POSITIVE MESSAGES FOR 2021!
Sligo Weekender reporter Alan Finn got in touch with 15 well known Sligo people and asked each of them what they hope to achieve in the upcoming year, what their hopes for Sligo are – and asked each for a positive message for the people of Sligo
BRENDAN TIERNEY
MARKETING AND DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
Personally I’d love to have my online School of Motoring video tutorials up and running and see the return of my comedy festival next autumn. I’d also love to get more TV/film acting roles after a getting my first cast role in 2020.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
That people keep the affinity for supporting local as was so prevalent in 2020 despite all the difficulties. I’d also like to see people put out more positivity about Sligo and not jump on the negativity social band wagon because of traffic jams or the likes.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
Sligo is about to really take off and 2021 is the year it begins. I genuinely believe in three to five years it will be one of the more popular places to visit in Europe. When these lockdowns end, it well re-awaken like we’ve never seen it do before.
CARADH O’DONOVAN
KARATE STAR AND RADIO PRESENTER
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
I hope to get back competing in karate after a lot of injury and illness this year and hopefully make it to the Olympic Games in Tokyo if they go ahead.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county for 2021?
So many sectors and people have been negatively affected by Covid in 2020 but as a sportsperson, I really hope that grassroots sports and clubs in Sligo are supported through the pandemic and that sport can get back up and running across the county at all levels.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
I’ve honestly struggled to stay positive throughout this crazy year so I’m not sure I’m qualified to give a message on this! The way I’ve managed to get through the year is to try to focus on each day as it comes and stay hopeful that we’re nearly out the other side of it.
TOMMY HIGGINS
ENTREPRENEUR AND SLIGO ROVERS CHAIRMAN
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
I have a lot of projects on the go for 2021 to keep me busy but the primary focus will be on Sligo Rovers. We are in the Europa League which brings extra excitement for the fans and we are also working on a masterplan for the club. I am also looking forward to the opening of the County Sligo Great War Memorial Garden in the spring.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
I really believe that very good times are coming to Sligo town and the county. The pandemic will pass and there will be opportunities. The indications are there. More people wish to come to live and work in our area so we have embrace the goodwill that is out there. We also have to embrace change and run with it. Forget about 2020, it’s over. 2021 will be much better.
What is your message of positivity for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
There is no percentage in being negative and far more to gain with positivity. There is so much to look forward to. We are living in a beautiful part of the world so my suggestion is to get out and enjoy the wonderful beaches and nature trails in our county when you can.
EDDIE LEE
MUSICIAN AND PHOTOGRAPHER
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
Go to number one (!) with the forthcoming Those Nervous Animals album, The Mission Sessions which releases on January 22. To take lots of great photos and more portraits. I’m hosting my first solo exhibition in the Hyde Bridge Gallery in August. As artistic director, I’m also hopeful of running a physical jazz festival and summer school again. One other development is an exciting film project I am part of which will reimagine Sligo’s cultural life.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
An end to the pandemic and that everyone gets their jabs so we can return to normal life. I hope most of the local businesses can return and regain some prosperity and to see our amazing cultural community back at work and the phenomenal music scene return to our town. I always believed Sligo should be marketed internationally as the New Orleans of Ireland, maybe that can begin to happen once the pandemic is a thing of the past.
What is your message of positivity of the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
Sligo is a haven for the arts, now more than ever, so let’s embrace and encourage our artistic community and help it prosper. If that happens, prosperity will come to Sligo. We can transform from Ireland’s best kept secret to an internationally renowned travel destination full of music, art and culture.
NESSA COSGROVE
YOUTH WORKER AND LABOUR PARTY REPRESENTATIVE
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
I would love to read one book a month and to have 12 read by the end of 2021 – books that have been lying around the house for years! Hopefully do the Warriors Run. I did it a few years ago and it nearly killed me but I would love to do it again and maybe actually enjoy it this time. Also to campaign and do whatever I can to try to end the unfair and unjust working conditions for people working in the voluntary and community sector.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
That we will be able to go back to interacting like the way we did before but by keeping the momentum of the community spirit alive which has been so evident over that last few months by the provision of additional supports for outdoor public spaces. Continue to see Sligo grow as a tourist destination and as a great place to live and work which will no doubt be encouraged several fantastic new projects.
What is your positive message for
the people of Sligo in 2021?
We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world with so many natural amenities on our doorstep and to make the most of this over the coming months and to live with the hope that things can only get better.
