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Thursday evening’s tourism programme ‘Failte’ with Carmel Murray. Sponsored by The Country Shop, Letterfrack. Broadcast Thursday the 12th Of September 2024 https://www.connemarafm.com/audio-page/
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Thursday evening’s tourism programme ‘Failte’ with Carmel Murray. Sponsored by The Country Shop, Letterfrack. Broadcast Thursday the 12th Of September 2024 https://www.connemarafm.com/audio-page/
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Thursday evening’s tourism programme ‘Failte’ with Carmel Murray. Sponsored by The Country Shop, Letterfrack. Broadcast Thursday the 12th Of September 2024 https://www.connemarafm.com/audio-page/
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This program is sponsored by Letterfract Country Shop. The host, Carmel Marie, welcomes guests and discusses various topics. The guest, Donal Healy, talks about the success of Ireland West Airport during the summer season and the increased customer satisfaction. They also discuss the capacity issues at Dublin Airport and the potential for diverting some flights to regional airports. Donal mentions the new EU regulations regarding cabin baggage and the need to remove liquids and gels from bags. However, there are exemptions for certain items such as laptops and baby products. The compliance with these regulations has been smooth so far. This program is kindly sponsored by Letterfract Country Shop, 095-418-50. This program is kindly sponsored by Letterfract Country Shop, 095-418-50. This program is kindly sponsored by Letterfract Country Shop, 095-418-50. Diolch i feistioidh go léir, agus ceil ffáilte róbh as deachtaidh an chlára táir as uairachta. Chlára baird níoc díbh prí gach ródh a táfidh bwnt sin teamsgail. Is mis a Carmel Marie, agus tá James ar an des blumineu marus glá, agus támideig críleo ar 8-6.8 is ceid sa 6.1 FM. Agus ar an idrúil an ffresin támideir www.connemara.com. Agus tá uibhir ar telefón nó, 4-6-6. Mas mín le blíos deachtaidh an aon, i rícheann gláir, nó i rícheann a seachtain an ffresin, bai ffáilte ffírchaidh róibh i gcónaidh. Good evening listeners, and you're very welcome to another edition of 4 to the Tourism Program. My name is Carmel Marie, and James is always on the desk with me, and we're broadcasting, as I said, on 87.8 and 106.1 FM. Now, what a beautiful evening we're having here. I hope you've all had time to enjoy most of the fine weather we've had over the last couple of weeks, and that it'll continue on. And I really hope it'll continue on over this weekend anyway, because I'd like to send best wishes to Sarah Eustace and her husband-to-be, Dara, who are getting married this weekend in Ballinainge Castle, but they're neighbours of ours. We wish you all the best, and we're delighted to be allowed or be honoured to partake in some of your celebrations. So, Sarah and Dara, the sun will continue to shine. And congratulations as well to the lot of award winners in the area. This is the time of year when, you know, the people who grant all the awards and that are going around, as I saw, the secret travellers, you know, the guests that you don't realise are there, kind of sussing you out or whatever, have been around. And there are lots of awards coming up for lots of people. The only one I saw, like, was Lowry's Bar in Clifton. Again, the best pub in Carnacht. They're always winning, but there's lots more to come and lots more others. And over the weeks, I'll be taking note of them and telling you all about them. Now, for my programme today, I have, I think, a nice line-up of interesting guests to talk. My first guest today is Donal Healy. And Donal is the Head of Aviation, Business Development, Marketing and Communications of Ireland West Airport. Now, that's some title to have to carry. Good evening, Donal, and you're very welcome to the programme. Hello, Carmel. How are you? I'm great, thank you. Welcome back to us. It's good to have you again. Thank you, Lois. You have a lot of different sections of the airport to cover there, between the aviation and business and marketing and communications. You're a busy man, but thank you for joining us anyway. Firstly, Donal, we'll just get a general update on the summer season so far. Yeah, believe it or not, the summer season is pretty much almost over, Carmel. I know. It's been a very busy summer, probably our busiest on record. We've had some record months there over the summer months, probably endorsed by the fact that the weather has been so poor here. We've had very strong performance on a lot of our families and couples, etc., etc., going to the Suns, the likes of Alicante, Barcelona, Milan, Faro, New York, and Madagascar, Lanzarote and Tenerife. They've all been escaping what's been, in all agree, a miserable summer. So that has really led to a very strong performance on some routes in particular. But overall, very positive summer season for us here at the airport. Brilliant. But you have increased an awful lot of flights, which is brilliant. As you mentioned, the European ones too, Lanzarote and Tenerife and all of that. For this summer. And you have 86 extra flights you put on last year. So that's a huge amount of extra capacity for people, which is brilliant. It is, yeah. And look, that's what