Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2009

Dunbrody Strikes Gold

Congrats to Kevin and Catherine Dundon and the team at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, who struck gold at this year’s Gold Medal Awards, picking up the supreme Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence at a gala event in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel on 21 September.

Dunbrody scooped the top award following its earlier triumphing in the Country Houses & Guesthouses category, sponsored by Laurent-Perrier, and joined with 13 other category winners and 65 category finalists celebrating on the night.

Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2009 - Winners & Finalists

Five Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Edward Dillon & Company

Finalists:

Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick

Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa, Killarney, Co Kerry

Dylan, Dublin 4

The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry

The Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin 4

Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork

Winner:

The Europe Hotel & Resort

Four Star Hotels - Sponsored by: Remy Martin

Finalists:

Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal

Jurys Cork Hotel, Cork

Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa, Rosslare, Co Wexford

Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway

Westport Plaza Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

Winner:

Harvey’s Point Hotel

Three Star Hotels - Sponsored by: BWG Foodservice

Finalists:

Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway

Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick

Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry

Winner:

Claregalway Hotel

Country Houses & Guesthouses - Sponsored by: Laurent-Perrier

Finalists:

Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford

Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

Mount Falcon Country House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo

Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare

Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal

Rathsallagh House Hotel & Golf Club, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow

Winner:

Dunbrody Country House Hotel

Hotel Groups - Sponsored by: Allied Wines @ Barry & Fitzwilliam Ltd.

Finalists:

Carlton Hotel Group

Hotel Partners

Maldron Hotels

Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland

Winner:

Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland

Fine Dining Restaurants - Sponsored by: Paul Jaboulet Aine

Finalists:

The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

The Harvest Room Restaurant at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford

The House Restaurant at The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford

Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2

Winner:

The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle

Bistros & Brasseries - Sponsored by: Champagne Pannier from Classic Drinks

Finalists:

Castle Murray House Hotel Restaurant, Dunkineely, Co Donegal

Dylan Restaurant at Dylan, Dublin 4

O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co Galway

The Ballymore Inn, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare

The Poet’s Rest, Slane, Co Meath

Winner:

O’Grady’s on the Pier

Casual Dining - Sponsored by: Hungerford Hill from Classic Drinks

Finalists:

Andy’s Bar & Restaurant, Monaghan

Lohan’s Café Bar & Restaurant, Salthill, Galway

Maddens Bistro at the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2

Winner:

The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel

Ethnic Restaurants - Sponsored by Cobra Beer

Finalists:

Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 14

Bella Cuba, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow

Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Winner:

Chakra by Jaipur

Cafés & Coffee Shops - Sponsored by: The Kenco Coffee Company

Finalists:

Café Leon, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2

Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Stonecutters Kitchen, Doolin, Co Clare

The Silk Road Café at The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 2

Winner:

The Silk Road Café

In House Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership

Finalists:

Aramark/Campbell Catering at 02 Dublin, Dublin 2

Kylemore Food Group at Bank of Scotland Ireland, Dublin 2

Sodexo at PayPal, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Winner:

Sodexo at PayPal

Institutional Caterers - Sponsored by: The National Hygiene Partnership

Finalists:

Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private, Churchtown, Dublin 14

The Black Olive Catering Company at Barretstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare

Kylemore Food Group at St Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin 5

Skibbereen Residential Care, Skibbereen, Co Cork

Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Winner:

Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private

Wine Experience - Sponsored by: Gilbeys of Ireland

Finalists:

The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2

The Four Seasons, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

West at The Twelve, Barna, Co Galway

Winner:

The Four Seasons

Customer Experience - Sponsored by Failte Ireland

Finalists:

Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick

Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford

Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal

Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork

Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry

Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare

Winner:

Killeen House Hotel

NATIONAL RECRUITMENT FEDERATION AWARDS

Vote for Caterassist! Thanks!



VOTE Whatever for LISBON but YES for CATERASSIST!


Hello All….. The Caterassist Group is nominated again
for Jobseekers Choice Agency of the Year in conjunction with recruitireland.com

for the National Recruitment Federation Awards which is on Friday October, 2nd 2009 in Dublin.




We would appreciate if you would simply vote for us and press Caterassist Link and then the Done Button….. Thank you for your support and best wishes to date!





