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The Stillorgan Park Hotel

The 4 Star Stillorgan Park Hotel is located on the periphery of can cater from 2- 500 delegates with 20..

Silver Springs Moran Hotel

Silver Springs Moran Hotel combines contemporary design with traditional elegance. Each of our 109 deluxe bedrooms, including five luxurious suites..

Galway Arts Festival Fringe Events and Planning Tips

On 19 July, 2011 by Ciara Feely Comments (0), leave your own!
Categories: Event Reviews, Festival Planning Tips, Festivals, Incentive Trip Ideas, Team Building Ideas

As a Galway native I always enjoy a visit home and Galway city was at its vibrant best last weekend with the Galway Arts Festival in full flight. With such a large and diverse programme of festival events coupled with all the fringe events that take place in the city during the festival the biggest problem I faced was where to go and what to see!

Festivals such as the Galway Arts Featival are vital to the economy of a city and region. It is estimated that the festival generates revenue of €20 million for the region.  Galway Hotels are full, restaurants are packed and shops, bars, street traders, taxis all have an opportunity to avail of the extra income being spent. I thought to myself it would also be a fantastic time for an incentive group to head to Galway and avail of the plethora of Irish artists and performers.  Galway is such a great city to walk around that you can’t go more than a few short steps before there are more examples of the talent that Ireland is producing at the moment. The Venue Finder at FindaConferenceVenue.com – Ciara Feely is currently trying to secure a group of TV producers from the US who travel to different Art and Film Festivals around the world – they attend some of the more famous festivals such as Cannes.  However,Irish Festivals would offer a fresh and unique experience for corporate and incentive groups while providing world class entertainment.

The Galway Arts Festival provides the perfect forum for new and up and coming artists to get their name out there to a much bigger audience than they would normally have access to. The smart bands, performers and artists perform in Galway during the arts festival and while it might not be part of the official programme, with the right advertisement they can attract a large audience as the city is full to capacity with visitors who all want to see a good show!

Intinn and Rootical Sound System -2 Galway acts- held one such fringe event on Saturday. I decided that in lieu of any real sunshine I would up my feel good vibes by dancing the night away to some great home grown Reggae. Intinn a brilliant Celtic Dub band took to the stage at 21 Eglinton Street playing their unique mix of conscious Reggae and Drum & Bass. They had amazing energy and quickly had everyone dancing. Their harp player Catriona Cannon adds a beautiful element to the bands look and sound. It’s great to see a traditional Irish instrument in such a contemporary setting. Intinn were followed by Rootical Sound System who provided the perfect sound track to keep the party going into the early hours.

Tips for marketing yourself at a festival –

My tips for bands, artists or performers looking to make a name for themselves on the festival circuit.

  • Make a wish list of all the festivals you would like to perform at.
  • Make contact early – many festivals start planning the following year’s festival as soon as the current year’s festival is over – if the festival is on in July your application may well need to be in the previous October or November so get organised.
  • Be willing to work for free – many festivals do not pay new or unknown performers – instead providing free passes to events and of course invaluable free advertisement and access to a much wider audience than you would normally have.
  • Put on a free or budget friendly priced show – If your application is unsuccessful then try and book yourself a gig in a venue that is adjacent to the main festival hub – many people will not be able to get tickets to the main events or perhaps can’t afford a large ticket fee so would be only delighted to attend your show instead of the main event.
  • Get creative with your advertisement – there are all sorts of free social media available so make sure you have a Facebook page, MySpace page, blog and Twitter account and advertise your show to the masses without spending a penny.

Ciara Norman- Project Manager, FindaConferenceVenue.com

Tagged: arranging events, corporate event planning tips, Different ideas for team building, fringe events Galway Arts Festival, Galway Arts Festival, Incentive Trip Ideas, Intinn, Marketing festivals, Rootical Sound System, tips on planning an event

Venue Review – The Guinness Storehouse – Dublin City Conference Centre

On 24 September, 2009 by Ciara Feely Comments (0), leave your own!
Categories: Conference Venues, Event Reviews

I have held 2 events at the Guinness Storehouse and have got great feedback each time ” the staff are easy to work with and are professionals”. Last week I attended Bizcamp there – I worked with Keith on finding the venue.  Most of the stress of the day is taken away for the organiser if the venue are on top of things, provide excellent service and serve a decent cup of coffee!  This is the case with The Guinness Storehouse – Happy Arthur Guinness Day!

