Author: admin

Skibbereen Chamber is a voluntary, umbrella organisation of local businesses who work together to promote the economic and social development of our community in order to make it a better place in which to live, work & do business!

Why become a member?

The Chamber aims to continually promote the area for businesses both locally and to a wider audience. It provides Members with a voice to influence what should be done on behalf of their business and the town and a central platform to better promote their work, goods and services.

Current Members represent a wide array of businesses including manufacturers, retailers, banks, solicitors, hotels, builders, cafés, estate agents, garages, restaurants, doctors and many more. Chamber Members work together to promote business in the area and to invest in improving the Skibbereen region.

Membership Benefits

Membership entitles members to list their business on www.skibbereen.ie – a first port of call for visitors looking to find out about services, activities and destinations in Skibbereen.

Chamber projects for the benefit of members include:

• Securing funding and working with stakeholders and our members to co-ordinate community initiatives such as CCTV installation as well as fundraising for further Christmas Lights and other priority projects.
• Continuing to work in partnership with Fáilte Ireland to retain and further develop Skibbereen Tourist Office which employs local part-time staff and opens for 6 days a week during the busy summer season. Since the Chamber has managed the Skibbereen Tourist Office it has progressed from being open just 5 months to opening for an extended 10 months of the year.
• The Chamber continues to support, promote and co-ordinate community projects, e.g. Christmas Festival, Lights for the town, the St Patrick’s Day Parade and the Skibbereen Walking Festival. It also supports local events including,  Skibbereen Arts Festival, West Cork History Festival etc. all of which attract visitors to the area, who are encouraged to stay and are a certain boost to the local economy.
• Development, promotion and co-ordination of Christmas promotions in Skibbereen, ensuring Skibbereen is seen as West Cork’s Christmas Shopping destination of choice along with launching the Skibbereen Town Vouchers scheme.
• Meeting & liaising with the District Councilors to keep Skibbereen and District to the forefront.

Online Presence

The Chamber also co-ordinates Skibbereen-Home Facebook Page (with over 12,500 followers worldwide) and works
together with local groups and initiatives such as Skibbereen Tidy Towns and Ludgate@Skibbereen with the aim of rejuvenating our area into a sustainable rural economy.

Become a Member Today!

Subscriptions are central to the important work of Skibbereen Chamber. If you are considering membership the subscription can be paid either annually or monthly. To become a member:

Download the Membership Form Here

If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss further with a member of the Chamber Board please do not hesitate to contact us at chamber@skibbereen.ie

Pitmaster Masterclass Sunday 10th September 3-7pm Celtic Ross Hotel
Kate Ryan of Flavour.ie presents a Masterclass with Decky Walsh, one of Ireland’s most foremost Pitmasters and expert in cooking low and slow over smoke and fire – the most elemental cookery method that is literally as old as time. During this 4-hour long Masterclass, learn all about creating brines and rubs; how to get flavour into charcoal, and the difference between smoking, grilling, pit roasting and many other methods of cooking with fire. All the food that Decky will cook, will be served as an epic feast to finish off the day!
Booking is essential, tickets are €75pp. Book on www.flavour.ie or email kate@flavour.ie PH: 086 205936

Cooking Demonstration Monday 11th September 7pm Celtic Ross Hotel
Derry Clarke, Michelin Starred Chef and owner of award winning L’Ecrivian and Barry McLaughlin, owner and chef at Poachers, Bandon will be doing a cooking demo in the Ardagh Suite. Each will be presented with a “mystery box” filled with West Cork produce and side by side they will come up with their own unique creations. Three lucky guests will get to taste the three dishes made on the evening. Peter Shanahan of Rosscarbery Fish Deli will start the evening off with a fish filleting demo and will also prepare an easy fish dish to whet the appetites. Guaranteed to be a night of fun, arrive to a welcome drink and canapés.
Booking is Essential, tickets are €20 available from reception PH: 023 8848722

“Vintage West Cork Afternoon Tea” Wednesday 13th September 3-5pm Celtic Ross Hotel
Relax in the stunning surrounds of The Tower and enjoy a magnificent “Vintage West Cork Afternoon Tea” all while listening to Terrie Mae McNulty of Songbird and her repertoire of “old time” music – swing, jazz, music hall and showtunes. With tasty treats featuring produce from the very best local artisan producers, this splendid spread encapsulates all that is delicious about West Cork produce – freshly baked breads, West Cork cheeses, smoked fish, charcuterie and delicate cakes and pastries.
Booking is Essential, tickets are €20 available from Reception PH: 023 8848722

Elvis Lives! But for 1 night only in Skibbereen on Saturday 26^th August. 

All our very welcome to come along and join in the fun in Skibb as local Elvis’s compete to be crowned “The King”.  There will be music celebrating Elvis on the Bridge and Main Street that evening from 5pm as well as other amusements and activities for all.

Certainly not to be missed is the chance to see some of our local Elvis ‘s who will be competing on the evening for a cash prize and more importantly to be crowned the ultimate “King”.  If you want to show off your “Shake, Rattle and Roll” it’s not too late to participate in the fun just register your Elvis by texting or calling 086 2388300.

Even if you’re not competing you can still participate and join in the fun by channeling your own inner Elvis, donning your quiff and sideburns and dressing up as we remember Elvis.

Check out Skibbereen’s Facebook page for all the up to date information.

The 2017 Skibbereen Arts Festival kicks off in West Cork on Friday 28th July with yet another jam-packed programme of music, film, theatre, exhibitions, poetry, installations, workshops, walks, talks and we’re certainly not forgetting the spectacular 1970s street disco “Friday Night Fever“.

Skibbereen Arts Festival opens with a tribute to the 1977 classic movie Saturday Night Fever on Friday, July 28th when the whole town will reverberate to the sounds of the ’70s for the day followed that evening by music, street theatre, children’s games, arts & crafts stalls, graffiti artists, free vintage hair styling and food stalls as well as a special performance of the greatest movie soundtrack of all time by Cork group She Said at 9pm.

For the most up to date information and to find out more about what is happening on a daily basis as well as to book tickets check out the Skibbereen Arts Festival website here or call to the Skibbereen Arts Festival Box Office in Skibbereen Town Hall on Thursday 27th July and Friday 28th July – make sure you don’t miss out as no matter your age, there truly is something for everyone.

The West Cork History Festival will take place from 28th-30th July near Skibbereen.

The programme will span a diverse set of places, historical subjects and periods, from the local to the international, ranging from the medieval Knights Templar to pirates off the Cork coast to the First World War and the events of the Irish revolutionary period in West Cork.

Speakers include Ireland’s leading historian Roy Foster and House of Cards creator Michael Dobbs, along with other historians, journalists and senior diplomats. While much of their focus will be on Irish themes, the perspective will be international. The festival will be informal and participatory.

The Festival Dinner on Saturday night will be provided by the renowned Good Things Café from Skibbereen, who are closing specially for the night to provide our food. Good Things recently won Restaurant of the Year 2017 from Georgina Campbell’s Ireland. Tickets for the dinner – which includes food, wine and the chance to meet many of our speakers – are still available.

Tickets for the dinner and all the sessions can be bought via our website www.westcorkhistoryfestival.org or on Thursday 27th July and Friday 28th July from the Skibbereen Arts Festival Box Office in Skibbereen Town Hall.

The new Local Authority Waters and Communities Office (LAWCO) are hosting a series of public meetings over the coming weeks to discuss the water bodies of County Cork in the context of the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018 – 2021.

The meetings will outline the contents of the draft River Basin Management Plan along with details on how the public can input into the final plan.

The Waters & Communities Office aims to get local communities more involved in protecting and enhancing local water bodies for the benefit of everyone.

Kieran Murphy, Community Water Officer based in Inniscarra will present this information and facilitate discussion on the interests and issues that emerge.

The meetings for the West Cork Municipal District are as follows:

• Dunmanway, Parkway Hotel Tues, 20th June 7.30 – 8.30pm
• Clonakilty, Clonakilty Hotel Tues, 27th June 7.30 – 8.30pm
• Skibbereen, West Cork Hotel Thurs, 29th June 7.30 – 8.30pm

Wednesday 14th  June is World Blood Donor Day and the Irish Blood Transfusion Service will be in the West Cork area in both Skibbereen and Bantry all week.

If you are available please pop into the West Cork Hotel at the times indicated on the poster below.

Skibbereen celebrates another historic rowing achievement with their “Super Six” arriving home to West Cork with medals galore!

Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan led the day with the first medal for Skibbereen  – a gold! and no doubt inspiring the success that was to come.

Denise Walsh kept the medals coming with a super race to finish in silver position topped with a fantastic surge at the end to secure a well deserved first European Championship medal.

Our Olympic heroes Gary and Paul O’Donovan certainly didn’t rest on their laurels with another fantastic performance and nail biting finish securing another silver for Skibbereen.

