Selling sand to the Arabs!

The good news, gossip and social media diatribe about the significant €300 million property investment, by the Al Hokair group from Saudi Arabia, started to trickle through various media channels early last week. By Tuesday morning the local and some national media sources (not unsurprisingly in limited column inches!) sources began reporting about this “Game changer” for Waterford City, County and the wider South East region.

Behind the heavily fortified closed doors of City Hall, our 32 Councillors were given first sight of this far eastern promise, by the Council CEO Michael Walsh. Refreshment must have been provided for this late evening session, which had all the potential to drive the City out of Division One and straight back into the Premier League. No need for any more relegation battles. Surely this €300 million, in one fell swoop, would regain our position as the fourth City of Ireland?

Our 32 Councillors unanimously passed a motion, allowing the CEO to engage further with the Al Hokair group, on behalf of the City and County.

As an aside, I read one or two funny remarks on social media, asking if “All” the Councillors had backed the plan, after many a post stating the word “Unanimously”! There were also some very strange comments, completely off topic and you often have to wonder if people are actually reading the same posts?

The devil is always in the detail, with any contractual negotiation. I have no doubt that the shrewd, wealthy business people of Saudi have ALL their ducks lined up and know that a proposal, for a multi-million Euro investment into Waterford City, would be grasped with both hands and feet, for that matter. This is one gift horse, whose teeth do not have to be inspected, or do they?

Waterford City has to be seen as a prime location for investment for all manner of reasons. The main one being, that the price of land and property is just so much cheaper than any other City. Just look at RTE selling circa 9 acres of land, in D4, with a guide price of €75 million. The likely outcome is that these few golden acres will realise much, much more than the €75 million guide, as property prices are once again ballooning in all corners of the Capital (Let’s hope we don’t see another prick bursting said balloon!). The North Quays and Michael Street are a mere fraction of this price, so why would you look elsewhere?

In addition to the cost of land being very “Cheap” in Waterford, the relatively low cost of housing also reflects the current economic climate. Yes, we do get so much more for our money down here on the South East coast and this has to be a significant attractor, when tempting the likes of 1,221,887,632 Saudi Riyals to Waterford.

Let us face facts. Property developers invest in projects to make substantial sums of money and Al Hokair will be investing in Waterford, because they see a future return on their million Euro investment. The potential has always been there. It is just that we have not been able to persuade someone to speculate to this level before in Waterford.

What is for sure, is that this investment will make others aware that Waterford and the wider South East region have REAL potential.

 

As Dublin smothers in increasing housing and rental costs, regions such as Waterford, must be an attractive alternative option. Appropriate infrastructural investment, by Government, needs to be accelerated. It was great to see Minister Coveney, down here pedalling his bike on the Greenway. However, he needs to guarantee and deliver money for this City, to ensure that we are a viable alternative to Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Governments’ record on this is not great for Waterford, so we will need to keep the pressure on, to make sure they finally deliver.

“Selling sand to the Arabs”, was a phrase often trumpeted to me when I worked at Wembley Arena. The venue was the MUST play indoor arena for any musical act.

Wouldn’t it be great if in the next few years Waterford became such an easy sell?

Greenway is up and running, or cycling or walking!

On Saturday 25^th March, to be exact, the much anticipated Waterford Greenway officially opened. Encompassing Waterford City, in the East, to Dungarvan Town, in the West, along the full 46 kilometre route.

The use of this old, decommissioned railway line has been in planning for many, many a year and a number of sections have been accessible for some time now. Saturday marks the opening of the “Full Monty”. A 46km coastal/inland route, which will simply blow your socks off. Sharing some stunning vistas of sea, mountains, hills and glens.

Some parts of this coastline have for far too long been hidden gems, known only to a select few locals, quietly spoken about in the corners of bars and coffee shops. Now we can ALL shout from the rafters, that at long last, we are to have an alternative tourist attraction, which really does rival those dotted around the various corners of this wee green island.

In particular, the Waterford Greenway will rival the explosion of this type of development. Examples of these, can also be found in places that link Athlone and Mullingar, Westport and Achill Island, Abbeyfeale and Rathkeale. There are also plans to open a Greenway in Connemara, between Cloonbeg and Athry, later this year.

