OSD Admin, Author at Carrick on Shannon Chamber

Carrick Chamber Proud to Fly The Purple Flag

Carrick Chamber are delighted to announce that after months of hard work in conjunction with Leitrim County Council, we have succeeded in achieving Purple Flag status for Carrick on Shannon as co-funding partners. We are the first small town in Ireland to achieve such an award and are now accredited with having a safe, welcoming, well-managed evening and night time environment. This is fantastic for our town and the local community, businesses and organisations who all worked tirelessly to achieve this end.

Gerry Faughnan, Chamber President, said:- “The Level of cooperation from Carrick’s businesses and local groups has been unprecedented. We got a great start in promoting Carrick in recent times with the Entente Florale, through the Carrick 400th and continuing now with the Purple Flag. None of these projects would have gone anywhere without everyone’s cooperation, and that makes me very proud of our town and its great people. I too would like to add my thanks to all the people who gave of their time and experience. I would also like to fully acknowledge that without Frank Curran, CEO Leitrim County Council, and his enthusiasm from the start this project would have gone nowhere. Additionally, this good news should go some way towards assisting the Tidy Towns efforts. “

We are proud to fly the Purple Flag and will promote and use it as a stepping stone in our continuing development of a vibrant and safe night time environment for both our residents and visitors.

Stephen Dunlop and David Forde the Purple Flag assessors with some of Carrick on Shannon’s Purple Flag Team at the Michael Warren Sculpture “Sea of Cortez” outside Victoria Hall. Photo courtesy of Keith Nolan Photography.

Carrick Night Time Ambassadors

Carrick on Shannon Chamber is proud to be involved in the Carrick Ambassador programme. This initiative was set up by two Chamber Members and is run under the auspices of Carrick Chamber. A team of 6 workers are employed to keep the town clean and tidy between the hours of 10pm and 5am on Friday and Saturday nights on a normal week and Sunday also on bank holiday weekends. They collect litter and remove bottles, glasses and leave the town ready for businesses, visitors and local residents the following morning. This is funded by local businesses such as hotels, pubs accommodation providers, restaurants and takeaways who make weekly contributions to cover the cost of wages and equipment etc. We would really like to get more businesses involved as this would spread the cost more evenly. Our sincere gratitude to those who are already contributing as this scheme has made such a difference to our town and is noticed by both visitors and locals. Our thanks also to Leitrim Co Council for their support. Contributions from any other local businesses or organisations would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in becoming involved in the scheme please call Monica or Marie in the Chamber Office at 0719622245 or email info@carrickonshannon.ie for further information.

Ambassadors Manual Handling Course — Manual Handling Course

Carrick featured as Town Of The Month on RTE’s The Today Show

Carrick Chamber were delighted when RTE chose Carrick as ‘The Today Show Town of the Month’ for April. An RTE film crew came to Carrick in late March and spent the morning filming our town. The host Mary McEvoy interviewed stall holders in the Farmers’ Market in the Market Yard Centre, John Bredin in Costello Chapel and Geraldine Gray in Leitrim Design House at The Dock. She then took a short trip on Moonriver and chatted with Kathleen Coleman, Gerry Faughnan, Brendan Dee and Tom Gleeson. Despite the cold day Carrick on Shannon was looking its best with lots of water based activities from Rivermania and Emerald Star going on and some two wheeled sport from Seamus Gibbons at Electric Bikes. The morning’s filming finished off in Victoria Hall Restaurant with some tasty Boxty Wraps. Thanks to Keith Nolan for all his work in bringing this about and to everyone who was so helpful on the day.

Click link to view video: RTE Today Show Town of the Month

There are some great photos of the days filming on our Facebook Page

Purple Flag Workshop in Carrick on Shannon

There was a great attendance and positive feedback from The Kick Start Purple Flag Workshop which was held recently in Leitrim County Council Chamber presented by Ms. Carmen Cronin, ATCM and chaired by Mr. Frank Curran, CEO Leitrim Co Council. Representatives from all sectors, Leitrim County Council, Carrick on Shannon Chamber of Commerce, An Garda Siochana, Accommodation Providers, Pubs, Restaurants, Takeaways, Tourism, Leisure Providers, Safety & Security, and various others from the business community, the arts and local residents were present and shared their views. An overview of the town and its facilities was given and Ms. Cronin gave an outline of what steps were required in order to submit our application and questions answered from those present. A steering group was set up from the Council, Carrick Chamber, the Garda Síochána, businesses and transport sector who will meet shortly to decide on the way forward to achieve Purple Flag status for the town. The Purple Flag (similar to the Blue Flag for beaches) needs the backing of everyone particularly the hospitality, tourism and entire businesses community to help make Carrick on Shannon become the first small town in Ireland to receive this status. Ten other towns in Ireland now have this Award. We want our town to be safe, appealing, well managed and offer a positive experience to all who live here and come to visit us. Achieving the Purple Flag will help us with this and to further the profile of Carrick on Shannon. Further information on what the Purple Flag means can be obtained http://www.atcm.org/index.php.

Mr. Joseph Gilhooly, Director of Services, Planning, Community & Economic Development, Leitrim County Council with Local Residents who attended the Purple Flag Kickstart Workshop held recently in Leitrim County Council Chamber. Photo Courtesy of Keith Nolan Photography.