Those Two Girls PR

Source Sligo's Alan Fitzmaurice announced as Team Captain for Irish Culinary Team

2012-02-13T17:09:00.001Z

The Panel of Chefs Ireland are pleased to announce Alan Fitzmaurice, Head Chef at Source Sligo as the new Irish Culinary Team Captain for the 2012 campaign which will take in "la Parade de Chefs, London Excel" and the Culinary Olympics, Erfurt Germany. Alan takes over the captaincy from Kwanghi Chan head chef at The Cliff House Hotel.

"The National Culinary Team has the same ethos as Source Sligo, the Team uses local source, organic where possible and Irish produce" said Alan " and we hope to showcase Irish Food as being world class through the competitions we take part in". Also on the Team are Micheal Egan (Sedexo, VHI, Dublin), George Smith (DIT, Dublin), Maggs Roach (Merrion Hotel, Dublin), Paul Philips (AnneBrook Hotel, Mullingar), Derrick Hall and Paul Duffy (ArrowMart, Dublin).

Pick up a ‘Pincho’ at Cava

2012-01-26T14:45:00.000Z

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway has launched a special Pincho Menu which will be available each evening throughout February. Popular in northern Spain, particularly in the Basque region, ‘Pinchos’ are small Spanish canapés which can be eaten in one or two mouthfuls and are usually eaten in bars or taverns as a small snack while socialising with friends. As part of the celebrations, Cava will also host a FREE sherry tasting evening each week throughout February on Thursdays between 6 and 7pm.

Spain is the nation of the ‘Fiesta’ and one of the first festivals of the year is The Seville Tapas Fair which takes place in February each year. A four-day event, the festival involves almost 50 restaurants and bars creating mouthwatering tapas and inviting guests to sample them with the accompaniment of beer, sherry or wine. Regarded by many wine experts as ‘underappreciated’ and ‘a neglected wine treasure’, Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes which are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain.

Cava’s Pincho Menu includes Serrano ham, quince and manchego cheese; dry aged sirloin with caramelised onions; grilled free range pork and Spanish ‘Torta del Casar’ brie; Piquillo pepper stuffed with crab; Smoked octopus; Chicken and roasted garlic mayonnaise. Serranitos, which are small sandwiches of grilled pork ham popular in Seville, will also be available. They are served with Patatas Bravas and Mojo Picón sauce.

Pinchos or tapas offer groups of friends the perfect opportunity to taste and to share a wide selection of dishes from different regions throughout Spain. Three pinchos cost €4.50 while a Serranito costs €6.50.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

Drop a Dress Size In 40 Days With New Irish Online Fitness Program

2012-01-26T14:32:00.000Z

A new Irish online personal training and nutrition programme designed specifically for women, promises members that they will drop a dress size in 40 days. Offering calorie-controlled recipes, weekly shopping lists, daily workouts with videos, ‘The 40 Day Method’ designed by Personal Trainer Jessica Cooke and partner Joseph Mee gives subscribers no excuse but ‘to get with the program’.

The six week online personal training programme, ‘The 40 Day Method’, takes a holistic approach to weight loss, combining workouts and diet in a simple online system. The exercise part of ‘The 40 Day Method’ involves following video workouts for 30 minutes per day, five days per week, while the diet element involves following a low-GI, balanced and nutritious diet.

New Year’s resolutions are often abandoned before February has arrived, with major obstacles to dieting and working out often being that women don’t have the time to get to a gym or get confused and tempted when going to the supermarket. Jessica explains, “With the help of our delicious low-GI recipe library, the diet simply couldn’t be any easier to follow, and the shopping list generator saves you a tonne of time. You simply select the meals you want to eat with our online meal planner, and ‘The 40 Day Method’ generates a list for you to take to the shops! Every single recipe is quick and easy to follow. It’s a no-frills, no-fuss guide to weight loss. Just follow the workouts, and the food plan and you will drop a dress size.

‘The 40 Day Method’ incorporates the very latest workout techniques – high intensity interval training (HIIT) and Tabata Interval Training which burn fat as much as nine times faster than conventional cardio exercise. The workouts have been carefully designed and tweaked over time, to ensure maximum calorie burn. All workouts utilise interval training, which involves periods of high intensity alternating with periods of lower intensity. Some research has shown that 20 minutes of interval training can be equivalent to 40 minutes of cardio. It also boosts metabolism and is the best way to burn fat.

Jessica, who runs a successful personal training practice, developed the programme after her own personal experience of being overweight, “During my 20’s I was three stone overweight and felt sluggish, self-conscious and very unhappy. It was only after I began to conquer my issues with a combination of frequent exercise and sensible diet that I became compelled to help others achieve the same success. I believe that for sustainable weight loss and good health, both nutrition and exercise need to be managed simultaneously - dieting alone will not bring sustained weight loss.”
Optional weekly time challenges and leader boards allow users to compare their progress both with themselves and others online. Followers of the Method can access online support, a community forum, regularly updated blog entries and regular exercise and diet tips.

Members can sign up for three months (€39), six months (€54), or one year (€81). After the initial 40 day period is over, the user will continue to have access to everything on the site, including a frequently updated video workout library, recipe library, meal planner and shopping list generator software.

For more information see www.40DayMethod.com

Love Food? Love Choice? New Gift Voucher for Three Restaurants from @EatGalway

2011-12-15T11:05:00.000Z

One Gift, Three Choices from ‘Eat Galway’

‘Eat Galway’, the unifying brand and philosophy behind some Galway’s favourite restaurants, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, Aniar Restaurant and Eat at Massimo has launched a new gift voucher just in time for Christmas. The gift voucher can be redeemed at any of the three ‘Eat Galway’ restaurants – three choices from one gift for someone special.

The restaurants of ‘Eat Galway’ are guided by one philosophy: good food, local suppliers and artisan produce. JP McMahon explains, “‘Eat Galway’ represents our philosophy of producing good, tasty, artisan food and working with local suppliers. That philosophy unifies our three diverse restaurants, Cava, Aniar and Eat. While people can choose between these three unique places to dine, they can be assured that at any of the ‘Eat Galway’ restaurants they will enjoy delicious seasonal food that has been locally sourced and produced in a sustainable way.”

Situated on Dominick Street in Galway city’s West End, Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar recently won ‘Ethnic Restaurant of the Year 2012’ in the ‘Georgina Campbell Ireland Hospitality Awards’. Offering a truly Spanish experience Cava’s ‘50-dish tour of Spanish cuisine in miniature’ menu is in the Spanish language, with English sub-titles; while the wine list includes 80 well-chosen Spanish bottles. Cava prides itself on purchasing local and free-range produce and is committed to remaining ethical with regard to food sustainability and seasonality. It is recommended by both Georgina Campbell’s restaurant guide and the Bridgestone guide, and called “one of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Ireland at present” by Sebastian Black, of ‘Spanish Flavour’. Tom Doorley has said that it serves the “best Tapas in Ireland.”

Critically acclaimed Aniar’s kitchen is run by Enda McEvoy of Cook Wild Project and former Head Chef of Sheridan’s on the Docks. Enda explains the inspiration of Aniar, “The food is based on our local ‘terroir’, that is the ensemble of natural influences that give a food a sense of place. Here in the west we are surrounded by lush ancient woodland, bountiful shorelines, thriving farmlands all heaving with some of the best ingredients in Europe but unique to us. We quite simply obey the seasons and let nature decide our menu.”

Staff at Aniar work closely with local producers while also gathering wild herbs, plants and seaweeds each day from the woodlands and seashore around the area to produce a cuisine based around light clean flavours.

The third eatery that comprises ‘Eat Galway’ is Eat at Massimo, a gastro pub experience on William Street in Galway. The menu features pub food with gourmet flair. Highlights include gastro pizzas featuring Irish cheeses such as roast potato, caramelized onion and Wicklow Blue cheese and Eat signature dishes of the 5oz Stout Burger while constantly in keeping with what’s seasonal. Current offerings include seasonal game, such as venison, duck and pheasant, all wild and direct from Dromoland Castle. Recent celeb-spotting include Bell X1 and a host of comedians and artists, the food at Eat is not your usual pub food. Not by a long shot. As per the Cava and Aniar philosophy locally sourced, sustainable and seasonal ingredients feature strongly. All the vegetable are organic, chicken is free range from Athenry and meats are sourced from the award winning Castlemine Farm in Roscommon.

To purchase an Eat Galway voucher and give someone you love three choices from one voucher telephone 091 539 884.

Build a Gingerbread House for St. Vincent De Paul

2011-12-15T08:23:00.000Z

Source Sligo is calling all entries for a Christmas Gingerbread House making competition for this Friday 16^th December. The competition is open to children of all ages with recipes and templates available on the Source website.

Each entry costs €10 which will be donated to the Saint Vincent De Paul Society. Top prizes include Kids Cookery Course from Source Sligo plus other goodies from Source Sligo.

Competition closes at 3pm on Friday afternoon with judging taking place on Saturday evening at 4pm. There will also be an auction hosted by Shane Flanagan from DNG Ford Auctioneers who will be auctioning off the houses at bargain basement prices for all Hansel and Gretel’s to get their hands on the tasty properties.

Try your hand at making an exciting tasty house or pop along to Source Sligo on Saturday where all the entries will be on display and enjoy complimentary mince pies and mulled wine. It’s all part of the Source Sligo 1^st Birthday Celebrations. All proceeds going to St. Vincent De Paul.

For more information see: www.SourceSligo.ie

Ya Can't Dance On An Empty Stomach!

2011-12-10T17:12:00.002Z

If you plan on gigging anytime over the Christmas holidays or New Year get into Eat in Massimo for some soul food beforehand. All gig-goers can avail of a 10% discount on their food bill when planning a trip to Roisin Dubh afterwards.

Upcoming gigs at Roisin Dubh include Lisa Hannigan, The Kanyu Tree, Grandmaster Flash plus many more and with some soul-warming food from Eat like their gourmet burgers and pizzas or roast beef and free range chicken dishes.

Or get a group together and enjoy their very reasonable and very delicious Party Food Menu or Platters for Sharing and get your groove on.

Bring your tickets and ask your Eat server for more details. See EAT

Leftover Pork Pizza Recipe from @ArtisanPizza_ie

2011-12-05T09:52:00.000Z

From Artisan Pizza, some pizza inspiration.

"How about roast pork shoulder, leftover from Christmas dinner, to have on Stephen's Day...
1. Roast 170 C for 4 hours approx - 1kg pork rubbed with ground fennel seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper (this could be part of the Christmas dinner)
2. Keep the leftover meat and the juices and on Stephen's Day, moisten the pork meat with the cooking juices
3. Pre-heat the oven to 250C and top the base with 5tbsp of your own tomato sauce
4. Scatter about 120 grams Taleggio cheese along with about one and a half handfuls of shredded pork per pizza
5. Sprinkle some thyme leaves with a little olive oil and cook for 4-5 mins.
6. Once the pizza is crisp and golden, dress it with a little rocket tossed in some lemon juice - slice, serve and enjoy!
(and let us know how you get on- post a pic up if you can)".

The Supreme Award At The Good Food Ireland 2011 Awarded To Source Sligo

2011-11-26T13:05:00.000Z

Source Sligo is celebrating after being bestowed the Good Food Ireland Supreme Award at a ceremony attended by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin this week. Source Sligo won the most prestigious award of the night as Good Food Ireland believes that Source is “set to be the source of inspiration for anyone who loves buying, cooking and eating good local food.”

Speaking at the Good Food Ireland awards ceremony Margaret Jeffares, Managing Director, Good Food Ireland applauded the award winners and the Good Food Ireland network of businesses for their continuous commitment to the purchasing of local food; “It is only through serving our customers and international visitors to Ireland the food of our country and by telling them the story behind it that we can become a unique food tourism destination,” said Ms Jeffares. Over 300 guests including hoteliers, restaurateurs, farmers, food producers and fishermen as well as key dignitaries attended the event.

Joe Grogan, General Manger of Source Sligo commented, “We are absolutely delighted with recent award win. The Good Food Ireland is an inspiring network like minded people and businesses who promote local, Irish produce, its philosophy being of particular relevance to our own. To win the Supreme Award is unprecedented and very much appreciated. The team at Source Sligo work very hard, it’s wonderful to get recognition of this”.

Other award winners at the event include Glenilen Farm, Cork for ‘Best Food Producer’, The Cliff House Hotel in Waterford for ‘Culinary Hotel’, The Chocolate Garden, Co Carlow for ‘Come and See Food Producer’, Sheelin Tea Shop in Enniskillen for ‘Best Café’, Chapter One in Dublin for ‘Best Restaurant’, The Oarsman in Carrick-on-Shannon for ‘Best Food Pub’, Rua in Castlebar for ‘Best Local Food Shop’ and Aldridge Lodge in Duncannon, Co Wexford for ‘Culinary Haven’.

Situated in the heart of Sligo town on John Street, Source Sligo includes a large open-plan restaurant on the ground floor, a wine bar on the first floor and a state-of-the-art Cookery School on the top Floor. Visit www.SourceSligo.ie or call 071 9147605 for more information.

ProPundit.com shortlisted for Spider Award @armourie

2011-11-09T16:04:00.000Z

ProPundit.com, the sports prediction website for the time-poor and knowledge-rich sports fan, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Eircom Spider Award. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the Convention Centre in Dublin on 10^th November 2011. The Eircom Spider Awards honour Irish individuals and organisations for their outstanding achievements online and celebrate the successes of the Irish internet and digital media.

Established last July by Armour Interactive, ProPundit.com allows players to compete against friends and colleagues in sports prediction games. Unlike other fantasy sport and prediction games ProPundit takes up no more than 5 or 10 minutes of a players time each week.

Andrew Dewdney, Director, Armour Interactive said, “We’re absolutely delighted that ProPundit.com been shortlisted for recognition by Ireland’s premier technology awards. ProPundit.com has gone from strength to strength over the past number of months. It’s formula of entertaining and rewarding games that are much less time demanding than, say fantasy football type games has proved to be a winning one.”

ProPundit.com games can be sport specific or can span a number of sports from football and hurling to golf and NFL. The designers plan on expanding the number of sports in the future to include GAA, soccer, golf, tennis and rugby to cater for all possible tastes. Having its roots in Ireland means there are local sporting questions relating to GAA and other national sporting highlights.

Other sites shortlisted within the Sports category of the Eircom Spider Awards are: oneescape.ie, gaa.ie, gaelforceevents.com, Horse Racing Ireland, Leinster Cricket Union and Teamer.net.

Visit www.armour.ie and www.propundit.com

Don't Miss This - World Renowned Flamenco Dancer Magda Navarrete

2011-11-06T16:57:00.000Z

Monday 7th November Magda Navarrete will present authentic Flamenco dancing and music from the Spanish region of Andalucia originated by the Andalucian Gypsies in Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

"Magda Navarrete has mastered flamenco singing and dancing while studying in Madrid, working with internationally renowned flamenco teachers such as Montse Cortez. She has taken part in various flamenco festivals in Southern America and Europe while working on such projects as Indialucia, Arte Flamenco.

Magda will be accompanied by one of the finest guitarists Andrzej Lewocki who has recently took 2nd place during the Nino Ricardo Flamenco Guitar Festival in Murcia, Spain. Andrzej has worked on international flamenco projects and is often running flamenco workshops".

There is no cover charge for the event. Show starts at 8pm. See www.CavaRestaurant.ie for more information.

