10th March 2021
Dear Connemara Business / Organisation
I would like to take this opportunity to update you on some recent changes in the Connemara Chamber of Commerce.
At the AGM held via Zoom on 10th February 2021 a new committee was appointed. One position remains outstanding to be filled and I would encourage any member who wishes to participate in this important organisation to consider putting their name forward to the committee.
President John Sweeney
Vice President Tom Kelly
Secretary Damien Joyce
Treasurer To be appointed
PRO Lisa King
Tourism Officer Terrence O’Toole
I would like to thank the retiring and former committees for all their hard work and the contribution made over the period of their office.
It is an exciting but challenging time to be involved in business in Connemara. The Pandemic of the last 12 months has brought many challenges but equally so many opportunities. Many of us have discovered that Connemara is held in very high regard and only Kerry rivals it as a domestic tourist destination. It will be the aim of this committee to embrace the tourism opportunities to the best of our ability to ensure Connemara has a successful tourist season in 2021. Similarly we need to ensure that non tourism-related businesses make gains after the very difficult lock-down periods suffered by all. We aim to ensure all member businesses get access to the supports that are available and needed.
To do this the Chamber is seeking the assistance and support of the more than 330 businesses in Connemara (see attached list). We request that every member maintain their membership, lapsed members will re-join and all other businesses will consider joining the Connemara Chamber of Commerce. We will initiate a recruitment drive to this end and we believe it is through the strength of numbers and collective effort that progress will be made. We hope that every business in Connemara joins the Chamber and feels the benefit of a collective effort.
There are a number of significant projects which were initiated by previous Chamber Committees.
- Clifden to Derrygimla Trail
- Management of Marconi site
- Connemara Greenway
- Clifden Town renewal project
- Christmas Lights programme
- Connemara Shop and Spend Local campaign
It is our hope that we can complete that list and make further contributions.
Some of the initiatives we intend to undertake in the short term.
- Establish a permanent public office to accommodate the chamber, this will provide a place to record all of the business of the Chamber, to conduct the meetings of the Chamber and give our members a place to hold private meetings.
- To appoint a part-time administrator role to take care of marketing, administration and the day to day running of the chamber and office
- Create significant ties with interested bodies i.e., community groups, sport bodies, tidy towns, schools, festivals and charities and involve them in the business of the chamber
The theme of this particular chamber will be to foster and encourage new and young enterprise and innovation and to look at every option available to extend our tourist season.
We kindly ask you to have a say in our collective future and join the Connemara Chamber of Commerce. We enclose a membership application form and payment details for your convenience and look forward to your involvement in the Chamber.
Yours Sincerely
John Sweeney
Enclosed:
