Latest news with #Meagher
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
'It's like taking a huge family on holiday' New York have Tailteann contingency
The New York hurlers and footballers are like ships in the night as they cross the Atlantic this week. The hurlers made history by winning the Lory Meagher Cup last Saturday against Cavan, seven days after beating Monaghan in the semi-final, with their presence in the fifth tier competition a bone of contention for some. On Sunday evening, the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final draw pitted the footballers against Offaly on Saturday and, by chance, they had already booked into the Tullamore Court Hotel so, as chairman Sean Price says, 'it's a home game for both teams'. Indeed, managers from either side, Offaly's Mickey Harte and New York boss Ronan McGinley, brother of ex-Antrim manager Enda, both hail from the Errigal Ciarán club in Tyrone. Westmeath native Adam Stones is a starter for the hurlers and footballers and so enjoys an extended break back in Ireland, but the bulk of the travelling party will land in Dublin tomorrow morning and the logistical challenges of getting two teams over and back in such a short timeframe is challenging, though Price deflects the credit elsewhere. 'I had to dress up and put on a suit and look smart,' he said of landing in Dublin last Saturday ahead of the Meagher final. 'That's all I had to do, really, in fairness. 'There's great people there. Mick Stones, he organised the hurlers. Sorting out the hotels and the buses and the whole lot. 'And then the footballers, Cayla Fletcher, she's from Kilcormac, outside Tullamore. She played underage for underage camogie for Offaly. So, she organised the trip. 'The managers, Richie Hartnett and the hurling, he carries the load, but everybody else is with him. And Ronan McGinley carries the load with the footballers. There's an awful lot of great people there. 'It's kind of like taking a huge family on a holiday. You've the lad that'll turn up on time. You've the lad that'll be late. You'll have the lad that'll forget his passport. You'll have the lad that'll have two passports. It's a whole family event, really.' But while the hurlers were always likely to play two games while here, it's far from certain for the footballers - but a contingency still needs to be in place in case they beat Offaly to reach a quarter-final the following weekend. 'We have reached out to a couple of different hotels,' Price, a Kerry native, explained. 'The Tullamore Court, they're working with us. Just to have the contingency. 'The bus is the same thing. 'Are you available next week?' kind of job. 'And the same thing with the flights. We've booked some flights. We've asked all the boys that if they can take a week and use it as vacation, you know, that would be great. 'We see the enormity of the task. I mean, look, Offaly's young lads are mad for running. They're Division Three champions. 'That's a big step up for us, you know. But it's a challenge we have to embrace. But we do have a plan B and C. Because, look, you have to kind of plan that way, 'Some fellas might have to go back through work. We've identified them. Some fellas will have to come back on Sunday, no matter what. 'I think one fella can't fly with us on the Wednesday night. He just can't get the time off because a lot of guys have taken time off for different things. So we've contingencies in place for everything. 'But look, we just have to go with it and that's it. We can't complain. There's no point in complaining. It's not Offaly's problem, it's our problem.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Do we want Edinburgh as a Harry Potter theme park?'
