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Skibbereen’s Top 5 Friendliest Employees (photo) with compere for the awards night John Collins, Neil Grant & Martin O’Mahony Chamber Members.

Best of luck to all nominees in all three categories!

Tickets for the event are €8 and will be available at the door. Light refreshments will be served with live music to follow the awards. This promises to be a great night!

The nominations are in and the top five in each category shortlisted – did your nominee make it in? Take a look:

Friendliest Small Business: Hair Heaven, Cahalane’s Bar, Cleary’s Pharmacy, Karizma Hairdressers, Thornhills Electrical.

Friendliest Large Business: Drinagh Co-op, Skibbereen Credit Union, Blackwater Motors, Field’s SuperValu, The West Cork Hotel.

Friendliest Employee: Sharon O’Leary (Blackwater Motors), Mary McCarthy (Drinagh Co-op), Tony Walsh (Skibbereen Post Office), Ciara Keohane (Cahalane’s Bar), Grainne Collins (Hair Heaven)

Mystery shoppers will visit all shortlisted businesses over the coming week to decide the overall winner in each category and will be announced at the awards night on the 20th October, 8pm at the West Cork Hotel where Oceans Seven Champion Steve Redmond will address local business people on the importance of remaining positive in challenging times.

Skibbereen & District Chamber of Commerce are once again in search of the town’s friendliest businesses & employee. The awards will aim to copper fasten Skibbereen’s position as Ireland’s friendliest town.

This year the Friendliest Business Award will be split into two categories, small (1-10 employees) & large (10 plus employees). Now is your chance to nominate the businesses you feel are friendly, welcoming & courteous & an employee who goes above & beyond the call of duty for customers.

Closing date for nominations is Saturday 6th October, after which a group of mystery shoppers will visit the shortlisted businesses to decide the winners. Brendan O’Brien, who won the award last year for Skibbereen’s Friendliest employee, said he is looking forward to handing on his crown this year, ‘it has been great to hold the title for the past 12 months and I encourage everyone that shops in Skibbereen to vote for another deserving winner this October’.

A shortlist of nominees will be announced before the event with the winners being crowned at the special ceremony in the West Cork Hotel on Saturday 20th October.

To vote fill in the nomination form in this week’s Southern Star, nomination forms will also be available in businesses throughout the town over the coming weeks and can be returned to Sean Murray Fashions or the Southern Star Office, alternatively you can email your nomination to chamber@unruffled-proskuriakova.79-170-242-10.plesk.page by 6th October.

Get voting!

Registration now open. www.southcoastendurance.ie & www.facebook.com/southcoastadventure

The Skibbereen Lions are getting ready! http://skibbereenlions.com/

Trevor Woods goes for 3 in a row… He’s the man to beat this year again… Yes, Trevor has just signed up for South Coast 2012!

The South Coast Adventure Race is moving across town for the upcoming event. We are delighted to announce collaboration with the magnificent Liss Ard Country House Estate on the outskirts of Skibbereen. Set in over 200 acres of natural woodland and meandering paths, it sure to prove to be a wonderful venue for the race. The race will start and finish within the grounds of the estate. The initial 4km run, the kayak section and the final dash incorporating the much anticipated assault course will now take place in the splendid natural wood and Lakeland setting. For all you returning racers the good news is that the heartache Coombe Hill still awaits you!

This year’s ‘A Taste of West Cork Food Festival’ was a resounding success – here are a few images taken over the festival, you can almost taste the atmosphere…

Celtic Cook Off

Irish Winner – Gary O’Hanlon

Titanic Night

Super Night at Le Voyage!

The Church Goes Pink

Tour of Mrs. Nolan’s Smokery

There was a great turnout, organisers were delighted with the numbers that attended. The standard of the performances was excellent and an enjoyable family atmosphere and entertainment for children will ensure a return visit for all next year. The food theatre was very popular. This Festival has put West Cork and Liss Ard firmly on the map as an excellent entertainment venue.

