by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua 10 years after Supergreybeard and I are currently working with the National Tourist Authority here in Ireland on a 10 year strategy for Business Tourism. It’s a perfect project for us as it draws on our 25 years of experience as commercially focused, events professionals presenting Ireland to the… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua A radically altered landscape The austerity years in Ireland were callous and cruel to those Celtic Tiger vanity investors who fancied themselves as hoteliers but had neither the relationships, the know-how nor the deep pockets to weather the storm. Now, following a furious flurry of financial finagling we have… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Our work these days has caused us to reflect quite a bit on the way Ireland as a destination for Business Events and MICE has changed over the past couple of decades. Many of the things we wished for in the 1990s – better Transatlantic and European air access,… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Dedicated to our fellow pilgrims, John & Cathie, Niall & Mary, Ken & Stephanie with infinite thanks for the wonderful memories and the great friendship But what about the meaning? The Pilgrim’s Reception Office is run by the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela. It’s where… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua In celebration of EPIC’s first birthday, this is an updated version of the original post “Stories – what makes a destination truly unique” that first appeared on May 13 2016. Telling Stories In many languages the words for history and story are the same. Telling stories is intrinsically connected with the past,… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Anecdotally, cycling has overtaken golf as the sport of choice for the C-suite. The corporate world has figured it’s less personally humiliating to be a sluggish rider than an useless hacker. After all crowds don’t stand and shout “get in the hole” as you throw your leg over your all-carbon… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Global Meetings Industry Day? If you’re active on social media or read on-line news, you’ll know that every single one of the 365 days of the year has been claimed either nationally or internationally or both by several random causes. Today, the 6th of April 2017, is National Caramel Popcorn… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Things to do in Dublin The constellation of “things to do” in Dublin has been rapidly expanding in the past few years. When I worked as an Italian speaking tour guide in the late 80s / early 90s you could “do Dublin” with your group in half a day… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Day One: 07:35 – The Enterprise Train to Northern Ireland I’m sitting in first class on the Enterprise Train that travels several times daily between Dublin and Belfast. I’ve just enjoyed a wonderful cooked breakfast served to me piping hot in my plush seat. My laptop is open as… Read more »
by Pádraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Seismic change in Ireland’s Tourism Product and Promotion During the thirty years of my involvement with incoming tourism there has been a seismic shift in Ireland’s tourism product and the way it’s promoted. In the 80s I conducted 7 and 10 day tours of the country with sophisticated Italians who… Read more »