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Bobby Kerr has been confirmed as the MC for the Cork Business Association’s 65th annual President’s Dinner and awards ceremony.

The event, which takes place at the newly-renovated Cork’s Vienna Woods Hotel on Saturday 23rd April, is always a highlight for local businesses and "foodies". Each year Cork’s top hotel chefs collaborate with award-winning local producers to create a "Taste of Cork" menu, in collaboration with CBA Director Claire Nash and the chosen venue. The executive head chefs chosen for this year’s event are Shane O’Brien, Hayfield Manor; Chris O’Sullivan, Cork International Hotel; Stuart Dardis, Clayton Hotel Silver Springs; Kevin Brady, Trident Hotel Kinsale; Meeran Manzor, The Blue Haven Kinsale; and Aidan O’Driscoll, Cork’s Vienna Woods.

One of Wicklow's "must visit" gardens is June Blake’s in Blessington.

Spread over three acres, the gardens were once nothing more than a great big field, but through inspired design and thoughtful planting, they are now truly breathtaking. The gardens wrap around June’s own Victorian farmhouse and granite-stone farm buildings and are famous for their annual tulip display. Paths weave their way through a sea of prairie-style planting, coloured borders, and the famous tulips which June painstakingly plants every year. In fact, some 7,000 tulip bulbs are planted annually, and they put on an almighty display come May when the gardens become a riot of colour.

Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort, also in Blessington, has teamed up with June Blake’s Gardens in order to create a gardening package that any green-fingered traveller would love.

Fifty-eight businesses from across North Clare have been recognised for their commitment to sustainability practices at an awards ceremony organised by the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark.

The enterprises in the Burren Ecotourism Network received "Code of Practice" certificates for the period 2020/2021 from the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. The code was developed with EU LIFE funding and launched by the Geopark in 2016. It is the only one of its kind in Ireland and within the 169 global Geoparks across 44 countries, worldwide.

Adherence to the code, which is a core criterion of membership of the Burren Ecotourism Network, involves a number of measures. These include measuring waste output, water consumption and energy usage, conservation and taking part in community outreach and advocacy initiatives, as well as networking events and green purchasing.

Into Kildare, the tourism board for County Kildare, has officially launched the "Paint The Town Red" campaign, a best-dressed window and building competition which will help promote and support businesses in Naas before and during the Punchestown Festival. 

The initiative will see shops and traders in Naas being encouraged to decorate their buildings and shop fronts in a racing inspired theme. This programme, which is being sponsored by Into Kildare, aims to highlight and promote local businesses in Naas and will serve to remind racegoers to shop, dine and do business in the town.

The Punchestown Festival this year runs from Tuesday 26th - Saturday 30th April.