Year: 2013

A large crowd attended the South Kerry Skillnet Foot in the Door Event 2013 which took place in The Gleneagle on 11th December 2013.

The event focused on the Tourism / Hospital Industry and the purpose of the event was to highlight and promote opportunities that may exist in this area to those in attendance.

There were a number of speakers on the day and these included:

Robin Lynch – Clay Fun in Kerry / Killarney Crafters

Joanne Griffin – SKDP Enterprise Officer

Mary Walsh – Walk with me.ie

TJ O Connor – Tralee IT Hotel & Catering Department

Radwiga – Assistant Bar Manager

 

South Kerry Business Directory expected to enhance opportunities for small businesses in the region

A large crowd attended the launch of the new South Kerry Local Trades and Services Directory in Killorglin this week. The directory has been produced by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. (SKDP)and is aimed at highlighting and promoting the businesses started up through the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and the Short Term Enterprise Allowance Schemes which are run through the partnership. The launch was performed by Deputy Brendan Griffin and a number of other local representatives were also in attendance.

Speaking at the launch Deputy Brendan Griffin praised SKDP for their vision in launching such a directory and said he hoped that it would encourage people in the region to look to local small businesses for products and services. “I would also hope this directory would act as encouragement for other people who are unemployed in the region to avail of the opportunities that these schemes offer them to start up their own businesses” Deputy Griffin said.

SKDP CEO Noel Spillane said that the directory highlights the range of products and services that can be sourced from local small businesses in the South Kerry region and he hoped that this directory would also encourage people from beyond the region to avail of the opportunities these businesses provide. “We would hope to update this directory again next year to help ensure it becomes recognised as a key source of information for people hoping to source products and services in South Kerry” Noel said.

Michael Kenneally of the Department of Social Protection outlined the benefits to those availing of the two schemes in starting up a business and said he hoped more people would look towards the route of becoming self employed in the future.

Chairman of the Enterprise and Employment working group of SKDP, Stewart Stephens said the directory was an ideal marketing tool for the businesses involved and one they should aim to maximise on.

The directory will be distributed throughout South Kerry and is free of charge. Copies of it are also available through the South Kerry Development Partnership Offices in Cahersiveen, Killorglin, Killarney and Kenmare.

SKDP will host an information meeting on Farm Related schemes and benefits for those in the Annascaul, Inch and Keel areas of West Kerry next Wednesday night the 27th of November in the Community Centre in Inch. Start time is 8pm and all are welcome – the event is free of charge and there is no need to pre book.

The smoke alarm scheme is run by Kerry County Council in partnership with the Kerry Fire Service  and South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.

Training on the proper installation of the smoke alarms was provided by Kerry Fire Service prior to the launch of the scheme some years back..  Rural Social Scheme and TÚS participants install the alarms.

Those interested in having smoke alarms installed in their homes or who want to get more information on the scheme can contact the RSS & TÚS supervisors in Killorglin, Killarney, Kenmare of Cahersiveen

Small business owners from all parts of Kerry are being invited to take part in a half day workshop to help them get through the current recession. The event entitled “Work your way out of Recession”, which is organised by South Kerry Skillnets operated through South Kerry Development Partnership, takes place on Monday 22^nd of October in The Brehon Hotel in Killarney.

Among the keynote speakers are Jerry Kennelly of Tweat, Brian McCarthy of FEXCO, Colm Healy of Skellig Chocolates and Marketing Lecturer with the IT Tralee Breda O’Dwyer. In addition to the speakers, a number of consultants who have provided training through the Skillnets programme will be on hand to offer advice to business owners on what assistance is available to them. The event will offer business owners the chance to network and establish new business contacts.

Skillnets manager Paul Murphy said that the event aims to ensure small business owners know what help is there for them in the current recessionary period and to give them advice and encouragement on how to tackle many issues they may be facing at present. “The keynote speakers have all faced difficulties in their business careers and are ideally placed to address the issues facing small business owners” Paul said, adding that it is an ideal opportunity for business owners to raise issues that are affecting them.

