kela from TJH speaking about the Love Your County GAA collection on TV3’s Ireland AM this morning!

Official GAA Jewellery Collection now available

Dedicated GAA supporters will be able to wear their county colours close to their hearts as well as on their sleeves through a new jewellery collection launched today by some of the biggest names in Football and Hurling.
Dublin based jewellery manufacturer, TJH, today joined with some of the GAA’s top inter-county players for the launch of the ‘Love Your County’ GAA jewellery collection for men and women. A percentage of sales will go directly back to each county board under the manufacturer’s exclusive deal with the GAA.
Among the first GAA stars to sport the new ‘Love Your County’ GAA jewellery collection are Cork’s dual star Eoin Cadogan; Kildare footballer Eamonn Callaghan, Galway’s Finian Hanley and Kerry star, Bryan Sheehan.
The unique pieces are available from today through top jewellery retailers nationwide and online at www.gaajewellery.com. It is the first ever official GAA county jewellery range and is perfectly timed ahead of an exciting new Championship season and Fathers’ Day next month.
A key inspiration behind the development of the exciting ‘Love Your County’ collection has been to provide GAA members and supporters with a chic and alternative way to demonstrate allegiance to their county, TJH Ltd’s Marketing Director, Kela Ledwidge explained:
“Through a range of county-coloured wrist and neck charms and sporting leather bracelets, both male and female fans can show their devotion to their county teams and the GAA, whether they are at work, school or play and look great.
“We’ve been manufacturing and distributing the award winning John Rocha Jewellery brand for the last 10 years and have worked closely with the GAA on this new collection. We’ve also been producing designed gold and silver jewellery based on popular Irish themes and legends such as the Children of Lir, Nua and Celtic Designs collections for over 50 years so we have strong cultural and heritage links.
“We see a very strong Irish and export market for this new GAA collection and plan to constantly update it with commemorative pieces for fans in many counties. The collection includes miniature county jerseys, Sam Maguire and Liam McCarthy cup charms to be worn on branded bracelets and pendants, through to sporty dog tags, leather wristwear, cufflinks and rings in Sterling Silver and polished Stainless Steel,” she added.
Peter McKenna, Stadium and Commercial Director added: “TJH are now offering GAA supporters everywhere a novel way to show their county affiliations through the launch of this exciting new range.
GAA supporters of all ages, both home and abroad are amongst the most passionate in sport and their loyalty and commitment to their home county is renowned.
The availability of these products is another tasteful and innovative way for supporters to display their pride in our games”.
Prices start from €25 – €35 for Sterling Silver charms, €29 – €79 for Stainless Steel and Sterling Silver Pendants, €25 for leather and stainless steel wristwear and €29 for cufflinks. The collection is now available through more than 75 retail jewellers nationwide or on www.gaajewellery.com.

Centre will lead creation of high quality jobs in the South East

An Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny T.D., has officially opened the Kilkenny Research and Innovation Centre, a world class facility which will be at the cutting edge of next generation internet development for the financial services sector and for eco-innovation.

The new centre, located at St. Kieran’s College in Kilkenny, is a joint initiative between Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), Institute of Technology Carlow (ITC) and the Kilkenny Local Authorities “Invest Kilkenny” campaign and will lead to the creation of high quality jobs in the region.

The initiative has evolved from WIT’s Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG) and WIT’s ArcLabs, who created a research and innovation eco-system for High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) in Waterford. The Kilkenny Centre will mirror that model by creating a hub for ICT expertise and for next generation internet development for companies in the finance, banking and insurance sectors.

The Centre will build on the ground breaking international track record of TSSG; the expertise available in the Centre for Research and Enterprise for Interactive Applications Software & Networks (GameCORE) at ITC; WIT’s and ITC’s joint entrepreneur development programme New Frontiers and the new Interreg-funded INSPIRE Programme (Initiating Specific Pathways for Innovators, Researchers and Entrepreneurs) at ITC.

Twenty research staff will be based in the new research centre, and this number is expected to increase significantly over time.

An Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny, T.D, said at today’s launch: “This centre will help attract in new business and jobs to the region. New research and innovation in conjunction with a stable and supportive business environment is a winning formula for economic growth and jobs. By protecting economic stability we can continue to attract in new investment and opportunities for the South East region.”

