Amgen Irish Open - Thursday 10th

0:00And you're very welcome to Thursday's morning focus. I'm Alamarsie. Great to have you with us between now and midday and lots lined up across the next, near three hours or so. It is 081840964. If you want to call us to have your say on what you're hearing on the program, or if there's anything else, be a topic store here in issue that you think we should also be affording space to. Call us on that number. You can also send us a message. You can text our WhatsApp 08618964. Send us a voice note via WhatsApp or use focus at Claire.fm for any emails. So as I say, a busy show and we're continuing our brilliant competition with golf styles of details and that coming up a little later on how you can get your chance to win and much more besides as well on the program. But of course, Claire is the golfing center of the world at the moment. We had the wonderful Walker Cup last weekend and the Amgen Irish Open is underway and in Dumbag and we're going to talk about that and all the efforts in getting Dumbag ready for the event

1:03joined by Caroline O'Brien, the chairperson of Dumbag, Tidy Tans and we're also joined from Dumbag by John O'Malley, the senior executive officer of the West Claire Municipal District of Claire County Council. And thanks to both of you for joining me on the show. Caroline, the risk of stating the obvious, this is a huge event for Dumbag and West Claire. Before we get into the preparations, how exciting is it, particularly now that the first round is underway for Dumbag to be welcoming visitors from all over Ireland and beyond for this? Good morning, Alan. Thanks for having me. And we should look at it. It's the biggest thing that's ever happened to Dumbag. We're talking when the golf club was big to us big, but this is phenomenal altogether. So we are looking forward to a very busy week and please God, there will be plenty of people to come into Dumbag and stay in the village and support us, Alan. It'll be the best thing that's ever happened to us as well. Talk to us a little bit about yourself. Other locals, businesses. What have the preparations been like for the tournament and getting ready for it? And how long have they been ongoing?

2:07Well, as a person, it was announced last year that tidy towns have done a lot of work making preparations around the area and getting placed so lowly. And Claire County Council have done a lot of work in conjunction with tidy towns. So we've done a lot of work to our public parks and making them accessible to everybody and nice benches and other est, and then these would have been very good to sponsor paint for all our houses and our community halls. So everything is looking very good and nice and clean and tidy around the place. And I suppose everyone has just met a huge effort in preparing the whole area in Dumbag. Our roads have been done in the whole of West Cair, so that's fantastic. Thanks to the council. And I suppose we're just ready and waiting for everyone to come in and flowers everywhere and preparation loads of lights around the place and the place is just looking fantastic. We've gotten great compliments and we've a fabulous mural in the wall here in the village and it's the fours are shot for the village at the moment. So it's just looking fantastic. Brilliant stuff. Putting your best foot forward in terms of showcasing

3:09Dumbag and welcoming the rest of the country and the rest of the world to the area for the tournament. And John, of course, all the preparation work involved, very much involved Claire County Council as well. But before we get to that, you're out there. The tournament, what's the gives us a sense of the vibe? What's it like in the very early stages of the opening of Round 1? Hi, Alan, how are you doing? It's picking up the crowd are starting to come in a bit more now, which was a bit damp this morning. So I'm missing, but I think the missed is lifting which is great to see coming in from the ocean. So yeah, there's a crowd here and the atmosphere is picking up. You can feel, I can see the double zekers going by the window here at the moment. It's a bit like being in London. It's pretty strange to see two double zekers red double zekers passing your window. Yeah, it's hopefully now to be big crowds or I know people are maybe we're looking at the weather and maybe thinking twice about it, but hopefully we'll see crowds at the Gulf for next few days. And that'll trick a load into the village of Dumbeg is Caroline set and Dumbeg will get a good spin-off

4:11from it. Hopefully so just to let people know, obviously the early stages around 1 under way, three joint leaders, Francesco Laporte, Vietli Connorsheim of Scotland and England's Jack Seaneer, they're all two under Laporte through five holes, the other pair through four holes and a varnish interest, Rory McAroy out of 25 to two around the same time, Brooks Keppka and then Shane Larry out of 10 minutes later at a quarter to two. The work that the council has contributed to John in terms of Dumbeg, what has taken place to get the place ready for the tournament? So Caroline pushed in some of it there. As for the pain scheme was a great addition to the town. Every property in the village as seen as a spectra paint, I suppose 150, 50 with a Zondash, they sponsored the paint. So that's great and the community center looks great because that was repainted as well. So from that then the Lakeview Park and the green areas have all got a big spruce up. We're working on public care packing then.

5:11So just to make sure that people know that there is significant parking on the Kildor Show, it's at most a five minute walk into the village. It's the first field as well as you go to Kildor Show to Dumbeg, you know, turn, or depend on what direction you come in. You go boy, Caroline's, boy, boy, you go pull, going out to Kildor Show and it's on your left hand side, just room for anything, go for just a 3000 cars, it's in early units, just with four fields in it and just facilities for campervan, no parking there as well. So that was a big part of what we did, with great assistance from, I have to say the landowners have been great in and they're locals as well. The Macnallies have been very good, definitely griffin and are all in that, working on the ground, Jollin and his team have all been brilliant for the last, once I suppose at this stage, for the start of the year, preparing stuff and then we have a footpath, a footpath into Macnallies land as well. So that kind of dealt with concerns, anybody would have had about people walking on the road, so it's very safe to walk in and it's all a bit late open now as well. So that's a big part of what we've done

6:12and aside from that, then I suppose we have the festival, but that's another part of it, Alan. Yeah, and if you look for a tournament to this size, Caroline, it takes a lot of people rowing in the same direction and it sounds like that's been happening between the council yourselves and tidy towns and a Dumbag community development, a fairly harmonious process. I suppose everyone needed to put their shoulder to the wheel to pull off the amount of work that was required to get ready. Absolutely, we were sure, once we were announced last year, we've been having meetings on a regular basis for the last 12 months and sometimes two and three times a week. But it's all come together and like everyone has music in the pubs at night. We have a big festival in behind the community hall in church for the weekend with loads of music, children's entertainment and it's all very safe and enough to the road so it'll be great for the kids that can run around in that area. And it's all free. So everything that's in the village is free for everybody to come and enjoy and to make the most of it. And as they say, come for the girls, but stay for Dumbag and support our village