LINKS:

http://bit.ly/OKvnda Good times at Liss Ard Festival – Chic Video.

http://vimeo.com/47265272 Compilation of the Festival’s highlights – video by Darragh Byrne.

Congratulations girls!

Skibb Beats will take place on the 28th & 29th July in the Fairfield Skibbereen. Come see The Saw Doctors, Mundy, Cathy Davey and Jack L bring the town alive! Tickets are just €20 and free transport is available from all over West Cork with your ticket!

The countdown is on to Skibb Beats and final preparations are underway. Skibb will be buzzing! Get your tickets from Ticketmaster.ie or from The Paragon in Skibbereen!

Free buses all over West Cork to and from event – Tel 087 666 6666

Tickets only €20 – Paragon Bar Tel: 028 21772

Festival of Music, Literature, Drama & Food

Liss Ard Estate, Castletownshend Rd, Skibbereen, County Cork

Saturday 4th ~ Sunday 5th August

Lisa Hannigan, Mick Flannery, Chic & many many more – see line up!
www.lissardfestival.com
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide, 24hr Ticket Hotline 0818 719300 or www.ticketmaster.ie.
Ticketmaster outlet now available at Crowley’s Newsagents on Townsend Street, Skibbereen.

Line Up

Saturday 4th August

• Chic
• Lisa Hannigan (below)
• Bob Mould Band Play Copper Blue
• Nicolas Jaar
• Chromatics
• DJ Kormac
• Interference
• Tieranniesaur
• Rhob Cunningham
• Black
• Heathers
• Chris Stout & Catriona McKay
• LOWmountain
• Sacha Puttnam

Sunday 5th August

• Mick Flannery (above)
• Toots And The Maytals
• Paul Buchanan
• Roy Harper
• Joan As Police Woman
• David Rodigan
• John Daly
• Julie Feeney
• The West Cork Ukulele Orchestra
• The Macrae Sisters
• Moscow Metro
• The Céilí All Stars
• Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh

Literary Stage

Nile Rodgers . MIMIC . Jinx Lennon . Chill Pill . Paul Howard Reading From ‘Triggs’ . Fight Night . Matthew Gedden & Friends . Joe Dunthorne . Paul Murray

Theatre Of Food

Local Food Heroes . Discussions . Demos . Debates . Farmers Market and more.

27^th July – 4^th August

The Children’s Festival is running from the 23rd – 29th July.

Skibbereen Arts Festival was set up in July 2009 and over the course of the last three years, it has gone from strength to strength with local people and tourists alike enjoying an eclectic mix of arts and entertainment in varying locations around Skibbereen town.

Skibbereen Arts Festival aims to showcase the best of national and international talent alongside the best work from West Cork. This year Skibbereen Arts Festival will run from 23rd July to 4th August featuring an action packed Children’s Festival, concerts, theatre, poetry, art exhibitions, film screenings, comedy, workshops as well as free outdoor/lunchtime events in varying locations around Skibbereen town.

The full programme of events is available on our new website www.skibbereenartsfestival.com

Or Email info@skibbereenartsfestival.com for more information.

Hear our tweets at twitter.com/skibbartsfest

and Like us at facebook.com/SkibbereenArts

In association with Caledonia & Bulmers on Thurs 28th, Friday 29th, Sat 30th of June and Sun 1st of July.

skibbereenbuskingfestival@gmail.com for registration.

All musicians welcome: Rock, Jazz, Traditional, Blues…

Prize Fund of €2,000

• €1,000 Overall busking winner
• €250 Best solo artist
• €250 Best group
• €250 Best entertainer
• €250 Best performance over the 4 days

€30 registration fee and €20 of this will be refunded after first busk….

When registering please provide the following:

• Name of Musicians/Band, Artist
• Availability to busk on each/any of the days of the festival
• Contact name
• Contact email address
• Contact phone number

Finalists must be available on Sunday 1st of July between 3 and 7pm.

