Search Results for 'Joan Geraghty'

Dividends anticipated from ongoing intense investment by our government in attracting further tourism business to Ireland, may serve little purpose if there is nothing to keep people here when they come. While beautiful scenery and glorious outdoors have much to offer in their own right, without open doors in shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels to welcome those weary and seeking comfort following excursions, the allure of holidaying in Ireland may soon be lost.

Competition can be good; competition can be healthy; however, in the instance this week of one new music festival cancelling out a more established music festival – this result is not a good one.

As this week marked the beginning of Lent and the pre-Easter season of doing without, many were wondering what more could they do without; what is there left to give up?

Whether or not the controversial report this week about the Polish woman 'Magda' living the high life courtesy of the generous Irish social welfare system was entirely accurate or not matters little; what matters a lot however is that, just as with the 'mad and greedy' economy-crashing Irish people that our Taoiseach so readily informed the World Economic Forum about last week, much of the report contents were actually true.

Not before time we are finally starting to think outside the box. This week a bunch of business people have come together and committed to generate work for people, by pledging jobs online. The initiative, entitled Hireland, is not designed to provide an alternative state employment agency for all and sundry, but rather is directly targeting Ireland’s skilled unemployed with a view to returning them to quality jobs.

What a boost Allergan gave the county when it announced on Monday morning the creation of 200 jobs, 250 construction jobs, and an investment of $350 million in the Westport company.

A new year begins and with it comes a series of mixed messages that serve to confuse rather than fortify resolve. Appeals by charities abroad for funding against famine and war reveal that while austerity may now be hitting home, these current dark times fail to compare against emergency situations where basic human needs such as food and shelter are not being met.

As we bid farewell this week to 2011 and welcome in the New Year of 2012, no doubt many of us wonder – as we always do around this time – where on earth did the last year go?

The Mayo Advertiser celebrates its fourth birthday this week and as a big thank you to all our readers, supporters, and business clients, we are throwing a party in the form of lots of competitions and giveaways for you to win. Prizes include a fabulous two night stay in the bridal suite of one of the county’s foremost four star hotels - the McWilliam Park in Claremorris (no, you don’t have to be married or getting married - just loved up); an amazing €150 hamper from Staunton’s Pharmacy in Castlebar filled with top name beauty and pampering goodies; 1,000 complimentary business cards from Halligan Print in Castlebar to help budding entrepreneurs enjoy further success; a complimentary Aveda natural hair colour and new-look cut at Petals Hair & Beauty in Westport (worth more than €80), plus a chance to win a complete new make-over as part of a glamour fashion show supported by our sister paper, the Galway Advertiser. Read our competition page inside for further details - and best of luck!

The dizzying scale of Irish debt as finally revealed by the financial and state authorities yesterday will have no doubt left most of us reeling from shock and anger. Already dubbed ‘Black Thursday’, the figure of more than €35 billion now defined as the outer limits of what we must raise in order to pay off government liabilities, is staggering. The news of a further €3 billion bail-out required for AIB, that will effectively nationalise the country’s largest bank with money taken from our own National Reserve Pension Fund, can only be described as sickening. Coming one on top of the other in the face of the international markets deeming Ireland a no-confidence zone, it feels like we are just being socked in the stomach over and over again. How many more body blows can we endure?