7:14because we're badly needed as they say and it's going to be a great showcase for the weekend for everybody. And as John said, there's huge amounts parking everywhere. While there's barriers in the village, there's loads of parking. So we just want people to know the village is open because they seem to think there's not. So we're very much open for everybody to come and see. For a village like Dumbag in a vent of this scale, as it would for many villages or indeed towns around the county brings plenty of challenges. Where there are many challenges and getting ready and where they, I suppose, what everyone involved as we mentioned in terms of stakeholders were they fairly easy to overcome? I think everybody just kind of put their foot down and just go out with us and everybody kind of worked together as a chance that they're the landowners that've been fantastic. Everybody was very willing to give up their land for the few days, get this organized. And then all day, the volunteers and we've had a lot of volunteers to just come out and anything that they can do to help us even last week, we had a meeting and we put up a call for volunteers to come out of us

8:16in the evening time and everybody's been great for directing traffic for taking up the litter. There's loads of people, the showcase in the community hall for the weekend with the local crafts and food produce, not that that's on. And there's loads of people volunteer and to help out those people to get that set up and ready as well. So it's fantastic. It's definitely been a big community event and it's showing that Dumbag is a great community to work together. And John, this is obviously a huge opportunity to showcase West Claire. I mean, how important is it from a council perspective to make sure visitors get a positive impression of Dumbag and the wider area and hopefully we'll see some repeat visits over the coming months and years. As far as that's the whole thing about legacy island, it's for people to really get a positive experience and see the beauty of this part of the county and the country. I mean, North Claire is well known and well renowned and Cliffsamore has the offspring from that that people really get to see that part of it. As far as we don't see quite as many numbers down this part,

9:18but it's that gem that's really beautiful down here as well, just as beautiful I think. And as Karen said earlier, we've improved the infrastructure around the whole area. So even clicky and create, quilty, mill town, they're all getting benefits from this in relation to accommodation, part of it as well, and they're seeing what is to be offered with the hotels and Spanish point, mill town, lacking ticklicky. And I know that like the accommodation units and collusion these places are all booked out. So like it's to be fair to the community and to the tiny towns and development group, like throughout the weekend from today on really, there's you know, there's yoga, there's family, family festival, there's a real feel to what staff are and hopefully I've listened to people going through the ocean, I'll start to weather up with their legacy, as well as every site of the, of, from sunshine to showers over next few days while they're back west and really experienced the true West Claire feel,

10:19as well you don't like a lot of Americans say they come to Ireland for the greenery, you're certainly getting the greenery at the moment, you might be, you've seen so much of the sunshine just yet, but hopefully we'll see you from tomorrow. I'm sure they understand those takes a certain process for Ireland to be green and we're experiencing that at the moment that is for sure. The local businesses caroline must be, you know, must must be in great anticipation among STEM as well, not just for the thousands who'll be coming through to do in Beggar over the coming days and already have been doing so, but again, touch on that point, does make it a job. And about the potential for repeat business is, it's something that they must very much be looking forward to, but I guess that depends on things going very well over the coming days too. Absolutely, I suppose this is showcasing as to the world for the Irish Open and Dumbag has a great name from a guard perspective at the moment as well as everything else. So I suppose we're expecting the footfall for next year even and they're telling you that the guard

11:20will book child at the moment, so that's going to be great for the area. And the business will hopefully benefit from it all and bring on people down to our village and make the most of it, but I think everyone is kind, just hopefully it's going to be a good week and everything goes well for everybody and they can just see what Dumbag and Wes Kier is all about and hopefully have to offer. And John, we know plenty of American golfers visit Dumbag, but the TV coverage at this event very much like with the Walker Cup maybe highlighting and showcasing the hinge to those who weren't aware of it. That US golfing market is huge and if Dumbag is looking at best, which no doubt it is, the village, but also the course, that could be key to drumming up repeat business as well. Konrnath. Absolutely sure. It's a gem really. And when you're coming from places like America and maybe Northford or Field, but it's outside of Ireland, the beauty of this place really kind of tracks people to it and it leaves the lasting impression on you.

12:22So really we're lucky, I suppose, that modern nature is given as well. It is given us, and we're just trying to kind of, I suppose, help modern nature long and kind of sell it even more, you know, so that the people of Dumbag, who, to be fair, from a council perspective, from working with a community, you couldn't pick better, like they're just a joy to work with and they're such a welcoming crowd as well. So people will have a great experience when they go in there and every door is open and every street is open, I suppose, it's at the bush. So really the message that the village is open, even as early as this morning, it was in the gym area this morning and people were asking me, how do I get to Dumbag? Is the village not closed, but definitely not closed. The village is open. Up until late Friday night, you can drive directly in and then from Saturday morning, you can come in via Kyrush Kriki. So you just slate the version, but not much, but the village is fully open and really get that message across. Yeah, very exciting, the period for Dumbag and for Claire, that is for sure guys.