Bring the Taste of Source Sligo Home

2011-10-26T15:40:00.000+01:00

Source Sligo, the restaurant, wine bar and cookery school based in the heart of Sligo town, has launched a new range of freshly prepared homemade fares that can be enjoyed in the comfort of home. Including meat, chicken and fish dishes; vegetables dishes, salads and sauces; olive oils, pestos and condiments, all of the produce is freshly prepared daily on site by Source Sligo chefs. The vast majority of the ingredients are Irish and locally sourced, and organic where possible.

Alan Fitzmaurice, Source Sligo Head Chef said, “Our philosophy here at Source Sligo is to produce delicious, wholesome food from quality, locally sourced ingredients. Our ‘Own Produce’ range means that people can enjoy Source Sligo foods in the comfort of their own homes. The range provides the convenience of ‘ready meals’, without compromising on quality or taste, while supporting local Irish food producers.”

“Our meats are supplied by Sligo based Clarke’s butchers and Burns Meats; our chickens are reared by Manor Foods in Monaghan while Thornhill Farm in Cavan supply our duck. We grow our own salad leaves and herbs while our vegetables are supplied by Crimlin Farm Organic in Tobercurry, Sligo. Our breads are freshly baked on site daily by our two bakers. Brown loaves, yeast breads, brioche, poppy or pumpkin seed breads are just some of a wide selection available,” said Fitzmaurice.

Ideal for lunch on the go or restaurant style dinners at home, Source Sligo’s ‘Own Produce’ includes Thai curries, Dingle stews and fish pies. Those who have enjoyed sauces and dips while dining in the Source Sligo restaurant can bring that delicious taste home in the form of Basil and Walnut pesto, Black Olive Tapenade, Duck or Chicken Liver Pate to name but a few. A selection of jams and chutneys include Red Onion, Apple & Ginger, Blackberry & Apple jams and Spicy Apple chutney.

Hampers of Source Sligo’s ‘Own Produce’ range are also on offer and can include a selection of foods, juices, wines and sauces. Hampers can be custom made, tailored to a customer’s individual tastes.

Visit www.SourceSligo.ie or call 071 9147605 for more information.

Don't Stuff It Up This Year! Christmas Cooking Classes @SourceSligo

2011-10-20T10:22:00.002+01:00

Source Sligo Cookery School is running a number of Christmas cooking classes between now and December, to prepare the novice, inspire the dab hand and offer scrumptious solutions for a meat-free Christmas feast. Sign up to the class of your choice, don an apron and you’ll be clocking up those brownie points in no time.

A range of classes are available, each providing solutions to cooking conundrums, and ideas about how to make entertaining for family and friends look easy. With hints and tips on stress-free Christmas entertaining, guidance on how to make mouth-watering meals for both vegans and vegetarians and delicious Christmas recipes, Source Sligo’s classes are a must for cooking enthusiasts.

Eithne O’Sullivan, Source Sligo Cookery School Manager said, “Christmas cooking should be fun, relaxed and enjoyable, but between cooking for large numbers of guests and pressure to prepare the perfect Christmas meal, it can be a stressful experience. Our classes are designed to provide tried and tested hints and tips on what to prepare in advance so that when guests arrive the cook can sit and relax without slaving in the kitchen. We’re also running classes on alternative, meat-free Christmas meals to help cooks cater for vegetarian guests. Our ‘Taste of Turkey’ class will answer the age old question of how to make delicious dishes with turkey leftovers. Essentially, the aim of the classes is to offer a wealth of cooking know-how, while, most importantly, putting the fun back into Christmas cooking.”

Classes start at €25. Booking is essential and early booking is recommended as each class holds limited numbers. Visit www.sourcesligo.ie for a full list of classes available or call 071 9140266 for more information.

Source Sligo Cookery School is located on the top floor of Source Sligo, the impressive three-storey restaurant, wine bar and cookery school set in the heart of Sligo town. An ethos that drives Source Sligo - that of sourcing local, quality and seasonal produce, will be echoed throughout the classes.

Have Your Dinner With a Side of Philanthropy

2011-10-18T12:51:00.000+01:00

Enjoy ‘Dinner 4 Bóthar’ with Source Sligo and Beltra Country Market

Source Sligo Cookery School and Beltra Country Market will host a ‘Dinner 4 Bóthar’ evening at Source Sligo on Friday 28^th October between 6:00pm and 8:30pm. With delicious, freshly prepared Halloween themed dishes to sample; face painting for younger foodies and Halloween craft demonstrations, there will be something for all tastes.

Food enthusiasts can watch Source Sligo chefs preparing a range of tasting plates to tempt the taste buds, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients kindly donated by Source Sligo suppliers, Beltra Country Market and Total Produce Fruit and Vegetables. Ocean FM will add to the atmosphere by broadcasting live from Source Sligo during the evening.

Eithne O’Sullivan, Source Sligo Cookery School Manager said, “It promises to be a really fun evening in aid of a great cause. Donations from €5.00 will be gratefully received with all proceeds going directly to Bóthar. We hope that the event will go some way towards helping Bóthar to raise the €50,000 it is aiming to raise with its ‘Dinner 4 Bóthar’ initiative. Come along at any stage of the evening to be part of a fun and worthwhile event”. Students from St Angela’s College, Sligo have generously agreed to donate their time assisting at the event.

Source Sligo Cookery School is located on the top floor of Source Sligo, the impressive three-storey restaurant, wine bar and cookery school set in the heart of Sligo town. An ethos that drives Source Sligo - that of sourcing local, quality and seasonal produce, will be echoed throughout the evening.

Bóthar, celebrating 20 years in existence in 2011, uses livestock in its development aid projects. Using farm animals such as dairy heifers and dairy goats, Bóthar together with project partners, works with poor families and communities in the Developing World to help alleviate hunger and poverty.

Visit www.SourceSligo.ie or call 071 9147605 for more information.

Irish Times, Marie Claire Digby gives thumbs up to Artisan Pizza Company (@artisanpizzaie)

2011-10-18T11:54:00.000+01:00

If you haven’t experienced the genuine Italian pizza bases check here for stockists.

New Gastropub in Galway by the people in @Cavarestaurant

2011-10-17T08:57:00.001+01:00

‘Eat’ at Massimo

Eat, the new gastropub experience launched last Friday night at Massimo on William Street.

From the people that brought you Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar and Aniar Restaurant, Jp McMahon and Drigin Gaffey launched ‘Eat’ in one of Galway’s best known West End pubs, Massimo.

The menu features pub food old reliables with gourmet flair. Highlights include gastro pizzas featuring Irish cheeses such as roast potato, caramelized onion and Wicklow Blue cheese and hunger busters such as Eat signature dishes of Brendan’s 5oz Stout Burger, creative vegetarian and fresh fish dishes. As per the Cava and Aniar philosophy locally sourced and seasonal ingredients feature strongly.

Simon Heaslip of Massimo comments “we’re delighted Jp and Drigin will be heading up the kitchen and food service at Massimo and we welcome the launch of Eat. It’s an exciting collaboration of two excellent brands and our regulars and new customers are in for a treat in the new look Massimo”

Serving lunch, including gourmet soup and sourdough sandwiches, from 12 noon and dinner from 6pm, Eat will also be serving hearty brunches on Sundays with live music from “The Sunday Chimes” (featuring the wonderful Garrett Phillips) starting October 23rd. Children are catered for with special kids menu while groups can enjoy platters to share.

An exclusive sneak preview of new menu at the new gastropub restaurant, EAT in Massimo run by Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

2011-10-11T14:30:00.000+01:00

More details coming soon. Watch this space!

Public Invited to Attend Seminar on Palliative Care

2011-10-03T16:22:00.000+01:00

The public are invited to attend an information day on Saturday 15^th October, as part of the International Palliative Medicine Conference, organised by Galway University Hospitals.

Palliative care is defined as the holistic management of pain in progressive diseases. The public day of the third International Palliative Medicine Conference will explore ‘the who, what, where, how and why of palliative care service delivery in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.’ The session will give information on what palliative care is, how it can be managed and explore what options are available.

The organiser of the conference entitled’ ‘Cuisle Beatha’ (The Pulse of Life), Dr Dympna Waldron, explains “We have worked with local and national charities and our colleagues in Galway Hospice Foundation, Cancer Care West, the Roscommon and Mayo Homecare teams to organise the Saturday session which comprises of an ’Open Day’ for the General Public. By exploring the historic development of palliative care service; where our Services have reached to this day; where we aspire to develop into the future; we hope to allay the myths of palliative care. A session will also be devoted to an expert committee exploring questions posed by the general public. We sincerely hope by holding this ‘Open Day’ we can dissipate the fears’ of palliative care that remain to this day around the ‘belief’ that Palliative Care is consumed with the ‘Dying Phase’. Yet our belief and our experience is that our role remains, and we are committed to it, to help our patients to live well despite advanced disease and focus on improving a person’s physical reality and address relevant quality of life issues within living well. We encourage anyone interested to come along and submit any questions or concerns they may have in advance through our website as there will also be a Q&A session in the early afternoon.” The format of the conference includes presentations, discussions and stands by service care providers, charities and care associations

The first day of Cuisle Beatha is a full day devoted to the exploration of cancer pain versus chronic, non-malignant pain and is geared at medical and healthcare professionals. Dr. Waldron explains ‘As palliative medicine is still a relatively new speciality, most pioneering specialists have concentrated on service delivery, maybe now we have reached a crossroads in cancer pain research, one road leading to the development of cancer pain research as a separate entity to all other types of pain. Dr. David Finn, Professor Irene Tracy, Professor Anthony Dickenson, Dr. Anthony Byrne, Dr. John Browne, Dr. Mary Devins and myself will together combine to explore pain pathways, brain alteration, the expression of cancer and chronic pain and look to the definitions of cancer pain and chronic pain. We hope to address and answer questions such as is the definition of ‘pain’ universal or are there fundamental differences in ‘cancer pain’ versus ‘chronic non-malignant pain’ that require reconceptualization”.

Dr. Brennan has written extensively on the human rights dimensions of pain management and Palliative Care and will be relaying stories of patients in his Saturday morning public address.

The conference opens at 9am Friday 14th Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa with the public session running Saturday 15^th October from 9am to 2.15pm. Entrance to Saturday session is free of charge.

For further information on the conference, to register and to submit questions for the panel please go to www.cuislebeatha.ie or call 091 591222.

Take It Easy, It's No Fuss Monday

2011-10-03T15:45:00.000+01:00

Having a brain freeze over what to have for dinner. Let Artisan Pizza Company inspire you...

Pizza Margherita

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, a pinch of oregano.

Pizza al Salame

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, sliced salami sausage mixed green and black olives and fresh basil.

Pizza Bianca

Green Pesto, fresh mozzarella and sliced fresh tomatoes.

Pizza alle Melanzane

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, grilled aubergines soaked in a little garlic and olive oil.

Pizza Tonno e Cipolla

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, tuna, grilled onions and mixed olives.

Pizza Prosciutto

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, Italian prosciutto ham and green olives.

Pizza Asparagus

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, grilled asparagus.

Pizza Siciliana

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, anchovies, capers and fresh tomatoes.

Pizza dell’estate (summer pizza)

Cook your regular margherita but as the pizza is cooking, dice lots of fresh tomatoes and soak them in olive oil, freshly chopped garlic, salt, pepper and basil. When the pizza is ready distribute the fresh tomatoes. Garnish with a couple of basil leaves.

Pizza Pepperoni

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, grilled yellow and green peppers

Pizza Zucchini

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, grilled zucchini (courgettes)

A Workshop For Chefs on Wild and Foraged Food

2011-10-02T16:05:00.000+01:00

A Course in Catering Skills

2011-09-29T09:59:00.000+01:00

A new course in catering skills is now offered to those with a passion for food and a desire to learn and develop their interest in the catering industry. The eleven week course provides an opportunity to develop basic, practical skills on a part-time basis.

The aim of the source is to provide each participant with excellent working knowledge to make them become employable in the catering industry and build a foundation to help them excel in the field.

Course Director and Cookery School Manager, Eithna O’Sullivan explains “The course has a specific focus on the practical skills required to work in the catering sector. We will spend time on theory and practical skills from hygiene and safety in the kitchen and kitchen management through to knife skills, preparing and cooking breads, soups and starters, meat, fish and vegetarian and even desserts and decorating. Funding is available for the course and we would encourage participants to enquire by attending our Open Evening next Thursday”.

To learn more about this course you are invited to attend an open morning Thursday 29th September from 11am until 1pm at the Source Sligo Cookery School. Jenny Rose Flynn MBE Skillnets will attend open morning with information on funding. The course commences Tuesday 11th October and will each Tuesday from 9:30am until 3pm for 11 weeks. There will also be work experience available for qualified participants.

For more information visit www.SourceSligo.ie or phone 071 91 40266.

Irish Examiner gives Aniar Restaurant in Galway an A+

2011-09-17T10:20:00.000+01:00

Another excellent review for Aniar Restaurant in Galway.
Elevating food to an art form, The Irish Examiner gives Aniar an A+ rating. 'A taste of Galway on a plate'.

The Bases of Great Pizzas

2011-09-12T17:13:00.000+01:00

Authentic handmade pizza bases now available at your local supermarket. The Artisan Pizza Company has expanded their distribution of artisan pizza bases, Pizza De Piero, to over 100 stores nationwide.

Hailing from Terviso, outside Venice in Italy, Piero De Vallier is very particular about how authentic pizzas are made. Each Pizza De Piero pizza base is individually handmade over a two-day period, using only flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, salt and a very small amount of yeast.

Using only the simplest of ingredients, the difference is in Piero’s method, combining his vast experience of techniques from Italian artisan bakeries. Because of the skill and time required, this long fermentation process is very rarely used by other bread or pizza manufacturers. It ensures a light, highly digestible base that won’t leave that bloated, carb-overload feeling . In fact, with such a high level of digestibility and the polyunsaturated fats of the olive oil (containing high levels of antioxidants, omega 3, 6 and 9), these thin bases can be described as truly healthy.

Pizzas are cooked in less than 5 minutes and offer busy Mums a healthy choice for their kids while using up whatever leftovers are in the fridge. They will also freeze and defrost within minutes. The pizzas come in transparent packs of two or three and sell with the brand name ‘Pizza da Piero’. RRP is €6.50 for three bases. Look for them in the fridge department of your local Superquinn or see www.ArtisanPizza.ie or full list of stockists. This is how pizza was supposed to taste!

Cheers To Sherry

2011-09-12T14:07:00.000+01:00

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar are celebrating the Jerez SherryFestival which takes place this time of year in Spain by offering weekly sherry specials for the month of September.

This week it's Grilled Pork Fillet with a glass of Amontillado Sherry (€9.50) and Foie Gras with a glass of Palo Cortado Sherry (€9.50).

That'll help take the chill from our wind swept bones.

Aniar: 'Astonishing food with a lot of style' Catherine Cleary Irish Times

2011-09-03T09:02:00.000+01:00

"Aniar is the new venture of young chef Enda McEvoy with JP McMahon and Drigín Gaffey, who own Cava, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar that sits next door on Galway’s Lower Dominick Street.

They’re calling themselves a terroir restaurant. The word (typically associated with wine) means a sense of place and indigenous flavour, a dig-where-you-stand approach to food. It’s all very earnest. Don’t expect to see tiger prawns or Kenyan sugar snaps here any time soon.

