On Wednesdays Morning Focus Ticketmaster will reveal later how those with tickets to Garth Brooks at Croke Park can get their money back. It's after the country singer announced yesterday that he's cancelling all five of his Irish concerts – due to take place in two weeks' time – following Dublin City Council's decision to only grant a licence for three of the five shows. Marian spoke to Adrian Cummins – Chief Executive Restaurants Association of Ireland as they say that the hospitality industry in Ireland is left reeling after Aiken Promotions announced that none of the five planned Garth Brooks concerts will take place in July. The RAI maintain that the Garth Brooks fiasco is an embarrassment to the Irish tourism industry image €50 million loss to the Irish economy. Marian also heard the reaction from people in Ennis about the cancellation. Clare FM listener – Majella was also on the line to chat to Marian. She is very disappointed she won’t be heading to Croke Park to see Garth. She told Marian she was going to stay up over night however now all of that has changed!!
Mary from Tulla also got in touch with the show. She had tickets booked for the Garth on the Friday night and the Tuesday night. So they were was double disappointed for her – she thought she would at least see him on the Friday night. She’s so disappointed.
Clare communities prepare to show Pride of Place. The communities of Lisdoonvarna, Clarecastle, Tuamgraney and Killaloe are busily preparing for the adjudication stage of the 2014 IPB Pride of Place Competition, which takes place next week. Clare is being represented in the all-island initiative by Lisdoonvarna Fáilte Ltd. in Category 3 for population centres of between 750 and 1,500 people, Clarecastle Community Development Ltd. in Category 4 for population centres of between 1,500 and 4,000 people, Tuamgraney Community Woodland in Category 6 (Eco Community Initiative), and Clarisford Ltd. (Killaloe/Ballina) in Category 7 (Community Innovation). Marian spoke to Keith Wood – Clarisford Killaloe and Damian Heaney – Tuamgraney Development Association about the competition and how each community is preparing.
Concerns are being expressed about the government plan to make people over-35 pay more for health insurance when they take it out for the first time. A 2 percent penalty will be added to premiums for each year over that age, in an effort to get younger people back into the market. The last 6 years have seen over 250,000 people drop their health insurance policy. Marian spoke to Dermot Goode of HealthInsuranceSavings.ie about the effect that this will have on you.
Food producers and restaurant owners surrounding Lough Derg have joined forces in an effort to promote the region as a food tourism destination. 'A Taste of Lough Derg 2014', a pilot initiative for 2014, features 13 separate food events taking place in villages and towns along the shores of Lough Derg in counties Clare, Galway and Tipperary. Commencing this week and continuing through mid-September, the series includes a Sunday Picnic at the lake in Killaloe, a butcher masterclass in Terryglass, farm walk and cheese tasting in Portumna, a BBQ garden party and talent show in Garrykennedy, and chocolate making and tasting in Tuamgraney and Newtown. The series also highlights the excellent country and farmers markets around Lough Derg. Marian spoke to Áine Mc Carthy – Tourism Marketing Coordinator for Lough Derg and Patricia Farrell – Wilde Irish Chocolates, Tuamgraney about the initiative.
Margaretta D'Arcy is to "Abstain from Food" during a 2 week imprisonment which is due to start today. The anti war activist is unsure if there will be room for her in the prison today. She spoke to Marian about her decision to abstain from food.
Ellie Murphy is from Tulla but joined us by phone from London. She got in touch with the show through the Clare FM facebook page she said ‘Having booked my flight home for (just) gig at a particularly busy time at work, so it was literally going to be a flying visit, it's disappointing that the gig has been cancelled. Totally gutted! Was looking forward to attending with my sisters. It makes me a little happier knowing that not all the residents involved wanted to stop the gigs. Shouldn't have been allowed to be sold when the place had already reached it's limit with the one direction gigs – Something not spoken about at the time of sale’. She explained to Marian that Garth is the sound track to her childhood and she is so disappointed that she won’t be making the trip home!!
If you have a story, comment or query for Morning Focus email Focus@clare.fm or write to us – Morning Focus, Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare.
