‘A hard-working and charming lady’
ON Wednesday evening last Enniscorthy & District Chamber of Commerce held its Annual General Meeting at its new premises on Templeshannon Quay and elected a new president. Maree Lyng, vice president since 2015, took over the reins from outgoing President John Burke O’Leary. Maree is no stranger to the business, cultural, social and voluntary community of Enniscorthy having been active in all modes since coming to the town in 1986 and is also well known in Wexford GAA circles being the mother of Diarmuid (Gizzy) and Ciaran Lyng along with brothers David and Michael.
Originally from Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Maree comes from a retail background, her family owning a drapery shop - Galways of Thomastown. She married Michael Lyng and was transfered to AIB, Enniscorthy in 1986 under David Quaid and worked her way up from cash teller to local branch manager. She has been a member of the Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce since 2010 and also works with the Rockin Food Festival and the Brooklyn Committee.
This lovely lady with the ready smile will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to her new role and her vision or Mission Statement for Enniscorthy & District Chamber of Commerce is to promote and improve the business environment, stimulate a vibrant local economy and produce a co-operative effort to enhance the overall quality of life in the area.
Maree sees Enniscorthy and District Chamber as a most diverse, dedicated and talented group up of people working together to build and nurture a healthy business environment and promote cultural advancement and social harmony in the town and its environs and she is very much looking forward to working with them over the next couple of years. Maree has been vice president to John Burke O’Leary for the past two years and says ‘John’s commitment and leadership has been outstanding and I hope to further develop and bring to fruition some of the ideas and actions that John has already put in motion’.
At the recent AGM Maree welcomed as many as five former chamber presidents and said: ‘We are blessed in Enniscorthy to have the full supported of our former Presidents and each brings their own individual experience and expertise to the able.
‘I am delighted to advise that our team of vice president Michael O’Leary of Sherry Fitzgerald O’Leary Kinsella; treasurer Connie Doyle and secretary Margot Banville Hogan are committed to their two years with me and I wish to sincerely thank them for their dedication and work behind the scenes.’
Maree also had a word of thanks for Eu- gene Doyle Accountants and Shiel Kinnear Accountants for continuing to work with and on behalf of the Chamber. Maree also said she is looking forward to working with the dynamic CEO of the Chamber Catriona Murphy ‘as we head into a most exciting and positive time for Enniscorthy and District’.
Maree outlined plans to hold at least four meetings apart from AGM for all of the chamber membership to attend. ‘This should ensure that we are always relevant and important in your business strategies,’ she said.
‘On Friday last I met with Larry McHale our engineer on the Enniscorthy Flood Defence Scheme, Maree told AGM, ‘to discuss time lines on our town’s development. He advises that there has been over a million euro spent already on site investigation works, traffic management, ecology surveys and we should have a public display for the scheme by November 2017.’
Maree extended an invitation to all to visit the new chamber offices at Templeshannon Qyay where infomation and advice for new start ups and existing businesses is available and concluded by thanking all of the people of Enniscorthy and District for the support that they have always given her and says that she is indeed honoured now as president to serve the business community and all our towns in the district.
Maree Lyng is a hard working and charming lady with the ability to get things done efficiently and well with minimum disruption and the greatest respect for people and their concerns. She understands both people and business and that can only be good for the Chamber and the town and I would like to take this opportunity to wish her well in her new endeavour.w