The Caterassist Recruitment Division Team





Press on link below to bring you to voting area.





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Finland found illegal GM in two food products

Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira has said they found non-authorised genetically modified material in two of 29 randomly tested products in 2008. Finland carries out random testing for GM material each year.

Last year’s samples were from soy and maize-containing foods and Chinese and American rice products. The testers found unauthorized GM BT63 rice in one sample of rice vermicelli; the product was withdrawn, destroyed, and consumers were informed. A rapid alert notification was also issued. The other product, a soy bean jelly, contained GM material in excess of 0.9 per cent, the level at which it has to be noted on the label by law. In this case, the importer was told to change the labelling, and control authorities were asked to look more closely at the importer’s controls.

The 2008 study also tested for GM in organic foods, in which no GM material is permitted. None was found in the samples analysed.

Cadbury removes palm oil from Dairy Milk in New Zealand

Cadbury is removing palm oil from its Dairy Milk recipe in New Zealand following complaints from consumers concerned about its environmental impact.

Environmental campaigners have criticised the confectioner for contributing to deforestation and the disappearance of the Orangutan by using palm oil as a cheap source of vegetable fat.


Back in 2004, for example, Friends of the Earth held a protest in London handing out chocolate bars at the Cadbury AGM relabeled to highlight the damaging effects of palm oil production.

Consumer feedback
Now the company has bowed to consumer pressure in New Zealand and is returning to a recipe that only uses cocoa butter. "Kiwi consumers have told us they don’t want palm oil in their Cadbury Dairy Milk, so it’s going,” said Cadbury New Zealand managing director, Matthew Oldham. Oldham apologised to consumers for changing the Dairy Milk recipe in the first place and said it was their feedback that prompted the company to remove palm oil entirely. He said: “Now we’re putting things right as soon as we possibly can, and hope Kiwis will forgive us.”

Reacting to the decision New Zealand Green Party MP Sue Kedgley said the u-turn was a great example of how consumer power can make a difference.

Compulsory labelling
Kedgley called for compulsory labelling of palm oil to help consumers vote with their feet over the hundreds of other food, cosmetic and cleaning products containing the vegetable oil. “Consumers have a right to this sort of information, so that they can avoid buying products which destroy native forests and contribute to deforestation, climate change and species extinction,” said Kedgley. Production will begin within a few weeks on the reformulated Cadbury Dairy Milk and so palm oil will shortly be gone from the chocolate bars in New Zealand.

Cadbury said it has no plans to remove palm oil from chocolate products outside the country. In a statement the confectioner said: "It is a local issue for New Zealand and it is not relevant to any other countries".

We’re not planning warm ice cream, Unilever says

Unilever has denied that it is actively developing ambient ice cream, following newspaper reports that such a product is part of a programme to reduce the environmental impact of its consumer goods.

The Times of London reported yesterday that the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods firm is conducting research in this area at its own laboratories, and in partnership with scientists from Cambridge University. As normal ice cream must be frozen throughout transport and storage, a product sold at room temperature to be frozen only in the consumers’ home would have a great impact on energy use and carbon emissions.

But a spokesperson for Unilever told FoodNavigator.com today that ambient ice cream is “something we are aware of, but we have no plans to develop this kind of product”. He declined to give details of any research or progress in the industry at large, but said the R&D ice cream specialists are “aware of all sorts of ideas”.

Red hot and icy
The ice cream market is incredibly competitive, and leading brand owners such as Unilver and Nestle battle to come up with innovative product formats, flavours and textures each year. However their research and development activities are often enshrouded in secrecy, so as to take the market by surprise when they are finally ready to launch.

At the same time, consumers are increasingly keen on products that have proven green credentials, so an ambient ice cream product that tastes and feels as authentic as normal ice cream could do well. The Times reported the company as saying that one of the main challenges behind an ambient ice cream would be ensuring it has the right microstructure.

Other developments
Unilever has made headlines for its development of other ice cream texture solutions in recent times. In May it received European novel foods approval for its ice structuring proteins (ISP), which can help reduce the fat and calorie content of products by up to 50 per cent. They are also said to allow more fruit to be used, better taste, better structure and slower melting. ISPs are found in nature, in fish and certain vegetables for instance, helping them to survive in icy conditions. But since it would be uneconomical to tap these resources on a commercial scale, Unilever found a way to make them using yeast fermentation technology.

