D499

FESTIVAL OF FOOD - 16th - 18th April

2010-04-13T15:07:00.000+01:00

The feasting and the fun starts in ‘F’ungravan, Co. Waterford .............

Some of the country’s top chefs including Nevin McGuire of McNeans, Derry Clarke of L’Ecrivain and Catherine Fulvio of Ballyknocken Cookery School feature on the exciting line-up for the third Waterford Festival of Food, Dungarvan which takes place from April 16th to 18th . They will join local chefs of renown Paul Flynn, The Tannery, Louise Clarke, Nude Food, Eunice Power, Caterer of Choice, Conor Foran, Lawlors Hotel and Shane McGrath, The Cliff House Hotel, to deliver a whole range of cookery demonstrations at Dungarvan Town Hall during the festival weekend.

The festival will open with a sumptuous BBQ on Friday April 16th at 8pm with a swing jazz session at Lawler’s Hotel. Film buffs will also find entertainment at the Old Market House Arts Centre where ‘Bottle Shock’ will be screened and wine will be swirled, tasted and enjoyed.

Festival co-ordinator, Therese Mc Dermott commented that he 2010 programme is great mix of new events with the old and hugely popular ‘reliables’. New this year are seaweed seminars on the beach, ‘crude food’ trails in the woods, Barron’s Bread Baking workshop in Cappoquin and a Glanbia/NDC nutrition seminar in the Tennis Club to name but a few. Making a reappearance this year will be the community ‘Picnic in the Park’ with the ‘Music Marquee’ and an added bonus for 2010 are 'Fun Food Olympics’ being organised by Waterford Sports Partnership in conjunction with local nutritionist, Jessica Keane. The ‘Bus Bia’ is scheduled for take off once again on Saturday morning April 17th and will jaunt across the famers and food producers of West Waterford and of course the mobile farm will give joy to many children at King John’s Castle. The Druid Chef returns to the programme and will appear in the bigger venue of Dungarvan Town Hall to entertain and educate his audience with the ever enthusiastic Chef Eunice Power and local nutritionist Jessica Keane. It’s a fun event suitable for all family members.

Extract from Evening Echo

DUNGARVAN TO BE BRANDED A “VALUE” DESTINATION

2010-04-13T14:53:00.000+01:00

DUNGARVAN LEADER – MAY 29TH 2009 – KEVIN KIRRANE

CHAMBER HOLD BRAINSTORMING SESSION TO BID TO ATTRACT VISITORS

Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber of Commerce’s newly formed Tourism and Leisure sub-committee held a brainstorming session on Friday last where they revealed details of a new innovative initiative – D4 99 – which aims to attract new visitors and package the town as a “value” destination.

Members of the hotel and leisure industries, who are suffering from the crushing economic conditions, have branded together to devise the new value initiative, which would effectively give the town a new branding. The concept, named “Dungarvan for 99” would see all business in th town invited to put forward value packages that would be in the 99 cent or €99 price bracket.

WEBSITE
As part of this, the Tourism and Leisure Committee plan to launch a new website, called D499.ie which will be updated regularly, and begin an intensive nationwide marketing campaign.

The sub-committee say that, for example, hotels in the are could provide seasonal packages for €99, restaurants offer main courses for €9.99 and shops could also offer 99 cent or €9.99 deals.

The web domain has already been acquired and the site is currently being developed.

Jenny Beresford, of the Chamber, said the offer could be applicable to any kind of retail, hospitality and industry enterprise.

MARKETING
The Chamber aims to market the initiative outside Dungarvan in order to attract fresh pockets of tourism into the town. The initiative would not just show the value available in Dungarvan but also highlight the natural and built amenities of the town – bringing the best Dungarvan has to offer to a wider audience, and showcase it as a place to stay and shop.

Mark Knowles of Clonea Strand Hotel said the Chamber will be asking all businesses to carry the D499 logo on their advertising.

VALUE
"It’s about people sitting around tables together,” Mr Knowles said, “who’ve never sad around tables together before”.

