New directors for Charleville Chamber group
OVER twenty people from across the local business community attended the re-convened meeting of Charleville Chamber at the E Centre, Baker’s Road, Charleville last week.
The outgoing president, P. J. McCarthy, outlined the reasons for the meeting, saying they needed a more representative attendance from the business community than was at the annual general meeting of some weeks ago. “We have serious issues for Charleville coming down the line with advent of Brexit imminent and the M20 Motorway, and new blood is needed to refresh the Chamber to address the challenges of the future,” he said
Adding to this, Cllr. Ian Doyle outlined the changes that will be enforced with the reconfiguration of Cork County Council through the annexation of Ballincollig by Cork City Council, which will severely dent the finances of the Council.
“Charleville is a strong commercial, industrial, retail and residential centre on the periphery of Cork county, and it is vital to have a strong Chamber to represent the town to lobby for funding, to have an input into the County Development Plan, and to lobby the design team which has been appointed to plot the course of the M20 Motorway, to ensure that the exits off the motorway for Charleville are beneficial to the town,” he said.
Earlier, Sean Fitzgibbon, the administrator of the Chamber, in a presentation, traced the progress of the Chamber over the past four years and the services it has been instrumental in providing for members in that period. These included social media and E commerce marketing, Facebook and Twitter and Linkedin pages, blog articles and promoting events, sales and special offers.
The Chamber was also active in initiating planning for the installation of CCTV cameras in the town and area. The first phase will see eight cameras installed in strategic locations around the town and these will greatly help to alleviate crime prevention and if it does happen will improve crime detection.
The Chamber is working with Cork County Council to alleviate traffic congestion in the town, and this is a on-going challenge and is prohibiting the further development and progression.
He also pointed to the success of the Chamber’s sub-committee, Charleville Heritage Society, which is working to promote the history and heritage of Charleville, its unique twinning with similar coastal Heritage Society in Croesgoch in Wales, who will be visiting Charleville at the end of June for Charleville Agricultural Show. He outlined their plans to establish a museum in the town, a Boyle Trail and their bid to develop Moatville House as a tourist attraction locally.
Sean also highlighted the Heritage’s Society’s lead in organising the new community plan for Charleville in conjunction with Ballyhoura Development, which will be launched this week, and the Chamber’s collaboration with Cork ETB in formulating the courses at the former Mannix College, their involvement in providing Christmas lights for the town, and in mentoring TY students of Charleville CBS school mini-companies.
Mr. McCarthy thanked the outgoing directors, Jim O’Mahony and John Donegan, for their services to the Chamber over the years and the following were elected for the coming year after Mr. McCarthy stated that he would remain on as President for a period of six months: Martin Condon, Ms Bernie Carroll, Ms Mary Tattan, Ms Monica Gilmore, Ms Grainne Nally, James Sheehy, Ian Doyle, Michael McGrath, Michael Donegan, Ray Lee, Paul Murray, Stephen Egan, Ger O’Connor, Adrian Wells, administrator, Sean Fitzgibbon. Those willing to act on sub-committees were: Ms Maria O’Donoghue, Gerry McBride, Eddie O’Shea, Ms Kelley Lyons and Ms Kathryn Dalton.