Ice cream sales
In its Q2 financial report, released this month, Unilever reported turnover of €2,468m for ice cream – up 4.9 per cent on the prior year period. Growth has been particularly strong in the emerging and developing markets, including Asia and Latin America, although Western Europe also saw growth despite the tough economy.

The Hot List 2009

NO. 1

PERY SQUARE HOTEL & SPA, LIMERICK, IRELAND

PHOTO GALLERY

Limerick, Ireland's third city, is on the rise, and No. 1 Pery Square is its new standard-bearer. Overlooking a tree-lined park, this 20-room hotel created from two 18th-century townhouses (one largely rebuilt), brings luxury country-house living to the city.

A five-year labour of love for owners Patricia and George Roberts, it combines period furniture and paintings with classy contemporary pieces. The large Period Style Rooms have super-size beds made up with fine Irish linen, and there are freestanding baths and hand-woven Georgian screens in the bathrooms.

The smaller, more contemporary Club Rooms in the rebuilt house have individual touches such as Aran throws over the beds and Bath Butler menus (including seaweed baths). The Irish ethos is key, even in the hotel's biggest wow factor, the largest urban spa in Ireland, which is housed in its atmospheric cellars. Here guests can bliss out in the Irish Mist Steam Shower, absorbing wild Irish herbs, or indulge in treatments using exclusive Voya seaweed products.

Even the ingredients for the excellent, French-influenced Brasserie One are sourced from top artisan Irish food producers (pig's trotters, a local delicacy, are reinvented as a contemporary classic).

Tea consumers may have younger biological age

The cells of regular tea drinkers may have a younger biological age than cells from non-drinkers, according to new research from China. Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong looked at the length of telomeres, DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that shorten as cells replicate and age.

The ageing and lifespan of normal, healthy cells are linked to the so-called telomerase shortening mechanism, which limits cells to a fixed number of divisions. During cell replication, the telomeres function by ensuring the cell's chromosomes do not fuse with each other or rearrange, which can lead to cancer.


Elizabeth Blackburn, a telomere pioneer at the University of California San Francisco, likened telomeres to the ends of shoelaces, without which the lace would unravel. With each replication the telomeres shorten, and when the telomeres are totally consumed, the cells are destroyed (apoptosis). Previous studies have also reported that telomeres are highly susceptible to oxidative stress. Some experts have noted that telomere length may be a marker of biological ageing.

"The antioxidative properties of tea and its constituent nutrients may protect telomeres from oxidative damage in the normal ageing process," wrote the authors in the British Journal of Nutrition. The Hong Kong-based researchers, led by Ruth Chan, noted that the telomeres of people who drank an average of three cups of tea per day were about 4.6 kilobases longer than people who drank an average of a quarter of a cup a day.

This average difference in the telomere length corresponds to “approximately a difference of 5 years of life”, wrote the researchers, led by Ruth Chan. Dr Chan told NutraIngredients that "Chinese tea" in their study refers to both black and green tea, but added: "Our data showed that majority of Chinese tea consumed by our subjects were of green tea".

Tea break
Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent. The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin.

Study details
The study’s findings are based on the telomere lengths of 976 Chinese men and 1,030 Chinese women aged over 65. The participants’ dietary habits were evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. Overall, only tea consumption was associated with telomere length. The highest intakes, three cups or 750 millilitres per day, was associated with significantly longer telomere lengths, compared to people who drank 70 millilitres per day or less, said the researchers.

Multivitamins, too?
Recently, researchers from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reported that telomere length was longer in regular multivitamin users in their cohort of 586 women aged between 35 and 74. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the US-based researchers noted that theirs was the “first epidemiologic study of multivitamin use and telomere length. “Regular multivitamin users tend to follow a healthy lifestyle and have a higher intake of micronutrients, which sometimes makes it difficult to interpret epidemiologic observations on multivitamin use,” they said.

Pensioner to sue Tesco 'after being hit by falling pineapple'

Mary Raimo, a 76-year-old grandmother, is suing Tesco after she was allegedly hit on the back of the head by a falling pineapple. The pensioner claims to have suffered severe neck pain and headaches since the incident happened in her local store in Lochee, Dundee, which has since closed down, and is demanding compensation.

