News

Storehouse stays as top attraction

The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin continues to welcome the largest number of visitors of any other attraction in Ireland while the Cliffs of Moher are still standing tall in second place over Dublin Zoo.

The final visitor figures for the Guinness Storehouse for 2019 have confirmed that 1,732,528 people visited the St James’s Gate attraction last year.

This was just 2,528 or 0.15% more than the 2018 figure of 1.7m.

Visitor numbers at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience in County Clare increased by 1.58% to 1,605,131 in 2019, another record year for visitors to the iconic attraction in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark.

Maura Brennan RIP

Maura Brennan, mother of hoteliers Franciss and John Brennan has passed away in her 97th year.

She was predeceased by her husband Tom (Stepaside, Dublin). and was mother of Damien (Sligo), Francis (Kenmare), Catherine (Kate)(Dublin), Susan (Sligo) and John (Kenmare).

Swim ban looms for Dublin beach

Swimming is set to be permanently banned at Merrion Strand in Dublin due to ongoing poor water quality results, according to Dublin City Council.

The south Dublin beach failed to meet minimum EU bathing water standards for four years in a row up to and including 2018.

If it fails to meet the minimum standards for a fifth consecutive year, a “permanent prohibition” on bathing will be put in place. It would be the first Irish beach to have such a prohibition.

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not issue the results of its 2019 bathing water quality tests until April or May, the council has said there is a “high risk” Merrion Stand will again fail to make the grade.

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Happy Pear in Musgrave deal

The Happy Pear, the vegetarian-vegan food brand of brothers Dave and Steve Flynn, has struck an exclusive licensing deal with the Musgrave Group to develop, distribute and market its products across Ireland - and potentially worldwide.

The agreement deepens Musgrave's seven-year relationship selling Happy Pear retail products in its SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores. Their new partnership means Musgrave has acquired from the Flynns the responsibility for producing, distributing and marketing all Happy Pear packaged retail products.

It also means The Happy Pear and Musgrave "will cooperate in researching and activating international markets globally".

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Synge and Byrne looks South

The owners of Northern Ireland cafe business Synge & Byrne are examinining options for the chain's first location in the Republic as they seek to Brexit-proof their firm. sybgebyrne

Director and co-owner Adrian Garvey said the chain hoped to open its first outlet here by the second quarter of this year, and would target regional and commuter towns for expansion.

Synge & Byrne has seven outlets in Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Newry, Derry and Dungannon.

The Garveys - whose BWL Group also operates the O'Brien's Sandwich Bars chain in Northern Ireland - developed the Synge & Byrne concept in 2013 and initially opened three outlets.