DARA MULVEY
COUNCILLOR AND CATHOIRLEACH OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
I hope to be able to use my office as Cathoirleach to voice the concerns and hopes of all the people of our county and to help promote the quality of life which Co. Sligo has to offer and is known for.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
My hopes are to see the day soon when all our sporting and tourism facilities will be back to full use at every available opportunity. I long for the day when the arts are revived by amateurs and professionals who entertain us with live performances on our theatre stages, music venues, church choirs, festivals and feis ceoil.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
To realize this pandemic will pass. Strength and resilience is in our DNA. We shall succeed and experience a bright tomorrow with new opportunities and challenges. We need to support local businesses and to keep in contact with our neighbours, especially those who live alone in urban and rural areas. To all the essential workers who answered the call during this emergency we thank you most sincerely and we will never forget your sacrifices.
CONOR O’GRADY
SLIGO ROVERS LEGEND AND HEAD OF ACADEMY AT THE CLUB
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
I am looking to achieve plenty in my new role as Head of Academy at Sligo Rovers. Initially building and forming relationships will be my main priority when I start. The pandemic at present makes it impossible for us to get back on the football field. But it is important that everyone stays safe and healthy for now. On a personal note, I became an uncle for the first time during lockdown and it would be amazing to see my niece Erin who was born in London and is six months now.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
I hope as a town and county we can return to everyday normality, if that is ever possible again. I hope our businesses can reopen, our children can flourish once more and everyone remains healthy and safe in 2021.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
My positive message for the people of Sligo is we will come through this and we will be better people for it.
ADRIAN EAMES
RTÉ RADIO AND TV COMMENTATOR
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
It’s difficult at the start of 2021 to know what things will be like this year. Last year I was due to go to Tokyo for the Olympic Games. If the games go ahead this year, it’s likely to be a very different experience. The European Soccer Championships were deferred until this year so we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Having commentated on matches on WatchLOI last year and presuming the service returns, I’d love to do more.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
I’d love to see the town and county prosper. It’s such a difficult time for so many people. I guess the one thing we’ve learned from the pandemic is the importance of health, family and community. The country appears to be at a critical juncture so it would be great if we could pull together to defeat the virus.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
Stay strong and be as positive as you can. I say that, but I know it’s not easy. There was a great sense of community when the first wave struck back in March. Sometimes people need to show leadership and do the right thing for their family and friends. There are brighter days ahead.
SHANE GILLEN
MUSIC MANAGER AND ARTIST
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
My hopes for 2021 are a little broader than they are personal. My own work with our company Big and Bright Ltd has been kept very busy the past few months. I’m aware that so many people are in a much tougher situation, so I think it’s almost hard to set personal aspirations for the year beyond being grateful to still have work and instilling as much happiness and hope as I can in people. My broader hope is for the light at the end of the tunnel of this pandemic to come a little closer.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
I get such joy from people who just sort of “discover Sligo”. I remember the Sligo Who Knew campaign a couple of years back that generated quite a buzz around the beauty of Sligo. This is such a beautiful part of the world and I feel like it often gets forgotten in various tourism campaigns. I’d love to see Sligo have a more deserved footing on the map in terms of tourism.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
Sligo people have a sense of camaraderie that’s second to none. There’s an embracing spirit in the town and county and it’s possible that you don’t quite see that or experience that as much until you leave and come back again. That needs to be cherished and bottled. It’s that spirit and energy that helps make Sligo unique, and a wicked sense of humour that feeds it. Keep it Shligo Shtyle. CHRIS MACMANUS
MEP FOR NORTHWEST AND MIDLANDS What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
To continue to represent the people of Sligo and the greater Midlands Northwest constituency on the European stage, particularly with the challenges around Brexit, addressing the issues of the imbalance of regional development here on the western seaboard and ensuring that farming families have a liveable income with a viable livelihood to offer the coming generations. On a personal level, just to sit at the bar having a pint with friends.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county for 2021?
As quick a return to normality as possible. To see our streets empty and our shops closed is a forlorn sight. Recovery and support for businesses and SMEs is a must. I truly believe that at the start of 2020, our town and county was on the cusp of a positive period of growth. However, we must look at potential opportunities with remote working to promote Sligo as a community with a quality and more affordable way of life than currently available to those living in the greater Dublin area.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
We will get past this period of uncertainty, hopefully sooner rather than later. We must in 2021 ensure that we’ve learnt the importance of community and looking after each other’s wellbeing, especially our older citizens. As JFK said: ‘Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.’
CLAIRE RONAN
RADIO AND TV PRESENTER
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
Even though we are only a few days into the new year it looks like this year is going to be very challenging, so the most important thing I would like to achieve for the year is to simply stay sane. This is a year where we are all going to have to really mind our mental and physical health. Firstly I want to declutter my house, room by room. I always feel great when my house is tidy and organised. I want to take my fitness to another level. I want to regulate my sleep more and I want make time to read more. Most importantly, I can’t wait to spend more time with my two sisters as I missed them so much in 2020.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
That all the retail and hospitality businesses get to re-open and that they thrive. When the pandemic is over I hope people will holiday at home and continue to support local businesses. The amazing frontline workers deserve a lot of credit for how
hard they have worked and I hope that they get the recognition they deserve and a long, well-deserved holiday and rest in 2021. It would be great to see more companies moving to Sligo and more jobs being created in our town and county.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
We are in this together. It was humbling to see and report on how much the people of this magnificent county stood by and supported each other during a very trying year. We are the luckiest people in the world to live in the most beautiful part of the world so enjoy your local area. Most importantly, look after yourselves, be kind to yourself and each other and thank you for being you.
