Rise and rise again, like the Phoenix from the ashes!

Well it was not to be. Derek’s young charges did the County proud and Galway were a team inspired, just that wee bit stronger on the day.

It was a pulsating match with so many highs and lows. A rip roaring final, that saw two teams give no quarter. We witnessed colossal hits, a frenetic pace and talented hurlers covering every single blade of grass on Croke Park’s field of green. A better advert for hurling there could not have been.

I watched the match, along with thousands of others, in Waterford City’s newest outdoor venue, The Apple Market. This re-engineered corner of the City was built with many, many detractors. If the truth be told, a venue, which during the construction phase, received endless amounts of unfair criticism by hundreds of keyboard warriors, from all over the country. Yet, on Sunday 3^rd September this performance area would play host to a magnificent Gladiatorial contest.

With three screens to choose from, every supporter in white and blue could comfortably view the match. The whole area was filled with Déise families, friends and the odd tourist, wondering what the hell was going on. I saw visiting Spanish students getting caught up in the majesty of the day. I know that Waterford hurling has now gained a few more International supporters from the Basque country.

There was a never ending number of small children running around hysterically, in their Déise colours. Quickly pursued by a Mum or Dad, trying to bring them back to order. A hopeless task, as they would be off at the earliest opportunity, pretending they too were in Croke Park, just like their heroes Gleeson, Brick and Moran.

Tipperary referee Hogan blew the whistle at 15:30 and within a few minutes our hopes seemed shattered. As Galway steamed into an early lead and it looked like the Déise men were in for a very tough day at the office. Then up popped the white and blue Captain, to blast the sliotar into the Tribesmen’s net – dare we start to dream?

It would be a pulsating game with never more than a few points between the two teams. At halftime there was only one point in it and we could all take a collective breath. There was a rush to get refreshments and take back to your vantage point. Hoping that supporters would be polite and normal order resumed prior to the start of the second half. With everyone back in their place the game restarted.

The Déise ever so briefly went into the lead around 16:30 and the crowds’ excitements levels rose. If we were not careful the new Apple Market roof would be lifted right off the foundations! We were all shouting and screaming in unison. A choreographed emotional rollercoaster that had all of us hoping that our heart rate could be controlled.

At around the hour mark, the Tribesmen’s talisman Joe Canning, got his eighth point of the match and a few of us started to feel that the match might just be slipping away. Suddenly there was a four point difference, as the clock ticked inevitably towards fulltime.

With four minutes of added time, could our Déise men make up the three point difference? Would Austin Gleeson get another wonder goal to drag us back into the match? Alas, it was not to be. When Hogan blew the final whistle, the Tribesmen were three points to the good. Galway would win their fifth All-Ireland Senior Hurling title, a first for 29 years.

Despite the thousands of supporters, thronging The Apple Market, you could have heard a pin drop towards the end of extra time, as the match drew towards its inevitable conclusion. We collectively applauded and cheered the wonderful effort by Derek’s squad. It was a titanic struggle and “Boi” can we be proud of our county.

Galway were just too strong on the day and watching “The Sunday Game”, you could evidently see why. The graphic for “Man of the Match” clearly showing, two giant Tribesmen beside the Déise’s Jamie Barron!

Waterford has surely a great hurling future. Our new outdoor venue, The Apple Market, will have its roof raised many times, in the not too distant future.

Déise Abu. 

(Burzza restaurant window Waterford, Photo of Derek & Dan: Piaras Ó Mídheach, Irish Independent)

Dare we dream?

Well, well, well, just how do you put that into words? What a Sunday performance from Waterford’s young charges. They quite literally destroyed the Rebel Army from Cork, in that hurling semi-final. An early September final weekend awaits with Galway.

Is it now time to start dreaming?

I openly admit, that having being brought up in Scotland, on a diet of amateur rugby, I am no hurling cognoscenti. But Waterford’s second half performance was just magnificent and a sheer joy to watch. The pace, the passion, the aggression, the determination and for the first time that I can recall, a steely determination and strength of mind to win at all costs. I get the feeling that these players would have run through the walls of a nuclear bunker, for Derek McGrath and his backroom staff.