it's all about. It's adding capacity in response to demand. Yeah. So it's been very, very positive in the sense that, as you said, the airlines have added the demand. Yeah. Sorry, they've added the extra capacity in response to demand, as I said, annoyed by pretty bad weather and stuff like that. So all positive, apparently, that way. Which is great, yeah. Now, I should have congratulated you for some of the increased numbers and the increased routes, as I mentioned. But as well, the increased satisfaction, bless you, the increased satisfaction expressed by your customers in 2024. People are very, very happy traveling through Ireland West Airport. Donal, what do you attribute it to? I think there's a number of factors, Carmen. I think one thing is the choice. The choice has grown enormously in the likes of the last year. And always added new services. The daily service in London Heathrow. That's very, very popular with people traveling. I know. Australia, the likes of Lanzarote and Tenerife. That's the first thing. I think the choice has increased, which people, of course, love. But the usual one, Carmen, is the convenience of the airport and how we pride ourselves on the customer service people get when they come to the airport. But the convenience and the parking and generally the ease of getting to the airport is always something that, in all our surveys we do with passengers, is always something that resonates with them. Yeah, which is great. That's the strong selling point of the airport. Can I ask you, Dawn, to comment on the situation at Dublin Airport at the moment? You know, as I said, we've seen it in the news this week where the 22 million quota that they have will be exceeded before the year's end. And, you know, Ryanair reckons that they can't change it because people want to come into Dublin. But isn't there an easy solution to this if they divert it, say, non-football weekend travelers and non-concert weekend traffic to the Western Airport? Wouldn't that be a huge boost to the Western Airport and solve their problems up there? Okay, it certainly would, Carmen. And we have the capacity, as do indeed all the regional airports, for additional flights. But at the end of the day, these are decisions that rest with the airline and the Ryanairs of this world on putting increased capacity into the regional airports now. Look, there's an argument to be made there from a government level that there could be more done to address regional imbalance and, you know, more attractive incentives put in place by airlines to put more flights into the region. But generally, Ryanair and Aer Lingus have been very good and they have responded to the demand in the West and Northwest by putting in the routes that they have currently with, you know, almost 22 destinations available from the airport. But certainly, Carmen, we have capacity for more. And any new business down here is certainly welcomed in the West and Northwest. That's for sure. Yes, of course. And, you know, as I said, I think maybe if people were given the knowledge that the airports are there, like if they're given the choices, it might make a difference. But we'll go back to that at another time. Now, why I'm talking to you today, Donal, is like when I was speaking to you earlier on in the year, you know, we talked, you know, a lot about the next generation cabin baggage screening system, which you had just started to operate. And, you know, you didn't need to remove your laptops or liquids from cabin bags and set up queue times. But that has to change now because of the new restrictions from the 1st of September. So will your new machine be redundant or what are you going to do about it? No, not at all. It's certainly not redundant, Carmen. But there has been new EU regulations have come in as of the 1st of September with regards to bringing liquids and gels in your cabin bags. So look at, I think it was amateur late last year when we had the marked occasion that we got the new machines in, which allowed you to bring over 100 mils. Yeah, that was me. Yeah, in your cabin bag. Yeah. There has been a new regulation, and it's a temporary issue, we have to be honest about it, that we hope will be resolved very soon. Anymore now from 1st of September on, as you said, if you're traveling with liquids and gels in cabin baggage, you will need to take them out and put them into a clear and transparent bag. But there is exemptions, of course. So if you have a laptop and an electrical item, that can still stay in your cabin bag. You don't need to take them out. And then, of course, there's an exemption if you have baby food or medicine or specific dietary requirements. You can put them also in a plastic bag, but they can actually be over 100 mils. So basically, if you have liquids and gels over 100 mils, you need to put them in a clear bag and just take it out of your cabin bag. Now, if you're checking in a bag, Carmel, nothing further needs to be done. You're allowed to put them on the plane like that. But I have to say, yeah, we're very appreciative of this. Well, the compliance that was introduced last Sunday has gone very smoothly, and I should say, of course, thanks to people who have prepared in advance when they get to the airport, and that has made the journey through continue to be an easy one. Brilliant. Yeah, that's