Annagassan woman Emma Cahill could be the next big country music star

This area has produced many musical stars over the years with the likes of The Corrs, Liam Reilly, Tara Erraught and Cathy Maguire all having hit the big time.

Now Annagassan woman Emma Cahill could be set to add her name to the list.

The 28-year-old has recently started singing after years of following country music and has back it up by releasing a video for her first single ‘Never Ending Song Of Love’.

Emma, who has worked in Penney’s in the Marshes for almost 10 years, said getting behind the mic was still something very new to her.

“I’ve just recently started the singing,” she said.

“I’ve literally just promoted my video on YouTube so it’s not available to purchase in shops just yet.

“It’s all very new but I’ve been going to country music events for the past seven years. I’m always going to the likes of Declan Nerney, Patrick Feeney, Derek Ryan, Robert Mizzell, Nathan Carter etc.

“I love jiving so it was something I’ve always wanted to do, to sing country.

“It would be great to get my song shared about and you never know what opportunities may arise.

“I’ll be hoping to record another song in the next few months,” she said.

Check out Emma performing in her video above. Shot on Annagassan beach, there’s definite talent there.

If her debut track is anything to go by it might not be long until Emma is ditching Penney’s and adding her name to the list of local singing talents by gigging with some of her favourites.

Penney’s in Dundalk hiring part-time staff for summer

Penney’s in the Marshes Shopping Centre are currently hiring part-time retail assistants for the summer months.

Candidates must have continuous availability from June to September and be available to work evenings and weekends, including Sundays and public holidays.

Further details are available here.

Blow for Long Walk Shopping Centre as Carroll’s closes its doors after 20 years

The Long Walk Shopping Centre has suffered a blow to start the year following the year closure of Carroll’s Newsagents and Hallmark store.

The business, run by Ian Carroll, had occupied two units in the centre since its opening in 1994.

It is understood that the Carroll family opted to close the units following a request for higher rent.

Six staff are understood to have lost their jobs as the business turns its local focus to the Hallmark store in the Marshes Shopping Centre. The store will now primarily concentrate on the likes of greeting cards and gifts and will no longer sell newspapers.

The closure of Carroll’s in the Long Walk comes almost exactly 10 years on from their decision to pull out of the old Dundalk Shopping Centre as owners Wanze Properties looked to redevelop the site.

The Carroll family had been one of the original tenants of the Dundalk Shopping Centre when it opened its doors back in October 1974 along with Kate English, Michael Connolly, Michael Gallagher and the late Eamon Dowd.

The closure of Carroll’s is the latest blow to the Long Walk Shopping Centre following the closure of the anchor store, Penneys, last year.

There was some good news for the centre last week when, despite local speculation to the contrary, Tesco announced they would not be closing any Irish stores this year.

The closure of Carroll’s isn’t the only recent store closure locally after the Left Bank Restaurant on Park Street shut its doors just before Christmas.

Spirit of Christmas event in Lordship this Saturday

‘A Spirit of Christmas’ fashion extravaganza and Christmas market will take place in the St Patrick’s GFC clubrooms in Lordship this Saturday.

Doors for the event will open at 7pm with proceeds going towards Bellurgan, Dulargy and Rampark National Schools, as well as St Pat’s

This will be a fashion show with a difference. Amongst the shops taking part are: Name It, Neola, DV8, Jack Jones, Unique, Bumbles for Kids, Rouge Boutique, McArdle’s, Penneys, FJ Murphy, Gerrard and Tony McDonnell Menswear.

The very successful Pats ladies and mens teams, senior and youth, will be taking to the catwalk to model, along with teachers and pupils from all three schools and also lots of friends of the schools and St Pat’s.

There will also be Christmas market with lots of local produce on sale, with Christmas smells and tastes which will be incredible. Calendars, makeup, knitwear, flowers, sweets, jewellery and cards are only some of the items that will be on sale at the market.  The lovely wooden Christmas stall, candy canes and stage props have been made specially for this event by Andrew and Austin of Dealga Maintenance from the Old Road in Bellurgan.

The three schools are currently taking part in a  ‘Best Christmas outfit’ competition, where a winner from each class and from each school will model their outfits on the night and one overall winner per school will be chosen.  Each winner will get a hamper with lots of lovely treats for them to enjoy over Christmas.

A Christmas event like this one could not take place without Santa Claus and the big man in the red suit will indeed be available to meet and greet everyone on the night. Some of his elves are coming with him to make sure he returns back to the North Pole in time for Christmas! There will also be a local photographer available to take your photo with Santa if you wish.

A huge raffle will take place, with prizes such as bags of coal, wine, clothes vouchers, meal vouchers and lots, lots more.

And if all that isn’t enough, ‘The Shakes’ will perform upstairs in the bar after the fashion show is over.

Tickets cost only €10 each, with under 12s €5 and are on sale in McCrystal’s, Crilly’s, Sheelan’s and Londis shops or from the Pat’s clubrooms on Thursday night between 7.30-8.30pm or from Aeidamar on 086 6094640 or Catriona on 086 8512466.