It’s my third trip to Galway in recent months, the first two involving excellent eating. Aniar has some stiff competition in this city".

Full review read here: http://bitly.com/oCtw7j

Sligo Has The Best Value in Ireland

2011-08-29T13:49:00.000+01:00

Looking for an excuse to head to Sligo? Here you go, Hargadons Pub and Restaurant scooped the top prize for Good Value at the recent Food and Wine Awards.

Pictured at the Food and Wine Awards - Grainne Sheridan, Joe Grogan and Miriam Harte

Hargadons Bar and Restaurant Win Top Award for Value in Ireland

Situated on O’Connell Street, Hargadons won a top award at the prestigious Food and Wine Magazine Awards at the weekend. The Award presented to Hargadons was for first place in Good Value in Ireland 2011.

Comments from the judging panel, "All the judges were in agreement that Hargadons pub in Sligo serves up some of the best pub grub in the country. Their menu is simple yet well thought out, costing not much more than a tenner, with their sister wine shop around the corner, the price for a decent tipple is pretty appealing too”.

Hargadons Restaurant, expertly managed by Joe Grogan and Miriam Harte has already established itself as a special venue where good quality home cooked food is served in a friendly atmosphere. Joe comments, ‘We are delighted with this win, showcasing that great value can be offered without comprising on quality. We use organically produced food where at all possible and all food is sourced locally.”Hargadons is proud to list its local suppliers on the menu. Salads and vegetables are home grown at the owner’s facility in Sligo.

Serving lunch and evening meals expect seafood specialities, salads, and a great value lunch time special of three courses all for less than 10euro. Evening meals include Crab Linguini, Steak Sandwich on Foccacia and Tiger Prawns in Chilli and Garlic all for under 11euro.

For more details see www.Hargadons.com

Vamos! Takeaway Menu from Cava Spanish Restaurant Launched

2011-08-24T10:57:00.000+01:00

Finally Galway has a takeaway option that is more then pizza or chips. Hurrah! welcome the Cava Takeaway Menu.

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway have launched a Takeaway Menu with a diverse range of tapas and other dishes for you to enjoy at home. Rid yourself of ‘takeaway guilt’ as all food to go is made to order and using the high quality Cava has become renowned for.

Try a Paella for two Arroz con Pollo (€18) or some of the all time Cava favourites like Patatas Bravas (€4), Spanish Omelette with Romesco sause (€5.50) and Spinach with apricots, pine nuts and garlic (€6). All tapas include homemade bread. If planning a romantic dinner you could save yourself a lot of work by ordering the Sirloin Steak with spinach, pan fired potatoes, French mushrooms and sherry cream sauce (€22.50)

For the full menu of over 50 tapas and other dishes see www.CavaRestaurant.ie

Just phone with your order to 091 539884 and collect. Good food, real simple.

Review of Aniar by Willie Shaw in Today's Galway Advertiser

2011-08-18T16:11:00.000+01:00

Donate Your Snooze to Charity

2011-08-18T14:38:00.000+01:00

Sleeping beauties rid yourself of Snooze Guilt and do your bit for charity. A new App allows you to donate each time you hit the Snooze button on your alarm. A novel way for Charities to fund raise.

iPhone Alarm Clock Donates Your Snooze to Charity

See Chairty Box Blog to read more about how to fundraise, PR and manage your Charity Marketing Spend

Vibrant, Interesting and Cool - Irish Independent Review of Source Sligo

2011-08-12T16:17:00.000+01:00

"It's a vibrant and interesting place that doesn't realise how cool it really is. If this was in Dublin there would be queues out the door". A 4.5 Star review by Aingeala Flannery in today's Irish Independent.

Galway Architect Firm Wins Award for Best Commercial Building

2011-07-20T12:23:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to Galway-based, Paul Dillon Architects has scooped yet another a prestigious accolade from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. The 22^ndRIAI Irish Architectural Award for Excellence in Architectural Design in the Best Commercial Building category was awarded to Paul Dillon Architects for the drive through restaurant at Briarhill Shopping Centre, currently home to KFC Galway.

The drive through restaurant was selected in this particular category from 134 projects submitted to the RIAI.

The judging panel comments reflected an understanding of the site context “With the unlikely brief of a drive-through restaurant, this project has, through a thoughtful choice of materials; rigorous control of proportion and careful making of openings achieved a satisfying result in a fragmented and chaotic suburban location”.

Paul commented: “This is a simple, robust and local architectural response to an ordinary everyday building type on a site surrounded by the roads and car parks. The buildings design responds to this immediate environment with a solid local stone base at street level, anchored to the site, and a refined glazed first floor. Its serves as a stage above a modern Irish landscape. Our client Liam Mulryan set us a simple but challenging brief when he asked us to incorporate a functional drive through restaurant on a narrow site in front of the existing Shopping Centre while at same contribute a positive public landmark on the edge of the roundabout. We achieved this through careful planning and detailing with excellent workmanship by Purcell Construction”.

Originally from Galway, Paul Dillon is a Registered Architect. He received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from New Your Institute of Technology and a Masters of Architecture from California State Polytechnical University, Pomona. He won the Richard Neutra Design Award for his Masters Thesis and has served as guest design critic at schools of architecture on a number of occasions. He established Paul Dillon Architects on returning to Galway, and the practice is currently working on a range of everyday projects. This commitment to the process of building had been previously recognised through numerous international publications, and a national award for Site 7, Briarhill Business Park.

Free Travel and Publicity Making Source Sligo A Hub of Activity

2011-07-17T11:04:00.000+01:00

Ray Monahan owner of Source Sligo has changed the face of Sligo town. His newest venture Source Sligo offers great food, a relaxed wine bar and a cookery school worthy of a day trip or overnight treat. Grab a copy of today's Sunday Business Post to read more.

The last week's article on Aniar - The Sunday Business Post

2011-07-06T10:57:00.000+01:00

Source Sligo is " What's Hot"

2011-07-04T12:15:00.000+01:00

According to The Weekend Irish Times Magazine this week Source Sligo is "What's Hot" - We couldn't agree more!

The Weekend Irish Times, (2nd July 2011)

"INDEX - What's Hot

Sligo Heading west? Don't follow the crowd to Galway- instead head to Sligo for great surfing, better food (Source is the eatery on everyone's minds) and stunning scenery"

For a closer look click here.

Terroir-based Restaurant to Open in Galway

2011-06-23T11:26:00.000+01:00

Introducing Aniar - Prepare for a whole new eating experience

The word terroir is usually associated with winemaking: the combination of factors, including soil, climate, and environment, that gives a wine its distinctive character. In this case however we refer to the terroir of food. A terroir-based restaurant, Aniar, is soon to open in Galway.

Owned and operated by Jp McMahon and Drigín Gaffey who brought us Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, Aniar has set the hearts of foodies racing in anticipation.

The kitchen will be run by Enda McEvoy of Cook Wild Project and former Head Chef of Sheridan’s on the Docks. He explains the philosophy of Aniar, “The food will be based on our terroir, the ensemble of natural influences that give a food a sense of place. Here in the west we are surrounded by lush ancient woodland, bountiful shorelines, thriving farmlands all heaving with some of the best ingredients in Europe but unique to us. We hope to reveal and utilise our terroir. We will quite simply obey the seasons and let nature decide our menu”.

Recently returned from Noma, the Danish restaurant, voted the World’s Best Restaurant 2011, Enda McEvoy will be following the Noma philosophy of working closely with local producers while also gathering wild herbs, plants and seaweeds each day from the woodlands and seashore around the area to produce a cuisine based around light clean flavours.

Light sauces and stocks, properly reared animals (utilizing all of the animal), sustainably caught fish with an eye to the future of the fishing industry and evolving with the seasons using vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries, either from the wild or cultivated, all encompass the Aniar philosophy. The Chefs will pickle and brine as much as is bountiful during the spring and summer to see the restaurant through the winter. They will use modern culinary techniques to obtain the best out of the ingredients, but will never lose sight of the integrity of the product.

Their wine list features over 40 wines produced by small artisan wine producers who also take their “terroir” into great consideration. “When writing the wine list”, Jp explains, “I wanted our philosophy of food to leak into the wine menu”. Over 20 wines will be available by the glass to allow customers to experience the diversity of wine on a global level.

The food and wine will be presented and served in a relaxed, contemporary, brassiere type environment, ignoring the formalities of fine dining. Drigín Gaffey says, “We promise friendly informed service, in a warm welcome environment”.

Jp, Drigín and Enda have been friends for many years and are very excited about sharing their philosophy about food and their passion about allowing quality ingredients to ‘speak for themselves’.

Good food cooked properly in comfortable surrounding.

Aniar is due to open June 29th in 53 Dominick Street, Galway’s West End. Advance bookings can be made by emailing aniarrestaurant@gmail.com

Marketing, / PR Internship Position (Update)

2011-06-16T09:25:00.000+01:00

We’re on the hunt for an intern who craves challenge, experience and an outlet for creativity. Working in an agency environment this internship is fast moving and will require a flexible can-do attitude. Mature, professional and hard working applicants only.

You will be working on a number of accounts and will take the lead on certain projects. This internship will provide invaluable hands-on experience however you must be willing to put in the time and commitment.

Tasks will include: social media management, copy writing, digital marketing, reporting, time logging, internal sales and marketing, plus a myriad of other tasks.

Making coffee will not be below you and writing a proposal will not be above you.

Immediate start, 3 days a week 9am – 4pm based in Galway City. Please send cover note to Olivia@thosetwogirls.ie detailing your strengths.

Heads or Tails?

2011-06-15T21:15:00.000+01:00

Fancy Crispy Pigs Ears or Braised Ox Tail ? Experience True Nose To Tail Dining at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar Galway.

Jp McMahon, head chef and owner of Cava Restaurant has launched an initiative to reintroduce nose to tail dining. Ox tail, trotters and liver may conjure up images of old however there are many more possibilities for delicious contemporary dishes from lesser known cuts.

Jp explains “The Spanish tend to cook with more off cuts and offal then we, the Irish, do. Offal is much more economical then the popular cuts and, prepared properly, can be even more delicious. Once we can overcome our squeamish preconceptions tongue, heart, ham hock, pigs cheeks and ears can all become as everyday as our steak and chicken breasts.”

Each week Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar will feature daily specials that highlight nose to tail eating. Prepare to chose from braised ox tongue in spicy chorizo sauce, braised pig's terrine with piquillo pepper sauce, ham hock and black pudding broth, free range chicken livers with chili jam, or crispy pigs ears with garlic mayonnaise.

Using off-cuts generally takes a bit more preparation and cooking time. The chefs in Cava confit pork belly for 10 hours, so as to make it mouth watering tender. The pig cheeks are cooked for 3 to 4 hours. Some cuts however, like liver and kidneys, can be cooked quite quickly—pan-fired in a knob of foaming butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Offal goes superbly with Cava’s own piquillo pepper sauce, which can be purchased in the restaurant.

When purchasing offal from your local butcher Jp recommends looking using a local specialty butcher who will be able to explain to you the best way to use certain cuts. Also, look for Fergus Henderson’s book Nose to Tail Eating or The Fifth Quarter: An Offal Cookbook by Anissa Helou.

For more details, menus and recipes see http://www.cavarestaurant.ie/.

Train To Become to An Artisan Food Producer

2011-06-07T10:02:00.000+01:00

A new 8 week course dedicated to the production of artisan food has been launched by Source Sligo Cookery School. The course, ‘Cooking For Business and Pleasure’, is offered to those with a passion for food and a desire to make this into a sustainable business.

The course content primarily explores the production of local foods from plant to plate and farm to fork, and how to market and sell your produce. Course Director and Cookery School Manager, Eithna O’Sullivan explains “The course has a specific focus on the practical skills required to become a local food producer. It was developed for people with a lifelong passion, people looking for a change in career, or simply those looking to further their education. We will spend a number of weeks on practical cooking skills from stocks and sauces through to meats and smoking processes. The production modules look at product development, legislation and food safety while the business modules include customer care, financial management and marketing”.

Source Sligo Cookery School is located on the top floor of Source Sligo, the impressive three-storey restaurant, wine bar and cookery school set in the heart of Sligo town. An ethos that drives Source Sligo - that of sourcing local, quality and seasonal produce, will be echoed throughout the course.

Graduates will be awarded with a Fetac Level 5 in Food Processing, EHOA Primary Food Hygiene Certification, Wine Appreciation Certificate and a HACCP Certification. The course has been developed in conjunction with local well known Sligo food producers, EHOA, Oonagh Monahan, AlphaOmega, ICBE and the Begin Again Program.

Limited number of places available. The first course starts 18th July with a second course commencing on 19th September.

For more information visit Source Sligo or phone 071 91 47605

Photo Shoots Are Messy Business

2011-05-11T09:38:00.000+01:00

Rosa Butler not afraid to get her hands dirty all for the right shot. A true professional.

Delicious Handmade Spanish Sauces and Tapenades

2011-05-11T09:34:00.000+01:00

Heather McMahon and Rosa Butler tucking in

“One of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Ireland at present” (Sebastian Black, Spanish Flavour); “Best Tapas in Ireland” Tom Doorley (Irish Times)

Enjoy Cava at home with The Cava Kitchen Range

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway have just launched The Cava Kitchen Range. The range of handmade sauces, condiments and tapenades all feature on the popular Spanish Restaurant’s menu and are now available to buy in the restaurant.

Prices start from €3.00 and include the favourite Romesco Sauce (€4.50), a robust Tomato and Chorizo Sauce (€3.50), Spanish Tomato Sauce (€3.00) Piquillo Pepper Sauce (€5.00), Black Olive Tapenade (€4.50) and large juicy Marinated Spanish Olives (€3.50).

Each item is prepared in the busy Cava kitchen and stays true to the flavor and quality served in the restaurant. 20% off all items from the Cava Kitchen Range sold during the month of May will be donated to The Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

For more information on Cava and The Cava Kitchen Range see www.CavaRestaurant.ie

Marketing Graduate 3 Month Internship Position

2011-05-09T15:57:00.000+01:00

We’re on the hunt for a graduate who craves challenge, experience and an outlet for creativity. Working in an agency environment this internship is fast moving and will require a flexible can-do attitude. Mature, professional and hard working graduates only.

You will be working on a number of accounts and will take the lead on certain projects. This internship will provide invaluable hands-on experience however you must be willing to put in the time and commitment.

Tasks will include: social media management ,copy writing, digital marketing, reporting, time logging, internal sales and marketing, plus a myriad of other tasks. Making coffee will not be below you and writing a marketing proposal will not be above you. Must be a car owner. Basic expenses allowance.

Sound fun? Email olivia@thosetwogirls.ie with a cover letter and compelling argument as to why this position is yours and what you can bring to the mix. No C.V’s

PR Agencies only exist to push weak stories

2011-05-04T10:21:00.000+01:00

During a recent interview with Photographer Conor Healy Pictures Editor of Metro - Herald Alan Caulfield said "the reason PR companies exist is to try to get coverage for things that wouldn’t normally make it into a paper on their own merits, and for cheaper than an advert would cost".

It's disappointing to read such misrepresentation of PR from a member of the media, our industry partners. A good PR's job is to work with clients to create inticing campaigns, identify newsworthy stories, utilise tools online and offline to help promote solid businesses and products, gain press coverage by building a knowledge of what members of the media are interested in and pitching well- presented, factual stories and communicating this through images.