13:22Thank you so much to both of you for joining me and hope you enjoy the tournament, but also all the fun and events in and around Dumbag. That's John O'Malley, a senior executive officer of the West Claire Municipal District with the local authority and joining us as well. Caroline O'Brien, the chairperson of Dumbag, Tidy Towns would love to hear from you. If you're out there, if you're going to the tournament or if you are just going to be heading to Dumbag to soak up the atmosphere or even just watching it on TV, let us know your thoughts and views on the AMGNR Shopen, 0840964 is the number to give us a call. You can also text or WhatsApp us on 08608610964. Morning focus with Alan Morrissey, giving you all sides of the story. First, Claire FM. And golf is very much the theme of our competition as well. And is it any surprise when we had the Walker Cup last week and at Lynch and obviously the AMGNR Shopen, Dumbag and our competition is with golf style, golf super story, you can find them on the Tombroad and go away behind the AIB Bank over 20,000 square foot showrooms

14:24and they've given us fantastic prizes all this week on the show to give away. We're offering up a 50 euro golf style voucher each day on the show. And then tomorrow we will do a draw with our five voucher winners and one of our daily winners will be upgraded to a Callaway Quantum Custom Fitted Driver designed for easy launch and maximum forgiveness. You can nearly enter the AMGNR Shopen yourself with that kind of equipment and you can see all the features on that at CallawayGolf.com. So our competition today, to be in our question today rather to be able to chance of winning today's prize and qualifying for Friday's draw for the driver, we're asking you about text messages because students apparently send 528 texts a year to their parents asking for help. I think the parents out there listening now will be saying, yeah, to tell us something, we don't know. Askin' for money, cooking advice and DIY tips are amongst the most common requests. Can you send me 20 euro followed by, how do I know if chicken is cooked and asking how to read an electricity meter where the most asked questions according to the survey of 2000 parents

15:25or 1000 teenagers, yeah, no plenty of friends of mine whose children the most often send text is, can you revolut me.dot.dot and search amount here. So we're asking you about text messages but a certain type memorable text messages. What is the most memorable text message you've received or sent if you don't remember a word for word, just give us a sense of what the theme of the text message was. So what is the most memorable text message you have either received or sent? Let us know on 086, 1800, 964. If you want to be able to chance a winning that 50 euro gov style voucher which will then get you into tomorrow's draw for the Callaway Quantum Custom fitted driver. This is Thursday's morning focus. Lots more to come and coming up next. We're gonna hear from Sinn Fein who will outline their priorities for the new doll turn. Welcome back to Thursday's morning focus. I'm Alamari C, it is 0818, 409, 64 to send a message our way. You can also call 0818, 409, 64. You can send voice notes via WhatsApp or else email us. Focus at Claire.fm is the email address for that as well.

16:31Our competition. I'll mention that in just a moment but we were joined in the previous hour by the Challenge Infant TD Don McGatagan on their parties or her parties pre-doll conference that they're having at the moment and listener Sean Inchanan has been in touch with CR TD and Waffling, Sinn Fein's in big trouble. No plans, no concrete ideas. Says Sean, if you want to share your thoughts on that. What's on I had to say? 0860, 1800, 964. I get to the competition entries and just a little bit remember we're asking you about the most memorable text message you've either received or sent. That's if you want to be in the running as to win our 50 year of voucher for golf style that will also earn you a place in tomorrow's draw from which one of our daily winners will be upgraded to the Callaway Quantum Custom fitted driver. So again in touch on that, the most memorable text message you've received are sent to 0860, 1800, 964. Plenty more to come on the show. Later on, we'll be joined by the Moayasta playwright and actor Fiona Klafi Kelly. She'll be talking about her latest play which she's going to be bringing to Ennis. We'll hear about the Steel Banger's event for blacksmiths and traditional crafts people

17:33that's going to be taking place in Ennis and later. In this hour, we'll be touching base with the Claire Adventurer, Declan McAvoy who's going to be talking to us about volunteering in Ukraine. So we're returning to the topic of the Amgen Irish Open, out in Timbegg, and 200 par still, the scored leaders of course at this very early stage. It's now moved to 300 Jorge Campio of Spain, and Brandon Stone at South Africa, both 300 par through four holes. There one stroke clear of a number of other players in terms of Irish players. Shameless power and parry quarantine have both taken to the course. Their level par through two and one holes respectively. And as I mentioned earlier on, we're going to see Rory McAvoy at around 25 to two. I think that's the same time. Brookskept goes out and then at a quarter to two. It is Shane Larry, but joining me to discuss the Amgen Irish Open is the carelock of Claire County Council, the mayor of Claire, whatever language you want to use. It is the Curfian Feed-of-Fall Councillor Jo Klin. Amber joined with Goethe Fenefall, Councillor Michael Chan and the chair of the West Claire Municipal District.

18:34Jent, many very good morning to both of you. Good morning, Ed. Good morning, Mr. Flanagan. It's a, to say it's exciting as an understatement for Claire. What it'd be one thing if you had the Walker Cup in any given year or the Amgen Irish Open in any given year, Joe, to have them one weekend after another is fantastic. Tisla and I are quite a fantastic opportunity for County Claire. The Walker Cup was a huge, huge success for Credit-Jane Leason, very more key and... And we got a rare grapefruit in an Ireland victory. The good, the good fortune, a Claire rubbed off on the team. And everything decided, Tisla and Cree and the very last shot. I drama. Yeah, Joshua, Josh Hill overtook Tyler Watts, so it was a fantastic end. Really exciting, hugely entertaining. Eight or 9,000 people there. The village, at the tone of Linch, gained hugely from it. Galt was fantastic. The American supporters were really, really good people. We had a fantastic weekend. They were able to enjoy their, their visit.

19:35The weather was fantastic, fine. Bit of wind as well, just to make a tricky for the Galt first. So it was a fantastic setting. And then, on top of that, then, to have the MGN out of the show open. Same week, another 40, 50,000 people expected into Westlayer, huge coverage, worldwide coverage on it. Quite a fantastic opportunity for Claire, for Westlayer in particular and for Ireland. Yeah, it really is. And look, we'll talk more about coverage, but also the tourism aspect of this as well. Michael, I need just lastly on the Walker Cup. I saw one of the US golfing reporters putting a video up on social media because I guess Linch is different than that. The course is right in the middle of the town as opposed to Dumbag, but they did a piece for social media. You know, how long it takes to get from the pub to the course. It is whatever, like a minute I have two minutes. But that's the kind of thing that really sells Linch and Claire. And hopefully we see some similar stuff that will sell Dumbag, you know, the imagery to, you know, I touched on the US golfing market is huge.