The event will also feature a number of business people whose companies have availed of training through Skillnets who will outline the benefits they got from this training and the opportunities that exist for other businesses to benefit from similar training courses.

The event is free of charge for small business owners but given that places are limited booking in advance is required. For more information or to make a booking please contact Skillnets Manager Paul Murphy or Skillnets officer Tracy Teehan on 066 9762477 or e-mail [email protected] .

7 of the more than 50 entrants countywide in this year’s Rural Biz competition were presented with their prizes at the awards night in Killarney this week. The competition organised by South Kerry Development Partnership in conjunction with NEKD aims to encourage people with new business ideas to come forward and hopefully progress onto setting up new businesses in the county. The competition and prizes is supported by the RDP (LEADER) project as well as a range of sponsors including Kerry County Enterprise Board, Dan Tim O’Sullivan, Lee Strand, McCarthy Insurances, Teagasc and Radio Kerry. More than €17,500 in prizes and equipment grants was presented to the prize winners at the ceremony.

The overall winner of the innovation award of €5,000 sponsored by KECB was Lactain Spring from Ballyrameen, Castlemaine with his idea Quick Clean Water Trough. This product enables fresh clean water to be available for cattle at each grazing thus helping to stop the spread of water borne diseases.

The first prize in the SDKP section went to Dominic Lyne from Valentia with his idea Westcoast 4×4 that adapts vehicles to cater for drivers with special requirements. The second prize in the region went to Paul O’Connell with his Safe Jack idea for tractors to enable farmers change wheels on vehicles safely while the Gaeltacht region prize went to John Goggin for his new tours business idea.

In North Kerry, the first prize went to Eileen McClure of Kitchen Incubators in Farranfore while the second prize went to Katie Hassett with her business idea Championship Wellies while their Gaeltacht area prize went to Muireann Nic Fiolla Ruadh from the Dingle Cookery School.

Speaking at the event SKDP CEO Noel Spillane praised all of those who took part in the competition and highlighted the fact that many of the previous prize winners have gone on to establish very successful businesses including Joe Daly in Valentia and the  Ring of Kerry Quality Lamb group. He added that SKDP and NEKD as well as the County Enterprise Board would provide every support possible to this year’s entrants to enable them make their business idea a reality.

Brian Lesley of the Farmers Journal, who was master of ceremonies for the evening, said that there needs to be a change of attitude towards failure in Ireland. “So what if you fail, get back up again and be stronger for the failure” was his advice to the audience.

John Foley of NEKD also praised the entrants for their courage in bringing their ideas forward and encouraged all of them, whether they won prizes or not to continue to develop their ideas.

Last year’s Rural Biz winner Tony McCarthy also addressed the audience on his progress to get his invention Mac Attach into production and he is due to meet with a potential business partner from Germany later in this week.

Patsy Cronin was the Chairperson of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.  Patsy was appointed Chairperson of S.K.D.P on 27^th September 2005 and held the position up until his death on the 30^th October 2013.     Patsy Cronin also served various terms as a director, being the I.C.T.U nominee, on the board of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.  Indeed Patsy Cronin was one of two SIPTU nominees in attendance at the very first board meeting of S.K.D.P held on 24^th May 1991.

South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd was formed in 1991, under the PESP (Programme for Economic & Social Progress).  The Partnership  Companies were formed to provide a local community led response to the economic & social problems of rural areas, where the local community could work in partnership with the social partners (Trade Unions, employer’s bodies, farming organisation), statutory agencies and local government, in tackling the economic and social difficulties of rural areas.  South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd is a rural development company that works to improve the quality of life for citizens living in South Kerry through a range of economic, social, cultural & community development initiatives.   Addressing poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion are key aims of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.