Working with journalists to bring to their attention stories that may be of interest for possible use in their particular subject area. That's a PR's job - well, in the traditional sense. Social media has of course opened up a whole new world where buyers can be communicated with directly, but that's for another day.

Although he did make an accurate observation of some of the more lazy PR photo calls "I can tell you some common clichés in PR photos though: a subject or model posing with food and pretending to eat it; posing with two open laptops formed into a ‘tunnel’ and looking through them; posing inside a giant picture frame; ‘the minister and the model’; everybody in the photo jumping in the air at the same time". Yes, cringe indeed.

Alan should spend an hour in a reputatable PR agency and see the work that's carried out. It's a lot more then banging out multiple generic press releases and getting photos of girls in bikinis.

Take Your Taste Buds For a Culinary Trip to Madrid This Month

2011-05-03T15:19:00.000+01:00

During the month of May the capital city of Spain pulls out all the stops to showcase its culture, music and cuisine. This month, representing the colourful and diverse Spanish cuisine in Ireland, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway is featuring an array of special dishes and wines from Madrid.

Explore the tastes of the region with classic Madrid tapas such as meatballs, calamares and tortilla. Also, enjoy nightly specials such as Madrid-style marinated oxtail and free range pork fillet with piquillo pepper marmalade (pictured). For the month of May, Cava will also be offering two tapas and a glass of wine from Madrid for €15.

Not forgetting Madrid’s proud history of fine wines, headlining the line up at Cava, and recent visitors to Galway, are the wines from Bodegas Francisco Casas with their Camparron range. These renowned wines will be on special, with 20% off the Camparron bottles of wine.

Soak up the Madrid atmosphere in Cava this May, with live flamenco music to accompany your tapas and wine.

There’s only one think left to say - ‘Vamos’!

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884. Advance booking is recommended.

Want the Photo Desk Editor to Like You?

2011-04-04T09:21:00.000+01:00

An interesting interview courtesy of Conor Healy Photography with Pictures Editor, Gareth Morgan Pictures Editor of The Irish Independent. Gareth explains how to work with Photo Editors and ensure the best approach when pitching PR photos.

Image courtesy of Conor Healy Photography

CHP: What is your readership level of the Independent online and on the street?

Gareth: The Irish Independent has 539,000 readers daily while the website Independent.ie has 2,400,000 unique users per month.

CHP: What is the breakdown in sales between the compact version of the Independent and the broadsheet version?

Gareth : The compact / broadsheet breakdown is 50/50.

CHP:What is the Independent age readership bracket?

Gareth: The age group breakdown is as follows;

15-24: 44,000

25-34: 88,000

35-44: 100,000

45-54: 108,000

55-64: 94,000

65+: 104,000

Source: JNRS 2010

CHP: Do PR stories appear online as well as in the paper?

Gareth: I would argue that "PR stories" do not appear in the paper. Instead we're always looking for a real news story, or at least an interesting angle from a celebrity or consumer perspective. But yes, most stories that appear in the paper do also appear online.

CHP:What makes the Independent different to the Times and the Examiner newspapers?

Gareth: The Irish Independent has great reach. It has the biggest circulation of all the newspapers in Ireland, it has a strong geographic spread and it is read by a wide range of ages and social groups.

CHP:What makes a really good PR photograph?

Gareth: A good PR photograph doesn't look like it's selling a product. It is a photograph that looks great on a page - where the product might only be a subtle factor. Otherwise it ends up looking like an ad, which we won't use.

CHP: Describe your working day.

Gareth: The morning is spent reacting to breaking news, the afternoon mostly spent monitoring the pictures that have been filed and also planning the following day's paper. The evening is mostly devoted to diary - ie forward planning. I don't really get the chance to plan the following day's coverage until after 5pm.

CHP: When is the ideal time to get images in from a PR photographer?

Gareth: Any time before 3pm is fine. We can take pictures much later - but we must know that they're coming and what time to expect them, with solid contact information provided in case there's a problem late in the day.

CHP: Do you think the PR photograph will continue to be as popular in 2011 as it was in 2010?

Gareth: There's no reason why PR photography should get any weaker, but I think clients need to realise the importance of getting photographers onboard. Too many companies seem to rely on us to send our own photographers these days. Often this is not possible due to breaking news... and the event goes uncovered.

CHP:How many images do you view in a day?

Gareth: More than 2,000

CHP: Are some days better to issue a photocall to the newspaper?

Gareth: For some reason Tuesdays and Wednesdays are very busy, and Mondays/Fridays are very quiet - as if the PR industry is enjoying an extended weekend. There is definitely scope for doing more stuff on Mondays and Fridays, it would spread the load a bit from our perspective.

CHP: Is photocall location a factor for you?

Gareth: It certainly is. Some locations are getting boring (St Stephen's Green....) while we got some recent pictures from the Kerry coast which were stunning. It does make a difference.

CHP: Do you have any other thoughts on the photocall?

Gareth: Too much flesh on show, too many logos, and too much general cheesiness is always a bad thing.

CHP: Do images with ***NO REPRO FEE** attached to them have a better chance of making it in the newspaper?

Gareth: We judge pictures on merit, but it does help to know which ones are free, of course!

CHP: Is there something a PR company can do, to make things easier for you?

Gareth: Make sure the event that they're promoting is covered with a professional photographer who is experienced at filing for national newspapers. Make sure that when they send us the photocall notice, it includes details of who is taking the pictures. No need to ring us dozens of times to ask if we are going to use the pictures. Often decisions on what we will or will not use are not set in stone until about 9pm at night anyway. We will ring you if we need any more info.

Remember, logos or too much product placement really spoil pictures for us.

For more from Conor Healy Photography.

CHphotography was established in 2002 by award winning photographer Conor Healy. Having graduated from Nottingham Trent University, Conor has worked for Fennell Photography, MacInnes Photography and Eye.con Photography as well as having spent a year assisting advertising and fashion photographer Tony Higgins.

Learn the Art of The Perfect Dinner Party - Cooking Class

2011-03-24T12:07:00.000Z

Learn the art of hosting, cooking and presenting the perfect Dinner Party for friends this Saturday in Sligo’s newest Restaurant, Wine Bar and Cookery School. From the Won’t Cook Can’t Cook to the domestic goddesses, grab your ally and head to Sligo.

The Dinner Party In A Day class runs through all aspects of hosting the perfect dinner party from start to finish with ideas on setting the tone with table and floral displays and tips on how to choose wines to compliment the dishes you are serving.
Enjoy your end result by sitting back and taking in the stunning views over Sligo town and the tabletop mountain Benbulben.

Source Sligo also run special private classes for groups of 12 or more and these can be tailor-made to suit any group from hen parties who would like to cook Mexican to groups who would like to learn about cooking special meals i.e. for diabetics or those with special needs.

Dinner Party in a Day cost €65. Booking is essential and as each class has limited numbers early booking is recommended. Special Source Sligo overnight rates available in local hotels please ask for more details. For more information call 071 9147605 or see www.SourceSligo.ie

OFFER EXTENDED UNTIL 1PM TODAY: get 2for1 on Dinner Party In A Day Class just email Vanessa - info@sourcesligo.ie and quote 'TTG PR' remember only valid until 1pm TODAY. Places are limited.

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway Hosts Regional Euro-toques Lunch

2011-03-23T15:25:00.000Z

JP McMahon Cava Spanish Restaurant

Next Monday sees Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar host the Euro-toques Regional Lunch.

The lunch is the inaugural Euro-toques event hosted by Jp McMahon, Cava Head Chef and Owner, and celebrates their recent membership to this European community of cooks.

The lunch will be attended by prominent chefs from around the country as well as local producers who feature everyday on the Cava menu.

If you fancy lunch in Cava next time you’re in town, take a look at their menu here Lunch Menu

Euro Toques Ireland

New Irish Website Offers Anonymous Reporting For Whistle Blowers

2011-03-23T09:42:00.001Z

Ethicspro is a recently launched website which facilitates reporting by company personnel into inappropriate behaviours or actions of others within an affiliated organisation. While predominantly aimed at improving internal governance in organisations, the company works with business in promoting best practice and sound business reputation.

A unique feature of the venture is that it allows for anonymous whistle-blowing while outwardly demonstrating best practice policy and procedure in an organisation. It serves to manage a company's governance and ethical standards in a strictly confidential manner.

On sign-up a company is given unique login which is then communicated to employees, often through an organisation's specific "ethical reporting at work policy" or through HR documents and contracts. On logging an incident the 'reporter' can track progress of the report by a unique case number assigned and known to them only. As the service prioritises confidentiality and discretion, neither names or emails address are required by the reporter. The reported incident is then sent securely by EthicsPro to the Company's management who then decide how to proceed or follow up.

Graham Burke is managing director of Ethicspro, and is principal of Burke & Associates, a firm of registered auditors, and also a leading forensic accounting firm in with offices in Galway & Longford. Burke explains "With many businesses availing of forensic accounting services I saw the need for a forum whereby people could report professional unethical matters without the fear of intimidation or penalty. Many companies do not take account of the HR or legal matters which can potentially arise in a situation where there has been a fraud against a company, albeit that the fraud is perceived beyond a reasonable doubt".

In its first year of business Ethicspro hopes to build a strong foundation of both national and international clients who value the benefits of using internal resources to build transparency throughout an organisation. The fundamental concept of Ethicspro is to maintain awareness in organisations, that wastage, fraud bribery or corruption all have an impact on business both financially, and by damage to reputation setting the "tone at the top" and delivering that throughout an organisation can be a challenge in itself. Over 40% of frauds are detected by "tip off" and Ethicspro's future plans are to be that watchful eye, becoming reliant on the ethics of individuals to report internally, and perhaps save their company thousands in the process.
More information http://www.ethicspro.ie/

Flippin' Pancakes in Sligo

2011-03-10T10:44:00.000Z

For anyone who missed the RTE Six One News last Tuesday evening, check this clip out below to see the flipping fun in Source Cookery School Sligo

If pancakes are out of your cooking repertoire check out the cooking classes coming up this month on http://www.sourcesligo.com/

A PR Launch Using Female Breast Milk

2011-03-09T11:43:00.000Z

An ice cream manufacturer using Breast Milk as an ingredient for a PR stunt.

Gimmicky or ingenious? What do you think?
At first we thought is was a good talking point that generated alot of ink both here and over the pond but defeated the purpose by turning us off their ice cream.

However, that was until we saw the name of company 'Icecreamists' and realised their niche is extreme ice cream. Brilliant!
They named it Baby GaGa and now Team Lady Gaga is looking to sue - Brilliant-er

See News Clip From BBC London Here

Thanks to Brand Ireland for story lead

Read Review of Cava in Weekend Magazine, 19 Feb

2011-02-20T07:37:00.001Z

Weekend Magazine
19 Feb 2011

Well done all in Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar!

Look Who's Talking Now!

2011-02-10T14:58:00.000Z

Top 3 PR Tips for New Leader

Brian Cowen proudly declared he did not have a communications advisor. Instead, he rarely gave interviews, when he did speak it was often at ill-judged times, spoke incoherently and used phrases and political jargon that did not resonant with the general public. Communication was not his strong point and he choose to do it as little as possible.

1. Communicate Regularly. Golden Rule Number 1, that means the good, the bad and the ugly. Hold, at least, quarterly State Of The Nation press conferences where the public are informed of progress, or lack of, reasons and solutions. When there's a crisis or a developing situation address the public. If there is no absolute solution or strategies are being assessed, then tell them that.People trust people that are open and honest. No one has all the answers but everyone hates to feel ignored.

2. Who Are You Talking To? Be mindful of who you are talking to when being interviewed. While speaking to media you are speaking to the nation. We DO NOT want to hear opposition bashing, we DO NOT want to hear childish blaming or self indulgent back-patting. That's boring and irrelevant to us. We want to hear clear and simple answers and concrete reasons for decisions.

3. Keep Your Dignity and Respect the People. Keep a personal sense of dignity and act morally. If you do screw up, which invariably you will, have an Action Plan in place, address the situation immediately, be upfront, apologise and move on. DON'T look for weak excuses, DON'T lie, DON'T blame game (see Point 2) and DON'T ignore (see Point 1). People respect this.

Most business owners would know these basic rules of communication and basic emotional intelligence. Rules apply to addressing share holders, staff and clients.

Source Sligo Restaurant, Wine Bar and Cookery School - A Must Visit!

2011-02-09T14:33:00.000Z

Source Sligo has recently opened on John Street, Sligo with instant praise from food lovers, wine buffs and cooking enthusiasts.

A three storey building in the heart of Sligo Town tastefully houses a large open- plan Restaurant on the Ground Floor, a subtle and relaxed wine bar on the First Floor and a state-of- the- art Cookery School on the Top Floor.

Each floor adheres to the Source philosophy of producing locally sourced quality food in a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Indeed the interior reflects this ethos by combining elegance with a home-grown retro feel. Owners and operators Ray and Eileen Monahan believe that the concept of developing a Restaurant and Cookery School is also a testament to the quality of produce available in the Sligo area and promoting this produce is something that they are passionate about.

The Cookery School runs classes for fun, for knowledge and for education from the, “Can’t cook and won’t cook to those who are passionate about baking or those who may constitute the dinner party brigade. Eithne O’Sullivan the Cookery School Manager explains “the Come Dine with Me evenings are proving very popular as are the family-focused classes like One Pot Meals. We also run special private classes for groups of 12 or more and these can be tailor-made to suit any group from “Hens who would like to cook Mexican” to groups who would like to learn about cooking special meals i.e. for diabetics or those with special needs

Head Chef at the Restaurant, Gerard Reidy, is originally from Kerry and is renowned for his love of Irish food. He has spent many years cooking internationally and representing Ireland cooking for notable politicians and officials. His passion for good wholesome food is evident from the delectable menus and specials on offer each day.

After a day of eating, cooking and chatting, there’s only one last thing to try, the exclusive wine collection. Relax in the Wine Bar upstairs with background music provided by the in house pianist. Mull over the wine list which includes a range of 12 different wines from the owners vineyards in France. Then sit back and enjoy the views over Sligo town towards the tabletop mountain Benbulben.

Cooking Classes can be booked individually or as part of a course.

For more information call 071 9147605 or see www.SourceSligo.ie

The PR Source for Source Sligo

2011-02-03T14:50:00.000Z

Those Two Girls PR are delighted to have be choosen as the PR company to work with and represent Source Sligo.

Source Sligo is an exciting new concept located in the heart of Sligo Town. A three-storey building lovingly decorated with vintage scananavian furniture an large images of local suppliers it consists of a ground floor Restaurant, a Wine Bar on the first floor and, with panoramic views, the cookery school on top.

The ethos at Source is to produce quality food using locally sourced produce. We can personally testify that this ethos is serving up yummy foods, the Pear and Gorgonzola salad with red wine vingarette is to die for. Yum, surprising Sligo indeed!

Watch this space for exciting info from Source Sligo. Website coming soon.

Book Your Table Now!

2011-01-27T11:16:00.000Z

The popular Fiesta Seville Tapas Menu is back at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

A Tapas Feast Made For Sharing

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair in February, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway has announced its exciting 2011 Tapas Fiesta Menu.

This popular excuse for a get together offers groups of 8 or more the chance to taste and to share various tapas from different regions throughout Spain including 8 exciting meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The menu is only available for the month of February.