Road Bowling Benefit on Sunday the 18th on the Marsh rd all day further information from William O Brein The Corner Bar 028 21522

Popular Irish band The 4 of Us will entertain the crowds on Sunday in the town square from 6-8pm with their most famous hits “Mary” and “She hits Me”, there new album has been noted as their best yet described in The Mail on Sunday, “Fingerprints boasts 12 tracks of immense quality…and this is the best album The 4 Of Us have made…… While The Herald noted “you could have heard a pin drop during Blue from the new album, a gorgeous and moving song” ensuring a St. Patrick’s weekend not to be missed.

The town of Skibbereen is set for a St. Patrick’s weekend to remember with a host of events taking place this weekend. This year the festival parade will begin at 2.30pm on Ilen St. and continue to the town square, allowing more people to come along and enjoy the spectacle. “The Soul of the Southwest” is the theme of this year’s parade, in-keeping with the town’s tagline. More groups than last year are set to join the parade, making it a perfect family occasion. There will be an Irish Music session on the street prior to the parade.

Skibbereen Vintner’s Association also plan to put the town on the map as Capital of the Paddy’s this year with a number Paddy only events between 8-10pm on Saturday evening. Anyone by the name of Paddy will also have a special pass to enter the parade by gathering at Cahalane’s bar on Bridge St. to register for a fun day of Paddy celebrations! One lucky Paddy will be crowned “West Cork Paddy” after the parade to win a cash prize as well as gaining celebrity status for the weekend! All Paddy’s should wear green and bring one form of identification to prove their eligibility to take part and all those registered will receive a voucher for a free pint in one of the town’s pubs. Later in the evening pubs will host special Paddy events including fancy dress, singing and talent contests, welly throwing, and more, making it a proud day to be Paddy! Participating bars include: the Corner Bar, Baby Hannah’s, the Eldon Bar, Calahane’s Bar, Annie May’s Bar, The Fair Field Bar, The Horse and Hound, Cotters Bar, The Paragon Bar, and Kearney’s Well.

Popular Irish band The 4 of Us will also entertain the crowds on Sunday in the town square from 6-8pm with their most famous hits “Mary” and “She hits Me”, there new album has been noted as their best yet described in The Mail on Sunday, “Fingerprints boasts 12 tracks of immense quality…and this is the best album The 4 Of Us have made…… While The Herald noted “you could have heard a pin drop during Blue from the new album, a gorgeous and moving song” ensuring a St. Patrick’s weekend not to be missed.

Not forgetting that Sunday the 18th is Mother’s Day prior to listening to ‘The 4 of US’ a selection of Restaurant’s in Skibbereen are serving extra special lunch options to celebrate the special ladies in our lives. Skibbereen is the place to be for St Patrick’s weekend!!!

Some highlights;

Friday 16th

Pre-Paddy’s Party, Annie Mays

Saturday 17th

Traditional Irish Music in; The Corner Bar and Annie Mays, The Paragon and Cotters Bar

Chasers Night club

Sunday 18th

Music in Baby Hannah’s with Tony Davis and Mick Collins, The Horse and Hound Michael Ronan,

Dakota Night Club

This is the main fundraiser for the year.

The dinner takes place at 7.30 p.m. Tickets are €40, are available from Clearys Pharmacy , Cahalanes Bar or by contacting Don Davis at 0870601723.
Music and dancing by Mystic and a charity auction by auctioneer Morgan O Driscoll.

The Annual Skibbereen Christmas Parade takes place Friday 2nd December. The parade leaves the West Cork Hotel at 5pm and Santa Claus will be brought by the Fire Brigade to the Square. Comhaltas Ceoltoiri will perform and Santa Claus will turn on the lights in the Square with the Lord Mayor. He will then offically open Winter Wonderland – disco afterwards, weather permitting. All are welcome to attend this fun parade.