good. Yeah, well, people are very, you know, they really are cooperative, don't they? They know the changes are there, so, you know, and they're there for a reason. Yeah, exactly. But, yeah, there was one thing, you know, that I saw there, whatever, like baby products and all, they can be any size. They can be over 100 mil or whatever, you know? Yeah, yeah. But you can have as many plastic bags as you like as well, just that they have to be under 50 mils. The contents have to be under 50 mils. Is that right? Under 100 mils. Oh, sorry, under 100 mils. Yeah, but you can bring, yeah, you're 100% right. You can bring as many bags as you want, and we have them bags at the airport, so you can bring as many of them as you want. Yeah, but, you know, I suppose the thing is for people like to plan and ensure that their sizes are right and that, you know, there will be no problem at the airport if they happen to look and see in advance what's expected of them, you know? Yeah. Isn't it true? Yeah, great. Just a quick, you know, sort of an update on what you're doing for this winter. I know last year we were very excited with all the extra flights and everything, and, you know, are you doing anything new this winter, or is it, you know, the same amounts or what? No, we have no new destination this winter, Cameron, but we do have additional flights added on a number of services. So, for example, for those who love a bit of winter sun, and there is plenty of them out there, we have a weekly service to Tenerife and Lanzarote. This winter we will have two flights a week to Malaga, so loads of options for people looking to get away from the miserable weather. Yeah. Further to that, we have a bit of extra capacity on the likes of our Liverpool flight, where we have two flights now on a Friday, which will be very popular for the short weekend break, and particularly football. A lot of people go to West Liverpool and then United and then City from this region. That's right. So we talk it to that. So it looks like it's going to be one of our busiest winters on record, so it will be very, very positive, hopefully, in that regard. Well, you know, that's brilliant, and it's a great outlook, Donald, and it's the way to go, isn't it? It is. As you said, you know, as I see, your unique selling points, what are they? Give us your USP and I'll let you go then. Well, as I mentioned earlier, I think it's the cabinet, the wheelchair, and the ease of travel and convenience. That's the three we always pride ourselves on for the airport, and that's what passengers tell us most of the time. And airport parking. Of course, yeah. I think airport parking there is absolutely brilliant, because you're right into the door, which is fantastic. Donald, do you want to give the address, the Facebook or the website for people who want to go on and look and see what's there? It's www.irelandwestairport.com. www.irelandwestairport.com. It's not gone off at all together, is it? It is, yeah. It's not in the web address. Keep it simple as possible, Carmen. Keep it simple. Okay. Donald, it's been lovely talking to you again. If you have anything during the year, please come back to us. I will do. Take care. Thank you for talking to us today. And we'll have a Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra. It was the only flying song I could think about. So, James has that lined up for us, okay? Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away. If you can use some exotic booze, there's a bar in far Bombay. Come on and fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away. If you can use some exotic booze, there's a bar in far Bombay. Come on and fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away. Come fly with me, let's float down to Peru. In Llama Land, there's a one-man band and he'll toot his flute for you. Once I get you up there where the air is rarefied, we'll just fly to starry-eyed. Once I get you up there, I'll be holding you so near. You may hear all the angels cheer because we're together. Weather-wise, it's such a lovely day. Just say the words and we'll beat the birds down to Acapulco Bay. It is perfect for a flying honeymoon. They say, come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away. Once I get you up there where the air is rarefied, we'll just fly to starry-eyed. Once I get you up there, I'll be holding you so very near. You might even hear a whole gang of cheer just because we're together. Weather-wise, it's such a cuckoo day. You just say those words and we'll take all the birds down to Acapulco Bay. It's so perfect for a flying honeymoon. Oh, babe, come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly. Pack up, let's fly away. Good evening, Carmel. Nice to speak to you. It's good. It's good to have you. We haven't talked to you for a while. We did try some earlier on the year, but we couldn't get you on the day. But we have you now, so you're not getting away without answering a few questions. Yeah, first, you know, Jim, an update on the season for you with rail tours. What's happening there? Well, in common with most incoming operators, we found that overall it's been a good year. But July and August were very quiet, unusually, which should be traditionally high season. And the whole industry really is complaining that something's happened. We