Mouth watering additions this year include free range duck in Pedro Ximénez sauce; the amazingly light tortillitas de camarones – shrimp fritters; Andalusian olives; roasted pepper salad; tiny Boquerones – fresh anchovies; Calamares – rings of tender squid; grilled pork loin; and Albondigas Con Salsa de Almendras y Azafran - Meatballs in Saffron-Almond Sauce.

The menu is priced at €25 per person based on 8 people or more which includes a tempting Spanish Chocolate cake as desert and glass of beer or Spanish wine. Booking is essential.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

2,000 affected in Fine Gael data breach - RTÉ News

2011-01-10T13:19:00.000Z

It was announced over the weekend that Fine Gael outsourced their much acclaimed getting-down-with-the youth-ofIreland website to a US company for reportedly 40,000USD! And the video is not in a Temple Bar Coffee Shop but a café in Miami!
When will the political parties in Ireland ever get their PR right we wonder..? one step forward 3 steps back. Very damaging to their campaign and they have obviously annoyed all the capable website designers and programmers out there... 2,000 affected in Fine Gael data breach - RTÉ News

Top PR Tips for 2011

2010-12-29T14:25:00.000Z

Feeling Snowed Under by PR and Marketing?

Now that the freezing conditions are gone don't get snowed under by your PR and Marketing in 2011.

Many people dread the idea of developing a PR and Marketing Plan envisaging hours spent typing, researching, doing competitor analysis to ultimately abandon the plan as being redundant or running out of budget to keep up the implementation.

Keep it simple - even a one page plan can prove to be more realistic by keeping the following tips in mind.

1. Pick a Market and Stick to it.
Although you might offer your handmade chocolates to everyone because 'everyone loves chocolate', trying to target 'everyone' unless you've an infinite budget, is going to prove exhausting, frustrating and quite possibly ineffective.

Instead choose a niche, and develop your marketing and PR plan directed and tailored to this market. For example a chocolate brand aiming their recent marketing at females aged 25-45, adverts depict a professional lady sharing an apartment with two other girls takes time out to enjoy her hidden chocolate.

Contrary to what you might believe, targeting one particular market will not alienate other markets who will still buy your product but it will help you position yourself and build brand strength.

If you produce a niche product stick to it, for example if you operate an Italian restaurant then exclusively offer Italian food. You might feel tempted to add Fish and Chips to make your menu a more 'something for everyone' type of offering, you will be diluting your brand and then fall into the trap of trying to market to 'everyone'.

Find your market and stick to it, use this as your basis for your Marketing and PR Plan then become very, very good at servicing that market and become known for it. Which brings us on to Top Tip number 2.....

2. Communicate Clearly and Consistently

Once you have decided on the marketing niche you will pursue, or are very clear on your niche offering communicate this throughout all your marketing and PR activities. Develop tag lines that concisely communicates to your market. Develop packages that would appeal to this market i.e. if your market is honeymooning couples don't keep shouting about how child-friendly your resort is. Keep the message consistent and keep the messages frequent.

3. Develop relations with other suppliers or producers targeting a similar market.
Looking at year ahead mark months where a new PR and Marketing campaign will be launched. For a clothing store this could be as simple as an End of Season Sale or something more intense like a Fashion Show. Then using this as a base look at hooking up with other complimentary suppliers who are aimed at a similar market and join forces for one of your marketing campaigns. For a teenage clothing End Of Season sale perhaps consider working with a music store on discounts and vouchers with each purchase. By aligning yourself with other stores or businesses targeting a similar market will strengthen your positioning and reinforce who and what your target market is.

There are many forms of inexpensive marketing and PR tools at your disposal. Consistent communication with your target market is what will make one business stand out from another. For businesses developing an ongoing plan spending little time often is more effective then high impact one hit campaigns. Get creative, but most of all stay true to your niche.

Best of luck in 2011 and a very Happy New Year.

17 Dec 2010 - Long Range Weather Forecast For Ireland ~ Irish Weather Online

2010-12-17T09:42:00.000Z

17 Dec 2010 - Long Range Weather Forecast For Ireland ~ Irish Weather Online

Top 10 Careers Damaged by Photographs

2010-12-15T22:07:00.000Z

Top 10 Careers Damaged by Photographs

A World Of Spanish Wines

2010-12-13T12:33:00.000Z

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar on Dominick Street in Galway have launched a new extended Wine Menu to include over 140 carefully chosen wines originating throughout Spain. Included on the new wine offering are wines exclusive to Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar plus new and exciting cavas and sherries.

For the novice the wine menu has been designed to be easily navigated taking all the hard work out of choosing the right wine. Suggestions for complimentary foods are offered on each. Cavas are catagorised by sweetnesss while the reds and whites are marked according to weight i.e. light, medium or full-bodied.

The region the wine comes from plays a major part in the taste of the wine, ultimately the grape type used making the difference for example the riojas use the tempranillo grape. Cava have illustrated the regions from which each wine originates along with a brief tasting note on each wine.

Jp McMahon, chef-patron explains "The new wine menu represents a journey across Spain, just as our tapas menu showcase over 50 regionally inspired tapas. We wanted to showcase the depth, quality, and regional diversity of Spanish wines. In the last ten years Spain has really found its footing with its own indigenous grapes and has started to produce amazing quality wines and sherries."

The philosophy held at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar is one that promotes the Spanish way of eating, the unique tastes of regional Spain and a sense of introducing people to the colourful culture of Spain.

To view the exciting wine menu at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar see www.cavarestaurant.ie

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Cheers! It’s NovemBeer

2010-11-10T11:08:00.000Z

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar on Dominick Street is christening this month 'NovemBeer' offering enticing beer and tapas promotions to whet your appetite.

For the month of November Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar are knocking 10% off all beers. Head chef and owner Jp McMahon has also developed a range of special beer-complimenting tapas to accompany your 'cold one' such as pork fillet with harrisa and local venison sausages with caramelised onion and quince.

Featured beers include Estrella Damm -a favourite in Barcelona; the traditional 1906 Reserva Especial the popular Estrella Galicia and the Spanish non-alcoholic River Sin beer. Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar also serve the exclusive Estrella Inedit beer. Developed by the world famous El Bulli chef Ferran Adria, Inedit has a distinctive bottle and is served ice cold in wine glasses. One bottle serves two people so grab yourself a beer buddy and taste the exclusive at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

To mark World Beer Festival taking place throughout Galway's West End during weekend of 18^th to 21^st, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar will be running special beer promotions such as an ice bucket of three Estrella Damm's for €10 or two tapas and a bottle of beer for €12.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

2010-10-21T12:23:00.001+01:00

Last rooms for weekend at Number 7 Cross Street, Galway's newest Boutique Hotel available by booking going to Number7CrossStreet.com

Awesome Autumn

2010-09-17T17:00:00.000+01:00

As the long nights draw in and the leaves turn shades of gold and brown, the thought of curling up in bed with a tub of ice cream and good movie might seem just like an ideal night’s entertainment. How about getting in a fresh walk in the woods first, followed by a delicious meal served up by one of Ireland top chefs accompanied by a glass of rich red wine? Sound tempting?

This autumn you can enjoy the delights of the beautiful Connemara countryside for less in the laidback luxury of Lisloughrey Lodge with our special Awesome Autumn break and they’re adding a very special complimentary treat.

This two night break includes accommodation in one of our luxurious deluxe rooms with full Irish breakfast on both mornings and a six-course gourmet dinner on one night in Salt Restaurant.

A complimentary autumn treat is also included in this break – when booking enjoy one of the following options to enjoy during your stay:

Autumn Treat Options:

• Upgrade to a suite (subject to availability) OR

• Bottle of House wine during your dinner OR

• Movie and Munchies Night - includes a movie from the well stocked library, a bowl fresh popcorn, chocolates, chilled beer and a bowl of ice cream for two!

Awesome Autumn is €145 pps. See Lisloughrey.ie for more details.

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2010-09-16T17:00:00.000+01:00

Book Your Place Now & Get Intimate With Fine Spanish Food and Wine

2010-09-15T21:20:00.000+01:00

“One of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Ireland at present” (Sebastian Black, Spanish Flavour) “best Tapas in Ireland” Tom Doorley

Spain has the largest area of land dedicated to viticulture (the production of wine) of any country in the world. This winter is something to look forward to for wine and fine food lovers as Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar will host a series of tastings evenings with three of Spain’s most dynamic and interesting wine producers. The wines will accompany Michelin star inspired Spanish food freshly prepared by Jp McMahon.

The first of the tasting evenings, September 29th, welcomes acclaimed wine producer Julián Murúa from Bodegas Muriel. The five course menu will include special dishes prepared for the evening highlights include Battered Red Mullet with warm lemon mayonnaise and Foie gras with Peach ice-cream & toasted corn. Each course is accompanied by a complimenting wine by Bodegas Muriel.

20th October will see an evening of biodynamic and organic wines from Mallorcan wine producer ‘Anima Negra’. This highly acclaimed wine producer Anima Negra translated as Black Soul, is run by Miguel Angel Cerda and his brother in law. Their three stunning world class red wines are enjoyed in the finest restaurants of the world including the legendary Catalan restaurant ‘El Bulli’. The food will reflect the Mallorcan heritage of these wines while Miguel Angel Cerda will explain each wine and the production process.

The third of the exclusive wine tasting events will be held 17th November. Guests will enjoy fare from the Madrid region and wine from the vineyards of Bodegas Francisco Casas. Francisco Casas produce Tochuelo, Camparron and Abba wines. Another family affair, Vicente Casas runs the winery and vineyards with his cousin Edwardo. Vicente was once a professional football player with Real Madrid before taking over the running of his father’s winery . Hailed internationally the vineyards are located in the heart of Spain North West of Madrid. Jp promises authentic food inspired by the multitude of superb tapas bars in Madrid.

To book your place at one of these exclusive wine tasting events please phone 091 539884 or email food@cavarestaurant.ie.

For press information contact: Olivia@thosetwogirls.ie

Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar Celebrate Spain's World Cup Win

2010-07-15T21:10:00.000+01:00

AN INTIMATE AND BEAUTIFUL WEDDING AT LISLOUGHREY LODGE

2010-06-04T08:34:00.000+01:00

If special, intimate, tasteful and elegant are words you would use to describe your dream wedding then cupid’s arrow is pointing towards Lisloughrey Lodge, Co Mayo.

Lisloughrey Lodge is a spectacular and romantic wedding setting. Nestled in ten acres of mature woodlands and occupying a dramatic position overlooking Lough Corrib the hotel fuses period features with contemporary design to deliver the quintessentially rural Irish wedding experience.

Intimate & Beautiful Wedding Package (€9,950)

For couples planning an intimate wedding with up to 50 guests the Lisloughrey Lodge Small & Beautiful Wedding Package is an exceptional idea. This price covers it all; exclusivity of the entire hotel, sparkling or mulled wine reception, delicious canapés, a wedding banquet with toast drink, late night bites, photographer and entertainment. The expert and enthusiastic team at Lisloughrey will guide you through every aspect of planning your special day.
Food provenance is the watchword of award winning executive head chef Wade Murphy. Couples work with Wade to create their special banquet menu which comprises soupçon, starter, main course and dessert tasting plate as well as late night bites. The resident sommelier will recommend delicious wines to complement each course of the wedding feast.

Weather-permitting, the party can enjoy canapés and drinks on the picturesque lawn which is also a scenic spot for photos. The Harbour Room, with natural daylight and stunning views of the Corrib, is the stage for the big day. To end newlyweds can retire happy ever after to the luxurious Bridal Suite.

Lisloughrey Lodge is dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure. From golfing, fishing and cruising the Corrib to getting pampered in the spa there is an endless list of thing to keep guests busy before ad after the big day.

For more information and other exclusive packages see www.Lisloughrey.ie or phone 094 9545500

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Life-Enhancing, Life-Inspiring Sleep With Core Natural Sleep

2010-04-27T21:34:00.000+01:00

Sleep like you have never slept before on a bed that inspires a sensual deep sleep. This is the simple promise made by Ireland’s only 100 per cent natural mattress-maker, Core Natural Sleep.

The newly launched Core Natural Sleep company is a tale of heart and craft. Galway native, Eric Brennan and his Dutch wife Sabien had a shared vision - to redefine the way we sleep by using nature’s most nurturing organic fibres, to restore balance and vitality while applying the traditional craft of mattress-making with the best orthopaedic know-how. The result: a luxurious bespoke mattress for lifelong beauty sleep.

Eric and Sabien have applied their years of international experience, sourcing materials from around the globe, to develop their unique organic sleeping experience. The Core Natural Sleep mattresses are made of organic cotton, pure new wool, coco-fibre and horsehair, ingredients selected because they regulate temperature and moisture, ensuring a dry, clean and healthy sleeping environment.

The sleep-promoting natural materials are recommended suitable to those suffering with asthma, allergies and skin conditions.

The secret of comfort lies in support. Core Natural Latex perfectly moulds the body shape regardless of your sleeping position and has been orthopedically designed to have posture zones catering for optimal posture and lumbar support.

The Core Natural Sleep workshop and showroom can be found in Galway’s Briarhill Business Park where customers can bed-hop like Goldilocks among the Core Mattress ranges to find their dream bed. Each mattress is handmade and therefore bespoke sizes or shapes are possible for cots, camper vans, yachts or whatever you require.

Prices start from €1,000 and expert help and advice is on hand to guide you through every step of this very important purchase. Visit www.corehomestore.ie for more details.

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For more information please contact:
Isabel Dalton, Those Two Girls PR
Ph: 091 385 600
Direct: 087 2639021

Congratulations To The Team At Mongey's Opticians

2010-04-27T10:03:00.000+01:00

Áine Higgins, Optician at Mongey Opticians, Castlebar and Ballinrobe, has been named UK and Irish Optometrist of the Year at the annual Optician Awards 2010.

Mongeys saw off hundreds of optometrists from the whole of the UK and Ireland to achieve this much coveted award. The Optician Awards celebrate excellence in practice and recognise opticians who provide a holistic approach to clinical excellence, quality patient care as well as business innovation.

The judges commented: “It is a wonderful reflection of how an independent optician can compete with multinationals on a local level.”

Speaking about the award Áine says: “Optometrist of the Year is a phenomenal achievement made possible by an outstanding team that continuously delivers excellent care. Team effort combined with testimonials from patients and local healthcare professionals proved to the judges we are the best.”

Mongey Opticians was also shortlisted in three categories including; Independent Practice of the Year (Castlebar) - which acknowledges the independent practitioners who can demonstrate how they provide individualised eye-care and a practice that puts patients first; Family Optician of the Year (Ballinrobe) and Environmental Practice of the Year. Mongey Opticians is the only Irish practice to be shortlisted in both 2009 and 2010.

As Mongey Opticians moves forward in this new decade winning Optometrist of the Year 2010 reinforces their enviable reputation as Ireland’s most progressive and dynamic opticians.

Big Congrats to Áine, Damien and the team.

Rolling on the River with Corrib Princess and Cava Outside Catering

2010-04-22T12:54:00.000+01:00

The Corrib Princess is sailing in a new direction opening each Wednesday evening to pleasure-seekers with a penchant for fine food and wine.

From Wednesday 12 May until the end of the summer, two of Galway’s treasures - Corrib Princes and Cava Outside Catering, will host a memorable midweek retreat onboard the luxurious Corrib Princess comprising a cruise, barbeque and entertainment, matched with idyllic waterways views.

