Local businesses set out their stalls
A CROSS-SECTION of local businesses showcased what they have to offer in Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne’s sports hall on Friday night where Bank of Ireland’s Dingle branch hosted the town’s first Enterprise Town event.
The bank-led initiative aimed to support local businesses by providing a platform where they could promote the services they offer and network with their fellow business-people. The event was diligently promoted around Dingle by local Bank of Ireland Manager Michael McCarthy and the success of his efforts was to be seen in the packed sports hall and the positive response of businesses that set out their stalls there.
Paddy Chauvet, who recently closed his Skipper restaurant in Ventry and is moving the business to the Dingle Peninsula Hotel near Gallarus, felt the night provided a valuable opportunity to let people know about his new venture and where it is located.
Orla Moran, who opened her Classic Hair Design salon in 1998 and is now based in Green Street, Dingle, thought the enterprise night was very beneficial to local businesses and was ‘a fun thing to do’ into the bargain.
Tim and Josie Finn of Curtain Call on John Street, who measure, make and fit curtains, were happy to report that West Kerry is riding on the coat-tails of the national economic recovery. “We’re as busy now as we were during the boom,” said Tim.
Also reaping the benefits of Ireland’s green shoots of recovery is Jason Courtney whose Courtney & Sons Property Maintenance business provides a range of services from chimney cleaning to grass cutting. Jason reckons that when the economy picks up in cities such as Dublin, Dingle quickly sees the benefits. Holiday home owners are again able to afford to hire him to maintain their houses and local tourism operators are too busy to cut their own lawns so there’s more work for people providing services.
Jason said the ‘personal touch’ is vital for doing business in West Kerry and that view would be shared by Irene Flannery and the crew in the Ré Nua Natural Health Clinic, which has been operating in Dingle for the past five years. Irene offers nutritional therapy, her sister Michelle does massage, another sister, Brenda, provides group meditations and angel healing therapy, her daughter Elouise does childen’s art classes. Ciarán Broadbury does homeopathy, Marie Daly provides acupuncture, Neasa O’Connor does reflexology and Eddie O’Grady takes care of physical therapy. “We can fix everything, without drugs,” said Michelle who felt the Enterprise Town event was very useful for introducing people to the services offered byy Ré Nua.