Though some on the RTE’s Sunday panel were not so enamoured with the way we played. They were surely watching another game, or maybe it was just a wee bit of sour grapes! The Cats will be at a loss come 15:30, on that first weekend in September. For the first time in an awful long stretch, Kilkenny will have to support another team.  As we chase that little white sliotar around the vast green fields of Páirc an Chrócaigh. Maybe they will see fit to support their Waterford neighbours?

I know nothing about Mr McGrath’s “Controversial” sweeper system or the way a team has to set up, to play this way. What I do know, is that it is working 100% and maybe that is all that counts. This team, through absolute hard graft and effort, have worked out how to beat other squads. Waterford’s set up, contentious or not, suits this line up and this group of players. Perhaps the Naysayers, those RTE panellists included, should shut up and embrace our team’s ambitions? A winning formula appears to have been found and if we are celebrating on the 3^rd of September, others might just start copying Waterford’s set up.

What also struck me, was the sheer number of blue and white supporters, who travelled up to Dublin, to shout “Déise Abu!” Waterford must have one of, if not the best supported hurling teams in Ireland. It looked like half of the 70,000 crowd came up the M9, or sneaked up the M11, to avoid the clash with Cork supporters on the M7!

I can only imagine, that tickets for the final clash with Galway, will be rarer than hen’s teeth. This, I have been told, will be the first time these two teams have met in an All Ireland Final. Neither will want to lose, on such an historic occasion. The match has the capacity to become a game we will all remember for many a year. Those lucky enough to secure a ticket, will remember the experience forever.

It never ceases to amaze me, how sporting successes can lift our spirits. Particularly when Waterford is still dealing with some very serious infrastructural issues. To take a trip to Dublin in early September, is both a distraction and is a welcome relief. This gives hope that a brighter future lies ahead for the people of the Déise.

As an aside and probably due to the excitement of a possible semi-final win, we all seem to have become very giddy. I noticed over the weekend a platform has appeared in the middle of the River Suir, just in line with the clock tower and the centre of the North Quay. When I asked what it was for I was told “We had struck oil and gas”. Forget the Corrib Gas Project, Waterford was to become the Dallas of Ireland! We would all get rich on the back of this and our Hurlers be presented with a brand new 50,000 seated stadium, with many bells and whistles, if we allowed Shell to start drilling!

As our young hurlers get down to the Herculean task of preparing for the All Ireland Senior Hurling Final we must support them in every way possible. We need to show our support by turning the city, county and of course Páirc an Chrócaigh blue and white.

Déise Abu!

(Hurling photograph taken by Ray McManus, with our very own Noel Browne in the background!)

Festival are a GO, GO!

Believe it or not, Waterford City and County is one of the busiest festival regions in Ireland – FACT!

The annual Waterford Council Festival Budget distribution, took place at the first Plenary Council meeting of the year. Much of what was brought into the public gallery was of course discussed, agreed and preordained, behind closed doors, in “secret” Committee Meetings. With circa €1,400,000 to be allocated across the whole City and County, this is one of the key functions of our 32 sitting Councillors.

With all things budgetary, there are of course metaphorical swings and roundabouts. Some festivals/events in 2016 were one-offs and obviously some applications did not make the grade. The process involves the Council Executive assessing the organiser’s application for funding and this is then brought to our Councillors for ratification.  Accompanied by an associated increase or reduction in grant funding. The process is lengthy, involved and forensic. But it has to be, as these are after all public funds and transparency is paramount to the whole procedure.

The four big ticket items for 2017 are Winterval, with €430,000 being allocated and a potential income of around €250,000 from sponsorship, stall income etc. The Winterval committee will, I am sure, be re-jigged this year and I have no doubt that such is the size of the grant allocation, this will have to go out to national tender. Our two excellent food festivals, Harvest (September) and WWFF (April), receive around €150,000, which like Winterval, will be counterbalanced by some additional income. The Sean Kelly Tour (August) is supported by €180,000, which is, I assume, front loaded to offset later income sources and is therefore, in reality, cost neutral for the Council.

Finally, Spraoi (August), is supported by a grant of €67,000, which of all the festival allocations is probably not enough. Considering this was the event that started our love affair with festivals and events. Spraoi will shortly be celebrating their 25^th Birthday and perhaps we could ask our Councillors to be mindful of this and save up a few Euro, in the build-up to what will be a worthy celebration, in the coming year/s ahead?

 

The breadth and variety of festivals and events right across Waterford, is something to behold. From Lismore to Tramore, Dunmore to Ardmore, Comeraghs to Dungarvan.....there are so many to choose from, that in reality we do not need to venture outside of our county boundary to find something that tickles our fancy.

There are, within these processes, losers. Some events have had to have a funding cut, due to the very tight financial constraints which our Council must work with, because of continued reductions in Central Government funding. This in turn puts pressure on Councils to increase Commercial Rates, Local Property Tax and that wonderful “Cash cow”, that is car parking charges. In future years, to keep our festivals and events going, we will without doubt, need to spread less money further. This will be a challenge and in time may be easier to get blood out of a stone, than more Government support, allowing us to experience the wide variety of festivals we host.

The biggest cut was to the Summerval Festival. You will recall that back in August, I asked the question in this very column, “Are we getting Summerval(u)?”. For 2017 this will revert back to a “Summer in the City” type festival. This has excellent foundations, to build a first rate brand and with the support of ArtBeat, we should see a Summer long programme of events. Starting the June bank holiday and ending early September.

Circa 70 festivals/events were granted some form of Council assistance. Ranging from a few hundred Euro, to hundreds of thousands of Euro. I suppose that the tricky part will be encouraging all these festivals and events cross promote. Working together for the betterment of the whole County and across the wider South East region. If we are to put our stamp on the festivals and events map then we need to shout collectively!

Just look at what Galway espouses! According to their blurb, they are Ireland’s only festival City – a hum!

Happy Burns Night as well!

You know it is Summer when Spraoi arrives!

As you get older the years come more and more quickly and 2016 is no exception. It seems like it was only yesterday when we were all getting excited, ready for last year’s festival and low and behold the 2016 event is now upon us.

“The Spraoi Weekend”, as it has now become known locally, takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is so good to see that the Festival programme is bigger and better than ever. This has to be one of those very special events that Waterford people actually come out in hordes to support and I, for one, am delighted that TV and their wonderful crew are once again reconnecting Spraoi with the very heart of the City.

To me, the event works so well, with the parade winding its way down the very spine of the Waterford City. The fireworks exploding over the River Suir and of course spontaneous street theatre right across, and I mean right across, the City Centre and not confined to the VT, our leaning tower of investment!

Other organisers take note. The very best Waterford has to offer, starts by incorporating the whole of the City Centre, which in turn means the event is supported in huge numbers. Squeeze or concentrate your event(s) into the wrong areas and you get very little support. The businesses who get behind Spraoi, support Spraoi and “love” Spraoi, for it gives them back much needed footfall across the WHOLE City. It truly is a pan-City event that has, to quote James May, “the fizz” and somehow manages to capture the imagination of young and old.

We have a model for event organisation that has developed organically here in Waterford. A format that works and has adapted to changing and challenging times (financially). The event has weathered the political storms around national funding and has, I have no doubt, managed to steer through the maelstrom of local politics that is needed to ensure continued support from City Hall and the wider Council remit.

Spraoi is a Waterford success story. But sadly it is only one of a lesser breed and we need to make sure that if we wish to compete with the Galways of Ireland then we need to drag, pull and elevate our other events to a similar high level of excellence.

As I have said many a time, in print, we have the people, with the skills, we just need to get the powers that be, to make brave decisions, and actually employ the right people to deliver.

We are a small City that sometimes demonstrates a village mentality. This mould needs to be cracked and we need to step away from using the same old broken formulas, regurgitated time and time again, seeking out the right people to bring our other events up to the high standards set by Spraoi.

In fact it is not only Festivals that need our attention. Many other projects around the City need that injection of “new blood”, with innovative and creative ideas, which will drive events to another level. Yes, it is very hard for originators to let go, but to build a better brand, a better City and County, we need to do just that. If that means paying the right people, then we must find the means to do so.