These large infrastructural projects are being designed to bring new life to otherwise unused, huge tracks of land. The restructuring of old railway lines and tracks is a good idea and one that should be welcomed by all. We need to find and source new tourism markets for Waterford, if we are to drive the County and wider South East, out of the third tier of recovery we find ourselves in. The recent Sunday Times Rich List report shows Waterford County has the lowest level of wealth, when compared to the other 32 counties on this island. This is something that we must quickly address and correct, if we are to ever regain our status as the fourth city of Ireland.

Waterford’s Greenway, must now be sold to the people of Waterford and further afield, to a National and International market. What cannot happen is that we open this wonderful attractor and sit back under the age old adage of “We have built this and now they will come!”. Not insignificant sums of public, Council, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland money must be spent on PR, marketing and promotion of our Greenway. There will be plenty of competition fighting for these additional resources and we must make sure that we get our fair share.

There will also be an onus on the Council, to make sure that the eastern end of the Greenway actually connects to the heart of Waterford City. We created a wonderful Viking Triangle and the connectors to the City Centre have been an awfully long time in the making! This cannot be allowed to happen with this project.

At present, the western end connectors are ALL in place, with access right into the very heart of Dungarvan. The eastern access points seem to be taking rather longer to be put in place and we have the very real prospect of yet another east/west split. Our “Full Monty” has to be delivered and delivered in a timely fashion.

Hopefully, from Saturday 25^th March, tens of thousands of people will be coming to Waterford, with the sole purpose of travelling our Greenway. We must at the very least, ensure that they leave having been absolutely stunned by what they have seen. We want these people to return in their hordes, bringing more and more family and friends. Repeat customers are the very best customers and we need to encourage this culture.

 

I do hope that we, the local citizens, look after this important piece of new infrastructure for our future guests. We cannot allow the Greenway to become a cycle race track, a scrambler track, a pony-trekking route, or a convenient place to let your dog poop or a place to dump rubbish.....!

Waterford’s Greenway is another jewel in our crown, so let us keep it shining bright. 

Made of Waterford – Thank you Luke!

In two days time we will ALL be out watching the St Patrick’s Day parade, in our local parish. Some may even be lucky enough to be participating. Many will be looking for friends and family, to shout “Well Boy”, or “Well Girl” to. What’s guaranteed is that locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, the world will quite literally be turned green on Friday 17^th March. A unique access to the world even if it is “Just for one day!”

That is of course, unless you live in the good old US of A. Where for some reason, they have adopted this festival as their own and renamed it “St Patty’s Day”! Just who the hell is “St Patty” and he certainly wasn’t around when Luke first thought of and dreamed up the idea.

I have no doubt that when the indefatigable, Enda meets with The Donald, this wrong will be righted and next year it will be called “St Donald’s Day”!

 

One can only imagine the conversation, when they are gathered around that Waterford Crystal bowl, filled with shamrock, (not the traditional US four leaf clovers) and Enda starts asking about the undocumented Irish. The Donald will boot this to touch and soon the conversation will move on to his great margin of victory and the number of Electoral College votes that he actually won.

Or maybe, at the very last minute, he might just refuse to give Enda an audience at all. Because his favourite Irish golf course in Limerick, was once refused it’s very own “Wall”, by the local Council. Something to do with snails, if memory serves me correctly.

Whatever happens this Friday, rest assured that there will be very few who know that the parade they are watching or marching in, was actually created by one of our own. Brother Luke Wadding, an Irish Franciscan friar, who was born in Waterford on 16^th October 1588. There is actually a wee, inconspicuous, statue of this man outside Greyfriar’s Abbey or the French Church, as it is also known, halfway up Greyfriar’s Street, just past the Municipal Art Gallery.

Luke persuaded the Pope that St Patrick’s Day, should be recognised by the Holy Catholic Church, as a feast day. Such was his authority and power within the Church that he was granted his wish and the date of 17^th March was designated as the day we would feast for St Patrick. Luke, had too many enemies in Rome and as a result, was never made a Cardinal. He did however support the fight against English rule and in particular the fight against a certain Mr Oliver Cromwell. He sent very large sums of money and not insignificant amounts of gunpowder, to Ireland, to help the cause.

Luke, with I have no doubt some help from “His higher force”, would of course have been delighted that Cromwell never actually took his beloved City of Waterford. “Urbs Intacta Manet” is the City’s motto and long before The Donald had any of HIS walls, Waterford’s walls actually stood strong and proud against the mighty all conquering Oliver.