Patsy Cronin was very proud of the work of SKDP. The voluntary time commitment required of Patsy as both the Chairperson and a director on the board of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd was very significant.  In his role as Chairperson, Patsy chaired the monthly board meetings of S.K.D.P and also chaired a number of important sub-committees and workings groups within S.K.D.P.  He was a very effective chairperson, respected by all the board, reflected in the fact that he held the position of chair for over eight years.  Working closely with the C.E.O, Patsy as Chairperson guided SKDP in its work.  He was extremely fair, every board member was allowed time to make their contribution, but when a board meeting needed to be called to order, Patsy was well able to do so. He was a very skilled negotiator and he brought these skills to bear on several occasions as Chairperson of S.K.D.P.  Patsy had a very strong sense of social justice. Fairness, respect & equality were core values for Patsy and these values were reflected in his work with SKDP and by extension with SKDP’s work with the communities SKDP serves.  Patsy Cronin firmly believed in partnership working, in taking a partnership approach to addressing the economic & social challenges facing communities.  The board of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd consists of four key pillars, 1 – community & voluntary sector, 2 – Social Partners, 3 – Statutory Agencies and 4 – Local Government.  Patsy Cronin brought all four key pillars on the board of SKDP together and ensured that they were able to operate effectively together.  The strong emphasis and importance that Patsy placed on partnership working ensured that the partnership ethos was intrinsic in the manner in which SKDP approached its work.

Patsy Cronin had a very strong sense of civic duty and responsibility.  He believed in the importance of citizens giving of their time voluntarily for the good of their communities, becoming involved in community & voluntary activity, making a contribution and utilising their skills and abilities for the betterment of their local areas.  Patsy’s involvement with his own community of Killorglin was a case in point.  He held positions with the local GAA club, Laune Rangers, was a very active member of the C.Y.M.S Hall (Community Hall in Killorglin) Management Committee, and spearheaded many of their development initiatives.  Patsy was also heavily involved with the Killorglin Pantomime group (And Indeed played a starring role in many of their plays!!!!).  He was also heavily involved with Killorglin Golf Club and more recently he was also a member of the Killorglin Archive Society, which was established to preserve the history and heritage of the Killorglin area by collecting and archiving old stories, recordings & film.     He was very proud of his roots in Langford Street Killorglin where he grew up and had a deep pride and affection for his community.  Patsy Cronin’s strong sense of civic responsibility, his belief in community & voluntary activity, his desire to empower local communities to address local economic & social challenges, meant he was a very ‘natural fit’ for South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.

Through his work with South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd, Patsy utilised the platform that SKDP provided to ensure that national and E.U. rural development resources were utilised to support, empower and develop local communities in implementing economic, community & social development initiatives.  Patsy Cronin was a strong believer and supporter of ‘bottom up’ Community Led Local Development, where local communities are at the heart of key decisions with regard to local development initiatives, where local development strategies are designed in response to local needs, with local ownership and local delivery.  Patsy Cronin was resolute in his determination to ensure that South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd, a community led local development company, would not be undermined in any way and that the ‘bottom up’ community led approach to local community development  as implemented by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd would not be irreparably damaged.   Hence he was very outspoken and critical of Government plans, with regard to the alignment of local government and local development as published in the ‘Putting people first – Action Programme for Effective Local Government’ .     At a public meeting held in the CYMS Hall in Killorglin, held on May 2^nd 2013, attended by over 300 people, Patsy Cronin rallied community activists in South Kerry against the proposals.  Patsy Cronin’s commitment to the work of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd and the communities SKDP serves was absolute and he very generously gave of his time.

Patsy Cronin was also held in very high esteem at a national level within local development circles.  A measure of his stature with all local development companies across the country can be gauged from the fact that in October 2009, Patsy Cronin was elected the first ever Chairperson of the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN).  ILDN was a new organisation, established in late 2009, representing the interests of 50 Local Development Companies, including South Kerry Development Partnership, across the country. In this role, he oversaw the integration of a variety of different cultures, regions and people with the aim of establishing one organisation to represent both rural and urban communities. He undertook this new role with vigour, energy and enthusiasm, using his well-honed negotiation skills developed from his trade union days. Patsy made a conscious effort to develop key relationships with key Departments and officials to ensure that the new organisation, that ILDN was, was recognised as the first reference point for the management and roll out of new national programmes as well as strengthening the delivery of existing ones in the areas of enterprise development and social inclusion. He also oversaw the establishment of the new structure of the ILDN organisation and worked on the basis of building and strengthening working relationships both within and outside of the network. Patsy’s mantra was that negotiation was the only way to make progress and in the challenging times of the past few years, his mantra held true. Patsy worked for the interests of progressing the work of member companies and by extension, the communities that they serve. Patsy was a gentleman and a man with a kind and considerate heart who was highly regarded by all ILDN members. His capacity to bring people through difficult times with a positive outlook will be one of his many enduring legacies in the memories of ILDN’s members.