“It’s an example of everyone trying to work together. It’s a movement rather than just a concept”

D499 CONCEPT TO RAISE PROFILE OF DUNGARVAN

2010-04-13T14:49:00.001+01:00

DUNGARVAN OBSERVER 27TH MAY 2009 – PAUL MOONEY

A NEW initiative has begun in Dungarvan which will see the marketing of the town on a large scale to attract tourists and holidaymakers here.

D499.ie is a new concept ‘Dungarvan –more 4 less’ that brings together business leaders in the town and Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber under a sub Tourism and Leisure Committee that are actively working to get many initiatives off the ground to attract people from all over the country and beyond to visit or stay in Dungarvan and encourage them to spend here.

The first meeting of the sub-committee took place last Friday morning at Lawlors Hotel to brainstorm ideas and progress the D499 initiative.

The meeting included Jenny Beresford of Dungarvan Chamber: Gerry O’Connor, Dungarvan Shopping Centre; Michael Burke, Lawlors Hotel; Colette Bannon, The Work Coach; Larry O’Donovan, AIB; Ian Noctor, WLR FM and members of the local press.

It was explained that the D499 concept means Dungarvan for € 99, whereby all businesses are invited to put forward packages that would be €99; €9.99 or something 99cent. These offers will be updated regularly on the website D499.ie.

Manager of Clonea Strand Hotel, Mark Knowles, said the aim of the sub-committee is to get the D499 concept up and running, bringing new festival ideas for Dungarvan, while building on the ones the town already has, among other promotional projects.

Suggestions made include a possible summer comedy festival; children’s festival and a wildlife festival.

It is understood that a vintage car show is to be staged in Dungarvan around 12 July nest.

Promotion and advertising was looked at, with a possible television campaign in the pipelines, along with regional and local media support.

The sub-committee has acquired D499.ie and the site is currently under construction, due to be up and running in the near future.

A spokesperson for the sub-committee said it is expected there will be hotel, pub and restaurant, retail, entertainment and leisure activities categories on the site.

“The sub-committee are also creating 40,000 flyers, car bumper stickers, flags and other marketing materials to add exposure to this campaign, highlighting D499.ie” said the spokesperson.

“We have contacted many businesses for feedback and to see the level of commitment to get involved in this initiative. So far, the response has been hugely positive, “ added the spokesperson.

Feile na nDeise (Dungarvan Leader, Friday 9th April 9, 2010)

2010-04-13T14:45:00.001+01:00

This years Feile na nDeise already looks set to be one of the best, with a truly stellar cast of musicians set to star in Dungarvan over the May Bank Holiday Weekend.

The Feile is on of those events that are looked forward toe ach year with enthusiasm. But this year, there has been a serious buzz about the event ever since John McGrath and Sean Murphy of Downey’s and Bachelors in Trouble fame got the national media coup of announcing headline acts, the ‘High Kings’ and Sharon Shannon on Today FM’s popular Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show.

It’s fair to say that both acts will attract huge audiences from across the South East and further afield into Dungarvan for the 16th Feile, and it was perhaps this kind of headline act that was the sole ingredient missing from the more recent editions of the otherwise very professionally run and organised festival.

The festival will be a huge boon to the town and West Waterford in general in the economic and touristic stakes, and I for one, am greatly looking forward to this years fare.

99 Things To Do In Dungarvan

2009-11-17T20:53:00.000Z

Things to do without a car…

1- Swimming on Abbeyside beach or Clonea Blue flag beach

2- Kite surfing

3- Surfing

4- Kayaking along the Cunnigar River or on Clonea beach

5- Hill walking, the Cruchan Walk

6- Playgrounds in both Dungarvan and Abbeyside

7- Visit Dungarvan Bridge financed by William, Duke of Devonshire in 1808

8- Visit Walton Causeway Park in Abbeyside

9- Dungarvan bandstand located in Dungarvan Park

10- Bird watching

11- Gallows hill, the remains of the first Norman settlement in Dungarvan.

12- Explore Dungarvan and surrounding area by hiring bikes.

