Craic On

For so long Moville & Inishowen have been getting battered by the recession. Now a group of businessmen have decided that they are not victims and have decided to take the fight into their own hands and do something about it. This week the East Inishowen Business Association will launch their new website to help local businessmen and the area.

The launch is at St. Eugene’s Hall on Thursday 2nd of May at 8:45pm.

Setup

THe East Inishowen Business Association was set up when local businessmen got sick of being hit by the increase in unemployment, the closure of many long-established businesses, including shops, factories, restaurants and pubs, and the haemorrhaging of youngsters from the community who had to go abroad for opportunities. They decided that as no one was going to help them they would take matters into their own hands.

Said Chairman Brian McDermott “We all agreed that we would work tirelessly for the benefit of all our citizens and businesses to promote and encourage new ventures where possible and help sustain existing jobs, it is our intention to rebuild and utilise the natural resources we have on offer”.

For Everyone

The organisation is non-political, of mixed gender and religion. It represents 80 local businesses that employs 200 people. They will support leisure activities and educational opportunities for local people. They will support people who want to set up new businesses.

It gets no funding from Government and is self-funded from their annual €25 fees. They are already working on lots of projects which will come to fruition over the coming weeks and years.

The website www.eastinishowen.ie will promote tourism and will help bring people to the area. It will have information on what to do and see here and what is on.

It will help promote any events and festivals on here. It’s getting the news out.

Too Quick

Sometimes people are too quick to put the place down asking why would anyone want to come here when they can get a cheap holiday in Portugal or Spain with guaranteed sun. However, when such well-travelled people like Tony Bramwell keep coming back to the area and profess to love coming here then perhaps we really do have something here.

Tony told local jour=nalist Katie Barr that his three favourite places in the world are Hawaii, Nashville and Moville. He says that he loves the people and loves the place and he comes any time he is invited.

This new association and website are the beginning of the great fight back. Businessmen and women are taking the fight into their own hands. There is now some hope. Let’s wish them success.