Inchydoney Beach in West Cork retained its Blue Flag status.

An Taisce recently announced the recipients of the 2008 Blue Flag Beach and Green Coasts Awards. The awards were presented by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr John Gormley, TD, and Dr Roy Ramsay of the Environment & Heritage Service Northern Ireland at a joint North/South awards ceremony in Co. Louth.

This year saw Ireland lose six of its International Blue Flags because of bathing water quality failures. However, a further two which were lost in recent years have been restored and a new flag has been awarded to Wexford for its beach at Morriscastle. A total of 78 Blue Flags for beaches and 2 for Marinas were awarded to Ireland by the International Blue Flag Jury in Copenhagen while a further 7 Blue Flags were awarded to Northern Ireland beaches.

At the event, An Taisce announced the roll out of a new national Green Coast Award as part of a Clean Coasts environmental programme, where voluntary ‘Coastcare Groups’ organise coastal clean ups, eliminate eyesores, act as guardians of the coast, improve facilities, report incidents and tackle environmental problems both small and large.

The award will be rolled out on a north-south basis, with Tidy Northern Ireland administering the programme north of the border. The Department of the Environment, Coca-Cola and Fáilte Ireland sponsor the Clean Coast programme in Ireland.n presented a Waterford Crystal ship’s decanter to the Master of the Oscar Wilde, Captain Brian Gordon.

The third annual AIB Street Performance World Championship recently took place in Merrion Square, Dublin. Over 85,000 spectators turned out for the three day event and collectively voted on which of the sixteen top class performers was awarded the coveted title of AIB Street Performance World Champion. Sword swallowers, contortionists, aerial acts and magicians from all over the world, including Canada, Russia, Japan, Tanzania, Somalia, Russia, and Australia competed centre stage at the free festival. The winners of the festival, the ‘English Gents’ from Australia performed astonishing gravity defying acts demonstrating great acrobatic, skill, strength and balance.

Pictured are ‘The English Gents’, winners of the AIB Street Performance World Championships

The Hospitality Management Skillnet recently announced the launch of its 2008 Training Plan with the allocation of a €350,000 training fund for the next two years.

(L-R): Tracey Donnerym, Skillnets Programme Support Manager; Ewan Plenderleith, President, IHI and Margaret Naughton, IHF.

The plan will provide training courses based on competency tools for those at management and operational level. The programmes delivered will contribute to effective people development and, in turn, to increased quality of service.

At the launch of the event, Minister for Lifelong Learning Sean Haughey, TD, stated, “Strong business performance in the industry depends largely on a highly skilled and motivated workforce. The focus of Hospitality Management Skillnet is to increase participation in training by firms operating in hospitality industry in order to improve competitiveness and employability within the sector.”

For further information on the 2008 Training Calendar, please contact Anna Corre, Network Manager on tel: 01 662 4790, email: hopsitalityskillnet@ihi.ie or web: http://www.ihi.ie/upcoming_training.htm

(Back Row, L-R): Tara O’Neill, Group HR Manager , Clarion Hotels; Margaret Naughton, IHF; Yvonne Hutchinson, HR Manager, Portlaoise Heritage Hotel; Margaret Byrnesm, Managing Director, Red D; Triona Brangan, Director of HR, Four Seasons Hotel; and Helena O’Brien, Catering Manager, Catering Managers Association of Ireland; (Front Row L-R): Natasha Kinsella, Chief Executive IHI; Anna Corrie, Network Manager, Hospitality Management Skillnet; and Tracey Donnery, Skillnets Programme Support Manager.

Mary O’Doherty and Dave Cassidy with Louis Quirke, Deputy Registrar of Civil Marriages and Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel.

Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel recently played host to Limerick’s first civil wedding ceremony outside of the Limerick Registry. Louise Quirke, Deputy Registrar of Civil Marriages, was on hand to officiate at the ceremony for Mary O’Doherty and Dave Cassidy in the hotel’s Treaty 300 suite.

Whites Hotel of Wexford recently played to host to the British-Irish Inter Parliamentary Conference. (L-R): John Rowe, Senior Manager, Whites of Wexford; Rt. Hon. Peter Hain, MP, Co. Chairman, British- Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body; Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism,Martin Cullen, TD; Co-Chairman Niall Blaney, TD; and Jane Crosbie, Senior Sales and Marketing Executive, Whites of Wexford.

The Clarion Hotel “Best dressed Lady” competition was held recently at the Tralee Races in Ballybeggan Race Course. The winner was Gillian Gilbourne from Milstreet, Cork. (L-R): Mary O’Neill, Louise James, Patrick Dillon, Clarion Hotel Group, Gillian Gilbourne, Mary Stapleton and Eileen Kennedy.

Roganstown Hotel Golf and Country Club was recently awarded the Customer Service Award for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector at the Annual Fingal Dublin Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. The awards are held each year in recognition of business excellence in the Fingal region. The hotel was also shortlisted in two other categories for Best Eating Establishment and Best Licensed Premises.

Commenting on the award, Ian Mc Guinness, Managing Director, stated, “We are delighted to win this prestigious award. We pride ourselves in our high standard of customer service and it means a lot to us to gain recognition for this.”

The award winning Dungeon Bar at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney recently underwent a major refurbishment and celebrated its re opening with an intimate evening reception. Guests were greeted by Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel’s very own Jester and Dungeon Master with renowned musician Paul Harrington providing entertainment for the evening while guests sipped on champagne and special Dungeon Bar cocktails.