Dr. Willie Donnelly, Head of Research at WIT said “The creation of a one-stop shop model in Kilkenny will provide direct access to TSSG’s world class research, ICT hardware and knowledge base and will support the finance operations of major companies as well as the banking, finance and insurance companies in relation to next generation internet services and systems and in relation to mobile phone technology. It will also provide incubation space for entrepreneurs in the ICT sector.”

Dr. Donal Ormonde, Chairman of WIT said: “In the information society, companies are constantly looking to source highly qualified graduates and new knowledge which can be innovated to produce new products and services. Both WIT and ITC have created major economic impact in the region through their frameworks for entrepreneurial training and support.”

Mr. John Moore, Chairman of ITC said: “This collaborative initiative will draw on the collective research, development and innovation ICT expertise in the two South East Institutes of Technology at Carlow and Waterford. The primary objective is the provision of a supportive environment for the creation of new high-growth knowledge-based industry in Kilkenny and improved access to high quality expertise for existing local and regional companies.

According to Joe Crockett, Kilkenny City and County Manager: “The investment in the Research and Innovation Centre establishes Kilkenny for the first time as an important centre for ICT and establishes new national capability for internationally traded services and more specifically for the finance, banking and insurance sectors. The centre will be a new resource and attraction for ICT and finance operations of all major companies.”
Kilkenny County Council Chairperson Cllr. Paul Cuddihy said he hoped that Kilkenny’s magic as a place and on the hurling field would translate into success for the research teams and for the financial, insurance and banking companies that the centre will support.

Mayor David Fitzgerald paid tribute to Waterford and Carlow Institutes of Technology for their joint approach to the development of the centre and he said Kilkenny City is a superb place for companies to locate and do business in and he welcomed the strategic ICT capacity that the new research centre provides.

The Invest Kilkenny initiative was launched in 2010 and is aimed at promoting Kilkenny as a great place to do business based on its connectivity, high quality work force, business supports, availability of industrial land, and quality of life.

Next generation of young Irish designers honoured

A GIFTED young Irish fashion designer whose stunning creations have been worn by singer/song-writer, Lily Allen, has won the top prize under this year’s Crafts Council of Ireland Future Makers Awards & Support programme.

Natalie Coleman from Monaghan received the overall Future Makers Award of €5000 for the distinctive dress designs from her “All the Jewellery I Never Got” collection which is playfully drawn from images of jewellery she has never received.

With a total prize fund of €30,000, the Future Makers Awards & Support reward the next generation of Irish designers, helping them develop an exciting future in the craft and design industry. Future Makers promotes and distinguishes craftsmanship and excellence in design for creative students and graduates at a critical stage in their career.

28 designers who were chosen by an international selection panel were presented with awards in The Sugar Club in Dublin today (Tuesday May 22nd) by Sonya Lennon, host of the RTÉ One ‘Off the Rails’ programme.

According to the judges Natalie Coleman has created the ideal image for contemporary fashionable women by fusing personal longing and memory with cutting-edge application.

Speaking about her work, Natalie said: “Clothes are visual representations of our moods and what we think of ourselves and the world we choose to surround ourselves with, believe in and aspire to.”

Natalie studied fashion at Limerick School of Art & Design and has worked under threeASFOUR in New York, Icelandic textile designer Ragna Frodadottir and top Irish designer Joanne Hynes.

She established her fashion label Natalie B Coleman in 2010 and has shown at Fashion Weeks in Berlin, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, New York and Paris. Natalie’s ambition is to develop her business into an internationally recognised fashion brand. With her collections already stocked in nineteen outlets in thirteen different countries, Natalie hopes to expand into the Asian, Brazilian and US markets. She is concentrating on her fourth collection I LOVE ME and will use the Future Makers award to help her focus on creating showpieces including a Carrickmacross Lace dress she is working on with accomplished lacemaker Martha Hughes.

Meanwhile the winner of the overall Future Makers Student Award, worth €2,500, is Jackie Maurer of the Limerick School of Art & Design for her unique wearable ceramic neck pieces. This award rewards excellence, creativity and technical ability, and offers professional support for students to build their profile at a very early stage in their career.