The town of Skibbereen in West Cork is taking the advice of Marie Antoinette this Budget  Day with a unique “Let them Eat Cake” event. The feel good day is an attempt to banish all thoughts of the gloomy budget with a host of free special talks taking place in the Town Hall from 3pm. Local café and restaurant owners will also take to the streets to hand out free cakes to shoppers while more than 20 businesses will offer 10% discounts on all purchases between 3pm and 6pm. Many bars will also have live music to ensure a long night of revelry!

The idea for the event came to local acupuncturist Anne Crossey of The White Door Clinic after hearing many of her clients speak so fearfully of the impending  budget. Anne set in to motion the special Town Hall event while Skibbereen Business Association got behind the idea and encouraged all businesses in the town to offer special deals from 3-6pm to banish the negativity which will be transmitted to screens and radio waves all over the country during that time.

The town hall event will open with a special address from Councillor Frank Fahy, Mayor of Skibbereen followed by free talks on a range of inspirational and feelgood topics by Anne Crossey (acupuncturist) , Micheál Hurley (West Cork Employability Service), Brendan Leahy (local councillor and paramedic), Rob Heyland (actor, writer and activist) and Matt Mills (WCDP, Sheep’s Head Co-Op, Transition Ireland). The event will finish at 6pm with a performance from West Cork Pipes and Drums.

Speaking of the event, Sean Murray, Chairperson of Skibbereen Business Association said “This year’s budget will be a memorable one for all the right reasons in Skibbereen thanks to this positive event. It is too easy to be negative about what is going on around us but events like this can and will bring businesses and locals together. Undoubtedly there are more tough times ahead but if we work together then we have the power to change things for the better and that’s what this event will be about. I would also like to thank Skibbereen Town Council for the use of the Town Hall for the event and for their support”.

Also speaking of the “Let them Eat Cake” event, Anne Crossey said “West Cork is full of kind, generous and  imaginative people. If we can pull together as a country in the way that the people of Skibbereen have pulled together to make this event happen then we can do anything. This is a day for everyone to come into town, have a piece of cake, listen to some new ideas, get a few bargains in the shops and for one day forget the economy, forget the budget, and forget the  politicians. “Let Them Eat Cake” is about family, community and fun. It’s been great fun to organise and it’s going to be a great fun day”.

More than 20 businesses are also offering 10% discounts to shoppers between 3pm and 6pm as well  as lunch deals in cafes while the local Youth Café will also  give free cake to all who attend the special Town Hall talks. Kalbo’s Café, North St. will also offer customer a special €5 lunch deal on the day.

Elves from Winter Wonderland Skibbereen will also take to the streets  at intervals from this Thursday December 1st up until December 24th to reward shoppers in the town with gifts and vouchers from  local shops and businesses “Random Acts of Christmas Kindness”  in the town.

Town Hall Events
3pm – Mayor of Skibbereen, Councillor Frank Fahy
3.30pm – Anne Crossey – The Case for Happiness
4.00pm – Micheal Hurley and Stephanie Hayes – The  Employability Service, West Cork
4.30pm – Brendan Leahy – A Day in the Life of a West Cork Paramedic
5.00pm – Rob Heyland – Why the Economic Crisis is a Good Thing
5.30pm – Matt Mills – Co-Operate to Regenerate
6.00pm – West Cork Pipes and Drums

Participating Businesses include (look out for posters in windows):

Fiona’s Fashions, Sean Murray Fashions, Wish Gift Shop, Cleary’s Pharmacy, Horgan’s Pharmacy, The Chop Shop Barbers, Hourihane Sports, Kids2Teens, Riverside Café, Caring Hands Therapies, The Beauty Spot Beauticians, Sassy Fashions, Designs  Gift Shop, Kalbo’s Café, Annie Mays Bar and Restaurant, O’Sullivan’s Toy Shop, Field’s SuperValu, Seymour Jewellers, Roycroft Cycles, Baby Hannah’s  Pub, Newman Signs, West Cork Hotel and Apple Betty’s Café.