Displaying items by tag: University College Cork
Cork Clipper Brings €5.6m in Economic Return to the Local Economy
An economic impact analysis was carried out by three MBS students from University College Cork (Ger Swayne, Lorcan Daly & Stephen Hicks) which reported an economic impact of €5.6m with accommodation and food and beverage accounting for 65% of the figure. The students worked according to the standard Failte Ireland festival report methodology which includes qualitative and quantitative research.
At today's launch Deputy Mayor Of County Cork Cllr John O Sullivan stated 'the festival gave a great boost to the Kinsale area early in the summer season and it also ensured that works were carried out in the town prior to the event that benefitted both locals and visitors. In particular the refurbishment of the Old Mill as an exhibition venue was a huge new resource for the town.'
The media report was carried out by IFM Sports Marketing Surveys and was commissioned by Clipper Ventures who run the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Global media coverage for the whole race is estimated at over $100m and Cork's share of this is very substantial at $26.5m. These figures are boosted by a Discovery Channel global deal that has been agreed with the TV series producers and Clipper Ventures. An Irish broadcaster for the series will be announced in the coming weeks.
Commenting on today's results, Fiona Buckley, Head of Operations, Fáilte Ireland stated 'from a tourism perspective the media coverage that Kinsale, Cork and the region received through the Clipper project will ensure that Cork is top of mind as a tourism destination in the coming years. In addition the economic report found that 98% of the overseas visitors would return to Cork as a result of the Clipper festival and 97% would recommend Cork to their friends.'
The festival in Kinsale was helped by the arrival of the fleet of 10 Clipper yachts six days ahead of schedule and the fantastic weather during that period. When the yachts moved to the new Port of Cork Marina on 07 July the weather changed dramatically and this had an impact on the attendance figures in the city.
'When the fleet arrived in Cork city there was a crowd of over 10,000 people to welcome the fleet to the new Cork City Marina which was installed to welcome the Race but is also a lasting legacy to marine tourism in the region. We would like to thank the Port of Cork for investing in this new permanent infrastructure with the support of Cork City Council.
This new Marina will play host to other marine events over the coming years.' Stated Lord Mayor Cllr Michael O Connell Clipper Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, said, "Cork and Kinsale were fantastic hosts, providing marvellous entertainment during
the race festivals in both locations and I am pleased to see that they reaped the rewards. The welcome visitors received will ensure a lasting tourism legacy for years to come. "
The return on investment for the project is estimated at over 300% which is above average for hosting a sporting event of this calibre.
Could Waterford Lead a Tall Ships Revival?
I am aware that a number of groups are examining the possibility of launching a national sail training programme. I wonder if Waterford could be the place to lead it and be the base for national sail training. The marine sector suffers from the neglect and disregard of a disinterested Government so any revival will have to be outside of State support.
Waterford staged a hugely successful visit of the Tall Ships Race in 2005 and has been honoured with the hosting of the Race start next year. Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach snubbed the Race visit in 2005. It showed how little respect he had for the maritime sector. Half-a-million people visited the city, but Bertie couldn't be bothered to do so.
The city has been encouraging young people to get experience of crewing aboard Tall Ships. Twenty-year-old David Murray, a business information systems student at University College Cork, is becoming a sail training "veteran" through experience gained over the past two years.
He first 'shipped out' last year aboard the Tenacious operated by the Jubilee Sailing Trust of the UK, a registered charity which also operates the Lord Nelson. His first voyage, following which he sailed the north coast of Scotland on the Lord Nelson and this year became a Bosun's Mate, taking more responsibility aboard the Nelson on a voyage from Southampton to Glasgow. Then he joined the Dutch three-masted schooner, Eendracht, from Kristiansand in Norway to Hartlepool in the UK, where he disembarked and re-joined the Tenacious, again as Bosun's Mate, sailing to Bruges in Belgium and onto London. A few days later he was back aboard the Lord Nelson as Bosun's Mate from Falmouth to Milford Haven in Wales and then to Waterford, from where the Tall Ships Race will start next year,
"It's been a brilliant experience. I've met a great mix of people. Sail training is for everyone," he said. "It's been a very busy but great couple of summers with Tall Ships and I'm really looking forward to next year, especially with Waterford again hosting the fleet and crews from around the world coming to the city. I strongly recommend sail training and the fact that the races start from Waterford next summer makes it even easier for Irish young people to get involved."
David Murray is a Tall Ships veteran at the age of 20
David comes from Butlerstown in Waterford. His pleasure in the experience of tall ship sailing underlines what has been lost by the shameful behaviour of the Government in closing down the sail training programme.
It will be a national disgrace if there is not an Irish tall ship flying the Tricolour at next year's Tall Ships Race start in Waterford. The city has done magnificent work in putting Ireland to the forefront in the world of tall ships. Perhaps Waterford should be the base for the creation of a new national sail training system.
• This article is reprinted by permission of the EVENING ECHO of Cork where Tom MacSweeney writes maritime columns twice weekly. Evening Echo website: www.eecho.ie