The Review

Location – Dublin City, at the site where Guinness is brewed – about a 15 minute walk down the keys from Dublin City Centre, 10 mins by Luas or a quick taxi ride.  It is also very close to Heuston Train Station and on the Luas line which makes it so accessible.

What is it perfect for?  If you are looking for a venue that is a little bit different, this is the one.  You enter via the Visitors Centre which has a very touristy feel to it, this I like as I can pretend that I am on holidays.  You can just skip through the line to pay to get in if you are attending a conference.  There is plenty of signage to direct delegates to the conference floors.

Main room at the Guinness Storehouse, great for an event or conference

Main room at the Guinness Storehouse, great for an event or conference

The main Aural suite is on the 3rd floor.  This will accommodate about 300 people seated.  Lots of room outside for tea/coffee area.   You can feel and hear the buzz of the visitors centre, the building is a large atrium, built in the shape of a Pint of Guinness in the centre so you can feel the atmosphere from the whole venue.

Meeting Room at Guinness Storehouse

Smaller meetings – Break out rooms – up on the next floor – in the business centre area.  There are 5 rooms here that will hold up to 70 people.

Food - prepared by Campbell Catering – tasty and flexible with a choice of menus for every budget.

For that Special Event -  there are 3 other venue spaces available for evening parties.   During the day they are open to the public but a great private party venue for evening entertainment – choices are -

Gravity Bar

Panoramic views of Dublin, a great Venue

Panoramic views of Dublin, a great Venue

Brewery Bar

Great Party Venue

Great Party Venue

Source Bar

Party Venue Option/Drinks Reception

Party Venue Option/Drinks Reception

To avail of the discounted negotiated rates that FindaConferenceVenue have, do get in touch.   ciara (at) findaconferencevenue.com.  353 ()) 21 4928941.

We are the experts on hotels and venues in Ireland and will do the legwork involved in finding a hotel or venue.  It is a free service to the Meeting Organiser.

Hotels near by – Radisson Blu Royal Hotel,  The Clarence

Tagged: arranging conferences, arranging events, Conference Centre Venues, Conferences Dublin, corporate event planning tips, Corporate Team Building activities, Corporate Team Building Venue Dublin, Different ideas for team building, Guinness Storehouse Dublin, Meeting Room Venues, Team Building Activities and Corporate Social Responsib

How to Plan a Conference …. continued advice from the experts.

On 7 May, 2009 by Ciara Feely Comments (0), leave your own!
Categories: Conference Planning, Conference Venue Tips, Smart organising tips, Uncategorized

 

Step Three – Producing the Conference
To put the conference product in place you will to need to action the following:
Conference Budget:  This needs to be drawn up and must contain a revenue and expenditure section together with an actual column.  Always include a contingency figure, say 10% of the estimated total.
Programme:  Clearly identify you objectives so that both you and your speaker know what the conference is aiming to achieve and delegate expectations are met.
Marketing and PR plan:  You need to identify how are going to reach your target audience. Website will need to be designed or updated.
Event Schedule:  This is used to plot all the various activities that are talking place throughout the conference.
Step Four – Products and suppliers
Once you have produced you conference budget you can confirm your suppliers and product requirements:
Venue Finder:  Professional venue finders, who are experts on venues and offer an independent opinion are always a safe bet to use to ensure you select the right venue.  Your reputation is on the line if you chose the wrong venue!
Accommodation:  This may need to be placed on provisional hold if the conference venue cannot provide or has insufficient space.
Audio Visual equipment and production:  This is something either the venue can provide or you can source in-house.  Alternatively obtain up to quotes from conference / AV companies.
Catering, entertainment, transport, delegate bags etc:  Make sure you have thought of everything at this stage so that there are no surprises in the budget later on.
Marketing and PR plan:  You need to identify how are going to reach your target audience. Website will need to be designed or updated.
Event Schedule:  This is used to plot all the various activities that are talking place throughout the conference.