Regularly ranking among the world's best cities, boasting postcard-worthy views around virtually every corner, and hosting the globe's largest performing arts festival, The Fringe - alongside increasingly bustling Christmas markets - the city has become a year-round tourist destination for culture vultures, influencers, history buffs, and Harry Potter fans alike. This supports tens of thousands of jobs, stimulates significant investment in business and keeps Edinburgh squarely on the global map. But for the local population, especially in the city centre where the majority of visitors congregate, it often means overcrowded streets, an escalating cost of living and strained infrastructure. Balancing the mass tourism driving what some call Edinburgh's 'Disneyfication' - or perhaps more accurately, its Potterfication - with the needs of residents remains a key challenge for the city. The introduction of the UK's first Transient Visitor Levy (TVL), or 'tourist tax', comes as a direct response to these pressures. However, it is unlikely to be a silver bullet. In the second of an exclusive two-part interview for The Herald's series looking at the Future of Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh Council's leader Jane Meagher and chief executive Paul Lawrence reflected on the impact of tourism and opportunities of the forthcoming visitor levy. Councillor Meagher acknowledged there are a 'whole lot of issues relating to the city centre' as a result of Edinburgh's strong visitor economy. 'One concern is about managing what kind of city centre we want this to be,' she said, adding: 'Do we want it to be a Harry Potter theme park or do we want it to be a living city centre where people live and work? Read more from our Future of Edinburgh series: 'That's where things like the visitor levy come in. Clearly, one of the aims of the visitor levy is to make the visitor experience more sustainable. 'What that means is providing visitors with a reason to move outwith the city centre and go and visit Lauriston Castle, Craigmillar Castle, go and visit the other World Heritage Site out at Queensferry and take advantage of the shorefront that people can enjoy. 'What tends to happen is some people congregate around the Royal Mile to the exclusion of even places like the Botanical Gardens, so part of the visitor levy is going to be to make what we're packaging as sustainable. 'In other words, not concentrating on the middle of the city. 'As well as thinking about the city centre we need to bear in mind there are areas outwith the city centre that will become in their own right visitor venues. The Granton Gasholder is a recent excellent example of that park and its attractions.' The proliferation of city centre gift shops, sometimes dubbed 'tartan tat' retailers, is a hot button issue for locals in Edinburgh who complain about a lack of essential amenities like grocery stores in the centre of town. On this point, Meagher said: 'I think there's an overprovision of certain types of shop. I have friends, some of whom live at the foot of the Royal Mile, and it is quite difficult to find corner shops. I think we need a better mix.' Mr Lawrence agreed there are 'too many of a certain kind of retail offer in certain places' and said it was 'clear to see' this needed rebalancing. However, the council's chief officer contended Edinburgh has 'the best blend of restaurants, pubs and shops in the UK by a mile'. He said: 'A lot of places suffer from only having chain pubs, restaurants and so on. We have a thriving independent sector, which through the visitor levy we also want to support. So if you look at the diversity as a whole, walk from here to Leith, and in Leith Walk we have one of the most exciting streets in the UK. I think the mix compared to others is spectacular. 'If you're on the Royal Mile you can be at a Lidl on Nicolson Street in five minutes, that's not the case in most places. 'But are there pockets where there are over concentrations of a certain kind of provision? Of course there are.' This issue was debated in the City Chambers last year after a councillor said the number of gift shops on the Royal Mile in council-owned commercial units had become "embarrassing,' and complained the capital's 'window on the world has a See You Jimmy Hat in it'. Lawrence said: 'If we own something then we can decide who to lease it to. So, for example, if we want to ensure that some of our properties are used for charitable or social purposes we can, but the council has a policy of no concessionary lets on our property estate because our property estate cross-subsidies some of the council's core services, so there is a consequence. 'Both as a property owner, as a licensing authority and a planning authority we have a lot of policies that dig into these issues, and like most things there's always a balance involved in all of this.' Another ongoing challenge for the authority is reducing traffic levels while increasing pedestrian space to handle heavy footfall. Questions persist over how the council plans to meet its target to cut car kilometres driven in the city by 30% by 2030, especially after the Scottish Government recently ditched its less ambitious target of 20%. Meanwhile, plans to remove through traffic from key city centre roads including the North and South Bridges and The Mound were delayed last year due to a lack of funding from the Scottish Government. The Royal Mile (Image: Colin Mearns) At the time, former transport convener Scott Arthur said it was 'not just as simple as putting planters in,' while senior officer Gareth Barwell added it was 'very hard to go cheap and nasty' in a World Heritage Site'. However, the slow progress to make the centre of Edinburgh more pedestrian friendly and less congested has made some question how committed the council is to implementing changes. Lawrence highlighted the closures of the Old Town's Cockburn Street and Victoria Street to through traffic 'at little or no cost because we have not done large scale new street designs'. He said: 'We've simply said you can't drive your car down there anymore and some people have agreed with that and some people have disagreed with that. 'There's somewhere like George Street, potentially the finest street in Edinburgh, one of the finest streets in the UK, where I don't think that approach would be right. 'We have a scheme from Meadows to George Street which would improve the public realm significantly. We're under a lot of pressure, and understandably so, from organisations like Living Streets to improve the pavement experience both in the city centre and elsewhere. 'In a World Heritage centre, that has to be done right. And that's not cheap. 'There are some times when we can take a relatively low intervention approach, if I can call it that. There are others where we need substantive street redesign from building line to building line. We have to do that respectfully to the heritage of the city. We've inherited some of the most spectacular street designs in Europe and we can't ignore that.' Read more: Meagher added: 'Edinburgh is one of the easiest places to walk around as opposed to any other ways of getting around the city, but there's no doubt - I mean look at Princes Street, the pavements on Princes Street are in a shocking state.' The council chiefs said a potential £50m a year generated by the visitor levy - a 5% charge on overnight stays capped at five nights from July 2026 - will fund essential improvements to pedestrian spaces including the neglected Princes Street. 'We now have the opportunity with the visitor levy before us,' Lawrence said, 'we are working to bring forward proposals via the new Visitor Levy Forum to elected members later in the year on the first tranche of visitor levy investment. 'Those issues of the quality of the public realm in the city centre, whether it's from a day to day point of view - so graffiti removal and so on - or more substantive works like the quality of Princes Street, we are working hard on those to bring them to members later in the year to be considered, only considered because there's a lot of claims on that money, to be considered as first priority.' Meagher said: 'That £50m anticipated from the visitor levy has been spent many, many times over in people's imaginations. But I think it would be hard not to justify something to be done on Princes Street on things like improved lighting. 'We need to think long-term and have some sort of staged, strategic approach to the use of the visitor levy, rather than a whole random collection of one-off pieces of investment. We also need to see that over the years it's going to be spent in a strategic way.' Read more on the Future of Edinburgh: Lawrence stressed his team of officers 'will be looking for a balance between the city centre and other parts of the city in the visitor levy proposals'. He said: 'If we say it should all be spent on one square mile we know what the political reaction would be. What we are working on is basically everything we have heard from communities and elected members and others over the years to go 'what does a balanced package of investment look like so we can hopefully get political support for that later in the year?'. Public toilets are a good example.' Addressing the soaring cost of performing at Edinburgh's world-famous festivals could also be aided by TVL money, he added. 'If you talk to folk in the festival communities, they do talk about affordability both for audiences and performers as a challenge. So we need to work with them to go 'what interventions can help with that affordability challenge'. 'People have said for 40 years it's incredibly expensive to put on a show in Edinburgh and all the rest of it. People still come, but there's lots of other cities catching up with us and we need to stay ahead of the pack. If affordability is a challenge to people coming here, then what interventions might address that in the right way? 'The conversation we want to have with the festival community, in particular, is not just whether it's expensive, but how that relates to the programmes they want to put on. Jane Meagher has been City of Edinburgh Council's leader since December 2024 (Image: Gordon Terris) 'If you want more international performers to come for the Fringe or the International Festival then how do we create packages? So it's based on their development ambitions and their programme ideas, not just a kind of blanket approach. 'Affordability is clearly a challenge, but what are our shared ambitions and therefore what is the right intervention to make? 'That's why we're having those conversations which is why it's going to take time to bring forward proposals. 'Whether members want to spend the money on paving Princes Street or somewhere else, we will put forward a menu of choices later in the year.'