20:36It's massive. And it's an exciting time for me being cohere like a Westlayer in these buying times in tourism. You know, what happened as we came into the Walker Cup, the result, if we enter the final, final hall, 18 told to have Hollywood, Cotnesscript, it's a better. You're not as good. And like my second jaw and most of the slayer were there. It was absolutely electric. And for those memories and feelings to be created, you know, in a very, very positive way, we're going to have a lasting effect for years to come, for our tourism and for county Claire and Westlayer as a whole going forward. You know, the image and Irish open, we're expecting around 80,000 people in the next three days to visit Westlayer. And all of this is happening because the communities of Westlayer and Dumbag and all the surrounding parishes, Lahinch, Inesdaima and Milton Malbeke, Kilrush, all of those people, business people and communities put their best foot forward to make these international events be successful in county Claire.

21:36And it's about Claire having that track record to hold these major events and it's very successful. And you know, we're, it's been around the world, I suppose, communications in the last 10 years. It has been simplified by, you know, you have these creators and people with a YouTube and all the social media aspects of it. The influencers and so on. And so it is, and you know, it penetrates more deeply now than it ever did before into the United States and Canada. And you know, our international airport in Shannon is definitely going to benefit of all the positive publicity in the county with the Gulf as generations. You know, domestic memories and for the people who visit, it's about enjoying themselves, you know, in a safe way. And to ensure, you know, they bring back the good message that's such a beautiful place in Westlayer. You know, we have the, the sea in the coast. And the people, the warm welcome they get from the people of Westlayer, you know, it all comes together lovely and it's very natural.

22:38And I think that's what I suppose one of the special things we have in county Claire, the natural warm welcome that we have for everyone. You know, yeah. And you know, I, I, I, I, we're talking earlier on on the show, Joe about the efforts and the preparation for the competition, not just out at the, the venue, but in Dumbag itself. And it was clear that, um, be it the local authority, you know, Dumbag community development, tidy towns, the various other stakeholders, they all, there was a harmonious collaboration and all working together to ensure everything was prepared. And I guess sense in that opportunity to showcase Dumbag and Westlayer, um, to the wider world, um, focus the mind and sounds like everybody worked together really well and pulled off a great job in getting the place ready. Yeah, um, Eirton Kelly, who's the cheerfast fire officer, uh, taught me that over 30 state agencies he said had to combine to try and, uh, get the preparation complete for this M. Gellair Chopin, um, on the ground. We visited there yesterday, yesterday before

23:40Michael and myself and over to see what was going on. Uh, there were Claire Contecoutille Cruz, um, individual operations or private operations all working together, um, trying to get the, get everything a ship shape, the roads have been tidied up and squared up a little bit, uh, re-taired in places. Uh, the, the, Virgins are clipped, um, signposts have a place, um, lights and all the intersections. Uh, so, all people have to do is just follow the instructions that'll get you to the golf, argue to Dumbag Village, whichever you want to go. You can go to Dumbag Village, if you're not a golfer, if you've not, take over the weekend, go to Dumbag Village, does the showcase there, um, bring the kids, you can enjoy yourself there. Um, and you can, yeah, just enjoy yourself there and just do to local artisan producers, food producers, um, artists and Wesley, our businesses would be represented there. And there's a showcase in the community center in Dumbag. So you've either got the golf, you've got two options,

24:41they can go to the golf, or you can just bring the family as far as Dumbag and enjoy a fantastic weekend there as well. Mm-hmm. Uh, Michael, you know, it's a huge amount of work that has gone into this and it's even more impressive because we, you know, we were speaking about the walker cup and you're talking about eight thousand nine people or whatever in around that. But that was intentionally capped to allow people to be able to, you know, walk at the course and see the, the, the, the golf, um, it has got a manner as possible. Obviously you've both mentioned these significantly larger crowds for the Amjinn Irish Open. So it's, it's another scale of an operation. So for it to be going well and everything to have been prepared as well for, uh, high five figure attendances, um, it has to be commended even more because it's such a, it's such a huge event. Yeah, it's such a huge event and, you know, I'm very, very confident because the planning for this has gone in with the last 12, 18 months. And, you know, as you all said, just over 30 state between state agencies and commercial people, you know, parodies are all working together

25:41to make this happen. And, you know, it has kicked off this morning, you know, the car parks open, uh, Lynch's Croson Monarch, you know, and the buses, the raid buses going up and down like London, and, and from click and done big and, and, and, uh, or own parishing, Kilmoria Brickan. So, you know, the, the, the transportation and the movement of people in and out of the, of the golf course itself in the arena, you know, that's our highly, um, tested and, and operating as normal. And I'm very, very confident that it'll, it'll work out fine because look at, you know, like, these Amjinn groups and, and, and golf tournaments, you know, they, they, they move around with these tournaments around Europe a lot of these organizers. So, they know how to, how to, you know, process the people, fastly and efficiently. And, you know, ensuring people have a good time. And, uh, you know, it's, it's, when you look at the numbers in, in the Hensh last weekend, you're talking 10 times that for, for done big to, to, to, to, to, to process. But I'm very, very confident because we have,

26:43the network around done big, the village itself, is going to be packed and, and a family atmosphere there and there's lots of events laid on over the weekend. But like, you know, you have Spanish point into hotel's there, we have the infrastructure and Westlare to cater for this, for these, um, visitors that's going to come. And, you know, our priority in Westlare is to ensure everyone has a good time and a safe time and enjoy themselves and make the memories and bring back the good message, you know, throughout the world. And for me, like, it's an opportunity, as Koheluk, Westlare, to, to, to, you know, go out there and, and I suppose network with, with people because there's a lot of, uh, influencers around the world come internationally to follow this, these golf and tour limits, you know what I mean? So a lot of decision makers are here, such as very, very important that, uh, county Claire put his best forth forward, it may be a place that would consider investing in some form, whether it is, whether it is in the tourism side, our industrial side, you know, we're open for business.