When I look at the potential of where we could take Waterford, in terms of being an attractor for investment and tourism, I often wonder if I am seeing these possibilities through rose tinted glasses. Yet, when I speak Waterford people, they too can see this potential. They just do not yet have the leaders or facilitators they feel that they can follow, to deliver on what is an untapped latent potential.

Urban renewal, Michael Street Shopping Centre, SDZ on the North Quay, footbridge across the River Suir, Ireland’s Ancient East.....etc are all potential game changers for Waterford. But do we have the “drivers” in place to actually deliver for the people of this great City and County?

Enjoy Spraoi and remember to look after your City this weekend!

Do our Festivals matter?

Festivals & mud go hand in hand!

Yes they do!

As a City and County that prides itself on a huge number of diverse annual festivals and events, some of which have actually reached International status, we should be very proud of the fact that we can state that Waterford is one of the busiest festival regions in the country.

Yet we are still, in the perception of many, lagging way behind the likes of Galway, Dublin and Cork, and when you look at what is on offer I often wonder why we are perceived to be somehow a lesser festival product than these other Cities.

Maybe they just shout much louder than us!

At last week’s plenary meeting of Waterford Council, in addition to clarification on the newly introduced Commercial Rates levy on empty premises, which along with the general commercial rates revenues, circa €33,000,000, which help fund our many festivals and events, the issue of festival funding was discussed and debated quite robustly by a number of our Councillors.

It was refreshing to see such vigorous debating, with a number of valid and poignant reasons why the proposed contributions by Council to festivals and events had to be right for the City and County.

Waterford Walls.

With circa €1,430,000 of disposable spend available to the 58 identified festivals and events the Council must get the support grant structure accurate, fair and true, to nurture the very best of these, whilst allowing a significant financial contingency to support new fledgling festivals and events, that will ultimately replace those that have come to the end of their natural lifespan.

We do need a constant conveyor belt of new festivals and events and that is why any grant or support funding available must be distributed as equitably as possible and disseminated by knowledgeable qualified people who know, or at the very least have familiarity with, what will and will not work for Waterford.

The initial draft Council document has suggested that future funding would be evaluated by a nominated three person panel. Quite rightly our Councillors literally jumped all over this suggestion by stating that these decisions should be made by Waterford’s Councillors, as they are elected to represent the people and the businesses of Waterford. An external panel, no matter what their experience, will not be as focused and or as in touch with Waterford’s event needs.

For the first time in a long time it was refreshing to hear our Councillors speaking with one voice on this matter and demanding that the Executive bring the issue of allocating grant funding back to the Councillors for their direct input and ultimately authorisation.

It would be absolutely criminal to think that a festival or event could thrive or fail on the recommendation of a three person panel who may not know the history or relevance of a particular festival or event.

The support funding available to festivals and events is a vital building block to allow growth, regionalisation and ultimately, where relevant, nationalisation through the generation of extra bed nights to the City and County.

From small acorns large trees can grow, but only if the soil conditions are right and the tree is maintained and looked after.

Up, up & away!

We can see the huge and well deserved success that Spraoi is now having, despite loss of some national funding, and the acorn planted many, many years ago has now seen this organisation support its first ever UK festival, in sunny Scarborough.

The variety in our festivals and events is a joy to behold and whilst some get huge grant income, up to circa €430,000 that some might feel could be better spent, others clearly get smaller contributions that perhaps fit the profile of a fledgling festival looking to establish roots and grow.

The split between City and County is always an interesting debate but we all know that a great festival or event for City or County is good for everyone concerned.

After all are we not one of the same?

There's rays of hope as City gets its place in the Sun!

My Grandpa always told me to very, very conscious of how you speak to people outside of your place of work and also championed the mantra that you must never judge a book by its cover.

These are two extremely important points to bear in mind if you own and run your own business as you must always remember that you are really never off duty and you are perpetually having to fly the flag for your own business. YOU are your business’s most important brand ambassador and therefore when you communicate with people face to face, on the mobile phone, by email, by letter or via social media remember that you will continually be judged in relation to your own business. And I will come back to this towards the end of this week’s article.