don't quite know what yet, but something happened in July and August that caused bookings to be down. And we hear the same from all the tourist hotspots like Killarney and Galway. But particularly July, things recovered a bit in August. And September, we're out the door, so that's very good. And we had a very busy spring. But July and August, I think possibly people are just avoiding high season now. They're not even looking, you know. I think high season as well, and we've been known, like, the prices go up. And, you know, we have been busier. People didn't really appreciate. They didn't like it when it was too busy. I know I would have heard people coming to us saying, oh, God, is it always like this, you know? And next year we'll come in the off season. And I think a lot of people have kind of changed their patterns to that. Do you find that, Jim? Well, that's typically less the families. Oh, yeah, school families, yeah. I think high season has been avoided completely. But as I said, the spring and the autumn have been very busy and are very busy. Yeah, I know some places here, I've heard that they're accommodating. The numbers were down 40% at one stage in July, you know. Yeah, yeah. That's an awful drop, you know. So we'll have to, as an industry, look at this now for 2025. Yeah, and find out what's what happened. But we're very busy at the moment. And at the moment I'm in Colmar, actually. Are you? Unusually for the, what is it, Thursday? Yeah. Because we have a very special tour at the moment where we have our own private train. And we're touring Ireland. We started off in Dublin, went to Walford, then Killarney, and Killarney and Cove on our train. And yesterday we travelled from Killarney to Galway by train. Oh, lovely. And then coach out to Calamara, where we're staying here for two nights. Oh, very nice. So we spent a fabulous day today touring Calamara. Look at the days, look at the weather. So it was a stunning day and, as we say, great touring weather. It was quite cool, but very clear. And that's the ideal weather for touring. What nationality are your present group? Mainly North America. But we have a couple of Scots, Australians. But you can tell them that it's always like this, you see. They won't, you know. You can tell them again. Well, absolutely, we do. Because we say we've arranged the weather on top of everything else. Yeah, exactly. You know, during July and August, there was a tourist tax proposed by the government. And I haven't gotten an update on that, you know. What's your opinion on this? How will that affect the whole tourist trade? Well, it's hard enough, you know. Ireland is a hard sell. It's not that easy. I know. We're only, despite people seeing lots of evidence of tourism, like lots of coaches and things like that. Ireland, believe it or not, is a very hard sell. We're very small potatoes in the world tourism scene. And it has improved in recent years. But, you know, anything that would deter tourism would be very unfortunate. What we do need to do is get the VAT back down to 9% for the industry, except for the hotels. Because the hotels really have, you know, particularly in Dublin. Yeah, but isn't it just, as you mentioned Dublin, isn't just that the hot spots of the hotels are jam-packed because they're getting all the festivals, the footballs, you know what I mean? Those are the places to go as well. Yeah, they have, but it has improved, yeah. But I don't know. I think that, you know, we've all been lumped together as the tourist industry, but I think they should separate the hotels. They've aimed at the rate there, but cut it for everybody else. Yeah, the disincentive, really. There is a disincentive towards us. Because any idea of an extra tourist tax would be very detrimental. We'll see what Jack Chambers does in a couple of weeks. Well, we hope that Finnegan would be supportive of business. Yeah, well, hopefully, yeah. But anyway, like you're going, you're flying high. Well, you're not flying high. The other, the Knock Airport fellow is flying high. You're travelling, travelling, train and rail and train. So can you give me the update on the Mam Cross, the Connemara Railway project that you're talking about? We're still making progress. We've just started opening now for pre-arranged private groups, where we can coach groups, where we can make sure that there's enough staff, volunteer staff, in place. Because that's a huge problem ever since Covid is getting people and the whole Mam Cross project is not for profit. We're all volunteers there to get people to give their time free. And we all do because we're passionately interested in the Irish Country Railway and to restore this, what will be an all-weather family visitor attraction. But initially, it will ultimately employ some people, but initially, we need to work just on a volunteer basis. So we can't afford to open every day, but we will take bookings for larger groups from time to time. And we do hope to be open now for Halloween and for Christmas. Oh, really? That would be lovely, yes. It's a good time because most activities close for the winter. That would be great. Well, Heritage Railway, you seem to have coach trains at Halloween. Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right. That would be lovely, actually. It's a great idea. So, Jim, funding, the usual, the bane of every developer's life. The last time I was talking to you, you had problems with accessing parts of the old railway line. How are you doing on that? Well, it's fine. We have what we have. And we have about a kilometre of railway laid there so we can give people the experience of rail travel in Connemara, which ended 90 years ago next year, 1935. So 90 years ago, it's closed. And it's great that 90 years later, we can give just a snapshot of what it was like to travel by train through beautiful scenery. I hadn't thought about that. The 90-year celebration next year would be in Aftermarket. Yes, indeed. Absolutely. And this year, 2024, is the 190th anniversary of railways in Ireland. Because the Dublin-Kingstown railway was opened, this time, 190 years ago. So it won't be long now before we have the 200th anniversary of rail travel. Of rail travel. Great. All these things, all these dates have to be celebrated. They're huge dates in their own time, weren't they? Oh, absolutely. Railways opened up Ireland. You know, hopefully there'll be a golden age of rail again now with sustainability and climate change. Yes, that's true. That is true. All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review has indicated that we should get back some of the lines that closed, like the Western Rail Corridor. The first phase, which did open back in 2010, and which has been a huge success. Trains are packed between Limerick and Galway. Yeah, that's what I was trying to think. There's quite a lot of gurrier, accented criticism from economists in Dublin. So we're hoping that phase two, from Attenray to Claremorris, which will be a really important link in our rail network. It'll allow trains from Westport to Galway, from Ballina to Galway, and then hopefully from Sligo to Claremorris to Galway. Brilliant. Yeah, it'll be really well connected. And again, I was talking to the guy at the airport. I mean, the connecting, everything connecting, means so much to the different focal points where people have to get to, don't they? Oh, totally. Railways has a future now, particularly with climate change. And my company, Rail Tours Ireland, just happens now, after 27 years, to be the most sustainable mainstream incoming tour operator in Ireland because we use scheduled trains every day. Oh, lovely. Well done on that. So I just mentioned funding there in passing, because I know the funding for the Land Cross project is always hard for you to get. We have a GoFundMe page on our website, claremorrorailway.ie, with some recent updates. But we're hoping, we're usually there every Saturday if anyone wants to come and help. Yeah. We're always looking for more volunteers. So, but we do hope to open on a more regular basis now in the future. Which would be lovely. Jim, it's been lovely talking to you again, as always. Well done on your progress so far with Land Cross, and indeed on your tours. And enjoy, as you, I know you will be in Clifton, I know, probably more than these two days, but enjoy with your tour. I hope that the enjoying part- Well, my guests are really loving Connemara today, and it's certainly put its best foot forward. Hasn't it, yeah. And do you tell them that you really are a Connemara man at heart? Oh, totally. Great. Jim, thank you so much indeed for joining us today on the tourism program. And we'll have a train, we'll have a rail song for you. And the only one I could think about was, are you right there, Michael? Are you right? The old train song. And it's been sung by Brendan O'Donoghue. O'Donoghue, about the West Clare Railway. That's it, yeah. Is that what it is about? Yeah. That's what it's about. The West Clare Railway. Oh, thank you for that. Okay. Thank you, Jim. We'll talk to you again. Thank you very much. Okay. Bye now. You may talk of Columbus's sailing across the Atlantic and sea, but he never tried to go railing from Venice as far as can see. You run for the train in the morning, the excursion train starting at eight. You're there when the clock gives a warning, but there for an hour you will wait. And as you're waiting in the train, you'll hear the guard sing this refrain. Are you right there, Michael, are you right? Do you think that we'll be home before the night? Ah, you've been so long in starting that you couldn't say for starting till you might, now might, if so you mind. You find out where the engine's been hiding, and it drags you to sleep for a bit. As the guard cycle down on the siding, there's a goods from Kilrush coming in. But perhaps it comes in in two hours, perhaps it breaks down on the way. If it does, says the guard, be the power, we're here for the rest of the day. And as you sit and curse your luck, the train backs down into a trough. Are you right there, Michael, are you right? Have you got the parcel there from Mrs. White? Oh, you haven't? Oh, begorrah, say it's coming down tomorrow, and it might, now, Michael, so it might. At Lehinge the sea shines like a jewel, with joy you are ready to shout. When the stoker cries out, there's no fuel, and the fire is hit totally out. But hand up that bit of a love there, I'll soon have you out of the fix. There's a fine clamp of turf in the bough there, and the rest go a-gathering sticks. And while you're breaking bits of trees, you hear some wise remarks like these. Are