So what it is that makes this little corner of West Cork such a hotbed for rowing talent – steak, spuds, a drop of whiskey or lucky Penney’s socks?  Or is it the dedicated coaching teams down through the years, the Ilen river on the doorstep, a super club set up that drives a great attitude and determined, hard working rowers who want to achieve of  their best?

At one stage yesterday Skibbereen led the medals table at the European Championship and ended by finishing 6th ahead of GB and Russia – what an achievement! and all led by Ireland rowing coach,  our own Dominic Casey.

Mark O’Donovan certainly summed it up as he put it,  “ah Jesus Christ, we’re a great club altogether” and who are we to disagree?

photo: INPHO.ie

The Phoenix Youth Project have organised a Family Fun event for this coming Saturday, 27th May – All are welcome to come along and join in the fun at this Free Event in Rossa Park.

Huge congratulations to Ireland’s women’s double of Margaret Cremen and our own Aoife Casey on winning silver at the European Rowing Junior Championships in Germany this weekend, the first time Ireland has ever medalled in the competition.

Cork County Council are once again sponsoring special music events in 2017 with local musicians lined up to provide recitals in towns across West Cork during the summer months.

The scheme is designed to enable local voluntary music groups to work with local business groups to organise music events to be played on the town streets to attract visitors and increase economic development in West Cork towns.

This Saturday, 27th May, sees Skibbereen’s own, St. Fachtna’s Silver Band kick off the inaugural event in town with a recital at 2pm on the Bridge in Skibbereen.

Please come along and lend your support and join in the fun.

with thanks to Cork County Council – Special Music Scheme Events 2017

Skibbereen rowing is celebrating world success with super results at the World Rowing Cup in Belgrade, Serbia.

Four Irish teams competed and all reached A finals – a great result so early in the season.

Skibbereen Rowing Club’s Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan won gold medals in the men’s lightweight leading from halfway before crossing the line in first place.

It was then the turn of Skibbereen’s Denise Walsh who rowed a fabulous race which saw her moving up from fifth at the halfway mark in the race to finish in silver medal position.

Skibbereen Rugby’s U16’s have now added the South Munster A league and the South Munster A Cup to the Bank of Ireland Munster U16 Cup which they won last month.  This means the team are now the reigning Munster U16 Champions, South Munster A League Champions and the South Munster A Cup Champions completing a historic treble for Skibbereen RFC.

The young team have played 26 competitive matches since the beginning of the season and won 24 of them – what an achievement!  And they have also made history for the club by being the first team in Skibb RFC’s history to make it beyond the Pan Munster quarter finals, before they went onto win the final.

Well done to all involved in the club – players, coaches, family, friends and supporters – SKIBB ABU! 

Skibbereen Community School’s TYs present West Side Saga, a musical taking place this Thursday 4th, Friday 5th and Saturday 6th May at 8pm in the School.

Tickets can be purchased from the school office  – 028 51172 or from Cathal O’Donovan’s Skibbereen Bookshop.

Tickets going fast so don’t miss out!

Cork ARC Cancer Support House’s annual West Cork Flag Day collections are set to take place in Bandon on Friday 21^st April and in Castletownbere, Bantry, Ballylickey, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Kinsale and Macroom on Thursday 27^th April, 2017.

Hilary Sullivan, Head of Fundraising / Corporate Affairs at Cork ARC Cancer Support House says: “Please remember on our annual Flag Day collection that all our collectors are volunteers, giving their time freely to raise funds and increase awareness about our cancer support services at our West Cork centre.” Acknowledging the ethos of volunteering being the driving force behind the charity’s work in the community, Hilary also says, “As all of the services at Cork ARC Cancer Support House in West Cork are supported by a large volunteer base, we hope that our volunteer collectors’ generosity of spirit will be rewarded by a warm reception from the public despite the difficult financial conditions experienced by so many people.”

Since 2015, with the assistance of Bantry Hospice, Cork ARC Cancer Support House have been providing cancer patients and their families in the communities of West Cork and South Kerry with support, information and practical advice, free of charge at their centre near Bantry. Cork ARC West Cork is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 4pm, and welcome anyone affected by cancer (patient or family member) to drop in or telephone without an appointment, to talk in confidence with a trained volunteer listener. Their West Cork centre also offers therapeutic massage, reflexology and counselling as well as a drop-in guided ‘Hour of Calm’ each Tuesday at 11:00am.

Cork ARC Cancer Support House also offer those affected by a cancer diagnosis tranquil, safe spaces in non-clinical environments from their centre at Cliffdale, 5 O’Donovan Rossa Road in Cork city as well as drop in open mornings at the NICHE Community Health Project on Harbour View Road in Cork every Friday. This May, they will also open a cancer support centre in Youghal to serve the communities of East Cork and West Waterford this May.