Jackie was also the winner of the inaugural Scarva Pottery Materials Award worth €500 which contributes towards the cost of materials for the development of a specific piece of craft based work.

Speaking at the awards Chief Executive of the Crafts Council of Ireland, Karen Hennessy, highlighted the importance of supporting craftspeople at all stages of their career in order to sustain and grow the sector into the future. “The Future Makers Awards and Support programme underpins the Crafts Council of Ireland’s commitment to developing the next generation of craftspeople in Ireland. The crafts sector makes a significant contribution to job creation and the creative industries in Ireland, and our continued investment in and recognition of our emerging craftspeople is crucial,” she said.

“It is so encouraging to see the wealth of design talent, skill and innovation that exists in Ireland. The standard in this year’s Future Makers applicants was extremely high and the selection panel had a very tough job in making their decisions,” Ms Hennessy continued. “We are especially delighted to be announcing a new Design Award this year. It is important to highlight and reward the strong level of design innovation in craft being produced by recent graduates today.”

Other Future Makers Awards & Support winners announced by the Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI) include:

• New award for Design (€1,600): Kate Cronin of Klickity, for design excellence. Kate impressed the selection panel with her design skills and desire to expand her work to develop a successful range of contemporary light fittings and products.
• Special Judges Award (€1,000): Jennifer Slattery, textiles designer, for excellence in design development.
• Innovation Award (€2,500): Kate Murtagh Sheridan, ceramicist, for her experimentation with process, technique, colour and form.
• Student Innovation Award (€1200): Theresa Burger, jewellery student, for her large, geometric bangles made using 3D rapid prototyping techniques and inspired by the Zulu people of Southern Africa.

All applicants for the Student Future Makers Awards & Support 2012 were assessed by an international selection panel featuring John Jenkins of Heals, Jonathan Legge of Makers & Brothers and Louise Allen, Head of Innovation and Development Programmes at CCoI. The applicants for the Practitioner Future Makers Awards & Support 2012 were assessed by John Jenkins, jewellery designer Angela O’Kelly, and Muireann Charleton, Education and Innovation Manager at CCoI.

In addition to the substantial funding being awarded, the Crafts Council of Ireland will shortly announce details of an exhibition of the work of all 28 of the 2012 recipients of the Future Makers Awards & Support.

· Tourists to be lured to Roscommon to Revive, Refresh and Rewind!

It’s best known natives include actor Chris O’Dowd, Irelands first president Douglas Hyde, football legend Dermot Early and song-writer Percy French. And Roscommon is now to embark on an exciting tourism initiative to put the County firmly on the national and international tourist map.

A new tourist marketing campaign, led by Roscommon Community Tourism Network, was launched today (Tuesday May 22nd) by Mayor of Roscommon Eugene Murphy to promote County Roscommon as the perfect place for tourists and holiday-makers to Revive, Refresh and Rewind.

This campaign is focused on the “Roscommon DNA”, and capturing the spirit of the Roscommon community with strong emphasis on its culture, heritage and attractions.

Working closely with Roscommon County Council, Roscommon LEADER Partnership and Fáilte Ireland, the campaign, to be rolled out over the coming months, includes the introduction of new brand , brochures, a highly interactive website and innovative social media campaigns. Other marketing activities will include radio advertising, new county boundary signage and video generation.

The very best of Roscommon’s tourism offerings, spread across angling, cruising, cycling, golf, horse racing, walking, built and natural amenities, vibrant festivals, award-winning culture and heritage projects and choice accommodation will all be promoted under the tag line of ‘Roscommon – revive, refresh rewind’.

Roscommon attractions include:

· The longest county shoreline on the River Shannon.

· Rathcroghan Site, which is older than Newgrange with medieval royal connections.

· Excellent transport links (National primary routes in North and south, Rail links, etc).

· Strokestown House, Lough Key Forest & Activity Park, the Arigna Mining experience, a great variety of walking trail and much, much more

Latest figures from Fáilte Ireland show that there is huge potential to grow the visitor numbers to Roscommon. Of the 1,148,000 visitors to the west region in 2010, just 56,000 visited Roscommon. Revenue generated through such visits was €20m.

The new brand seeks to play to Roscommon’s strengths, according to Martina Earley, CEO, Roscommon LEADER Partnership.