27:44And this is our positive for us in Westlare to ensure that, there's a positive, positive message after these two, these 10 days of golf, you know, that it's a huge, huge, uh, I suppose, a huge advantage to us and an opportunity that we grasp it. And the people of Westlare have worked, as I said, tirelessly, over the last 12 months to ensure that board tour limits are a huge success. And the work has been done. We can see everybody can see it. And it's now is about enjoying the golf and hopefully we'll have, I suppose, a finished as tight as we had at the Walker Cup last weekend, you know, and that was going to make it really, really electric. Yeah, hopefully it goes down to the wire on, on the Sunday and, enjoy it is key that, obviously, we hope everything goes really well and, uh, local community, enjoy it, local businesses do really well, but that's very much the immediate term long term. It's about tourism, maybe, you know, even investment might follow on from that, but the US golf markets crucial, um, US tourism's crucial.

28:46And I guess between the two, this obviously a cross section, you know, people who come play golf and stay for a longer period and maybe get around and visit the wire. Obviously, people who just visit and go from golf course to golf course, that's absolutely fine too. They're, they're spending their money, but how crucial is that? And, you know, the, the imagery that people in the USC, um, you know, you know, the Ireland is so green, obviously, the weather is a big part of that, push. They'll be seeing Ireland looking at its greenest, Tom Bagg looking at finest, and the opportunity for, um, Dumbag and West Clare to benefit for years to come from people who, you know, golfers might not be, have played Dumbag before, we'll see the course, maybe if only heard about it because of the Trump connection, go, that looks great. I'll visit Clare and, you know, hopefully we'll see quite a number of those kind of people in the years to come. And the recent visit to the United States, uh, something that I remarked upon was the intensity, uh, of, um, sport and TV. It showed, um, baseball league, um, school, uh, inter, interschool competitions, interstate competitions, um,

29:50that professional, um, athletes was there for hours and hours and TV. So you walked, walked TV, co-operative United States, and I, I think I talked to recently, we were there at, um, a Schneider's Fest, selling tourism or promoting tourism with the island. Now we've got hour to hour and hour, uh, what, what TV coverage of West Clare, it will show the scenery, it'll show the car, obviously, and it's there to show the car, it's also there to entertain. So it's going to show the context, it's going to show all its great what West Clare about the climate is going to show the geography of it, it's going to show beautifully sea inlets, um, it's, obviously, going to show the green fairways, it's going to show a very, um, mild climate, but it's also going to show island that is very best and we hope that people, number one, the people will choose to come back to Ireland to visit. Some people have come here to say, oh, God, I've only been here for a few days, I got to go back and get in the elongated visit here, so I'm going to improve the long-stay tourism. The other side of that, there's also a group of business people who can afford to come to Ireland, they can afford to come to Trump,

30:50they can afford to stay in the five-seller hotel. Those are the entrepreneurs, the entrepreneurs been morning to night, figuring out how they got to go to increase their business empire, their business take and their employment. We're hoping that long-term businesses will decide. We're going to come back to West Clare. We had a good holiday there, our employees are going to have a good quality of life here. They're really going to enjoy living in West Clare. It's a bonus living here. Good connectivity through the airport, good high-educated work, highly-educated workforce. We have educated workforce is there. We have the most way, it's only a short hop away from from in us out into West Clare. We hope that they'll go to come back and create industry. We spoke to Jorossel, Michael himself went to Jorossel in the Trump International. He said a huge number of people well-known faces around towards Ireland and to the media come to stay there, completely incognito. Nobody knows that they're there. We said those are the business people who will travel up and down to different golf courses within County Clare. They're looking for opportunities about the time to increase their industry, to increase their workload,

31:54and to increase their workforce all the time. We hope that they're going to pick Ireland as a place where they can invest, create employment, underpin employment in West Clare, keep families in the West and keep our communities buying it in the West. If we haven't already, credit has to be given to locals, but also council staff who've put in the hard yards, Michael, to get to Bague and that region to this point where it's ready to host the tournament of this magnitude. Absolutely. I mean, the planning I suppose, this was announced this time last year or on September time, the senior engineers, and I want the county council, West Clare County councilors, we sat down and we worked out a plan and the significant work done in the last 12 months and the physical infrastructure with roads, dangerous crosses, different things to be done, even in the village, it's on Bague and around the Bague area, like you know, you've killed Mejel,

32:57the CKSE, Dara, all of those things that we were talking about with different pressures and needed investment. Some of it has come together, it hasn't all done, but it does a significant start made and an improvement in the road infrastructure and the concentration of minds and the focus on delivery. I mean, I have to compliment the engineers, but also the staff on the ground who were working day and night, some of them are working through the night, you know, on the last couple of weeks, in the last week or 10 days to ensure that West Clare is best foot forward for this. And, you know, communities are on West Clare, I suppose, we're used to holding good events and we're used to managing crowds, you know, like mental Melbourne, Wily Clancy, you had, you also have, you know, within Lehench with different, the Irish off was in ancient 2019, you know, so... There's a track recordation. Yeah, and a good track record. And so, the experience

34:01within the council is there as well to, you know, bring this to fruition. And, you know, we can tank them enough, I mean, the general public, but it's a community effort, a shoulder to be made for everyone, you know, so, and everyone around the area, because when you have 80, 1000 people going into an area, you know, that you want to have a spiel of, like, you know, even right back as far as the lighthouse back in the peninsula, what a beautiful place to spend an hour or two if you have time between the, between the Gulf and between the weekend, you know, if you're around for the weekend. And it's about, you know, people coming and creating those memories and telling other friends when they go back to their home places in America and around Europe. And as we made, you know, come again next year in summertime, we have a different time in the air and stay in Westlair and tour around. And, you know, he's so, I guess we're spiel back there that we saw many different areas to visit, you know. And it's about, you know, kirlosh and kikki, it's about bringing all those, because they all have special, you know,