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Princes Street will be 'major priority' for tourist tax fund
The 5% tax on overnight stays, capped at five nights, will apply to bookings from 24 July 2026. Hotels, B&Bs, hostels and holiday rentals will need to apply the charge to advance bookings on or after this date from the start of October this year. It's estimated that, once established, the UK's first mandatory city-wide scheme will raise up to £50 million a year to "invest in protecting, supporting and enhancing Edinburgh's worldwide appeal as a place to live and visit," according to the council. Read more stories from our series investigating the Future of Edinburgh: Projects the funding is expected to support include new public toilets, improvements to parks and greenspaces, affordable housebuilding, graffiti removal and installation of underground bins. Of the total annual funds generated 2% will be set aside for three improvement projects a year in the city's most deprived communities, with ideas put to local residents in a public vote. A further 2% will be reimbursed to accommodation providers 'to off-set the administrative cost incurred from operating'. Many of Princes Street's run-down buildings are currently undergoing major transformations, including the redevelopment of the former Jenners and Debenhams department stores as a hotels, showing a revitalisation is already well underway. However for many there remains a glaring need for public realm improvements along the length of the throughfare, with its broken, uneven paving, grime, and an aging streetscape which often contribute to an unpleasant pedestrian experience. Cllr Meagher said: "Edinburgh is one of the easiest places to walk around as opposed to any other way of getting around the city, but there's no doubt the pavements on Princes Street are in a shocking state. Princes Street, Edinburgh (Image: Colin Mearns) "That £50m anticipated from the visitor levy has been spent many, many times over in people's imaginations. "But I think it would be hard not to justify something to be done on Princes Street on things like improved lighting. "I would definitely anticipate that Princes Street would be a major priority. Everybody wants to see that fantastic view of the castle and the skyline and it's truly remarkable. "Princes Street on the retail side at the moment is in the process - and I know it's slow inevitably - of changing into a street where folk would be lingering over coffees and meals. And we need a public realm that goes with that.' A revamp of Princes Street will be included in a "menu" of choices for the first round of TVL investment being put to councillors later in the year. Read more on the Future of Edinburgh: But Edinburgh Council's chief executive, Paul Lawrence stressed officers will be looking for "a balance between the city centre and other parts of the city in the visitor levy proposals". He told The Herald: "If we say it should all be spent on one square mile we know what the political reaction would be. "What we are working on is basically everything we have heard from communities and elected members and others over the years to go 'what does a balanced package of investment look like?' so we can hopefully get political support for that later in the year. "Whether members want to spend the money on paving Princes Street or somewhere else, we will put forward a menu of choices forward later in the year."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Locals finding connection in flood-isolated communities
Margret Meagher knows what it's like to be alone in an flood-isolated community with a dead phone, no electricity and water the only sound from the outside world. She lives on Port Macquarie's North Shore, a small coastal community which is again surrounded by water four years after devastating floods ravaged the town. "Last time those six days were just really eerie, strange and difficult," Ms Meagher told AAP. "You get very displaced, and you listen to just the silence of the water lapping underneath your house and coming up your stairs." Port Macquarie has received a dumping of more than 390mm of rain since Tuesday, with the Hastings River reaching major flood levels on Wednesday. The only road into the North Shore has flooded and ferry services have been cancelled. Despite the North Shore's isolation, they're more connected than ever before. The community Facebook page is pinging with notifications as people tell each other when and where an emergency boat service is dropping off supplies. But the story of a resident who fended off a kangaroo that was trying to drown someone has received the most attention. "Something like this (Facebook page) brings out the best in any community because people come together and they're looking at how they can support each other," Ms Meagher said. "It's not just you talking to someone on the other side of the fence, it's also talking to hundreds of people who live in this small community. "People feel they're isolated, so that's where the whole community spirit is so pivotal because if people don't feel isolated, they have greater strength to cope with the trauma of what's happening." Ms Meagher says it