The Corrib Princess is an enchanting setting and the four hour trip is just enough time for friends catching up, couples in search of romance or simply lone diners to kick-back and relax while soaking up stunning views of the Corrib, its wildlife and historical landmarks. The voyage concludes with two hours of live entertainment from Galway’s finest musicians – an added benefit to this special outing.

The Corrib Princess is also available for Private Charter and Cava Outside Catering has created a versatile menu, using top-drawer, locally sourced seasonal ingredients to cater for all tastes and price ranges. Sophisticated classics such as organic salmon steak with lemon and fennel dressing sit alongside beef stroganoff with homemade bread all lovingly prepared with Cava’s delicious culinary flair. Cava’s signature tapas selections also feature in the appealing line-up. For afters, perhaps a slice of chocolate cake with vanilla cream will float your boat.

Tickets cost €45 per person and include cruise, barbecue and entertainment and sailing time is 7pm -11pm. To reserve a place please contact Corrib Princess bookings 091 592 447 or email info@corribprincess.ie

Get Away For St. Patrick’s Day

2010-02-23T11:40:00.000Z

To celebrating its official renaming and rebranding the Mulranny Park Hotel are offering exclusive deals to mark St. Patricks Day this year.

Situated in the picturesque town of Mulranny you will be perfectly placed to marvel at the beauty of Croagh Patrick during a day trip to Westport, only 25 minutes away, and how about spending St. Patricks Day on nearby Achill Island to witness the unique St Patrick's Day Band Festival where five pipe bands collaborate to form one mass band, with the array of pipers and drummers with the sound of the pipes resonating far and wide.

2 nights midweek for bed & breakfast with an evening meal is €119pps. Stay an extra night for only €60pps for dinner, bed & breakfast. This offer is available throughout March for midweek breaks.

For more information or to make a reservation, log onto www.mulrannyparkhotel.com or call 1850 33 6000.

Freelance PR Consultant

2010-02-10T12:58:00.000Z

Required: Freelance PR Consultant / Executive for ongoing freelance work. Senior PR professionals only please.

Must have access to fully functional office (home office or otherwise) with all full communications abilities i.e. email/phone/landline/skype/pc. Role will involve following PR plans, all PR activities and reporting to director on a regular basis. Travel to west of Ireland fortnightly for progress reports and client meetings.

This role is on flexitime and number of hours each month will be agreed prior to commencement. Consultant however will need to available on email/mobile during normal working hours.

Candidates should apply with cover letter explaining why you feel you are suitable for this position. Experienced, reliable professionals only.

Might suit someone rejoining work force with many years previous experience in PR/Marketing agency roles

Email info@thosetwogirls.com

A Tapas Feast Made For Sharing

2010-02-09T10:59:00.000Z

Planning a night out in at the weekend? get into a fiesta party mood and grab 8 friends for a Tapas Feast in Cava.

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair held in Seville every year in February, the much renowned Galway Spanish restaurant, Cava have launched a very special Seville Tapas Fiesta Menu.

The exciting menu offers groups of 8 or more the chance to taste and to share various tapas from different regions throughout Spain including 8 exciting meat, fish and vegetable dishes, such as Sweet Potato & Spanish Goats Cheese Croquettes, Chorizo with Sherry, Prawns in Lemon and Garlic plus dessert and a delicious glass of specially chosen Spanish wine.

The menu is priced at a very reasonable €25 per person based on 8 people or more. Booking is essential.

For more information see www.cavarestaurant.ie or phone 091 539 884.

Finding Room for Romance

2010-02-04T15:34:00.000Z

Lisloughrey Lodge believe the whole month of February is made for romance and not just Valentine’s weekend, so make room for romance and escape for some couple time to this unique retreat.

Remember the magic by taking an afternoon stroll through the majestic woods, reconnect while sipping a glass of wine by a roaring log fire, become starry eyed while wishing on a star or indulge in a glass of bubbly in the hot tub overlooking Lough Corrib. The mood is set at Lisloughrey Lodge.

The Room For Romance includes two nights accommodation in a deluxe room, with complimentary upgrade to a suite (subject to availability), a bottle of bubbly in your room upon arrival, breakfast in bed and dinner on the night of your choice in the award winning restaurant Salt.

Can’t find anyone to mind the children? Bring them with you and Lisloughrey Lodge will arrange free babysitting while you take your time over a candlelit dinner.

Room For Romance Package is €179 per person sharing for weekends or €140 for mid week with dinner in Malt Brassiere. For more details check out www.lisloughrey.ie

Looking For an Alternative Valentines Experience? Get ‘em Cooking!

2010-02-02T09:23:00.001Z

Looking for a fun and, dare I say it, more 'practical', longer lasting experience then an expensive bunch of flowers? Take an intimate look behind the scenes at Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar and take your beloved for a cooking class.
Hailed as 'the most authentic Spanish restaurant in Ireland' and having 'the best tapas in Ireland' and by top food critics, Cava Spanish Restaurant is offering you the rare chance to get behind the scenes and learn how to bring some Spanish flavour to your table. With a maximum of 2 people in each class this is certainly a cooking lesson with one-on-one attention. Your teacher for the day is restaurant owner and Head Chef JP McMahon.
'Cooking At Cava' is open to individuals and couples and can be tailored to suit your needs and abilities. The classes include breads, deserts, simple and tasty tapas-making as well as a fun introduction to Spanish cooking while also learning how to use seasonal Irish produce in your Spanish culinary masterpieces.
The cooking classes can be booked in advance and generally run from 9am to 1pm mid-week.
Tasting of course is essential, and after your half day in the kitchen relax with lunch served in the restaurant by the professionals. A nifty recipe booklet with a brief history on Spanish Cooking and Cava Restaurant will also be yours to take home.
Cost for this unique experience is €95 p.p. which includes lunch and recipe booklet (€60 for class only), and €150 for couples.
For more information see http://www.cavarestaurant.ie/ or phone 091 539 884 to book your place.

"One of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Ireland" (Sebastian Black, Spanish Flavour).
"The best Tapas in Ireland" Tom Doorley, Irish Times

Your Marketing Plan For 2010

2010-01-06T15:56:00.000Z

As we collectively breathe a sigh of relief that the dreaded 2009 is over, we can look forward to a 2010 where it's time to take control. If 2009 was a year of reactive knee-jerks then 2010 is a time for getting proactive.

If you already have committed your marketing plan to paper, discussed it with the team that will be involved in its implementation and set some measurable goals then well done, you're in the driving seat of 2010. If you have yet to build your marketing plan, we would strongly encourage you to do so.

You may think it is futile to make a plan in the midst of so much change and who knows what will be happening 12 months from now. But consider the fact that without a plan you are at the mercy of whatever comes along. You can only react to the marketplace. With a plan in place you can steer your company in the direction you have chosen, even if course adjustments need to be made along the way.

Assess how your business has changed

Ask yourself some questions to help develop your direction:

What are my main objectives for 2010?
What position does my brand hold in today's economy?
Is my current target market the same?
Are there new markets for my product/service?
What media avenues will best reach my target?
What message will adequately reflect the benefits of my product/service?

Recession has thrown business’ many curve balls in the last 12 months, so take the take to assess your business and clarify business objectives before embarking on creating your marketing plan. Share these findings with personnel so all your team feel involved and see how the picture has changed.

Plan some time away from your daily business activities to develop your marketing plan and call in professionals for some assistance once you know where it is you’d like the company to be at the end of the year.

Explore various marketing channels

Use multichannel marketing for maximum exposure and business growth. Marketing is more than a brochure, a press release or a website. It is the complete process of defining objectives, exploring the marketplace, finding an audience, creating a strategy and implementing that strategy with gusto. Using every available marketing channel will ensure you reach your target audience.

I encourage you to start on your marketing plan today. It doesn't need to be a fancy document, jot some notes down during your coffee break, think about it while waiting on your next appointment. It deserves serious thought and evaluation. Take the time to gain clarity and purpose for the year ahead.

Need inspiration?

Contact Those Two Girls PR for assistance in identifying unique key selling points, building a plan to maximise these and look at how to develop marketing and PR opportunities.

Phone Olivia on 091 385600 or email olivia@thosetwogirls.com

Visit our website for a full list of services http://www.thosetwogirls.com/

Feeling Foggy? Head West

2010-01-05T10:32:00.000Z

Looking to clear your head after an over-indulgent Christmas? Get to Westport for some clean air and brisk walks to get your cheeks rosey again.

Take in the breath taking scenery or, if you’re up to it, challenge yourself to a Croagh Patrick climb. From 11th January The Wyatt Hotel in Westport is offering an excellent value room-only rate from €49 for a double or €39 for single room.

The Wyatt Hotel, is a charming boutique style hotel, located at the Octagon in the very heart of Westport town. Steeped in history, the building is over 100 years old, combined with its character and charm make this hotel a very unique venue.

For more information on this and other deals see www.wyatthotel.com

How Healthy Are You? Free Workshop This Weekend!

2009-12-08T18:53:00.000Z

The Institute of Health Sciences are inviting people to come along and take part in the free workshop, Saturday 12th December from 10am-2pm. The workshop will be held in the Education and Research Centre of Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin.

The workshop will cover a number of topics including discovering how healthy you really are and if the foods you are eating actually do promote optimal health. A Personal Health Questionnaire will be completed by all participants to see how well your liver, gut and immune systems are functioning. Discussions will be held about common diseases, their links to the Western diet & the ill-effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Anneliese Dressel, Course Director will explain how to use food, herbs & supplements as alternative treatments, how to use foods therapeutically and manage disease and increase energy and fitness while exploring the health benefits of some novel & super foods.

This Saturday marks the launch of The Institute of Health Sciences new ITEC Accredited Certificate courses in Dietary Coaching: Nutrition & Health and Sports Nutrition. The workshop is open to everyone however places are limited. Bookings can be made by calling 090 974 9929.

For more information see www.instituteofhealthsciences.com

Shaken Not Stirred For St. Vincent De Paul Society

2009-11-19T11:34:00.001Z

A fancy dress Bond Night is being held in The Wyatt Hotel, Westport on Saturday 5th December. Take this opportunity to indulge in those Bond girl or 007 fantasies and be in with a chance to a fantastic prize. An exciting night is promised with a fun quiz to test your knowledge and a disco to shake a move at afterwards.

Whether you are Dr. No, Miss Moneypenny or the secret agent himself, you you can rest assured it's all for a good cause. All funds raised goes to Westport St Vincent de Paul Society and the Martin Keane's Christmas Fuel Appeal for the elderly and needy.

Admission for the night is €10 which can be paid on the door. Doors open at 9.30pm.

For more information contact The Wyatt Hotel on 098 25027 http://www.wyatthotel.com/

Social Sites Have Real Bite

2009-11-02T11:07:00.000Z

Social Sites Have Real Bite
Article is today's Irish Times
Businesses are scrabbling to develop strategies to handle what people are posting about them on social networking sites before negative comments snowball out of control.
Read more: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/pricewatch/2009/1102/1224257900333.html

€500 FREE PR!!!

2009-10-21T15:10:00.000+01:00

To celebrate our 5th birthday milestone we are offering all businesses.

€500 worth of free PR during the upcoming months of November, December and January 2010.

Book your Marketing and PR campaign for these three months and get a total of €500 worth of PR free! gratis! pro bono!

Email, or call us now to arrange a meeting. The usual Those Two Girls PR proposal terms and conditions apply.

Galway 091-385 600 ~ Cork 021-23 55 985 ~ Limerick 061-57 4 985

2009-10-19T14:43:00.000+01:00

YOU ARE INVITED!

to an Exclusive Preview Evening of

‘The Hills Are Alive’

An exciting exhibition of new work by renowned artist Deborah Donnelly

on Friday 23rd October

in The Burren Suite, 4th Floor, Radisson Blu Hotel from 5pm

Open to the public on Saturday 24th October from 11am to 7pm.

RSVP to info@thosetwogirls.ie on or before Thursday 22nd October.

Further information:

‘The Hills Are Alive’ exhibition will take place in the Radisson on October 23rd and 24th with special preview Friday 23rd.

Deborah became renowned as ‘the cow painter’ with her 2007 exhibition which featured colourful, endearing cow faces. Deborah’s new work contains beautiful landscapes with bold colours and brush stokes that define her work. The romantic, dreamy, energetic energy of her landscapes reflects how it is important for her to capture the feeling, the fleeting moment, rather than the meticulous, clinical detail.

Deborah comments “All artists have some subjects that excite them more then others, and the cows became one of those obsessive subjects. I have an over active imagination, when I see a beautiful landscape I will think about it for days and days until I paint it , only then is it set free.My favourite quote is from the first film I ever saw The Jungle Book ‘If you’re gonna be blue….be bright blue”.

Deborah hits the canvas with irregular touches of the brush which she leaves as they are patches of thickly laid-on colour. She always attempts to create a sense of movement, a flickering light, the freshness of an immediate impression.Deborah’s work features in the private collections of Pat Kenny, Louis Walsh, Gary Rhodes, Grainne Seoige, Robbie Williams and Bertie Ahern to name but a few. She has held exhibitions throughout the world from New York to Marbella to London. This is one special exhibition not to be missed.

The exhibition is open to all on Saturday 24th October from 11am to 7pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel The Burren Suite, 4th Floor. For more information see www.TheBadArtGallery.ie

Sales & Marketing Executive and Web Designer/Developer Required

2009-10-08T13:39:00.000+01:00

Following Professionals are required by our client for immediate interview.

This is an excellent opportunity to work in an expanding dynamic company. Only passionate hard-working applicants need apply.

Sales Executive

This is a role for a dynamic, professional experienced, sales executive. Role will be on an initial contract part time basis with possibility of expanded contract terms.

• Must have excellent organisational, sales & presentation skills

• Must be able to demonstrate abilities in developing, managing and executing successful sales campaign for Services-based business.

• Must be confident in sales calls, appointment making and reporting to management

• Must be able proficient in Microsoft Office programs

• Good communication and writing skills.

• Presentable and well groomed.

• Full clean driving license required

• Knowledge of marketing, media and design bonus.

• Experienced sales professionals only please.

Web Designer/Developer (Freelance role)

This is a role for someone that can manage a web project from an idea in a clients head to a striking, functional user friendly site.

• Must have excellent knowledge of social media integration, SEO, RSS, Google Ad words

• • Website Building, Testing Updating & publishing.

• Website Updates & Maintenance

• Liaising with clients through design/development process.

• Client Web/Email Hosting Support

• Proven XHTML & CSS capabilities.

• Strong Dreamweaver & Photoshop or Fireworks knowledge.

• E-Commerce Website Development Experience.

• Experience with web applications using PHP, MySQL, JavaScript & XML.

• Must have the ability to conform to web/development standards.

• Flash, Illustrator & other multimedia software experience would be beneficial.

• Be able to work on your own initiative.

• Excellent presentation & communication skills.

Only candidates who give examples of website work will be considered for this role.

CV’s with cover letter explaining why you would be suitable to: careers @thosetwogirls.com

‘The Hills Are Alive’

2009-10-06T18:47:00.001+01:00

Renowned artist, Deborah Donnelly, to showcase new work at Galway exhibition

'The Hills Are Alive' is an exciting first showing of new work by Deborah Donnelly. The exhibition will take place in the Radisson on October 24^th and 25^th with special preview Friday 23^rd. Deborah became renowned as 'the cow painter' with her 2007 exhibition which featured colourful, endearing cow faces. Deborah's new work contains beautiful landscapes with bold colours and brush stokes that define her work. The romantic, dreamy, energetic energy of her landscapes reflects how it is important for her to capture the feeling, the fleeting moment, rather than the meticulous, clinical detail.