35:06scattered island we were out there in summertime. They all have their individual offerings, I guess. Yeah. And just to spread out the tourism because Westlair has every, every paradise has a different environment and a different special place, you know, to sell and experience. Hopefully lots of visitors who are here for the Gulf will get to experience all of that if not on this occasion in the future as well. Jens, thanks to both of you for joining me this morning. Thanks, sir. Hopefully it'll be capped off as you say. Both hoping we'll see the kind of excitement we saw at the Walker Cup, who is your, sure, not Batman, but who'd you be tipping to? When are we going to see another home win? I mean, I suppose I'd go for maybe the center of Ireland and Shane Lowry, you know, he's over to you and his knee. He's over to a win and might be nice to see it. See it, see it, and the center of Ireland, I'm sure. I thought it'd be a popular in a rice smile across the care like of the county's face there, Joe. I could say the person who's going to gather the most interested, the most immediate attention.

36:06Does this name him or the nor? If the big man comes, he decides to come as far as his own culture's art. I think he's, it's Roma, he's got to bring his family here and turn to you and you're so if they do come, it'll be, it'll concentrate forward at the attention of America and the other, or the countries around the world to undeculph. There's a certain tension in the fact that he might, he might appear himself there, but it will bring a world-wide attention to the Gulf as well for the create the atmosphere of excitement and the aura of beauty and magnificence about the whole Gulf tournament. Well, I don't know what the odds are in various golfers in terms of winning the Amjenaar show, but it says short odds on the trophy being presented to them. I'd say four by the 47 presidents of the United States of America, right? Lads, my thanks to both of you for joining me at the care like of Claire County Council, there Joe Cleen at the care like of the West clear MD at Michael Chan and Lads. Thanks very much and we'll let you get back to Dunebeg and thanks for joining us this morning. The voice of your community. Claire FM's morning focus. And you're welcome back to morning

37:11focus where we're returning to the very exciting topic of the Amjena Irish Open, the latest from the course, the lead is now jointly shared by Jorge Campio of Spain and Denmark's Rasmus near guard, Patterson, both 300 par, a campio through five holes and near guard, Patterson through four holes respectively, one ahead of a gaggle of players. So that's going to obviously change a lot over the coming days, but we are talking about the Amjenaar show, and joining us on the line to do just that are the Dunebeg Fiendfall Council, Rita McInerney and Tommy Commerford, the original member of Dunebeg development committee who helped bring the golf course to Dunebeg and you're both very welcome to the show. And Tommy would love to hear the kind of origins of the course given the huge event that is happening there now. So as far as I'm aware, the decision to create the course was about ensuring securing the future of Dunebeg and making sure that young people grown up in Dunebeg had a reason to be able to stay there and an opportunity for jobs and so on. So how did the idea

38:13of bringing a world-class golf course to Dunebeg first come about? Well, Alan, this area was clear, was deprived by a lot of investment and we had a natural asset at Dopemore and we said it should be harnessed and the potential for a golf course was obvious. So when a flagship grant, a European flagship grant of 2.4 million became available with a known Spachan development, we applied and I personally myself would do over with the application form and 50 pound to make the application. And actually some of the staff there didn't think it would work out because previously there had been a developer, a golf developer of Archer Spring had approached a couple of the farmers and then negotiations failed. What I said, look at these four people that are involved with in the property are good people in the parish and being a community driven project they will support it. So anyway, to start the story, the 2.4 million, we were successfully getting it and from there on

39:18being the Shannon development had to do drop the terms and conditions and to seek how they could design and develop a golf course and liaise with four farmers. And to do everything, Tommy, that would reach this point where if a world-class golf course hosting huge tournaments like this, maybe it was a hope that someday it would but did you ever believe that would actually happen? Well, we knew we had a special place and we knew that the doons and those were very unique for any area along the waist-coast environment. So we did envisage a very good golf course, but it's beyond our imagination what has happened now. It's the same island as if we were in one another island. You know what the excitement and the buzz this here, it's just unreal and I just I would talk yesterday that I was blown away which the organisation and how it is worked out.

40:18You know, and the history of it, Alan, it wasn't easily achieved because there was a lot of obstacles in the way and I could talk all day about the obstacles, but the positive thing is the developer Greg Noirmer came in in 1997. He designed the course. Landmark National, where the company that Shannon Development was successful in getting and from there they designed the course and in 2002 it was officially opened and there was a huge occasion in the village and there was huge money spent by the investors in creating a brilliant atmosphere in 2002. Later on, that company passed on to developers called Kewa Development Company and they were brilliant. They spent approximately 150 million dollars on what you see there today, the buildings and

41:21the cottages and the whole design of the course. They were the big developers and unfortunately in 2014 we got that terrible storm that it's huge damage to the course and they decided to sell it off and Eric Trump happened to be in Europe in 2015. He came, he liked it and he purchased it and from there it has developed into what you see today. The rest is history as they say and Rita, what a what a story. I mean the story of the course seems to me to be kind of a story about community ambition, people refusing to accept that something was impossible and it must be the course and its story as well, it must be a sort of immense pride to people in Dumbag. Certainly I suppose like any small community we're a very close-knit and we're very supportive of each other and the GAs was very important, it's very important in Dumbag and I suppose

42:25from the 1950s Dumbag had been very prominent in football and I think that's kind of nuclear, even the GAA and the community's first is kind of what enables the community to have a community development organization, to have that foresight, to want to keep people in the parish. So we walked very hard and I suppose it is a natural asset that we could see the potential of I do believe that even in the late 1800s they those that developed Lehench initially looked at that size in Dockmore as a potential size and so we knew the potential of it for a very long time. So I suppose this is a culmination of I would say our 50 years of community development and community work that is culminating in the Irish Open in 2026. And Rita, the touch on back at a point I made to Tommy, the part of the hope was that this