The Feast Day of St Patrick has in many respects lost its religious connotation. There are very few who will actually attend mass or church on the morning of this day. Perhaps the pressure to get our glad rags or costume ready and be in position for the parade start is just too much. What is certain, is this day gives so many the opportunity to break their Ash Wednesday and Lent promises. For twenty four short hours all thoughts of abstinence can be forgotten and more importantly forgiven.

For so many, St Patrick’s Day is about the parade and a celebration of all that is good about our local communities. It is also about being Irish and the reconnection of those Irish roots, which so many millions around the world hold on to with an amazing sense of pride.

It is unfortunate that we in Waterford do not push the Luke Wadding connection more. A son of Waterford has after all, created St Patrick’s Day. Yet, so few know of this association. 

A flag worth flying, but few know from where!

Last weekend, Waterford City hosted the annual 1848 Tricolour Celebration. A weekend event which commemorates the first ever raising of the Irish Flag, by Thomas Francis Meagher, at 33 The Mall. The actual date that TF Meagher raised the tricolour was the 7^th March 1848.

Meagher had a colourful history which is well documented in our Bishop’s Palace museum. He was born in what is now the Granville Hotel, educated in England, sent to Tasmania by the “Empire”, fought on the winning side in the American Civil War and is attributed with “Founding” the 69^th Brigade, a Pallbearer at Lincoln’s funeral, involved in politics in Montana. He mysteriously disappeared after “Falling off” a steamboat into the Missouri River and his body was never recovered.

It is these International connections, which the 1848 Celebrations have worked so diligently to maintain over the past number of years.

Annually, we see representatives from the US, Canadian, French and Australian Embassies attending the event. Significant numbers of US soldiers, from the 69^th Infantry Division New York, who come to Waterford City, to celebrate their Waterford and Irish connections. This year eleven US military personnel, including the commanding officer Lt Col Don Makay, came to Waterford City to acknowledge the TF Meagher connection with today’s modern military machine - the US Defence Forces. Thirteen guests came all the way from Montana, bringing a traditional folk band called The Montana Shamrockers, who played at packed venues around the City. Four guests came from Massachusetts, three from Rochester and one travelled all the way from Tasmania! 

This “International Brigade”, really does hold Mr Thomas Francis Meagher in very highest esteem. I would go so far as to say, that many revere this Waterford born native, who went on to do so much for these countries he adopted as his own. He was after all, prepared to give his life to the Union, under the leadership of Lincoln.

There can be no mistaking that Meagher has placed an indelible mark on Irish history. Whilst many others may claim to have first flown the tricolour, the simple fact is that the “Green, White and Orange” was conceived, created and designed by Meagher in Waterford. Obviously, there are French influences from the “Vive la revolution”.

33 The Mall

Little did Meagher know, that the flag he hoisted at 33 The Mall, would become such a recognisable symbol of all things Irish. Next week we will see just how wide that sphere of influence reaches, as all around the globe, the world will be turned green for St. Patrick’s Day. Incidentally, another event whose origins can be traced directly back to a Waterford man, Franciscan friar Luke Wadding.

Meagher went on to raise his new Irish flag in Dublin, in April 1848. This is commemorated by a rather unkempt plaque, on a hidden wall, in Abbey Street, next to the National Lottery HQ!

The Irish tricolour which epitomises Ireland and all that is good about this wee island, on the far western fringes of Europe, is “Born of Waterford”. Yet for some reason, we do not seem to be able to capitalise on our historic ties to the very flag, so proudly waved around the world, on the 17^th March each year.

The value of Waterford’s connection to Meagher and the Irish Tricolour, could be seen last weekend, by the large numbers of international visitors to the City. We have a real opportunity to build excellent international relationships with some not insignificant G7 counties. Yet, time and time again we appear not to be able to foster an Entente Cordiale with organisations and groups that have literally shown Waterford an open door.

Abbey Street plaque.

This event, around the first weekend of March, should be a state event. With so much pomp and ceremony, that our Taoiseach and or President attend on an annual basis. If a son of Dublin could lay claim to the flag, guaranteed there would be national, if not international, celebrations.

Waterford must build on connections from our past, if we are to build a future. Maybe next year this will start with our own citizens supporting this event!

Thanks to photographer Noel Browne for the re-enactment picture.