Patsy Cronin held the position of Chairperson of ILDN until September 2013.

Patsy Cronin’s death leaves a huge void within South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd that will not be easily filled.  His affable & personal nature, his wit, great humour, sense of fun, generosity and commitment to the work of SKDP will be sorely missed by all who knew and worked with him.

May he rest in peace.    We wish to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and many many friends.

Noel Spillane

Chief Executive Officer

South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd

On Behalf of the Board, Management & Staff of South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.

Graveside Reflection by SIPTU General Secretary Joe O’Flynn

A number of very good development opportunities that could potentially provide long term sustainable sources of income for rural communities in South Kerry were identified during a tour of the region by more than 100 overseas delegates last week. The delegates from France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Wales & Germany were taking part in the 4 day INTERREG Rural Alliances Conference organised by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd., one of the 12 partners in the project.

Among the ideas put forward by the group was an community backed energy project, the redevelopment of an old mill to provide commercial and community facilities as well as much additional development that could be undertaken around existing facilities in areas such as Valentia for example. Delegates were also greatly impressed with the range and accessibility of walking trails in the county and feel that much potential exists with these facilities to generate much needed additional income sources for the region.

Rural Alliances Project Manager Seán de Buitléar said delegates gave a very positive feedback on the region overall and see many opportunities for the civil society groups to develop sustainable projects that will ensure they are vibrant regions to live and work in for the future. “They were delighted to have the chance to offer their opinions on what they saw as the potential development opportunities in the region and have offered to assist groups with this work in the future” he said. “Many of these delegates are involved with or working with similar civil society groups in their own rural regions and are encountering similar problems such as depopulation and a lack of economic opportunities” Seán pointed out. “The opportunity to learn and benefit from our overseas partners is a key benefit of being involved in a cross nation project such as Rural Alliances and we will now be working to build and develop the links established through this visit” Seán concluded.

It is estimated that the conference was worth in region of €50,000 to the South Kerry area over the 4 days of the event and it is expected that many delegates will return to the area in the future through both the Rural Alliances project but also in a personal capacity on holiday.

English as a Foreign Language?  by Joanne Griffin

If English isn’t your first or main language and you want to improve your English, then a trip to see Rachel Kavanagh who is CELTA qualified is required immediately. CELTA – Certified in English Language Teaching to Adults is certified by Cambridge University

Rachel will teach English as a foreign language in a variety of settings. Lessons with Rachel are tailored to each individual and she will focus on your area of weakness but yet she will do so in an enjoyable manner by using topics that you her clients are interested in. Rachel’s philosophy is to foster an environment that promotes diversity, equality, deep learning and growth in a humanistic and integrative manner.

With the growth in the numbers of people coming from different countries to settle in Ireland, Rachel has found herself inundated with students and is always readily available to facilitate her students with their integration. Rachel, herself has a genuine fascination with language, interest in people, empathy with learners and is highly conscientious and committed to the highest standards of professional service whilst being motivated by the best interests of her students.

This exciting new enterprise has emerged in 2012 with the help of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) facilitated by South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd (SKDP). This scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to take up self employment opportunities by allowing them to retain a proportion of their social welfare payment, plus secondary benefits.

For further information on the BTWEA, please contact an Enterprise Officer from SKDP in your area. Joanne Griffin (Killorglin and Kenmare) on 087 615 2660 or Anne O Riordan (Cahersiveen and Killarney) on 066 947 2724.