43:29would create ensure the long-term future of Dumbag and the hundreds of jobs that are created as a result of it and I'm sure maybe a lot of young people who might have gone elsewhere in search of a different life or career have remained there because of it. How important as it been in terms of the future of Dumbag and its ability to thrive and keep young people in their locality in their their their own community. It's vitally important I suppose the the community initially when the project was being developed it asked for four things from any owners of the golf course it asked for local employment which we have local membership which we also have retained access to the beach at Dockmore because the original public road to the beach was was extinguished and a new public road was built and to access the beach and allow the community allowed that gave permission for that so the course could be developed in in a natural way and you know investment in infrastructure like our roads and our water and then I suppose

44:34what what Keele was created then was they quickly realized that you know the Americans want to meet the local people wanting to engage so they quickly established a shuttle bus and that's served which brings you to the village that services continued so the the amount of students and particularly because golf is quite seasonal and the prime time is the summertime so naturally a lot of students work in in in Dumbag in from west from all over west Claire and then they also work in the in the suppliers and other local businesses who benefit from the spin-off of of Dumbag so it has a huge knock on effect for for employment and particularly in the summertime and I suppose you know looking to the future and this is in it's a part remember the back in 1997 the plans were always for a a a a a renowned golf course a feister hotel holiday homes a a a conference center and leisure facilities so it was a staged phase development and so we always knew that that

45:39further there was further potential you know Keele were brought so far and you know then we had the economic crash in 2008 and they still operate very successfully until 2013 14 so you know it it has it has it has come so far particularly in the god's side of things but there's also huge potential there still which would extend the economic benefit of us to all year round and just to finish with you Tommy I was speaking earlier on with Joe Cleen Michael Shannon about the potential economic benefit going forward over the coming if not weeks months and years because of the number of people who are visiting for the amg in Irish open and the importance of that US golfing market and just I guess US tourism market in general how hopeful are you that the venue the course and whatever images are seen stateside of Dunebeg the village of the community and the kind of warm atmosphere how hopeful are you that that Dunebeg is going to see benefits from that

46:44in the years to come already Alan the benefits out there if you would if you happen to go to the golf course any day during the summer there with the past three months I've blown away with the number of Americans come on from all the different parts of America substantial people who have businesses in America and our money seems to be no object the amount of money they spend in the surrounding areas even playing the course there which is kind of costs between 4,450 and 500 also they're implying caddies to go out and they get a substantial fee it's just you'd have to be blown away with with what has has brought into an area that wasn't wasn't previously getting the publicity now West clear is going to be on the map I've talked to journalists from various places in America and actually yesterday I spoke to a French television channel and they're going to be

47:49shown that worldwide so it's given a picture of the whole area and that wouldn't be possible we don't fabulous golf course that we've up there so it's going to be enormous in the future and from what I understand is there's more and more people applying to become members of the golf course and let me say that both Shannon in his Spanish point all those areas are been if enormously with people common and staying in those areas and the flights into Shannon have increased dramatically so it's amazing that's all I can say it's just an amazing project. There you go rising tide lifts all ships thank you so much to both of you that's Tommy Comerford there and thanks also to the DeBag Fienafol Councillor Rita McInerney for joining us and hope both of you enjoy the coming days and the the tournament itself joining us to talk about

48:51that and much more besides is Chivon McNulty director of service tourism recreation libraries and cultural services directorish who has joined us from Dubbeg as Chivon a very good morning to you good morning Alan thanks very much for being with us so the eyes of the sporting world on Claire for the Amgen Irish Open for how significant is it from a tourism perspective so coming from the back of the walk up and the hinge the last weekend and straight into the Irish Open it's hugely significant for County Claire and we're on the map we're on the international map for golf we've 11 golf courses across the county and this really does reinforce the benefits of tourism for golfing tourism you know it's a it's a high value tourism product for the county and there's a lot of jobs that benefit off the back of that industry yeah I know the council through visit Claire has been working hard to promote the county in the lead up to the tournament can you talk to us a little bit about that promotional campaign and the level of work and what

49:55was involved in it so in fairness you know we've we've a very small but dynamic team and Trisey Hughes-Lennon is the same exact officer and then Karen Fennancy and the team you have been working so hard over the last month and a half to put Claire on the map to get access to the tournament TV we're going to be live on the tournament TV here in the Amgen Irish Open we had fabulous coverage provided by through the RNA of the walk up and the hinge and the benefit here is that we're looking at promoting the county so you know we we have had a jump in terms of numbers visiting the barn and the cliffs of more in particular over the last 10 days so it's to harness that you know for people to see that Claire is much more than the cliffs of more that there is so much more to see in Dill Cross County and the information that we have provided out to the visitors to the stands at the walk up and here at the Irish Open is definitely seeing paying dividends across

50:57the county yeah and of course as we've referenced quite a bit on the show already in chatting about the event it's about much more than the golf itself in terms of the tourism opportunity Shivan that is something that isn't just a short term thing as I do like as I mentioned earlier on this is something that hopefully we'll see a continual benefits for over the coming years so no it's definitely not for the short term it's for the long game where we're here for it so what we're hearing again anecdotally is that the international sloths across Lehenchden, Duneberg and the other golf courses in Claire and particularly with the Ryder Copte coming in 2027 there is an awful lot of they're they're nearly sold so like that is a guaranteed tourist for the period you know so there are those that are coming for golf but there's also people who are coming who have no interest in golf or their partners of people are very interested in golf and our job then is to promote what can you do in county Claire while somebody has golfing or

