Media Update 31/07/2011

After the RTE filming of Granard Country Market on Friday morning we were looking forward to seeing it on Six One news. I expect people were disappointed when it was not featured, but things happen fast in the world of news and schedules get changed. There are many of these little features used to fill slots, so keep watching.

Country Markets was in the Irish Times magazine on Saturday 30/07/2011. Marie-Claire Digby featured us in the Webwatch section of her Food File column and gave a very positive report.

Three of our Wicklow branches, Baltinglass, Arklow and North Wicklow bought 200 euros ads in an advertising feature article in The Wicklow Times 26/07/2011. Our auditors Cooney Parle who are from Wicklow bought another 200 euro ad. I spoke to some members and they were very pleased with the publicity. The papers interest was sparked by our press release which all markets sent to their local papers.

Arklow Visit 30/07/2011

Annie, Gertie and Vicky

Today I visited Arklow Country Market in Co Wicklow with the Regional Rep Pamela Henry. It is held  in the Pigeon Club every Saturday morning. I arrived into the large, bright, spacious hall shortly after 10.30am and was warmly welcomed by Gertie, Vicky and their latest member Annie.

My eye was immediatly drawn to a beautiful collection of vintage style cake stands. This is some of Annie’s work and is a very novel means of using up those decorative single plates and saucers we all have. Annie also collects Arklow pottery.

The company was established in the town in 1934 producing decorative earthenware goods and general table crockery. There is an Arklow Pottery cup and saucer with tiger stripes designed around 1950,in the National Museum of Ireland. The company ceased production in 1999.

Cups and saucers are turned into attractive candle decorations by filling with wax and wick. These can be returned and refilled for customers at a modest fee.

Customers and tourists called in to pick up Vicky’s lovely brown bread, Gerties fruit scones and to choose from a wide selection of jams. The market has a range of cakes, crafts, vegetables and eggs.

We enjoyed tea, scones, and a good chat with the members, they are looking forward  to their future and I wish them well.

RTE visit Granard Country Markets 29/07/2011

 Philip Bromwell of RTE talking to a customer Yesterday afternoon Philip Bromwell from RTE confirmed that he would do a report on Granard Country Market this morning for the Six One News. Sandra Sandra Bogan who is one of our newer members kindly offered to allow some filming to take place in her garden. We wanted to let people see where some of the wonderful produce available in our markets comes from. So at 7.30 am the camera began to roll as Sandra went about gathering her prize winning vegetables, flowers and fruit. Eoin, Sandra’s 7 year old son collected freshly laid eggs for the market. It was a beautiful morning here and the garden bowled Philip over, I’m sure many more people will be very envious of what the talented trio, Sandra, Sean and Eoin have achieved. Eoin Filming continued at the market. Our local community action group had given a hand to tidy things up earlier in the week so the Market House was looking good. Philips laid back demeanour allowed people to relax and enjoy the occasion. Our customers were delighted to have such positive coverage of Granard, and as always came to support us. Philip chatted with Ann O’Hara who is one of the founding members of the market, another few words with myself and then on to some of our customers. Filming complete, we all enjoyed a cup of tea before our reporter headed back to Dublin. We had a great market and look forward to seeing the report on the Six One News. Philip has promised a copy of the broadcast which we can add to the website and which will also be available here.

The RDS National Crafts Competition 2011 27/07/2011



 Agnieszka Kilbride and myself

Today Agnieszka Kilbride of the Raheny branch and myself represented Country Markets Ltd at the prize giving ceremony of the 2011 RDS National Crafts Competition in the Concert Hall, Ballsbridge. Agnieszka was our 2011 Rosebowl Competition winner for her beautiful crosss stitch which she learned from her Irish mother-in-law.

The competition which was founded in 1968 aims to promote craft in Ireland. and is a wonderful opportunity for craftspeople to have their work appraised and judged by an independent panel of practitioners. To broaden exposure for the prizewinners the RDS organises a travelling exhibition and this year Mullingar and Sligo are just two of the chosen venues.

For anyone interested in entering the competition for 2012 applications are taken early next year. Categories include Embroidery, Felting, Glass, Furniture, and Ceramics. We have sponsered a medal for this competition for many years and I would love to see some of our talent in the exhibition.

This year Patricia Lamb from Cork was awarded the Country Markets Ltd medal for 2nd prize in the Lace Category. Patricia is a member of the Traditional Lacemakers of Ireland and 3 years ago she also won our medal. The parasol she tells me took a couple of hours every day for 2 years and really is spectacular.

The presentations were made by the Minister for Arts,Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs Jimmy Deenihan.

For those who would like to see this exhibition it will be open to the public, free of charge in the RDS Concert Hall, on July 28th and 29th. It will continue during the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show from August 3rd to 7th although an entry fee applies on these days.

http://www.rds.ie/arts

A day in the office

25/07/2011
I arrived in the office this morning at 9.15am and sorted through the post.

Another 5 new membership applications in, so we continue to grow in both numbers and strength. People are our greatest resource and new members will not only bring new customers but new ideas which can help us to adapt and thrive in the future. It can be too easy to imagine we are doing the best we can and put a drop in sales down to the recession, but we must adapt to the changes in society.

Ask customers what they want, think about changing the day your market runs, if that’s what people want. Just because its been so for 25 years may not be a good reason to continue, particularly if new customers are not coming through the door.

I spoke with Gina Miltiadou, publisher of Easy Food magazine to see what feedback there has been from the Home Cook Hero Competition. It seems the online response has proved more successful than the offline paper version, to date only 200 forms have been received. The competition will continue until the end of August. I have invited both Gina and the new Editor of the magazine Dee Laffan to the office in mid August to see how we might work together.

The interview went ahead as planned with Northern Sound Radio and will be broadcast tomorrow night.

On Wednesday 27/07/2011 I will attend the 2011 Craft Awards in the RDS where Jimmy Deenihan Minister of Arts. Heritage and the Gaeltacht will perform the presentations, among which will be the medal Country Markets sponsor each year.

Longford Country Fair and Agricultural Show

23/07/2011

Country Markets were represented at the Annual Show yesterday by the Granard branch. Conditions were perfect for the event, and turnout was excellent.

I met Marian Condron one of the founding members of Stradbally Country Market who was there as judge in the Equine section.

Marian’s mother Kathleen Clynch was a founding member of the Granard branch (1979) and continued to produce there until recent years. Sadly she passed away September 2010 but Country Markets live on in her family as two of her daughters continue the tradition they grew up with in Longford. In fact Marian’s sister produces under her late mothers number.

Marian Condron, Chairman Stradbally Country Market

Media Contacts Update

19/07/2011

As a result of the press release being sent out yesterday I have had both Longford’s Northern Sound Newsroom and Philip Bromwell from RTE contact me.

Shannonside Northern Sound covers Longford, Roscommon, South Leitrim, Cavan, and Monaghan. I will be interviewed by Paul Quinn on The Bottom Line, a programme dealing with industry and business in the region. The programme will be on air Tuesday 26/07/2011 from 8pm.

Philip Bromwell of RTE wants to come to Granard on Friday 22/07/2011 to film at the market for that evenings Six One News. He would like to do a story on local markets as the Superquinn story unfolds.

20/07/2011

I got an email today from Philip Bromwell to say something else has come up and the filming will not be going ahead on Friday. Maybe next week.

I have been asked to send on some images to accompany an article by the Irish Times food writer Marie Claire Digby and have done so, she will pick the images she wants to use.

Another feature is awaiting publication following an interview with Biddy White-Lennon in mid June, for the Farmers Journal. A photographer will be in touch as shots will be needed from various markets.