LAUNCH OF "A TASTE OF THE WATERWAYS, FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK"

The Launch of the new "A Taste of the Waterways, Favourite Places to Eat and Drink" took place on Thursday 7th July 2005, at the Grand Canal in Dublin. The Guide was officially launched by Mr Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Georgina Campbell, the Guide's author and Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications Waterways Ireland, also officiated.

The Guide features restaurants and hostelries along the seven waterways within the remit of Waterways Ireland and includes reviews, photos and contact details. It also outlines suggested routes for navigating the waterways with lists of places to visit, stay, eat and drink along the way. The Waterways included in the Guide are: the Barrow Navigation, the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann Navigation, the Royal Canal, the Shannon Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The Guide is sponsored by Waterways Ireland and distributed free of charge to all registered Boat Owners North and South and to Tourist Information Offices throughout Europe. Speaking at the launch, the Minister said that the Guide is "A very valuable marketing tool for creating awareness of the waterway amenities which will increase the number of visitors to the waterways all year round with ensuing economic benefits for service providers and the local economies".

Georgina Campbell commented that "The independently assessed guide will lead to many enjoyable experiences and will leave many happy memories of Ireland's wonderful waterways". Speaking at the Launch, Martin Dennany said that "Promoting greater use of the Waterways and building a platform for sustained market development are two of the pillars of the Marketing and Promotion Strategy of Waterways Ireland and the Guide will contribute towards these aims". He continued, "Due to the success of the 2004 Guide, Waterways Ireland decided to extend the Guide to include all 7 waterways and I look forward to receiving feedback from our customers in relation to the Guide and its contents".

Waterways Ireland is the North/South implementation body responsible for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterways principally for recreational purposes.

Copies of the "A Taste of the Waterways, Favourite Places to Eat and Drink" may be obtained free of charge from the Waterways Ireland Marketing and Communications Division at +353 71 9650787 (Carrick on Shannon) or +44 28 66346 219 (Enniskillen).

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Further information from:

Ms. Aoife Morrissy, Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland, 00 353 71 9650787 or 00 353 87 9918412. Or:
Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland, 00 44 28 66346203.

Date: 11.07.2005
PR050019

At the Launch of "A Taste of the Waterways, Favourite Places to Eat and Drink", sponsored by Waterways Ireland, are (from left): Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland; Mr Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and Georgina Campbell, Author of the Guide;

Location: The Grand Canal, Dublin.