Darkness into Light – Skibbereen, Saturday 6th May

Darkness Into Light (DIL), Pieta House’s flagship annual fundraising and awareness event, started with approximately 400 people in the now iconic yellow DIL T-shirts walking the 5km course in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in 2009. This year there will be 150 DIL venues across Ireland and worldwide including Skibbereen on 6th May.

As the event will be taking place in Skibb for the first time the Chamber are asking that all businesses decorate their windows yellow the week before from Friday 28th April to raise awareness not only of the cause but the event in Skibbereen so please take time to turn the town yellow!

Crinniú na Cascá at Uillinn – a feast of free family events

 ‘Made in County Cork’

A Day of FREE Family Activities at Uillinn – Easter Monday 17 April, 11.00am to 4.00pm

If you’re a regular visitor or you’ve never been here at all, this is your chance to come and see what’s happening at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen. Our doors are open from 11.00am to 4.00pm for Cruinniú na Cásca, a new national day of cultural celebration, taking place on Easter Monday 17 April.

A day packed with free family activities including the charming Listen Janey Mac, a puppet show from the acclaimed Cork-based Dowtcha Puppets at 11.00am and 2.00pm; Curiosity Art Workshops for children from 12 noon to 2.00pm; Tea Tasting with artist in residence Róisín Foley at 1.30pm; informative family friendly Gallery Tours at 12 noon and 2.00pm of Landmarks and Lifeforms, our current exhibition by Frieda Meaney and Danny Osborne; Discovery Box Playtime in the gallery for younger children at 3.00pm and  if you feel like treating yourself, there is some beautiful, affordable art by artists from the Bantry region in the Foyer.

Or just roam freely around the galleries, café and studios, meet the artists, view the artworks and explore local culture, all ‘Made in County Cork’! and free of charge. Kalbos will be open, serving delicious lunches and of course, wonderful coffee and home-made cakes – if the sun shines, the Courtyard’s the place to be.

11.00am – 11.45am          Puppet Show
11.00am – 1.00pm            Drop by and Meet the Artist
12 noon – 2.00pm             Drop-in Curiosity Art Workshops
12 noon – 12.45pm           Gallery Tour
1.30pm – 2.30pm              Tea Tasting
2.00pm – 2.45pm              Gallery Tour
2.00pm – 2.45pm              Puppet Show
2.30pm – 3.30pm              Drop by and Meet the Artist
3.00pm – 3.45pm              Discovery Box Playtime

Listen Janey Mac is a charming and fun exploration of the history of Cork City and Ireland through puppetry and song. A mild cautionary tale, it reminds us all how lucky we are to live in the 21st century!
Ideally for ages 6 and up and the show runs for 45 mins – http://www.dowtcha.com/

An essential guide for accommodation providers in West Cork, Harnessing the power of the internet, a workshop for all Bed & Breakfasts, Guest Houses, Hotels & Tourist Attractions takes place on Wed 1st March in the Ludgate Centre Skibbereen and aims to promote your accommodation and sell bed-nights using the internet.

Please click on the link here to find out more

Plans are taking shape for this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Skibbereen, which takes place on Friday 17^th March at 4 pm.

The route will start at the Children’s Playground on the Cork Road, move along North Street before turning right into Main St, past the viewing platform on the Bridge and finish in the Fairfield / Old Mart Car Park.

Every year the parade is always a popular family event and this year’s theme is  “Celebrating our Local Heroes” and we have so many to choose from – your local heroes can be inspirational, historical, musical or even sporting!

It is great to see so many people getting involved every year in their local Parade which guarantees fun for all the family.  As in  previous years the Julia Hickey Memorial Trophy will be presented to the overall winner on the day with cash prizes for best community group, best fun group and best theme with spot prizes on the day too!

To finish off the evening in Skibbereen there will be an organised Fireworks Display at 7.30pm in the town, which will be visible from Kennedy Bridge and music in local bars to enjoy too.

We would be delighted to see as many clubs and local community organisations getting involves on the day so please confirm if you are participating, so that we can gauge numbers on the day by sending an email to chamber@unruffled-proskuriakova.79-170-242-10.plesk.page or text 086 2388300.

St. Patrick’s BNS Parents’ Association are hosting their annual family Monster €1,000 bingo on Sunday 29th January at 6pm in The West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen.

Come along for a great evening of Monster Bingo with lots of fabulous prizes up for grabs. Children’s raffle also available.

For more information please contact Noeleen on  086 3254214.