Deborah comments "All artists have some subjects that excite them more then others, and the cows became one of those obsessive subjects. I have an over active imagination, when I see a beautiful landscape I will think about it for days and days until I paint it , only then is it set free.

My favourite quote is from the first film I ever saw The Jungle Book 'If you're gonna be blue….be bright blue".

Deborah hits the canvas with irregular touches of the brush which she leaves as they are patches of thickly laid-on colour. She always attempts to create a sense of movement, a flickering light, the freshness of an immediate impression.

Deborah's work features in the private collections of Pat Kenny, Louis Walsh, Gary Rhodes, Grainne Seoige and Terry Bradley to name but a few. She has held exhibitions throughout the world from New York to Marbella to London. This is one special exhibition not to be missed.

The Exhibition is open to all Saturday 24^th and Sunday 25^th October Bank Holiday Weekend from 11am to 7pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel The Burren Suite, 4th Floor. For more information see http://www.thebadartgallery.ie/
-----Ends---
Deborah Donnelly
Deborah painted her first cow nine years ago in America when she was working on a ship bringing cattle over to Hawaii. At first she was frightened by there monstrosity but it didn't take long for her to learn how beautiful and docile they were. Since that day it was love at first sight and the original cow painter was born!
Shortly afterwards Deborah got her first major show in 'The Whistler House Museum' in Boston, and from then on Deborah has been going from strength to strength, showing her work in many European galleries and private collections.
Deborah Donnelly's paintings are mostly studies of objects or living things. The subject of her paintings are varied and so far have included cows, cakes, hens, pink houses, landscapes and circus tents to name but a few. Her brush strokes are heavily laden. She hits the canvas with irregular touches of the brush which she leaves as they are patches of thickly laid-on colour. She always attempts to create a sense of movement, a flickering light, the freshness of an immediate impression. It is important for her to capture the feeling, the fleeting moment, rather than the meticulous, clinical detail. The work owes debt to French painting of the turn of the 20th Century, and maybe even a little Van Gogh, but also carries a lot of Donnelly's more adventurous style.
"I love painting animals and landscapes. I can almost smell the country air when I paint a field. Or the whiff of a pig has to make you smile!"

Relevancy & Discounts Matter Most to Women

2009-10-02T16:36:00.000+01:00

Relevancy is particularly important to women when receiving marketing communications, with more than half (58%) of respondents in a recent survey of more than 1,000 women saying they want information that pertains to their lifestyle or relates to their recent purchases, according to Prospectiv, which conducted the survey.

Key findings:
While relevancy is important to all women, it's more important to mothers: 45% of mothers said they are most interested in receiving marketing information that pertains to their lifestyle, vs. 30% of women who are not mothers.
Mothers are more interested in being marketed to than women who are not mothers; only 20% of moms said, "Don't send me anything at all," but 35% of non-mothers said the same.

Product Samples Beat Out Blogs
Brands have successfully reached their female audiences by leveraging so-called mommy bloggers because of their “word of mouth” value. But nearly half of respondents (45%) to the Prospectiv survey said that brands can communicate with them most effectively through product samples offered online, way ahead of the percentage (3%) who said the same of blogs. Mothers in the survey came out even more strongly than non-mothers in favor of product samples (47% vs. 38%):

Key findings:
39% of respondents reported finding coupons an effective way for brands to communicate about their products.
Only 10% said the same about email, and a mere 4% said the same about banner ads.
When it comes to driving an actual purchase, samples win the day. Survery respondents were asked which would most likely get them to purchase a product: trying a sample, having a coupon to use, necessity, or receiving a personal recommendation. Some 39% of survey respondents said trying a sample.

Coupons Work
With the recession still underway, about one-third (31%) of survey respondents said they will make a purchase because a coupon or discount is being offered, whereas only about one-fifth (21%) said that necessity drives them to make a purchase.
Asked about what actions they had taken in the past year regarding coupons, 53% of the women surveyed said they had clipped coupons and 18% said they had redeemed an online coupon:

Key findings:
Moms clip coupons in greater percentages than non-mothers do: 54% vs. 49%.
10% of mothers and non-mothers alike reported downloading an online coupon but never using it.
Other findings from the research:
While 35% of the women surveyed said they are reluctant to share information such as email address, age, and gender, but 71% will share such information to receive discounts, promotional offers, and coupons.
50% of respondents said they prefer receiving email about a product once per month; 40% said once per week; and 10% said once a day.

Discounts Matter Most to Women

2009-10-02T16:35:00.001+01:00

Relevancy, Discounts Matter Most to Women : MarketingProfs

Shared via AddThis

CleverMike.ie launches Build Cost Estimator

2009-09-30T17:47:00.001+01:00

CleverMike.ie, the online service for those looking for competitive quotes from tradesmen for specific domestic jobs or those undertaking a completely new build, have just launched their new Build Cost Estimator service.

The Build Cost Estimator allows people to send their house plans for assessment and within a few days, CleverMike.ie will return a detailed list of everything that they need to build the house right down to the nails in the skirting board.

Director of CleverMike.ie, Tony Aherne, explains, "Building your own home will probably be the single most expensive project that you will ever undertake. It is vital that you take every single cost into consideration so that you know exactly what your project is going to cost. Customers will receive a detailed list of everything including quantities for material and labour and average prices in their area".

Tony outlines the advantages for those using the Build Cost Estimator from the initial planning stages. "Banks are now beginning to look for detailed quotes in order to process mortgages. With the breakdown provided by the Build Cost Estimator, those looking for approval are more likely to receive it if they include a breakdown of costs". He continues, "Not alone will the customer receive an estimated cost of the build by stage and in total, but customers will know how much they should be paying for materials so will know if they are being overcharged. Also, as we provide a timeline, customers will know when and what to order which will speed up their build".

The Build Cost Estimator costs €200 For more information or to sample the service, log onto www.CleverMike.ie.

2009-08-26T11:41:00.000+01:00

Bellissimo Loyalty Club Launch Party

Bellissimo launched their exciting new, members-only Bellissimo Loyalty Club in The Townhouse on Monday night.

The Loyalty Club will reward members with special discounts and promotions each month in the Bellissimo Hair and Beauty Salon while also being offered exclusive gifts, goodies and offers with the Bellissimo Loyalty Club monthly promotional partners.

Each month sees a new promotional campaign which is only available to loyalty club members. Monthly promotions include exciting brands such as Brown Thomas, Halo, Brannagans and The Kilkenny Shop – and that’s just for starters! September sees members treated to wine in Brannagans and complimentary entry on Friday nights to Halo. During the month of October Brown Thomas is offering Bellissimo Loyalty Club members an exclusive appointment with The Denim Specialist, where a personal shopper will find you the perfect fit pair of denims while November sees members get an early Christmas gift from The Kilkenny Shop.

Bellissimo General Manager, Brendan Murphy says “The Loyalty Club is a way of adding value and thanking our client base for their custom. Each member will receive an elite membership card which, once shown during each promotion, will entitle them to discounts, gifts and various promotions. We’re encouraging people to log on and register with our newly designed website, where you will also find links to our Social Media sites which help followers stay up to date with new promotions and hair and beauty trends.”

For special product previews, invites to the hottest events and enough goodies to bet recession blues, sign up today to the free Bellissimo Loyalty Club by visiting http://www.bellissimo.ie/ .

JW's Brasserie Express Lunch

2009-08-25T00:08:00.000+01:00

IN A HURRY? Rally driver Killian Duffy speeds by the Wyatt Hotel to launch the new JW’s Brasserie Express Lunch for busy professionals with limited time for lunch break.

The JW’s Brasserie Express Lunch menu is served weekdays from 12 – 5pm. This menu includes a roast of the day, pasta and a fish dish which is finished with a tea or coffee for €10.50.

For more information, log onto http://www.wyatthotel.com/ or call 098 25027. Also pictured is JW’s Brasserie Head Chef, Eoin McDonnell.

2009-08-20T20:01:00.001+01:00

Bellissimo are soon to launch their exciting new, members-only Bellissimo Loyalty Club. The Loyalty Club will reward members with special discounts and promotions each month in the Bellissimo Hair and Beauty Salon while also being offered exclusive gifts, goodies and offers with the Bellissimo Loyalty Club monthly promotional partners.
Each month sees a new promotional campaign which is only available to loyalty club members. Monthly promotions include exciting brands such as Brown Thomas, Halo, Brannagans and The Kilkenny Shop – and that’s just for starters! September sees members treated to wine in Brannagans and complimentary entry on Friday nights to Halo. During the month of October Brown Thomas is offering Bellissimo Loyalty Club members an exclusive appointment with The Denim Specialist, where a personal shopper will find you the perfect fit pair of denims while November sees members get an early Christmas gift from The Kilkenny Shop.
For special product previews, invites to the hottest events and enough goodies to bet recession blues, sign up today to the free Bellissimo Loyalty Club by visiting http://ping.fm/pLEyq

RTE big names attract new listeners

2009-08-20T19:50:00.000+01:00

The big names at RTÉ radio had cause for celebration after the JNLR figures showed they continued to gain listeners.
With Radio 1 holding on to the top spot as the most listened to station in the country, Morning Ireland ’s Aine Lawlor and Cathal MacCoille, Joe Duffy, Marian Finucane, Ronan Collins, Ryan Tubridy and Pat Kenny all saw their listenership figures increase on a weekly basis between July 2008 and June 2009. There were significant gains for RTÉ Radio 1's Mooney , which won over an extra 17,000 listeners to bring it to 222,000, with Saturday view gaining 24,000 listeners and the News at One getting an extra 18,000 people tuning in. Despite Gerry Ryan's loss of 4,000 listeners, figures were still over the 300,000 mark. In May, it was announced that the show had lost 11,000 listeners. The falling figures are indicative of 2FM's woes, with RTÉ recently announcing it would reposition the station to appeal to an older audience. However, overall, 2FM is still in the second most listened to radio station in the country. Today FM remains in third place at 15 per cent, Newstalk at in fourth at 7 per cent and RTÉ Lyric FM in fifth at 4 per cent.
Newstalk has increased its daily listenership by 16 per cent, with 257,000 listeners tuning in and an increase of 10 per cent on listeners every week at 542,000. Tom Dunne's morning show has added 26,000 to its audience, a 53 per cent rise, while The Right Hook has gained 15,000 listeners - a rise of 16 per cent. The Breakfast Show , which recently brought in Ivan Yates as a presenter, has risen 12 per cent, adding 8,000 listeners.
In Dublin, FM104 came out on top with a market share of 11.5 per cent. However, this is a slight fall of 1 per cent on previous figures.
In local radio, the most listened-to station remains Highland Radio in Co Donegal, which grew its market share by 1.8 per cent to 64.2 per cent.
New station 4FM is has 95,000 listeners each week, 16 weeks after it launched. The station, which is available in Dublin, Cork Galway, Clare and Limerick, has set a target of 150,000 weekly listeners by the end of its first year.

Irish Times 18/08

GET THE JOB DONE WITH CLEVERMIKE.IE

2009-08-18T21:58:00.001+01:00

CleverMike.ie is a new online service for those looking for competitive quotes from tradesmen for specific domestic jobs or those undertaking a completely new build. Whether it’s a plumber, carpenter, builder, electrician, CleverMike.ie has a pool of experts from whom you can receive qualified, referenced quotes.

Helping people to save both time and money, CleverMike.ie provides an innovative service where you can log on, post that job you’ve been meaning to get around to or post your new build, and let the quotes come to you, for free! CleverMike.ie does all the groundwork so you receive competitive quotes from tradesmen in your area.

Director of CleverMike.ie, Tony Aherne, comments, “Clevermike.ie was setup when a friend who was doing a self build home came to me and mentioned that he was looking for a guttering system. He had contacted three suppliers and the price varied by over €600 for exactly the same product! This, coupled with the current economic climate whereby people are more careful with their cash and competition for business is hugely increased, encouraged me to investigate the concept of matching suppliers and tradesmen with customers. Most people undertake to project manage the build of their own home and have little knowledge of who will price each stage or how to ensure best price for best quality. This led me to believe that there was a need for a service like CleverMike.ie and with this, the site was born” Tony continues, “All tradesmen must register and are vetted on CleverMike.ie, ensuring those using the site receive the highest quality of service”.

Although CleverMike.ie vows to find you the most competitive quotes in your area, Tony advises that the cheapest quotes do not necessarily signify the best value for money, just as the dearest quote may not mean a higher quality of workmanship. For this reason, he recommends that each quote you receive is accompanied by at least two references ensuring that whatever your budget you know exactly the standard of work you can expect.

For more information on the service, log onto www.CleverMike.ie.

The Gold Rush

2009-08-10T18:50:00.000+01:00

The price of gold is at an all time high, a newly launched company, TheGoldRetriever.com, is encouraging people to take advantage of this and start turning their old gold into new money. TheGoldRetriever.com offers a rapid response service whereby ‘gold diggers’ can post their old or broken gold jewellery and receive an instant evaluation and cheque. This has sent people checking the backs of sofas and sifting through dismissed jewellery boxes.

Gold is the only worldwide accepted measurer of value. For years now, the price of gold has been in a steady climb. Going from $280 per Troy Ounce in January 2002, to its current high near $1000. That’s a 350% climb in just 7 years!

Greg Heaslip, Director of TheGoldRetreiver.com, holds a PhD in Material Science and is an expert in the field of metals analysis and gold. Commenting on the recent increase in new businesses trading in gold Greg says, “With the steep rise in the value of gold it is no surprise we have seen a number of companies immerge urging people to search out gold items they may have for immediate evaluation. It is important to make sure that your evaluator is not only credible but has relevant qualifications to ensure that you are getting a fair price for your gold pieces.”

Regarding the future of gold prices Greg comments, “I believe the price of gold will continue to rise. Nevertheless, it has been rising for the past 10 years or so and just like stocks or the property market there is always a risk of it tumbling. Therefore, I urge those interested in selling their gold not to wait and then regret not selling. TheGoldRetriever.com makes it very easy for people to do so in a confidential, trust worthy manner by offering an insured postal service”.

Greg explains how the process works, “Customers request online or via phone a ‘Precious Metals Recycle Pack’ that is sent to their home or business. Once it arrives, they package their gold items in The Gold Retriever’s secure, insured and freepost Recycle Pack. Customers simply send us their unwanted gold – be it jewellery, sovereigns, pens, even their gold teeth.

Upon receipt, the company’s trained professionals test all items to assess their value - based upon the quality and quantity of each piece’s gold content. The Gold Retriever uses the latest techniques and advanced technologies to ensure that all jewellery appraisals are accurate.

Once the value of the broken or unwanted jewelry is established, the company promptly phones the customer with an offer. If for any reason a customer is not completely satisfied with The Gold Retriever’s offer, we return everything free of charge in keeping with our 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. However, if this offer is accepted, The Gold Retriever immediately posts a cheque to the customer.”

For further information or to apply for your ‘Recycle Pack’, log onto TheGoldRetreiver.com or free phone 1800 800 888.