“The brand pays a small but important homage to our Celtic /heritage roots which are very strong in our county, but we wanted this to come across as warm & contemporary too,” she said.

Roscommon County Council is delighted to be involved and Kathleen Martin, Director of Services said: “We have recently invested in a major marketing campaign with Ireland West Airport to highlight the region and our county to their new European destinations.

“It is important that Roscommon has the necessary marketing tools to stand out and appeal to this important market. A second edition of the 2012 Roscommon events guide introduces the new brand for the first time.”

Colm Keane, Chairperson of Roscommon Community Tourism Network, said it is now time to focus the national and international spotlight on how special the Roscommon tourism offering is.

“This campaign will capture the spirit of our community and connections our visitors can enjoy with the locals, culture, heritage and attractions in Roscommon. Research shows that tourists are looking for less ‘official’ information, they want an insider’s view of an area, they want to be part of experience and not just look in. Our campaign will focus on the real Roscommon DNA!’”

As part of the marketing campaign a new website for Roscommon Tourism will be unveiled soon. Meanwhile go to http://www.visitroscommon.com/attractions.asp for information

tourism banners x 2qty

WATERFORD’S inaugural Garden Festival has been a massive hit so far and with lots more events to come, the 15 gardens and garden centres involved in the fortnight-long event are urging everyone to get their walking shoes on for an adventure into the great outdoors. The opening events attracted capacity audiences Former BBC ‘Gardeners World’ presenter Roy Lancaster enthralled a captive audience with his presentation ‘A Plantsmans Pleasures.

The Blackwater Garden Centre near Youghal will again be a hive of activity on Wednesday May 9 and Thursday, May 10 as it hosts an ‘Archaeological dig for Children’ from 3pm to 5pm on Wednesday. Thursday’s programme includes a ‘Building a Bug Hotel’ workshop at 4pm, followed by a ‘Lights for the Barbecue’ workshop at 5pm.

The magnificent Mount Congreve Gardens will be open for a special event on Thursday and entry is at the reduced rate of €5. Mark Head Gardener of Cappoquin House Gardens will continue his guided tours at 10.00am and 3.00pm, also on Thursday.

The highlight for many over the coming days will be a nature walk and lecture with Eanna Ni Lamhna at Dromana House and Garden near Cappoquin this Saturday, May 12, at 2pm. It’s the ideal event for all the family. It will feature a power point presentation and a walk along the riverbank and garden paths at stunning Dromana.

For art and garden lovers, there’s also a Special Garden Tour of Fairbrook House, Garden and Museum on the edge of Kilmeaden on Saturday, also starting at 2pm. It is a must for anyone interested in contemporary figurative art, the romantic, walled garden on the grounds of the old woollen mill, special water features and history.

And what better way to wind down after a hectic week than with a painting workshop with one of the region’s most coveted artists. The highlight of the festival for many comes on Sunday, ‘Painting in the Great Outdoors’ with Andrea Jameson in Tourin Gardens near Cappoquin from 10am.

Andrea Jameson studied in Florence with the famous drawing teacher, Signorina Simi and then she was a pupil of Maestro Giovanni Colacicchi. There are numerous examples of her work in private collections in Europe, Scandinavia, the United States and Canada . She will work with a group in the inspiring gardens of Tourin for what promises to be an amazing, creative day.

The festival ends with a photographic competition back at Dromana House & Garden from 2pm on the same day. Keen photographers will be asked to submit their entries to Dromana after the event.

Festival chairperson Kristin Jameson said that the inaugural Waterford Garden Festival has been a phenomenal success so far. “All the members of the Waterford Garden Trail are very proud of what we’ve achieved so far and how this festival has gone. We’re urging as many people as possible to come along, visit the region’s gardens, meet their owners and appreciate the wonders we have on our doorstep here in Waterford ,” she said.

ALL ROADS lead to County Waterford over the next fortnight as the long-awaited first ever Waterford Garden Festival gets underway and the culmination of planning and preparation sees 15 of the County’s top Gardens and Garden Centres come together.

Some famous names in the world of gardening will feature, chief among them botanical artist Patrick O’Hara, the renowned plantsman, TV presenter and auther Roy Lancaster, Dick Warner and Robin Waistell. A special nature walk with Eanna Ni Lamhna is also planned at Dromana on May 12.