 

Charleville Park Hotel, Cork - midway between Limerick and Cork

Step Three – Producing the Conference

To put the conference product in place you will to need to action the following:

Conference Budget:  This needs to be drawn up and must contain a revenue and expenditure section together with an actual column.  Always include a contingency figure, say 10% of the estimated total.

Programme:  Clearly identify you objectives so that both you and your speaker know what the conference is aiming to achieve and delegate expectations are met.

Marketing and PR plan:  You need to identify how are going to reach your target audience. Website will need to be designed or updated.

Event Schedule:  This is used to plot all the various activities that are talking place throughout the conference.

 

Great meeting room, just outside Dublin.  Convenient to the airport also.

Great meeting room, just outside Dublin. Convenient to the airport also.

 

 

Step Four – Products and suppliers

Once you have produced you conference budget you can confirm your suppliers and product requirements:

 

Venue Finder:  Professional venue finders, who are experts on venues and offer an independent opinion are always a safe bet to use to ensure you select the right venue.  Your reputation is on the line if you chose the wrong venue!

Accommodation:  This may need to be placed on provisional hold if the conference venue cannot provide or has insufficient space.  Ensure there are enough gurestrooms for delegates or that there are excellently priced hotels within easy reach of the conference.  You don’t want your delegates arriving late as they were stuck in traffic.  Again, consult a venue finder on these.

Audio Visual equipment and production:  This is something either the venue can provide or you can source in-house.  Alternatively obtain up to quotes from conference / AV companies. Ensure  you get references, as getting the AV right on the day is essential!!

Catering, entertainment, transport, delegate bags etc:  Make sure you have thought of everything at this stage so that there are no surprises in the budget later on.

Marketing and PR plan:  You need to identify how are going to reach your target audience. Website will need to be designed or updated.

Event Schedule:  This is used to plot all the various activities that are talking place throughout the conference.

Source – In Any Event UK

For more expert tips on organising a conference or event – click here…

Tagged: arranging conferences, arranging events, conference and meeting place, Conference Centre Venues, conference organisers, conference venue ireland, conference venues ireland, Conferences Dublin, corporate event planning tips, corporate event services, Corporate Event Venues, Corporate Team Building Venue Dublin, Different ideas for team building, free advice on corporate events, Portarnock Hotel and Golf Links, team building activities, Team Building Activities and Corporate Social Responsib, team building Cork, team building venues ireland, tips for arranging a conference

Resolution for the new year… Attending Conferences to beat the recession!

On 6 January, 2009 by Ciara Feely Comments (0), leave your own!
Categories: Amusing, International Trade Shows, Networking in General
Thriving not just surving during the recession.

Thriving not just surving during the recession.

This year I have decided that my new year’s resolution will be to not do something rather than do something which is to not “participate in a recession”.    I have adopted a saying from Dr. Ivan Misner (Founder of Business Network International) as my new motto   “I refuse to participate in a recession”…

In late November I attended an International tradeshow in Barcelona – EIBTM.  I had 1000 badges printed up with this motto and I hired students to wear T shirts with the same.  I have to say I was delighted with the reaction.  I had people running down the tradeshow aisle after me asking me where did I get the T shirt from… in the bathrooms I had ladies ask me if I was the person giving out those great badges — they wanted to fly the flag for me and wear one.  Yeah, it was working.  So my point is that we are ready to be positive about all of this.

Overall the tradeshow was a fantastic experience for me.  I received excellent leads and met people whom I would never have met by staying at home.  There was serious business being done there and a real thirst for companies to discover countries they had not brought conference, meetings or incentive clients to before.   Ireland does not have the reputation abroad yet for having fantastic conference and incentive facilities and it is a constant battle to educate international delegates on the state of the art facilities Irish venues now have to offer.    And believe it or not, the first thing you have to educate most people on is why come to Ireland in the first place for a conference, meeting or event…. uniqueness of our culture, landscape and people, friendly welcome and as a very safe destination.