Avail of Sterling Prices for bareMinerals from Natural Serenity.ie

2009-08-05T14:20:00.000+01:00

From August 5th NaturalSerenity.ie will be helping customers and lovers of bareMinerals make-up take advantage of sterling prices while keeping their conscious clear by shopping locally!

Natural Serenity owner Yvonne Hughes recognises the need for value while providing service with a virtual smile, “we are delighted to be in a position to offer customers these savings through our online shop. We can ship nationwide and overseas with a very quick turn around time. Customers are commenting on the convenience the online store provides while testifying that savings to be made with the sterling prices certainly add up.”

The easy-to-use website features an online currency convertor so savvy shoppers can quickly calculate the savings. Based on currency conversion rates at time of going to print, the popular Get Started kit that was €65 is the cheapest in town at €48 (£41.35) which is a saving of €17! Mascara that would normally be €18 is €15.29 (£12.50), Prime Time primer that is normally €25 is €20.84 (£17.85), with similar savings to be made on all brushes and eye shadow sets.

Check out http://www.naturalserenity.ie/ for more details

Wedding Favors from www.BelleBlu.com

2009-07-28T14:38:00.001+01:00

Looking for a quirky, fashionable, yet practical, party favour for your guests? These Drinkwear attachable flip flop coasters are the perfect way for your guests to distinguish their glass with style!

The Drinkwear attachable flip flop coasters are the perfect party accessories for weddings and gatherings. Guests can slip a coaster onto the foot of their glass and it will stay with them as they mingle, protect tabletops no matter where a glass is set, and your guest can distinguish their glass with style!

Designed to fit on the base of most stemware, Drinkwear flip flop coasters stay appropriately attached to the “foot” of each glass. The EVA foam rubber material keeps stemware secure and is easy to hand wash clean. The best part? Everyone can identify their drinking glass with their own flip flop style. Available in numerous styles from http://www.belleblu.com/, each set comes with four unique flip flop coasters, secured in a drawstring tote to fit over the neck of a wine bottle and retail at €18 for a set of four. Discounts on bulk orders are available!

Get Ready to Start Loving Yourself

2009-07-20T15:26:00.000+01:00

Tips for Achieving Body Confidence

by Irene Trowell,

Galway Laser and Skincare Clinic

Your body confidence is based primarily on how you feel about what you see when you look in the mirror. If you don’t like your skin or are anxious about excess body hair, your body confidence will fall, you’ll feel inadequate, and you will be less likely to draw attention to yourself in every arena of your life from work to romance. Be proactive and change! If you learn to love your reflection, your body confidence will skyrocket, which means you’ll be more likely to pull the spotlight onto yourself and show the world how great you are inside and out.

Skin Confidence:
There are numerous benefits of a good skin care regime that will help you look and feel fabulous at any age. For younger, plumper looking skin and to fight away those telling lines, try the following:

Jan Marini Skincare Line: designed by one of Americas leading plastic surgeons, Dr. Nick Perricone, this medically validated skincare line is designed to reduce lines and wrinkles and to firm sagging and loose skin.

Microdermabrasion and Skin Peels: Suitable for all skin types and ages, microdermasbrasion and skin peels boost the health of your skin and slows down the aging process.

Laser Photorejuvenation: Perfect for reformed sun worshippers, laser rejuvenation improves the appearance of pigmentation and discolouration of the skin, erases sunspots, clears red veins and with a few quick treatments can even your skin tone – offering a more youthful appearance.

Doctors Clinic: The Galway Laser and Skincare Clinic also provides a Doctor’s Clinic offering a range of injectables to combat lines and wrinkles, showing immediate and dramatic results.

Body Confidence:
Laser Hair Removal will allow you never to have to worry about that unwanted underarm shadow again! Presenting dramatic results after the first sessions, Laser Hair Removal is a the suitable treatment of unwanted hair growth on all body areas including bikini, underarms, legs, and unwanted facial hair and for men - chest, shoulders, back etc.

All the above are offered at the Galway Skincare and Laser Clinic, who this month are holding a special Anti-Aging Clinic offering free consultations and skin analysis. Receive €150 worth of products and a free treatment when you book a course of 5 treatments.

For more information on the Galway Laser and Skincare Clinic, which is located on the Tuam Road (above Laura Ashley) log onto www.galwaylaserskincareclinic.ie or call 091 762 484 for a confidential consultation.

Bella Baby Frieda the Friesian Trunki

2009-07-13T17:06:00.000+01:00

Want your child to get a mooove on in the Airport this summer, why not try Frieda the Friesian Trunki?

Available from Bella Baby in Oranmore.

Wave good bye to tiring travel, tears and tantrums with a boredom busting Trunki, the world’s first ride-on kid’s suitcase! Designed for family holidays, children can pack, sit-on and ride their own luggage, whilst parents can keep them in tow.

Although, a Trunki holds an amazing 18 litres, Trunki’s light weight and durable design is hand luggage approved and fit’s comfortably in overhead airplane compartments! With generous space inside for toys, games, books and spare clothes, Trunki is the ultimate travelling companion. Trunki’s limited edition Frieda the Friesian Trunki is now available from Bella Baby, Oranmore, retailing at €44.99.

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden is a fan of Trunki, “When we first got our Trunki we didn't realise our daughter would grow so attached! She played with hers every day by the pool and on the beach! We had to draw the line at letting Frieda sleep in her bed! So as well as being fantastically practical it can also be a pet! So let's all remember a Trunki is for life, not just for holidays!!!”

Also available from Bella Baby are Trixie and Terrance – the original Trunki’s, retailing at €39.99.

The Park Inn Mulranny for the Celebration of Seafood

2009-07-06T19:55:00.000+01:00

To celebrate Achill’s renowned seafood festival ‘Féile Bia Na Mara’, taking place from the 9th to the 13th of July, the Park Inn Mulranny are offering guests a special weekend rate of €219pps, which includes 2 nights bed and breakfast (Friday 10th and Saturday 11th of July) plus a sumptuous evening meal in the award-winning Nephin Restaurant.

The 4-star Park Inn Mulranny is a picturesque hotel with panoramic views over Clew Bay, Clare Island and Croagh Patrick. Situated on 42 acres of woodland, the hotel consists of 41 elegantly designed bedrooms with sea or woodland views; along with twenty 2-bedroom apartment suites, which are ideal for families or a group of friends. Housing the famous Nephin Restaurant and lively Waterfront Bar, the hotel boasts a state of the art leisure centre with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and outdoor Canadian Hot Tub along with an onsite hair and beauty salon for ladies of leisure.

This year's Féile Bia na Mara includes seafood tastings, cookery demonstrations and the Achill's Got Talent competition. One of the highlights will be the visit of TV chef and author Clodagh McKenna who will be performing the official opening of the Festival. The Park Inn Mulranny will also be offering a ‘Clodagh McKenna Signature Dish’ from her book Fresh From The Sea. Clodagh will be a guest of the hotel during her trip to the West.

For more information or to make a reservation, log onto www.parkinnmulranny.ie or call 1850 33 6000.

Those Two Girls, PR invites you to jkoin their long list of high-profile and satisfied customers. Chedck out our site at http://www.thosetwogirls.com for more information about our exceptional PR services.

New Contract Win For Those Two Girls - The Park Inn Mulranny

2009-06-30T17:56:00.000+01:00

The Park Inn Mulranny has commissioned Those Two Girls PR as their PR and Marketing company of choice. The 4-star Park Inn Mulranny is a picturesque hotel with panoramic views over Clew Bay, Clare Island and Croagh Patrick. Situated on 42 acres of woodland, the hotel consists of 41 elegantly designed bedrooms with sea or woodland views; along with twenty 2-bedroom apartment suites, which are ideal for families or a group of friends. Housing the famous Nephin Restaurant and lively Waterfront Bar, the hotel boasts a state of the art leisure centre with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and outdoor Canadian Hot Tub along with an onsite hair and beauty salon for ladies of leisure.

Olivia Collins of Those Two Girls said “ This landmark hotel in Mulranny has over one hundred years of providing quality service and friendly attention to detail. It has an impressive role call of famous guests through the years including the late John Lennon, who presently has a beautifully retro suite named in his honor and who reportedly got his car stuck in a nearby ditch when driving through the heath. The Hotel represents the grandness and regality of time gone-by while consistently reinventing its contemporary décor and quality menu choices in cuisine while it’s breath taking, unparalleled location makes this a wonderful hospitality venue to promote.”

Bella Baby Summer Sale Kicks Off This Thursday!

2009-06-15T20:13:00.000+01:00

Bella Baby, Ireland’s premier supplier of babycare products, kicks off their summer sale this Thursday, 18th June with up to 30% off main line products.

Located in the Oranmore Commercial Centre in Oranmore Village, Bella Baby Stocking lines such as Mamas and Papas, Maxi Cosy, Quinny, McClaren, Safety 1st, Avent, Room Seven and many more, Bella Baby provides everything a parent needs for their baby from Nursery Room Sets, Car Seats, Accessories and Clothing.

Speaking at the announcement of the summer sale, proprietor Evelyn Garvey added, “We at Bella Baby want to offer customers an exclusive shopping experience both within in store and online. In store, we invite customers to visit our nursery showrooms and online we offer customers a 2 day delivery promise. We are delighted to offer a number of exclusive lines such as Mamas and Papas and items such as FunPods by Little Helper”.

Bella Baby is also happy to announce the introduction of the Cool Twister - the bottle water coolers which cools down boiling water to optimum baby feeding temperature in approximately 80 seconds, providing simple, fast and healthy bottle preparation.

Sale ends Tuesday, 30th June. For more information, log onto http://www.bellababy.ie/ or call 091 483718.

Homegrown Talent Revs up the Bike Business

2009-06-09T17:40:00.000+01:00

Old Skool Motorcycles is known the world over as one of the strongest motorcycle building businesses at work today. Based in Bray, Co. Wicklow the motorcycle building business provides services from custom motorcycle building to maintenance and repairs. Owner of Old Skool Motorcycles, John Murphy, is a force to be reckoned with in the motorcycle industry. He has created some of the most awe inspiring motorcycles and turned traditional motorcycle engineering on its head through his vision and talent. The Old Skool Motorcycles team includes skilled motorcycle builder Andy Pagan and Business Development Manager Gemma Kinsella, who support John in winning numerous well deserved international motorcycle building awards. Murphy, has built up a world renowned motorcycle building business, that has seen some of the most prominent figures in the music and corporate world enter the doors of the famed Old Skool Motorcycles workshop.

Custom motorcycle builds are only part of what the Old Skool Motorcycle team are capable of. They revamp and rebuild existing machines, turning them into the original motorcycles of their owners dreams. Motorcycle maintenance is a service the team provides that is always carried out to the highest specifications. Knowing motorcycles to the point that they are building some of the best in existence means maintenance and repairs are done as efficiently as possible. Customised helmets and paint work are other services available to clients, giving their biking experience a whole new meaning. Old School Motorcycles specialised customised bike parts are also available to bring motorcycles to a whole new level.

Old Skool Motorcycles stock a number of, new and used bikes, endeavouring to match a rider with the bike of their dreams. If a client’s dream ride can’t be located in Ireland, Old Skool Motorcycles will be happy to source it from the UK and have it picked up for you. To complete the Old Skool Motorcycles experience, merchandise including Old Skool Motorcycles jackets, trousers, boots, accessories and jewellery are available both at the workshop and online, giving extra edge to biker gear.

John’s team is as strong in experience and dedication as it is in vision and passion. Speaking on the famed work of Old Skool Motorcycles John Murphy says “Old Skool Motorcycles was created to meet the needs of the biking, corporate and entertainment communities. There was a gap in the motorcycle market for true custom building without limitations. We are a tight knit, family run business, giving customers what they need and what they want. For example, a client came to me recently looking to change his Harley Davidson with modifications which seemed too difficult for other bike shops to complete. Old Skool Motorcycles made some customer required modifications and lowered the bike to meet the customer’s needs. – we had this done for him within a week. Old Skool Motorcycles is built on respect, hard work and honesty. We always strive to give our clients the best value possible and work solidly to give this to them. There are no days off with Old Skool Motorcycles as our business is driven by passion and vision.”

John continues, “When a client comes to us we work with them to turn their motorcycle dream into a reality. If they only have a general idea of what they want we work with them until we come up with the perfect design. At any one time I have hundreds of motorcycle designs in my head. We only use the best motorcycle parts and materials as well as the most talented customising painter, Filip Servit.”

One of the most recent additions to the motorcycle building portfolio of Old Skool Motorcycles is The Quest. The medieval theme of the motorcycle is carried right through. The Quest breaks with conventional motorcycle engineering, having a revolutionary breaking system for which Old Skool Motorcycles are the sole Irish Distributors. The Quest also features a 300 rear section – in other words the rear tyre measures one foot in width. Ordinarily Harley Davidsons are run with a left side drive, The Quest was modified to run with a right side drive section in order to display the workings of the machine to its greatest potential. The Quest has toured international motor exhibitions with the build recorded in detail on the Old Skool Motorcycles website.

The legendary Old Skool Motorcycles workshop is located in Rear Unit 14, Quinnsborough Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow. F

or further information on Old Skool Motorcycles, please contact 087 253 3754 or log onto www.OldSkoolMotorcycles.com.
“Our Only Limit is your Imagination”

Those Two Girls PR Win Pitman Training Ireland Contract

2009-05-08T09:13:00.000+01:00

Those Two Girls PR, the largest PR agency in the West of Ireland, have been awarded the PR contract for Pitman Training Ireland. Pitman Training is the largest independent training network in Ireland and one of the world’s leading office skills and computer training organisations. Recently Pitman Training has reopened a branch of their highly successful global training organisation in Limerick – a move that will create five jobs in the city.

Derek Smith of Pitman Training Ireland tells of why Those Two Girls PR were selected to represent Pitman Training, “How to choose an excellent PR company? That question faced us for 2009 having undertaken a lot of research and tried various initiatives, none of which were particularly successful. Pitman Training are a franchised network in Ireland with 15 training centres, all offering computer training, IT up-skilling and, in today’s tough climate, our diploma training programmes play a big part in getting people into work. The training centres in Ireland are all owned by Irish entrepreneurs and Irish businesses who value the quality of the Pitman Training brand and the high quality training we provide to individuals and organisations alike.

As entrepreneurs, we are hard taskmasters and were seeking a PR relationship that was willing to work hard at understanding our customers, and Those Two Girls PR proved to me and the Irish Owners that they have the creativity and determination to get the right message across, especially during these challenging times. It was very important to Pitman Training in Ireland that the PR company had strength in depth and effective back-up if the account director was absent or unavailable. Those Two Girls PR are Galway-based, have 5 staff and a national record of achievement – that was just what we were looking for!”.

Pitman Training has been successfully providing training to both the corporate and private markets across Ireland for over 15 years. With more and more employers focused on specific business type qualifications and skills, Pitman Training provides internationally recognised business, legal and medical qualifications. Learning with Pitman Training is undertaken in a tutor-led classroom environment, or alternatively, using a flexible training model, individual students have a choice of days and times to train.

Olivia Collins, Managing Director of Those Two Girls PR comments, “In the current economic climate, up-skilling and retraining is an important topic especially for those looking for work or those interested in personal development. We are delighted to have Pitman Training on board and look forward to working with them in meeting their objectives and making their PR campaign a huge success”.

For more information on Pitman Training Ireland, log onto www.Pitman-Training.ie and Those Two Girls PR at www.ThoseTwoGirls.ie.