"I was in the reduced section for the fruit, looking at some on the second shelf. Another lady was looking at the pineapples on the top shelf," she said. "The next thing I knew - clunk - I got hit on the back of the head. I dropped my basket and staggered to the floor. My vision was blurred. I could not think straight. I sat there for a while and got my bearings. I didn't dare drive home, so I got them to phone my sister and come and pick me up."

A doctor later diagnosed concussion, but she claims she has been in pain since the incident happened a year ago.

"My neck is still sore," she told The Daily Mirror. "When I'm driving I can't turn and see what is coming. It's a horrible feeling."

Alasdair Wannan, her lawyer, who is attempting to trace witnesses, said: "It is her position the shelf was poorly stacked. Tesco say it was another customer who knocked it off. We are not seeking massive damages, but we would be looking for £3,000 or £4,000 to compensate for Mary's injuries."

A Tesco spokeswoman said: "Customer safety is very important to usand we are looking into what happened, our best wishes are with the Mary Raimo for a speedy recovery. As this matter is in the hands of our insurance team, we're unable to comment further."

Irish Tatler Spa Awards 2009 Winners

Irish Tatler has announced the winners of their inaugural Spa Awards.

Voted by the public over the last three months, they have chosen their top spas, therapists and treatments.







Best Overall Spa
The spa that you return to again and again, with treatments to die for and therapists with healing hands.
Winner
Monart Destination Spa
Runners up
Samas Spa at the Park Hotel Kenmare
Temple Country Retreat and Spa

Best Therapist
This award goes to the therapist who excels in terms of expertise, knowledgability and manner.
Winner
Lillija Balkovfaja (The Four Season Hotel, Dublin 4)
Runners up
Paul Harrington (Monart Destination Spa, Co. Wexford)
Johanna Daly (Solas Spa at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Co. Sligo)

Best Facial
A treatment that evinces remarkable results for the face.
Winner
Purest Facial (K Spa at the K club, co. Kildare)
Runners up
Ole Henriksen Facial (Spirit One Spa at the Radisson SAS, Galway)
ESPA Super Actives Repairing and Restoring Facial (Slieve Donard Resort, Co. Down)

It Factor
Awarded to the spa that offers a uniquely special experience.
Winner
The Spa at the Delphi Mountain Resort, Co. Galway
Runners up
The Bathhouse at Bellinter House, Co, Meath
The Well Spa at the Cliff House, Co. Waterford

Best Body Treatment
A body treatment whose benefits are worth every cent.
Winner
Specific Pain Relief Algae Treatment (The Island Spa at Inchydoney Hotel)
Runners Up
Aromasoul Treatment (Sheraton Fota Island, Co. Cork)
Organic Herbal Hydartion Body Masque (Sansana Spa at the Royal Marine Hotel, Co. Dublin)

Spa Style Award
A spa whose design makes for a remarkable ambience.
Winner
Samas spa at the Park Hotel Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Runners up
Espa at the G Hotel, Galway
The Spa at Catlemarty Resort, Co. Cork.

Best Spa Product Line
The spa product line that produces outstanding results.
Winner
Espa
Runners Up
Pevonia Botanica
Comfort Zone

Holistic Award
The spa that offers more than the traditional treatments, using a mind and body approach to blissful effect.
Winner
Yauvana Spa at the Kingsley Hotel, Cork
Runners up
The Cloisters Spa at the Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney
Angsana Spa at the Brehon Hotel, Killarney

Best Service
Awarded to the spa whose staff exemplify professional, friendly and consistent service.
Winner
Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Killarney
Runners Up
The Spa at Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare
The Ice House, Co. Mayo

Innovation Award
The spa that goes that extra mile to provide its clients with treatments sourced for specific needs - cutting edge therapies that produce genuine results.
Winner
Cancer Care spa Treatments at Kelly’s Resort & Spa, Co. Wexford
Runners up
‘Wellness Manager’ system at Espa at The Europe Hotel
Voya Seaweed Baths, Co. Sligo

Rome tourists get $980 restaurant lunch bill

After tourists complain about sky-high lunch bill, police investigate and Rome's Passetto restaurant is temporarily closed.