I took a wander around to compare how other countries were selling their country as a destination and there are some amusing photos to share –

Hungry –

Come to Hungry

Come to Hungry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norway -  love this one..

Norway - attractive incentive

Norway - attractive incentive

Berlin -
Now that's a dress!

Now that's a dress!

Ireland -
Ireland's stand at EIBTM

Ireland - Kenmare Park Hotel Samas Destination Spa

 Guatamela -

The Quetzal - national bird of Guatemala

The Quetzal - national bird of Guatemala

Overall it was an excellent tradeshow, with plenty of entertainment and eye candy to keep you amuzed such as this shirmp and lobster that wandered freely throughout the exhibition.

Anyone for Shrimp and Lobster?

Anyone for Shrimp and Lobster?

 

Ciara and the Queen of Nuremburg

Ciara and the Queen of Nuremburg

 

Ciara and the recently discovered Dinosour remains in Portugal

Ciara and the recently discovered Dinosour remains in Portugal

I am happy to share my advice and expertise on venues in Ireland.  My service saves hours of time in researching a venue.  Contact Ciara at ciara@findaConferenceVenue.com.   353 (0) 26 21015.

Tagged: arranging conferences, arranging events, conference organisers, conference venue ireland, Conference Venues, conference venues dublin, Confernce Speakers, corporate event planning tips, corporate event services, Different ideas for team building, Optimistic view point, The Recession

Team Building Activities and Corporate Social Responsibility

On 1 July, 2008 by Ciara Feely Comments (2), leave your own!
Categories: Team Building, Team Building Ideas

At FindaConferenceVenue.com we are making it easy to plan corporate events. Below are some great ideas on how to plan a ‘Green’ Team Building event.

Team building activities can also be used as a means to raise awareness among employees of concepts like Corporate Social Responsibility, fair-trade and the ripple effect of these. These concepts are the talk of the town but most people are unclear of what they really mean.

One of the star ‘responsible’ team building activities is ‘Tree Planting”. It can be a great day of fun and easy to plan. It consists of employees planting trees in reserves and managed woodland so as to preserve the nature and contribute to offset their carbon emission. This way your company will work towards a more sustainable, lower carbon-emitting events industry and your employees will have fun while learning the concepts of sustainability.

Rooted in Ireland is an oak planting project in Drumconwell, which is just outside of Armagh. They are open to having a group but it would only be in Spring or Autum, as these are the times at which they plant.The following are a few suggestions on great outdoor team building venues in Ireland – Toddsleap – only 90 mins from Belfast and Dublin, Killashee House in Naas – 45 mins from Dublin, Fota House in Cork- a beautiful stately house with themed park and golf course, or a the perfect Boutique Hotel in Kenmare – The Brooklane.

FindaConferenceVenue. Com can help you to find the right venue for a successful corporate event. The website will allow you to search for the best Irish Team Building Venues. Or you can also call us and ask for our expert advice. Read our Corporate Event Planning tips for some more great suggestions.

Ciara Feely

Ireland’s Venue Finder

ciara@FindaConferenceVenue.com

353 (0)26 210 15

Tagged: conference and meeting place, conference venue ireland, Corporate Team Building activities, corporate venue, Different ideas for team building, find a conference venue, green venues ireland, team building activities, Team Building Activities and Corporate Social Responsib, team building Belfast, team building Cork, team building Dublin, team building venues ireland, tips on planning an event
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    Ciara Feely

    Welcome to the blog of Ciara Feely, the founder of FindaConferenceVenue.com, Ireland's expert on Conference Venues in Ireland. Ciara offers a free service researching and giving advice on venues in Ireland for Conferences, Meetings and Events. Just call or email her. The website is a comprehensive listing of over 500 venues in Ireland – independently search for venues and send an enquiry directly through to the venue.
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