you right there, Michael, are you right? Do you think that you can get the fire to light? Oh, an hour you'll require, for the turf it might be drier, and it might, now, Michael, so it might. Kilkee, oh, you never get near it, you're in luck if the train brings you back. For the permanent way is so queery, spend most of its time off the track. Uphill, you'll end in its climbing, while the passengers mush with a will. You're in luck when you reach and it's timing, for all the way home is downhill. And as you're wobbling through the dark, you hear the guard makes his remark. Are you right there, Michael, are you right? Do you think that you'll be home before it's light? Tis all dependent whether the old engine holds together, and it might, now, Michael, so it might, so it might. And it might, now, Michael, so it might. He met a girl from Conne, a man of her wealth was always known. Her blue eyes, they were beautiful, and her red hair flowing down. She lived among those mountains, where the twire oil had her growth. And her name is Kate O'Hara, she's my Connambara rose. Oh, you went forth, I saw her, on that road to Prague. That somehow, someday, someway, she was the lieutenant of my heart. She smiled at me so sweetly, as the stream beside her flowed. And from that day on, I'll never forget my Connambara rose. Oh, it seems like endless time, and boy, yet again, I saw her face. But the memory of her love sustained, as I walked that lonely mile. She was waiting, as she promised, as I came back to propose. And to ask her father for the hand of my Connambara rose. Oh, she comes from Connambara, far west of Galway town. Her blue eyes, they were beautiful, and her red hair flowing down. She lived among those mountains, where the twire oil had her growth. And her name is Kate O'Hara, she's my Connambara rose. Now tomorrow, we will walk the island, that little churchless man. And there we'll take to boast her life, for to live and work as one. Our children will grow to manhood, for that wild, wild head of growth. And I hope that they'll be proud like me, of my Connambara rose. Oh, she comes from Connambara, far west of Galway town. Her blue eyes, they were beautiful, and her red hair flowing down. She lived among those mountains, where the twire oil had her growth. And her name is Kate O'Hara, she's my Connambara rose. It's our pleasure, Marie, and I'm sure it's our pleasure to talk to anybody today on such a beautiful day, and I'm sure Inishbafan must be looking glorious today. It is, we've got the weather now that we didn't get in the summer. I know, everybody's, yeah. But you know something, Marie, in a way, it's a good thing, because, you know, this time of year, locals have a bit more time to enjoy it. True, yeah. Yeah, if you got it in early July and August, nobody had time to breathe. So, you know, you've had a busy summer, haven't you? It was busy, but not as busy as other years. There wasn't as many day-trippers, I think. I think it kind of just held its own. Yeah, the ones that were booked kind of turned up. Yeah, that's it. But it would have been disappointing for a lot of people because the weather was so bad. It was, and it was a nice day the second boat was out, but it wasn't out a lot this summer because there wasn't a call for it. Yeah, I know, I was talking to one of the contenders earlier on, and they were saying at that stage that the numbers were down 40%, as indeed a lot of the hoteliers and all of that out on the mainland are saying. So, it hasn't been great. No. But sure, anyway, we'll survive. Someone here said you have to have a bad summer once in a while. I suppose we have to, you know. It reminds us to be grateful for days like today. Yeah. It's true. Now, Marie, a little bit of history about yourself, because I know you're into all things heritage, which is fantastic, but did you grow up on the island? I did. My mum was Mary Davis from West Porter, and my dad was Owen Coyne, and he was mid-Porter. Oh, yeah. My mum was a Fianna Fowler, and dad was a fine gaoler. Oh, my God, I've had the same myself. We had a big bag. They were great until an election was called. That's it. A family, a concoction of everything. That's it, yeah. But that was the way in our house then, you know. My father was a staunch Fianna Fowler. My mother was as blue as they come. And there was a grand until the election was called, and then there were one on each side of the house for a while. It was great fun, though, they argue. It was great, great fun. Yeah. Yeah. But anyway, you started this museum 25 years ago, was it, since you originally started the first one? 98, I think, when we got it together. That's 26 years, actually, is it? Yeah. 26. So, it's been in storage now for the last while because... Why? The museum, it got flooded in 2014, and then I started thinking of trying to get permission to build a new museum and getting all the tickets. Are you moving around, Marie, because I'm guessing there's been a bit of a breakup every now and then. Can you hear me okay? It's the reception. We can, yeah. Oh, good. You're crying again now. Yeah. The signal here mightn't be great. Yeah. Sometimes they're here is when it can happen, you know. So, you've collected a lot of objects of cultural value that pertain to the island visit alone. Yeah. Chebothan and Inishbothan descendants