Month: April 2016

Download the Application Form:      LDC Enterprise Awards Application Form 2016

Kerry enterprises that have set up their businesses with assistance from the local development companies & Dept. of Social Protection through the Back to Work Area Enterprise Allowance Scheme (BTWEA) are being offered the opportunity to get national recognition for their efforts through a newly launched Enterprise Awards programme.

South Kerry Development Partnership and North East & West Kerry Development have this week launched a bid to find four candidate enterprises to represent the county at the Southern Regional Enterprise Awards event with the potential to progress right through and claim the overall national Enterprise award.

Speaking at the launch of the Kerry event this week, SKDP CEO Noel Spillane said the awards, which are being run in conjunction with the Irish Local Development Network, provide an excellent opportunity for Kerry to showcase the many successful new enterprises that have been set up in the county with support of the local development companies & the Dept. of Social Protection through the BTWEA over the last few years. “We regularly hear about business closures but this awards programme gives us a chance to celebrate business success and recognise the hard work and vision of small enterprise owners in Kerry” Noel said.

Both SKDP and NEWKD operate the Back to Work/Short Term Enterprise Allowance scheme in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection that provides support, advice and some small grant assistance to unemployed people wishing to set up their own business. The scheme has proven to be a tremendous success with a high percentage of the businesses set up through the programme still operating after 5 years. NEWKD CEO Eamon O’Reilly said that this new awards initiative is open to businesses set up through this scheme since 2011 and he encouraged all eligible businesses to enter the competition. “These businesses are the backbone of rural Ireland in particular and we are delighted to be involved with this initiative to promote them at a regional and national level” Eamon said.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 29^th April and the application form is available to download from both the SKDP (www.southkerry.ie) and NEWKD (www.newkd.ie) websites or by contacting your local SKDP or NEWKD office directly. The national awards ceremony will take place in Dublin in September.

CEO of Sport Ireland John Treacy was in Kerry on Friday last to launch the first phase of the Kerry Way Folklore & Heritage App.  Covering the section of the Kerry Way between Killarney and Glencar, the app has been developed by the Kerry Folklore Committee – Béaloideas Chiarraí group made up of representatives of SKDP, KCC Heritage Section, Trustees of Muckross and the DSP. Funding support for its development came through LEADER and the INERREG Rural Alliances project from SKDP, The Heritage Council and Kerry Group. The app itself features information on more than 20 points of interest and includes audio clips of interviews with residents of the Black Valley and Glencar. The launch took place in Lord Brandon’s Cottage in the Black Valley.

Speaking at the launch, Béaloideas Chiarraí-Kerry Folklore Chairman Johnny Porridge O’Connor said that this app will hopefully enhance the attractiveness of the Kerry Way to a broader audience. “This app will provide people with a unique insight into the cultural and heritage sites along the Kerry Way walking route while also giving them an insight into what life was like in the region in past years” Johnny said. He also thanked John Treacy for coming down to launch the app on behalf of the committee.

Sport Irelands CEO John Treacy welcomed the development of the app and said that he also hoped it would encourage many more people to go out and walk the route. “Ireland clearly has an issue with obesity and an initiative such as this that has the potential to get more people out walking and exercising should be greatly welcomed” he said. John Treacy added that he was hugely impressed with the quality of the app and praised the work of Béaloideas Chiarraí in developing it.

CEO Noel Spillane said that SKDP were delighted to support the development of the app and he hoped it would add significantly to the economy of the area through bringing in greater numbers of visitors. “This initiative will help enable the visitor to get immersed in the region and provide them with the type of unique experience they are now seeking” Noel said.

Martin Mitchel of the DSP praised the work of all involved, particularly those participants on the CE scheme who assisted in populating the information on the app while Oliver Ring of KCC said that they would not be found wanting in assisting to roll this out to the other stages of the Kerry way.

Padraig Mallon of Kerry Group said that they were also delighted to support the development of the app and congratulated all involved in its development.

The app is currently available on android and will shortly be available for apple. It can be downloaded through scanning the QR code available on promotional material or going to the supporting website www.kerrywayfolkloreandheritage.com .