13- A game of tennis in the Abbeyside Tennis Club

14- Running

15- Attend Hurling/Football/Rugby/Soccer matches

16- Walking tours of Dungarvan

17- Visit Clonea blue flag beach

18- Sand castle building

19- Crab Fishing

20- Relax with a coffee or a drink along the Quay

21- Shell Cottage

22- Walk around Grattan Square constructed between 1806-1826

23- Golfing at Dungarvan Golf course or Goldcoast Golf course

24- Walk along the old Dungarvan railway track.

25- The Famine walk

26- Events in the town Hall

27- The Farmers Market, each Thursday from 9.00am-2.00pm

28- Trout fishing

29- Visit garden centres

30- Sailing courses

31- Walk along Abbeyside Strand

32- Fishing

Things to do with a car…

33- Surfing lesson in Tramore

34- Lismore art gallery

35- Copper coast mini farm

36- Copper coast geo-park

37- An Rinn, official Gaeltacht area near Dungarvan

38- Visit the Cunnigar, a sand spit across the mouth of Dungarvan Bay

39- Stradbally, another pretty Waterford village.

40- A stroll through Colligan Wood

41- Copper Coast Drive

42- Tramore amusement and leisure park

43- Mount Congreve Gardens, Kilmeaden

44- Work House Studios, Kilmacthomas

45- Mahon falls

46- Camping, in one of the many campsites located around Waterford

47- Horse riding, Colligan Equestrian Centre, Dungarvan

Things to do in the rain…

48- Catch a film at SGC Dungarvan cinema

49- Stroll around the Dungarvan Shopping centre

50- Attend a book reading in Dungarvan Library

51- Ardmore pottery and craft gallery

52- Cookery schools (day course) in the Tannery, one of Irelands leading restaurants

53- Leisure/gym facilities

54- Perks Amusements, Youghal

55- Greyhound racing

56- Play Loft

57- Waterford and Suir Valley Railway Company

58- Bowling

59- Ardmore Gallery Art School

60- Kids club, Clonea Leisure Centre

Day trips….

61- Fota Island

62- Michelstown Caves

63- Middleton Distillery

64- Tramore

65- River Cruise on the Suir

66- Irish National Heritage Park, Wexford

67- Hook lighthouse, Wexford

68- Dunmore East Adventure Centre

69- Dunmore Angling Charters

70- Paintballing

71- Off road carting and rally driving

72- Cahir Castle

73- Dunbrody, New Ross

74- Kilkenny Castle, Roth House, Brewery

75- Cahir Castle

76- Walking tours of Waterford City

History and Heritage…

77- St. John’s Castle, Dungarvan

78- The Moresby Buoy, monument to the tragic sinking of the Moresby ship

79- Augustine Church and Abbey, Abbeyside

80- St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Dungarvan

81- St. Declans round tower, Ardmore

82- Ardmore cliff walk

83- Knockeen Dolmen, Tramore

84- Lismore Castle gardens

85- Mount Mellerary Abbey

86- Ballysaggartmore Towers, Lismore

87- St Carthaghs Cathedral, Lismore

88- Waterford City, Reginals Tower, Museums/Galleries

89- Dungarvan Old Market House

90- St Mary’s Parish Church Dungarvan

91- Curraghmore House, Portlaw

92- Waterford County Museum, Dungarvan

93- Touraneena Heritage Centre, Ballinamult

94- Cappaquin house and gardens

95- Fairbrook house gardens museum, Kilmeaden

Nightlife….

96- Traditional Irish music, in local pubs

97- Award winning restaurants

98- Live Opera at Dungarvan Cinema

99- Davitts nightclub/Creation Nightclub

What Is D499?

2009-11-17T00:36:00.001Z

The Dungarvan Chamber through a progessive sub Tourism and Leisure Committee is working actively to attract people from all parts of Ireland, the UK and beyond to visit or stay in our lovely town of Dungarvan. D499.ie was started and is driven by a voluntary group of Chamber members. It has now secured the committed support of Enterprise Ireland, Failte Ireland, WIT and our local Town and County Councils.

The concept is D499, this is Dungarvan for €99; whereby all businesses are invited to put forward packages that would be €99/9.99/127.99 etc.

The aim of the scheme is to grow the 'Dungarvan-more for less' brand across Ireland and the UK, offering quality and lots of information about activities and services available to visitors.