ROME — They were looking for a bit of La Dolce Vita but what two Japanese tourists got in a restaurant in Rome left a bad taste in their mouths. The couple was handed a 695 euro ($980) restaurant bill after lunch last month at a restaurant just steps away from Piazza Navona.


The bill included a euro115.50 ($160) tip they say they didn't agree to, Rome police said Thursday. The case made headlines in national newspapers, reportedly angering Mayor Gianni Alemanno. Police temporarily shut down the restaurant after the couple filed a complaint, said police official Michele Laratta.

Restaurant owner Franco Fioravanti told Italian newspapers that the couple looked satisfied when they left the Passetto restaurant, and that they ordered a lavish meal that included oysters, lobsters, sea bass and porcini mushrooms. "If one wants to spend money, with us one can," Fioravanti told La Repubblica. "What's wrong with that?"

The couple — a 35-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman — filed their complaint a few days after their June 19 lunch at the posh century-old restaurant, Laratta said. According to the couple's account to police, they sat outdoors and an English-speaking waiter offered to bring a few dishes without the couple's consulting the menu, Laratta said. What followed was a euro100 ($140) bottle of Sauvignon and a several-course extravaganza. Several national papers printed what they said was the receipt from the meal, which also showed pasta dishes for euro 200 ($280).

After the complaint, police checked the prices on the receipt against those on the menu the Japanese said they never saw, and found a major discrepancy. "They are way higher, quite a bit disproportionate," Laratta said. Police also sent health inspectors, who found defective refrigerators, contamination among different foods and other below-standard procedures in the restaurant's kitchens, according to Laratta and news reports.

The restaurant was closed temporarily, and officials are also considering revoking the restaurant's license. The Passetto restaurant was closed to the public Thursday and personnel inside refused to comment to the AP. The restaurant is a classic of Rome cuisine. Its Web site lists among its guests movie stars past and present — from Ava Gardner to Leonardo DiCaprio — as well as Queen Elizabeth, Grace Kelly and Salvador Dali.

Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival

2nd - 4th October, 2009

This year's festival will include the second annual Blas na hÉireann National Irish Food Awards!

Abalone shellfish farm eyes Japanese export market

IRELAND’S first abalone shellfish farm, which was officially opened in Beara, Co Cork, yesterday hopes to export most of its output to Japan when fully operational in the next three to five years.





Abalone is not widely known in Ireland as it is not a native species. There is currently no domestic market for the shellfish. However, it is considered a delicacy in the Far East and has a high value as a result.

The species, Ezo awabi, farmed in Ireland, is the preferred choice in Japan and can demand up to €40-€60 a kilo. The export market, therefore, is seen as having great potential for the years ahead. Tower Aqua Products Ltd, owned and operated by Michael O’Neill and business partner Aidan McGurn, was researched and developed over the last five years. With the help of Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) a feasibility study was carried out, following which grant aid for the development was approved.

Minister of State Tony Killeen, who officially opened the farm, said it was a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit in difficult economic times that small enterprises such as Tower Aqua are starting up new ventures. The minister said they are progressing new and innovative ways to do business that will ultimately increase output and generate jobs for coastal communities. "West Cork is well known internationally for its quality shellfish and I hope that this intriguing new species will also become well established and sought after worldwide. There is no doubt that the beautiful clean waters around the Beara peninsula and the pursuit of the highest standards by this farm, coupled with BIM’s business development support, will ensure Irish abalone gains an excellent reputation in our key markets," he said.

BIM is currently working closely with abalone farmers in Ireland – there are presently six farms in operation – to develop business plans, identify new routes to market and grow their business. BIM chief executive, Jason Whooley, said worldwide production for abalone currently stands at 30,000 tonnes. Through strategic business development, Ireland’s abalone industry can benefit from operating in this competitive market just as it has with already well-established species such as mussels, oysters and salmon. "The development of new species such as abalone in the Irish aquaculture industry is a perfect example of how an innovative new company from rural, coastal Ireland can drive innovation in the seafood sector as a whole," the BIM chief said.

Tower Aqua Products, expects to employ up to 10 people full time when fully operational.