Waterford City retained its recent run of positive news stories this week when on Wednesday 25^th March Sun Life moved into their new premises, and these new premises were officially opened by Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton, Mayor of Waterford Cllr James Tobin, Sun Life’s Senior Vice President for Client and Technology Services David Healy, and Sun Life’s General Manager Karen Burns. All these speakers spoke of the drive and determination to make the Waterford arm of Sun Life’s global network one of the jewels in the business’s portfolio crown.

Sun Life in Waterford employs circa 300 staff members and the expansion into new premises gives a potential to employ many, many more and VP David Healy spoke of the team ethic of Waterford’s employees and their hard work and dedication that has made the Waterford facility as important as any other of Sun Life’s worldwide locations. In fact Minister Joan Burton also highlighted the fact that on a recent visit to the Group’s HQ the Waterford operation was talked about at Board Room level as one of the business’s best brand ambassadors. It is hoped that in future years Sun Life will take on several new staff members and this new premises is ready and suitable for any future expansion.

The opening of Sun Life’s new premises was much more than just another IDA backed expansion of an existing global business in Ireland. This was really a local team effort on many fronts and a huge amount of credit must go to Sun Life’s senior staff members for making sure that where ever possible contractors for the new premises were sourced locally. This commitment to source locally shows how it can be done, shows how it should be done and perhaps many other organisations should take note and copy this model. We need to see more large orga

nisations make a commitment to source locally as we all know that this makes commercial, financial and social sense.

There were a number of senior contractors engaged in the Sun Life project and these included; CJ Falconer and Associates Architects, Nevin Construction and Fieldmaster (Office Design and Service). There were also a number of smaller local contractors who were involved in the supply and fit out of IT, audio visual and so on. In total over 100 local people were involved in the project and that is a significant number of wage packets being invested directly back into our local economy.

Sun Life could easily have championed “a company sourcing or tendering policy from HQ” to use one particular supplier for this project. But they did exactly the opposite and credit must be given to them for making a commitment to source as much as possible from local Waterford businesses. The challenge is now to get other multi-nationals, government departments, and local authorities etc to look closer to home when seeking to find new suppliers. If there is a commitment to copy the Sun Life model then everyone will benefit. After all what is the sense in seeing wages being spent in Dublin, Limerick or Galway? We need a holistic approach to sourcing and engaging with local companies but above all we need leadership to make that commitment to try “by hook or by crook” to use local companies and therefore engage with local employees.

In addition to good news from Sun Life on Thursday 26^th March the Waterford Mail launched its first every annual golf charity competition in Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Club. A poignant moment for me to return to my first ever place of employment in Waterford City. The event will raise money for three local beneficiaries and I do hope that this event will be supported by local businesses as the causes do need the additional support that the money raised will bring.

Whilst at the launch I had the opportunity to meet with the new owner, Seamus Walsh (and his team), of Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Club and I have to say that I would be extremely encouraged that we will finally see this iconic island realise some of its latent potential. I believe that the new owner will not only make a significant difference to the Castle but he will also be an integral part of a resurgent Waterford and I am sure that he will be an important voice who will champion the need to connect with the people of Waterford City and County and the wider region. We wish you the very best of luck in your new venture.

 

So the above ultimately brings me back to my opening paragraph. I spent last week meeting with some wonderful business people who were to a man and women consummate professionals and ultimate brand ambassadors for their own businesses. And yet my week ended on a sad and bitter note that can ultimately be attributed to poor customer service.

On Sunday 29^th March, having competed a gruelling 100 kilometre charity cycle for Mount Sion Secondary School in aid of new Astroturf pitches, in hurricane like conditions, with a number of fellow The Biscuit Club members, I was met by a business owner who told me “Not to park that piece of s***e (my bicycle)” next to his apparently expensive bike. Initially shocked by this verbal attack I obviously had to retort in my usual Scottish manner. But this “business ambassador”, and I use this phrase loosely, has now lost a customer and a potential significant customer, as I will ultimately upgrade my “piece of s***e” at some time possibly later this year, but unfortunately not with him.

In business you must at all times take care how you speak to people as you can never be sure just where your next customer might come from!

“Loyal customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.” Food for thought.