Number of local events lined up for inaugural PolskaÉire festival

The inaugural PolskaÉire 2015, Ireland’s first Polish-Irish national festival, will have a number of local events over the next week when it gets underway this Saturday.

The first national Polish-Irish festival organised by Minister for New Communities, Culture and Equality, Aodhan O’Riordain, aims to celebrate the Polish community and culture in Ireland.

Supported by RTE, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), the Polish Embassy, the Irish-Polish Society and Dublin City Council, PolskaÉire 2015 will host the following events in Louth:

• An ‘Easter Crafts Workshop with Polska Szkola Dundalk, hosted by Louth County Libraries and Polska Szkola Dundalk, will begin on Saturday 21st March at 11am in Dundalk Library.
• A ‘Workshop and Q&A session with members of Dundalk FC’, hosted by Louth County Libraries’ will take place on Wednesday 25th March at 4pm in Dundalk Library.
• A ‘Polish Irish Storytelling’ event, hosted by Louth County Libraries and Polska Szkola Drogheda, will take place on Saturday 28th March at 10.30am in Drogheda Library.

The festival has been welcomed by local Senator Mary Moran, who said: “I am glad that, as a local community, we are participating in the festival and it will be an opportunity to celebrate the strong Polish-Irish relationships which exist in our locality, and to focus on how we can strengthen them even further.

“The latest figures show us that there are approximately 1,880 Polish people living in Louth, who make a valuable cultural contribution to our community. It is through cultural activities and events such as the UEFA qualifier and the PolskaÉire events, which bring the Polish and Irish communities together.

“I am delighted that there are three fantastic cultural events in Louth from literature to sport, to provide a space for Irish people and Polish people alike to come together, appreciate our cultural differences and similarities and get to know one another better.

“I would like to encourage everyone in our community to join in the national celebration of PolskaEire and attend our community events. I would also like to thank the hard work done by Louth County Libraries, Polska Szkola Dundalk and Polska Szkola Drogheda in setting up the events.”

More details about the national PolskaEire 2015 programme can be found at www.polskaeirefestival.com

Spanish man makes game about local legend Cu Chulainn after falling in love with the Irish language

Francisco Blazquez, the creator of the Irish-language game ‘In Cu Chulainn’s Footsteps’, inset with his partner, Eva

A Spanish software expert has devised a computer game based on the adventures of local legend Cu Chulainn after falling in love with the Irish language.

Francisco Blazquez (46), who is from Madrid, first came to Ireland when he was 18 to learn English.

However, he was so taken with the Irish language that when he returned home he signed up for classes at the official language school in his native city.

The software consultant has been based in Ireland since 2010, and Francisco and his partner Eva Garcia are now set to launch their new game ‘In Cu Chulainn’s Footsteps’ on Thursday at Croke Park.

The game features music from Clannad, Kila and Sharon Shannon, and legendary broadcaster Micheal O Muircheartaigh also provides a voiceover for part of the game – in English and in Irish.

“The idea is to promote Irish,” said Francisco. “Our aim is to create a portal with many games.”

The game can be played in both Irish and English, swapping and mixing both languages as the player wishes.

“It is aimed for children aged between eight and 12, or perhaps slightly older. Players lead Cu Chulainn through a mysterious island, solving puzzles and riddles to find the way out of there,” said Francisco, who has formed his own company, Duineacu.

He said that along with the game, players will also find information related to Irish culture including music, literature, sports and legends. It is a 3D adventure played in the third person, driven by mouse clicks or taps on the screen.

A licence to play the game is bought online, he said.

Meanwhile, in the school version, teachers can very easily change the content, the voiceovers and the text.

For further information see: www.cuadventure.com

Source: Irish Independent

Pre-tax profits at Heinz fall by 22%

The Heinz factory in Dundalk

Pre-tax profits at the main Irish arm of US food giant Heinz fell by 22% last year.

New figures from HJ Heinz Manufacturing Ireland Ltd (HJHML), who have a factory in Dundalk, show profits fell to £11.4m (€13.5m) after revenues slid 7% to £90.7m in the 12 months to the end of April.

The accounts for the Irish firm show that in a post balance sheet event, a cash dividend of £58m was paid one day after a dividend of £49m was received by HJHML from an Irish subsidiary.

The revenues for the Irish-based firm include sales in the Irish, UK, Swedish and French markets and, according to the directors’ report, revenues for the Irish operation increased by 5% in the period.

The company’s Irish operations are engaged in the sales, marketing and distribution of all Heinz brands.

The firm also manufactures healthy frozen ready medals and pizzas under the Weight Watchers brand and sells former brands of HP Foods.

The performance of the firm’s Irish subsidiary, HJ Heinz Company (Ireland) Ltd, is consolidated into the results of HJ Heinz Manufacturing Ireland Ltd.

Last month, the comapny announced that 29 jobs are set to go at the HJ Heinz plant in Dundalk as the company moves ahead with plans to cut 10% of its global workforce.

A statement from Heinz said they were reducing the workforce “to meet reduced production demands.”

Dundalk legend Tommy McConville passes away

The death has occurred of one of Dundalk’s greatest ever servants Tommy McConville.

A former Irish international, Tommy was known for his good nature and excellent sense of humour.

He had been I’ll of late but remained a firm supporter of the club to the end.

McConville was synonymous with Dundalk and starred for the club over a 21-year period, making a record 580 appearances. While there he won four league titles and three FAI Cups.

He also played for Waterford United, Shamrock Rovers and Finn Harps.

McConville won six international caps between 1971 and 1973.

His funeral Mass takes place in the Redeemer on Monday at 1pm.

Dundalk’s Liam Dolan sets new Irish Ironman record

Liam at the finish line in Copenhagen

Dundalk’s Liam Dolan travelled to Copenhagen in Denmark on Sunday to compete in the third running of the Ironman Copenhagen race.

The race, set against the city’s iconic backdrop, saw 2,600 athletes cover the 2.4mile swim, 112mile cycle and 26.2mile marathon race in somewhat changeable weather that was well suited to an Irishman. Dolan is no stranger to races of this length, having previously set a new Irish record of 9:02 back in 2009, when he first attempted a long course triathlon in Austria. Since then the record had been lowered to 8:50, also set in Austria in 2011 by Derry’s Martin Muldoon.

Dolan started the day with a good swim, exiting the water of Denmark’s Amster Stall in 67 minutes before quickly setting out on the bike. The course saw the athletes tackle two laps in and around the north of the country, with a mixture of flat roads and a couple of rolling hills. Despite the high winds on the day, he finished the bike event having averaged an incredible 25mph, taking 4.5 hours. The runners were then quickly laced up for the daunting challenge of a full marathon in and around the iconic city.

At this stage the strong winds were replaced by rain but this did not dampen the atmosphere with the huge crowd. Ticking off the miles at a steady seven minute pace Dolan moved up the field, cheered up by a number of Irish fans scattered throughout the course. No training can really stimulate the feeling of still having 10 miles to go after having been on your feet for eight hours of non-stop swimming, biking and running but Dolan dug deep to complete the marathon segment in three hours flat, to get him home in 8 hours 45mins – a new Irish record by five minutes.

This time saw him finish up in 15th overall and as the third placed amateur. The result was good enough to qualify for the World Championships held in Hawaii every October, an event he has competed in three times previously, but on October 11th he will be swapping the lycra for a proper suit when he marries Annette Dawe of the Avenue Road.

Liam and fiancée Annette Dawe, who he will wed in October