NICOLA BRENNAN
SLIGO LADIES FOOTBALL CAPTAIN
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
To get my business back up and running. I haven’t been open since March of last year. I hope to get back playing football which I love and hopefully have a successful year at that. I am not going to focus too much on either of those really, last year taught me not to stress about things I cannot control so I will take each obstacle as it comes. Just get through the year ahead healthy and happy.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
You would hope to see everyone return back to normal life in 2021 and every business open its doors again, you would hate to see any business be unable to open. Sligo is a beautiful county and the people in it are amazing, we all deserve to get back to normality and do it safely. Your local business will provide jobs for your family in the future, sponsor prizes for the community – do what you can to help them now and they will be there for you when you need them.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
Just keep going. We have been through the hardest part which was the initial adjustment, whatever comes our way from here on we can handle. We are always far tougher than we think. This is temporary, life will return to normal, we just need to do our bit now and stick it out. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
ALAN KEANE
FIREFIGHTER AND SLIGO ROVERS LEGEND What do you hope to achieve in 2021? It’s hard to predict what the year holds but in January I always like to set myself some achievable personal goals whether it be work, fitness or family related. I just think it’s so important for everyone to set yourself goals and have something to aim for and never doubt your ability as to what you can achieve. Your health is your wealth and no surer saying in these testing times for the year ahead.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county for 2021?
Local businesses have had to endure huge strain in 2020. I hope Sligo town and county will get back on its feet and businesses are supported by the people of Sligo when we see some normality again in the near future. We are blessed in Sligo with beautiful locations and it’s great to see many people out exploring the county. Another boost for sligo will be the ‘Wild Roots’ festival and we are lucky to be welcoming back and hosting the Cairde Arts festival.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
With another lockdown it’s hard to stay positive and see the end to these unsettling times, but we have to try to be as positive as we can. We can’t change the past or predict the future but we can control what we do today. The vaccine hopefully marks the beginning to a better year. We need to look after ourselves and our families and stay healthy physically and mentally. These times will eventually be a distant memory that we will get through together.
MARIE CASSERLY
COUNCILLOR AND TEACHER
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
Locally I will ensure leadership and hardwork as an active and energetic councillor on Sligo County Council and nationally I will continue to work closely with Deputy Marian Harkin. I will continue campaigning for services needed in Sligo and to retain the vital services that we have. I have been working on various projects and I hope to see them started or delivered in 2021. I will also ensure to continue to positively promote Sligo and the North West region as a fantastic place to live, work and visit.
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county in 2021?
I want to ensure that Sligo can be promoted as a hub for remote working to encourage high quality jobs to this region. I also hope to see work start on the Sligo Greenway which will be a gamechanger for the county in relation to tourism and job creation. Ensuring more houses will be built across Sligo to help those who are on the housing waiting list. I am sure that the major infrastructural projects that are ongoing will have major positive benefits for all of Sligo and this, in turn, will encourage more businesses to relocate and set up in Sligo.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
The past year in particular has shown us that we have a true resilience, a generosity of spirit and positive outlook helping each other and those in need. I have no doubt that this will continue long into the future. Communities working together for the greater good will ensure that ourselves, our children and grandchildren will have a positive sustainable future in Sligo and in the North West.
KIERAN QUINN
MUSICIAN AND FORMER SLIGO GAA PLAYER
What do you hope to achieve in 2021?
It would be nice to get back playing live music on a regular basis. And while I’m not sure if that counts as an achievement, given that it’s outside my control, this year I would take it over anything else, because of what it would mean in a broader sense. Apart from that, I want to beat my brother in the Warriors Run!
What are your hopes for Sligo town and county for 2021?
To see pubs and restaurants thriving. To feel a buzz in the Hawk’s Well. For our Gaelic footballers to get out of Division Four and for Sligo Rovers to go on a European adventure. For the new road at Mitchell Curley Park to finally open. For our young people to be able to be spontaneous again.
What is your positive message for the people of Sligo for the year ahead?
2021 will be great for the town. Things will look a lot different in December than they do in January. Winter is nearly over. Pandemic or no pandemic, we still live in a beautiful part of the world, we have the best music scene in the country and we can be proud of our town and county. And remember, for the last few years summer has come in April, and that’s really not that far away.