Ballymaloe chef gives cheap food a roasting

Allen says farmers will disappear unless the public forks out more
One of the country's foremost advocates for local produce has waded into the farmers' price battle. Good food guru Darina Allen says supermarkets are sourcing food anywhere as long as it's cheaper and that the consumer has no birthright to cheap food at any cost. The founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School feels this is such a big issue it's time to take a stand.

"Farmers are certainly not being paid enough. The pressure has been on for years to supply cheap food at any cost. There are huge health and social issues to be considered and for farmers and horticulturalists it's disastrous. Our food should be our medicine, and yet some people think we have a god-given right to cheap food and want to pay half nothing for the food we need."

Darina Allen dismisses the notion there is any snobbery in her stance but says that rather we must see past our noses when it comes to nourishment and fair play for farmers. "Yes, these are tough times and there is a recession, but one of the last things to cut down on is food. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. If you don't put good food on the table you will end up giving the money to the doctor or chemist instead. We must pay farmers a fair price so that they can earn an honest living. How can you sit down and enjoy a meal if you paid half nothing for it, it's immoral, it's wrong. People are being very short-sighted, they should vote with their feet. Irish farmers can no longer compete and there is no loyalty to them here in Ireland."

But she also believes that Irish farmers have to pull up their socks. "The milk price at the moment is a disgrace. We've got to loosen up regulation and run down to the farmers locally like we did years ago for our milk. What would be wrong with the local milk round again? We were reared on raw milk. Many people live near a dairy farm. What would be wrong with farmers selling directly to their neighbours? We all must examine our conscience. We talk about jobs and all the time we complain about the price of food but what's in our fridge. Are we going to practise what we preach? We can buy fantastic Irish produce this time of year, carrots and turnips and Irish stuff. Every single one of us can make a difference and we need to wake up to that. If we want good food, the farmer has to be able to earn a decent and honest living. All they want is a fair and honest price, when will the penny drop? No farmers, no food."

But alas, Darina does admit that some of our problems are home-grown. "A few little basic cookery skills can help people to live cheaply, and while in the boom of the Celtic Tiger years people developed great careers, now that the credit cards have stopped working they are left without any life skills, they can't cook, garden or keep a few hens. They are helpless. If they knew how to sow a few seeds they could live so much more cheaply, but they are at the mercy of the retail outlets."

Tallagh Property Developer comes up with novel idea to improve cashflow

TROUBLED property developer Liam Carroll has come up with a novel idea to improve cash flow – by converting two hotels he owns in Tallaght into bedsits. The 186-bedroom Tallaght Cross Hotel and the 48-bedroom Glashaus hotel, both of which closed in January, have reopened, offering rooms to rent on a long-term basis.



Both hotels had been aimed at the upper end of the business market but had failed to attract sufficent numbers of customers to the area which is already well supplied with hotels. Double bedrooms are now being rented out at €575-€600 each per month. So far, over 50 rooms have been let, according to a property source, who says that they’ve been converted to bedsits through the addition of a kettle and a microwave.

1,000 rooms for €37 in the Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport

The Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport is celebrating the retirement of the hotel’s longest serving member of staff, Paddy Hanlon, by offering a special room rate of €37, that’s €1 for every year of his service.

Paddy, Head Night Porter, began working in the hotel in 1972 is a well known and much loved character throughout the airport community and in 37 years has never taken a sick day.


The offer will be available for all new bookings for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 25th April to 31st December 2009, with 1,000 rooms bring made available on the promotion.









A room in the Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport.

Speaking about his long standing service, Paddy Hanlon said; “Over the past 37 years, I’ve met many interesting people from all across the world and I have had a wonderful time working at the Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport. I am delighted that to celebrate my retirement the hotel should decide to honour my 37 years in such a special way, by giving something back to our loyal customers who have been great to me and have given me so much pleasure in looking after them. I’m confident that those availing of the €37 offer will enjoy their stay in the hotel as much as I have enjoyed working here".

The hotel is situated on the grounds of Dublin Airport and runs a complimentary shuttle to the airport. It has also recently launched a complimentary bus service direct to the city centre. The Clarion has 248 fully air conditioned bedrooms and offers complimentary WIFI in the lobby, bar, restaurant and meeting rooms.

Terms and conditions apply to the offer and it is only available to book via the dedicated website www.clarionhotelsireland.com/paddy.