have a lot of genealogy and stuff gathered from them and photographs. Yeah. And there's some bits and pieces from shark as well. Oh, really? Yeah. There's just, like, it's a community collection, but then there's historical aspects as well, because there's a lot of literature from different eras. Yeah. And there's different, like, there's a whole project on the Inishbothan cranium, the skull, and then there's all the work I did on the graveyard, the book, the map. So, there's lovely projects on Bothan and, like, even on the island itself, the military history. Yeah. The shark, the immigration. There's a lot of history on shark, because in recent years it has been really, what do you call it, photos and prints and everything. There's a lot of material on it. Yeah. Which is great. But it just needs a home, and the home costs a bit of money, so I was trying to do a GoFundMe page, raise some funds, and to highlight it and make people aware of it. I know. And to see, like, show up as a support, so you'll see that it's not taking on something that's not much achievable. I know. But even if I just had built it to keep the planning permission at this stage, it would be something. Sorry, when does the planning run out? I know you've got planning already. Yeah. But when does it run out? It runs out on 26th in March. Not long for that. No. No. A year from March. It's that far away. So you need to get this going. I was so caught up with trying to get the skulls back and dealing with Trinity. I know. That took forever because the old department at Trinity really didn't want to give the skulls back at all. I know. But well done. And posters and files of correspondence. I can imagine. You know, and it just took so much time. I can't believe that it took so long. Well, well done you for your perseverance because it did take an awful lot of effort on your part. Have you had much support in this project? In the music project? Yeah. I'd like a bit more support really. Yeah. Mary Lavelle now is great because I'm trying to apply for leader funding. Oh yeah. But the most I can get from leader is 100,000. That sounds like it's not near enough. I know. But if there's other types of funding, people who are on about crowdfunding, buy a block for 100 euros, 70,000 if you like, it'll take so many. If there's different types of things, there are private people who had a few pounds to spare. Yeah. You know, if everybody that follows the museum page just even gave a fiver, that'd be something. So true. Yeah, because you have a good following there, do you? Yeah. Yeah, good. There's such a wide diaspora, as they call it, of people from both Inishpuffin and Cherokee and as you said, they're always on Facebook and they're always online looking and catching up and looking for, tracing their heritage. There's lots of businesses. Exactly. For everybody in Ireland, give a euro. You know, it doesn't take a lot to get them if you looked at it like that. Sometimes, I think the most I can do if it isn't proper funding is just try and get it built there as a shell of a building and try and then see could I get funding other ways to get planning permission or look into how to see if I can get the planning permission extended. Yeah. Well, if you had started on it and gotten it to a stage, I think you'd be okay there then, wouldn't you? It would be great. I'm getting old and it's not, I'm like... Yeah, I know, but... I don't want to be around forever and it just needs to be done and left there for the future generations and run then through the community because I just want to be able to... But you need a team. You need a team, Marie. Yeah. You have to work on getting a team of them together and have them to get behind you and get it done. Now, there's one aspect that I thought would be of interest, the plan of the building I haven't seen, but there's one aspect I thought would... There's a repair workshop where you plan to have a repair workshop where the artefacts can be repaired and done by trained personnel. That would be so interesting, I think, if that were up and running, wouldn't it? It would because, like, I have about eight old dressers. There's not many old dressers up on the next floor because they were all just sold or burned in bonfires or just thrown out. But a lot of them need proper reconstruction again and they need, you know, a craftsperson and they need the right environment. If you had a work building which is part of the plan in the building, you know, you can't show everything. You can only show it as a place for storage as well. Yeah, which would be brilliant, yeah. And, as you said, it would be a walk-in museum, really, wouldn't it? Yes, yes. Which is what people, you know... But all this stuff at the minute is in my brother Pat's shed and all the paper collection is in my own house. I have every poetry book of every poet that ever came to Bothell. There's so many different aspects of a museum life or culture that if they were all just put in one place, it would be like a library of Inishpah history. Where you could display them. Yeah, take a file, just go and look whatever you want. I have thousands of photographs. Yeah, which is very interesting for everybody with any connections to the islands or whatever, you know. But as well as that, as well as the photographs and there are