Starbucks and the Christmas Claus-Et opening in Dundalk today

Coffee lovers will have a new place to get their fix from this morning.

Starbucks opened its doors in the Marshes Shopping Centre at 8am this morning.

The multi-national chain is located in the former Heaven boutique, opposite the entrance to Penneys with a number of new jobs being created by its arrival in town.

This is the first official Starbucks outlet in Dundalk, although its products are sold in other local stores.

Another store opening its doors today is the Christmas Claus-Et in Clanbrassil Street.

The festive store, which was also open last year, is bigger and better than ever and will be located in the former Cumiskey’s music store, opposite Costcutter.

You can read more about the Christmas Claus-Et here.

New coffee shop for Dundalk?

Starbucks could be on the way to Dundalk.

Sources have informed Talk of the Town that the popular coffee chain are looking at the possibility at opening a store in the Marshes Shopping Centre.

It is understood that the coffee company may look to set up in the existing Heaven boutique, opposite Penney’s, which is closing shortly.

Were the coffee house to open it would put them in direct competition with The Bagel Bar Coffee House upstairs and Costa Coffee in the centre of the mall.

To date Starbucks has only been available to buy locally in The Coffee Room at the Northlink Retail Park on the Coes Road and at an outlet in Dundalk IT.

A potential opening would follow hot on the heels of another coffee house’s closure with The Black Forest Café in Park Street recently closing its doors. A second outlet of Costa Coffee did recently open in the new Tesco Extra though.

Starbucks could be on its way to Dundalk

Starbucks could be on the way to Dundalk.

Sources have informed Talk of the Town that the popular coffee chain are looking at the possibility at opening a store in the Marshes Shopping Centre.

It is understood that the coffee company may look to set up in the existing Heaven boutique, opposite Penney’s, which is closing shortly.

Were the coffee house to open it would put them in direct competition with The Bagel Bar Coffee House upstairs and Costa Coffee in the centre of the mall.

To date Starbucks has only been available to buy locally in The Coffee Room at the Northlink Retail Park on the Coes Road and at an outlet in Dundalk IT.

A potential opening would follow hot on the heels of another coffee house’s closure with The Black Forest Café in Park Street recently closing its doors. A second outlet of Costa Coffee did recently open in the new Tesco Extra though.

Kennedy Wilson pays €120m for Elliott loans and Marshes Shopping Centre

The Marshes

US-based property investment group Kennedy Wilson announced yesterday that it had agreed to acquire the Elliott loan portfolio and the Marshes Shopping Centre in Dundalk for a combined €120 million.

It is believed that the Marshes was bought for around €45m.

The centre, which has been trading since 2005, had been funded by Ulster Bank, a member of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which is campaigning to have loans repaid as part of its drive to reduce its exposure to the property market.

The Marshes is a highly successful centre with Dunnes Stores and Penneys as anchor tenants among the traders.

The complex extends to 25,172sq m (270,961sq ft) and has an overall rental income of €3.85 million. Other traders include Eason, Dorothy Perkins, Lifestyle Sports, McArdle Meats, Mothercare, River Island and Peter Mark.

It also has planning permission for a cinema complex.

Kennedy Wilson was part of a joint venture company which also acquired Stillorgan shopping centre in Dublin and Merchant’s Quay in Cork last summer as part of the Opera portfolio for €306 million.

The loans associated with former Cavan-based construction group P Elliott are secured against a portfolio of 13 real estate assets, comprising primarily offices, industrial, retail and residential properties for €75 million.

These assets form part of RBS Capital Resolution, which is responsible for disposing of Ulster Bank’s non-core assets.

Marshes close to being sold for €45m

The Marshes

International property investment fund Kennedy Wilson is the front runner to buy the Marshes Shopping Centre for around €45 million, according to a report in today’s Irish Times.

The centre forms part of a portfolio of shopping centres being sold by Savills for the Abbey Group and Foyleside Group.

The centre, which has been trading since 2005, was funded by Ulster Bank, a member of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which is campaigning to have loans repaid as part of its drive to reduce its exposure to the property market.

The Marshes is a highly successful centre with Dunnes Stores and Penneys as anchor tenants among the traders.

The complex extends to 25,172sq m (270,961sq ft) and has an overall rental income of €3.85 million. Other traders include Eason, Dorothy Perkins, Lifestyle Sports, McArdle Meats, Mothercare, River Island and Peter Mark.

Kennedy Wilson was part of a joint venture company which also acquired Stillorgan shopping centre in Dublin and Merchant’s Quay in Cork last summer as part of the Opera portfolio for €306 million.

Blow for the Long Walk as another store is to close

The Long Walk Shopping Centre has suffered another blow with the news that Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe is to close at the weekend, just eight months after opening last October.

The news comes just weeks after one of the centre’s anchor tenants, Penneys, opted to pull out of the centre.

Mr Simms sold sweets from both the past and present and filled a void in the old print shop that had been idle for more than a decade.

The Long Walk Shopping Centre is 20 years open this month but there will be little celebrations after another empty unit is left vacant when the store closes its doors for the final time on Saturday.

The store had employed four staff.