51:58you know you know you won't want to golf every day it's quite exhausting so maybe if you've got one day on your on your break day what you might like to do in the county and as well as you know East Claire is our hidden gem across the county where we know that our visitors are very aware of the West Ireland the wild Atlantic way but East Claire has so much to offer in terms of in his country visitor center Kila Loo and you know there's so much to see and do in East Claire that people are only beginning to discover so it's for slow tourism for people to come to enjoy to you know embrace the culture of county Claire with traditional Irish music festivals across the county and it's not as I say for today it's for the next you know two to five years that we're working very closely on promoting county Claire Shannon International Airport in terms of the gateway to the county and then once you come to the county what you can see and do and where you can stay so as I said our our tinnaries are all online at visit Claire.ie and you know we've a lot of engagement with tour operators and golf tours in at the moment heavily focused on but

53:03thereafter on the others in terms of you know comments county Claire what you can see and do yeah then there is I guess in terms of helping the local authority and the visit Claire initiative promote the the county with the eyes of the sporting world on us at the moment there is the kind of as you say the kind of exposure you just can't buy in terms of the international television coverage I've already mentioned it earlier on in terms of the walker cup and the brilliant little quirky bits of footage of you know like the guy walking the dogs along the wall people calling that the dog walker cup or the the the golfing correspondent to show how easy it is to make it away from the pub to the course but also Lehench look and fabulous and sure Dumbegg is going to look like that to visitors or your golf fans in the US how crucial is that international television coverage in showing off the county and showcasing the best of what it has to offer. It's very important because as was anybody can look at it at a golf brochure and you can see how wonderful a course is but I mean it's putting that course on a map, approximately two locations

54:05of interest, proximity accommodation and in fairness to the teams across the Laird County Council there was no storm left on turn the county is absolutely looking fabulous you know there's every road into and out of Dumbegg Lehench you know from once you come off the plane in Shannon and you land in Dumbegg or on the road back you know for the last two years and more we've been planning working on this event and it's testament to the the the Geo's the the supervisors the staff and the ground who have turned up every day to make sure that we present our county in its best foot for these when the eyes of the world are on us I mean there's you know there's all the international television stations here you know they're panning to different stories local interest stories and also to the county footage to as you say just to when the eyes of the world are on you you want to make sure that you have your best Sunday coat on and that you're looking your your smart as far as and we've pulled out all the stops to ensure that we've county

55:06care presented and it's not done you know in isolation we can't do this without the communities without the elected members without the people who are you know well in the morning you know cleaning outside their businesses putting their their best foot forward and presenting clear with the cadmilla faulty you know that when they meet the visitor and not just the visitor as well as we need to think about our communities like our communities are embracing these events as well so that you know our cadmilla faulty is what people remember they will remember you know if they get a puncture please god they won't but but when they come someplace and they're welcomed with open arms to county clear that's what they will remember and that's the story that they'll go back with and to be fair our people are very good at the cadmilla faulty yeah and there is a strong focus strong on promoting clear beyond the major attractions we already know are the particular lesser known places or experiences you would like visitors to discover whenever they do arrive here well i said not necessarily less or known but i mean the only place in the island of Ireland and the best my knowledge in in the world that you can have unique medieval banquet is

56:10in county clear so there's two banquets in bonrati and in a poll that are running seven days week until the end of September in the poll but bonrati runs all year round and you know that's a hugely exciting evening out you know for for a very small money you get fed you get entertained you have an experience of eating in a castle you know it's it's something that it's very hard to explain to somebody what it is until they've experienced it and again this isn't just for the international visitor or for the visitor this is for the people of clear you know to come and experience these sorts of banquets and then you know opportunity to experience the and to see the extent of the talent that is across county and then I suppose you know a journey to East clear is not to be is not to be missed you know whether it's wild Irish chocolates and to grainy or you know heading anti-English culture among chan and I mean again I'm a West clear

57:14person but I mean I spend a lot of time in East clear and every time I go over there I think oh my god there's so much to see there's so much to do here if phony had more time so it's it's planning the routes using the information that's out there I mean we're all very quick to go google an AI but like there's itineraries that are done that will tell you what's good to do across the county and you know experiencing the businesses you know whether it's the Ilioui caves or 50 years open this year or the sheep dog toys and caracanel for it or you know any of the the experiences I mean there is so much I mean when we're asked you know what's our favorite thing to do in clear we all kind of go I don't know what to do and as well as that's a great testament to our businesses and our enterprises across the county who are embraced in in kind of delivering towards and product for the county and in a way it's maybe your job is made easier by having so much elsewhere in the county to promote beyond west claire tvana as you say you know so a lot to do in east claire and there's a resident of east claire I wholeheartedly agree with you on that but even for someone who

58:18wants to visit and just play golf you know you've got Shannon and NS and Nick Ryan from east claire golf club joined us earlier in the week fabulous course there as well that as he told us a lot of foreign golf enthusiasts are finding out about and enjoying when they do visit there so even if if your main interest is just the golf itself there's a reason to kind of make a way around the county absolutely and I suppose you know in fairness east claire golf club is is a fabulous course it's running big clear boys competition there in the next couple of weeks it's a fabulous course you know people are we're very lucky I don't think we realize it in the county that we've such a choice of golf courses I was saying here it's morning that you know I'm a recent golfer now use that term very loosely but you know the opportunity be it in Woodstock be it in Shannon you know the NS golf club there's so many fabulous courses we're actually blessed and you know obviously you know we have the draw of the international courses that turn peer to bag and also

59:20in the hinge but once people are here then they're also looking for our other opportunity to golf because to be fair it's it's hard to get lots they're very popular so you know it's not like you're you're not getting a wonderful golf experience to go to Shannon or east claire or to as you said you know NS or Woodstock or any of the other courses across county okay lots to promote which is fantastic and hopefully Claire can make the most of it and through the visit Claire campaign and Claire County Council and our great work going to be done on that front as Shivan enjoy the rest of the tournament and thanks so much for joining us thanks Alan thank you that is Shivan McNulty director of service tourism recreation libraries and cultural services directorate with Claire County Council