While the main focus is on the region’s gardens, the Festival also includes lots for the family to enjoy at the many featured events:

May 1st: A Talk by Roy Lancaster, in Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre. (7.30pm)
Botanical Illustration Workshop with Patrick O’Hara at Lismore Castle Gardens . (10.00am)

May 2nd, 3rd, 9th 10th: For Children: Building a Bug House, Lights for a BBQ, and
Archaeological Dig with Ithel in the Blackwater Garden Centre (4.00 pm)

May 3rd. and Sunday 13th. Guided Tours of Cappoquin Gardens (10.00am and 3.00pm)

May 5th: A Bee Keeping Workshop for Beginners in Salterbridge Gardens (10 am)
Flower Arranging Demonstration by Robin Waistell at Tourin House( 3.00pm)

May 6th: Open Day at Ballyin including Garden Walk with Charlie Wilkins, Gardening Correspondent for the Irish Examiner, Midleton Concert Band, Falkonry Demonstration, face painting, stalls and displays, teas and refreshments (12.00pm)

May 7th. Open Day at Tourin House and Gardens. Afternoon Tea (12.00 to 5.00pm)
A Talk by Dick Warner and Tour of Salterbridge Gardens (2.00pm)

May12th A Nature Walk and Lecture by Eanna Ni Lamnha at Dromana House and Garden (2.00 pm)
Special Garden Tour of Fairbrook House, Garden and Museum (2.00pm)

May 13th. Painting with the great outdoors with Andrea Jameson in Tourin Gardens (10am)
Photographic Competition at Dromana House & Gardens (2pm)

Gardens on the Trail include

Abbey Road Garden in Ferrybank, a cottage-style garden filled with interesting and unusual Alpine and herbaceous plants, shrubs and mature trees

Ballyin Garden in Lismore, six acres which slope down to the river and features a Champion Monterey Pine

Ballynatray Estate near Youghal, with 850 acres featuring mature trees and breathtaking views of the Blackwater

Cappoquin House & Gardens, an 18th Century Georgian mansion and gardens featuring old arboreum rhododendrons, myrtles, parrotias, as well as magnolias, camellias and azaleas

Curraghmore Estate, a magnificent house and estate in the stunning valley o the Clodagh river with ancient oak woods and formal gardens

Dromana House & Gardens in Lismore, a true gem perched on a rocky site overlooking the river Blackwater

Fairbrook House in Killmeaden which is surrounded by three acres including formal gardens, four lavenderfields, special water features, a hidden garden with an old terracotta floor and loads more

Lismore Castle Gardens, a stunning gemsurrounded by seven acres featuring a wide variety of beautifully maintained plants and trees

Mount Congreve Gardens in Kilmeaden, seventy acres of intensively planted woodland gardens and a four acre walled garden which icnldue over 3,000 different trees and shrubs

Salterbridge House & Gardens in Cappoquin with gardens filled with many camellias, magnolias and filled with beautiful rhododendron and green shrubs

Tourin House & Gardens in Cappoquin which extends over 5 acres to the banks of the river Blackwater. It features mature oak, beech, cedar,yew, pines and a fine collection of camellias, magnolias, rare shrubs and specie trees

Tramore House Gardens, a two and a half acre garden surrounding an elegant Victorian townhouse. It is renowned for its natural planting with formal, box edged old rose beds, woodlands and shrubbery

The three garden centres included are:

Blackwater Garden Centre near Youghal,

Orchardstown Garden Centre near Tramore

Easter Island Garden Centre, Waterford City

The Waterford Garden Trail offers a special opportunity for everyone to visit the historic gardens and estates in the region, meet their owners, see the dedication and commitment it takes to look after such homes and their grounds and pick up some great gardening tips.

Garden Trail Festival Chairperson, Kristin Jameson says “We hope that lots of visitors in this region and many others who live here will join us and enjoy the rich variety of flora and fauna species, all of which contribute to the uniqueness of the gardening attractions on the Trail. The Trail has the potential to be a key economic driver of tourism in the county and we are very grateful to Waterford County Council and Waterford Leader Partnership for helping us to come together to form the Trail and organise this Festival.”