(L-R) Aoife Coogan; Eithne Fitzpatrick Scott-Lennon, Owner of Fitzpatrick’s Castle Hotel; Darragh Hayes; and Nicky Logue, General Manager, Fitzpatrick’s Castle Hotel.

Cork International Airport Hotel recently launched an initiative to help guests offset their carbon footprint. When a guest books a room in the Hotel at their special Carbon Offset Rate, the hotel plants a tree on their behalf, thereby helping to offset the guests carbon footprint. The hotel is working in conjunction with the Native Woodland Trust, who plant trees in Farnaght Wood in County Leitrim-all of which are native to Ireland.

Commenting on the initiative, Patrick Hanley, General Manager, Cork International Airport Hotel, stated, “With the ever increasing global concerns about carbon emissions, we feel it is our duty to implement a strong environmental policy.”

(L-R): Patrick Hanley, General Manager, Cork International Airport Hotel, Lord Mayor of Cork Donal Counihan; Bernard NcNamara; and Jim Lawlor, Managing Director, Native Woodland Trust.

Martin Mangan has been appointed General Manager of the Conrad Hotel. Prior to this, Martin held the position of General Manager at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. Previously, he held senior management positions at The Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin and the Jury’s Doyle Hotels in Dublin and London. Martin has also worked for the Hilton Hotels Corporation in California where he was Director of Front Office Operations.

Dave Murdiff has been appointed Sales and Marketing Manager for the Academy Plaza Hotel. In his new role, Dave will manage all Sales and Marketing activities for the hotel following the completion of their €44m expansion. Prior to this, Dave was Marketing Manager for the Regency Hotel Group. Dave holds a BA in Irish Law from Griffith College and a Diploma in Journalism.

Sinead Marron has been appointed Spa Manager at the Sheraton Fota Island Hotel and Spa. Prior to this, Sinead held the position of Assistant Spa and Leisure Manager at the Sanovitae Health and Essence Spa in Clarion Hotel, Cork. Sinead holds a National Vocation Certificate in Leisure Management and an NCEF in Exercise and Fitness from University of Limerick. She also holds an ITEC Personal Training Certificate from Litton Lane Training.

Raymond Kelleher has been appointed Sales and Marketing Manager at the Clarion Hotel Cork City. Prior to this, Raymond worked as Sales and Marketing Manager with the Quality Hotels Clonakilty and Youghal. Previously, Kevin held the position of Assistant Manager at the Sligo Park Hotel. Raymond is a graduate of DIT Cathal Brugha Street, where he studied Hotel Management and Business Studies.

Brendan Spence, President Les Clefs d’Or Ireland

Initial impressions count for a lot in today’s competitive hotel sector, and the first member of staff guests are likely to meet when they walk in the door is the hotel concierge. Little wonder then, that there is a growing recognition of the vital role played by the concierge at every stage of the guest’s stay.

Brendan Spence, President, Les Clefs d’Or Ireland, spoke to Innsight about the society’s commitment to ensuring that the concierge service in Irish hotels reaches ever higher levels of professionalism and that members can access the kind of training and networking opportunities they need to meet the high standards set by the society.

“Service is what you have to give guests. It’s what makes their stay memorable and what will bring them back. They may not remember the wonderful decor but they will certainly remember the quality of the service,” says Mr Spence of the Clarion Liffey Valley Hotel. A concierge of many years standing, he was recently elected President of Les Clefs d’Or Ireland - the ‘society of the golden keys.’ Two years ago his peers had already voted to give him their annual ‘Concierge Award of Excellence.’

Founded 58 years ago in France, this international organisation, whose members are entitled to wear the distinctive crossed keys emblem on their uniform lapels, meets monthly in each of 40 countries. Its aim is to enhance job skills through ongoing training and to foster valuable contacts by meeting a wide range of hotel and tourism interests both at monthly meetings and at events such as a recent annual black tie evening for 200 guests.

At present, concierges in 4,000 hotels around the world are represented in the various Les Clefs d’Or branches.

“Membership in Ireland has doubled in the past twelve months, and we now have 70 members with 22 hotels represented in Dublin alone,” says Mr Spence.

To date, most of the members represent four and five star hotels; however, Mr Spence is keen to include three star hotels too. “There are fantastic three star hotels in Ireland, and very often the reason some are not rated a four star might just be due to the size of their bedrooms or due to the building being old. However, they can provide everything else to a four star standard.”

This type of hotel, says the Clefs d’Or President, also needs a good concierge service, and members in three star establishments report that their hotels have definitely benefited from providing this service for guests.

As concierge in one of the country’s largest hotels, Mr Spence finds that he is often asked to arrange for champagne and flowers in the room, to organise a limousine or to secure a table in a top restaurant which a guest is finding hard to get. He prides himself on being able to meet the more unusual requests with respect and friendly helpfulness, even if it involves arranging for rose petals to be scattered on beds or for a horse drawn carriage to pull up outside the hotel on the stroke of midnight.

It’s all in a day’s work and, according to Mr Spence, what he enjoys particularly is the fact that every day is different. Good humour is a requirement of course, and for a concierge to succeed “a smile is part of the uniform,” he says.

“Once upon a time business was almost entirely done by telephone, but today a lot more is done online and service is being taken to a new level. For example, by having guests fill in a questionnaire as they check

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