manuscripts there, as you said, from all ages and marine objects, which would be, you know... Loads of them. Yeah, which would be very interesting. Last time I was talking to you, Marie, you had, oh, I forget how to call it, the pot, the big pot, the boiling pot, not the boiling pot. Oh, the barking pot. The barking pot. It's over at the old pier. Did you manage to get that done? No, I think they got funding, but then I think that ran out. They had to apply again for funding. As far as I know at the minute, that's what's happening. So it's held up, is it? Yeah. Oh, yeah, of course. No, because I was talking to somebody about it and they were saying, they were telling me what it was and how important it would be kind of to keep it. I think it's one of the last in... Yeah. You know... I think Michael Gibbons was telling, you know, Michael, yeah, all about it and how important it is to preserve it, you know. But, yeah, and other things. So, anyway, Marie, we're here to tell you that we're advertising that you need 800,000 euros to build a new museum. How far have you been? Have you made any kind of a hole in that amount? The hole, hopefully, will be if I get the leader funding. That would be 100,000, yeah. But it might have to be done in three stages. And that's, you know... If you could have some funding already to back it, to say where you're... Because you have to, like, send in an expression of interest form. Then you have to say where you're getting this money. I know. And, you know, there's a lot... They won't just hand you out... Oh, not at all. No, no, no. But they still... Because I know they were doing it at one stage when I did it for Connemara Tourism. They were doing a... You know, you could... Not benefits in kind, but if they gave... They might give 60, 70% of the grant of the cost and then you provide the other 30% in labour, you know, or voluntary labour to go towards that section of it. Are they still doing that? I don't know. But, like, even the sites that I have... It's my own site. The field, the beautiful site, looks out over the whole harbour. You can see right into Clegane Bay from it. But even if I had that site, I could put that up against this, like... Yeah. It's beautiful. Two sites from that, you know... You give it to them, like... You know, I've just... I don't know what else I can give. I've given half my life... I know. I know. I know. I've given a site. I've paid for all the plant permissions, architect fees, environmental fees... Yourself. All done. I know. And, you know, I just need a bit of help. You do. And it's not only for me. This is for the community. What about the community development offices and that? I think that the community building, they're a fantastic building and I often talk to Imelda, isn't it, who's there? Yeah. She's a brilliant girl. She is. Yeah. So, I mean, I think you should all team together and try and do... You know, they should be doing a bit more with you rather than, you know, you having to try and look for others. Well, I guess even to get support and people to share whatever you put up and get their friends even to give you the price of a pint to put in the museum bank account and to have that building up so you have a certain percentage of your need. Yeah. Is the museum bank account number, is it on Facebook or how do people access it? I can send it to anybody who asks. Oh, yeah. Give it to you and you could... Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but I would be reluctant to take it. I know. You know, whatever. But if people want it, they can ring you up and you can give it to them. Yeah. Is that right? So, what's the Facebook page, Marie, for the GoFundMe? It's just the Inishbotham Heritage Museum and Gift Shop is the name of it. Yeah. Inishbotham Heritage Museum and Gift Shop. Well, if they go on Facebook anyway, whatever, they get that. And the link then would be to the GoFundMe or is that the GoFundMe page? Yeah. I've shared it and shared it and shared it all. Exactly, yeah. And we'll all share it again. And it's about 3,500 in it, which is great. That's good. It's a start. Yeah, exactly. Yes, definitely. Every little helps. It does. Well, if there's anything we can do, and as I said, I'll get back to you again, and if there's, you know, if you want us to do something like, you know, I don't know what we can do to fundraise, but if you do... What you're doing to highlight it, you know, it's important. Well, yeah. Thank you. And if you do, if you want to do a raffle or something like that, I'd be willing to do it. I'm thinking of the Super Value Tours on a Friday. Everybody clicks there, you know. Okay. If you could have... I'd look into that. Do, yeah, and if you do, I'd be there. I would gladly manage for you, you know, and that or whatever, you know, and that and anything else. I'm sure that the radio, as you said, it's our community radio. That's why we're here. And, you know, we will do anything we can to help. But for today, Marie, we play out with a bit of Inishbathin music and what better than the Inishbathin Ceilidh Band and James has a selection of reels picked. So thank you for joining me today on the tourism program. Thank you. You're very welcome, Marie. Lovely. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. 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