took 18 months for the town to fully recover from the last major floods. The local mayor said he was particularly concerned about the small town, which about 380 people call home. "Of particular concern is the North Shore, but I sense people just want to get out and about and help each other rebuild and clean up," Port Macquarie Hastings mayor Adam Roberts told AAP. "There's a sense of quiet optimism that we're hopefully at the back end." Some 50,000 people have been isolated on NSW's mid-north coast and Hunter regions with rain moving south after days of downpours. Margret Meagher knows what it's like to be alone in an flood-isolated community with a dead phone, no electricity and water the only sound from the outside world. She lives on Port Macquarie's North Shore, a small coastal community which is again surrounded by water four years after devastating floods ravaged the town. "Last time those six days were just really eerie, strange and difficult," Ms Meagher told AAP. "You get very displaced, and you listen to just the silence of the water lapping underneath your house and coming up your stairs." Port Macquarie has received a dumping of more than 390mm of rain since Tuesday, with the Hastings River reaching major flood levels on Wednesday. The only road into the North Shore has flooded and ferry services have been cancelled. Despite the North Shore's isolation, they're more connected than ever before. The community Facebook page is pinging with notifications as people tell each other when and where an emergency boat service is dropping off supplies. But the story of a resident who fended off a kangaroo that was trying to drown someone has received the most attention. "Something like this (Facebook page) brings out the best in any community because people come together and they're looking at how they can support each other," Ms Meagher said. "It's not just you talking to someone on the other side of the fence, it's also talking to hundreds of people who live in this small community. "People feel they're isolated, so that's where the whole community spirit is so pivotal because if people don't feel isolated, they have greater strength to cope with the trauma of what's happening." Ms Meagher says it took 18 months for the town to fully recover from the last major floods. The local mayor said he was particularly concerned about the small town, which about 380 people call home. "Of particular concern is the North Shore, but I sense people just want to get out and about and help each other rebuild and clean up," Port Macquarie Hastings mayor Adam Roberts told AAP. "There's a sense of quiet optimism that we're hopefully at the back end." Some 50,000 people have been isolated on NSW's mid-north coast and Hunter regions with rain moving south after days of downpours. Margret Meagher knows what it's like to be alone in an flood-isolated community with a dead phone, no electricity and water the only sound from the outside world. She lives on Port Macquarie's North Shore, a small coastal community which is again surrounded by water four years after devastating floods ravaged the town. "Last time those six days were just really eerie, strange and difficult," Ms Meagher told AAP. "You get very displaced, and you listen to just the silence of the water lapping underneath your house and coming up your stairs." Port Macquarie has received a dumping of more than 390mm of rain since Tuesday, with the Hastings River reaching major flood levels on Wednesday. The only road into the North Shore has flooded and ferry services have been cancelled. Despite the North Shore's isolation, they're more connected than ever before. The community Facebook page is pinging with notifications as people tell each other when and where an emergency boat service is dropping off supplies. But the story of a resident who fended off a kangaroo that was trying to drown someone has received the most attention. "Something like this (Facebook page) brings out the best in any community because people come together and they're looking at how they can support each other," Ms Meagher said. "It's not just you talking to someone on the other side of the fence, it's also talking to hundreds of people who live in this small community. "People feel they're isolated, so that's where the whole community spirit is so pivotal because if people don't feel isolated, they have greater strength to cope with the trauma of what's happening." Ms Meagher says it took 18 months for the town to fully recover from the last major floods. The local mayor said he was particularly concerned about the small town, which about 380 people call home. "Of particular concern is the North Shore, but I sense people just want to get out and about and help each other rebuild and clean up," Port Macquarie Hastings mayor Adam Roberts told AAP. "There's a sense of quiet optimism that we're hopefully at the back end." Some 50,000 people have been isolated on NSW's mid-north coast and Hunter regions with rain moving south after days of downpours. Margret Meagher knows what it's like to be alone in an flood-isolated community with a dead phone, no electricity and water the only sound from the outside world. She lives on Port Macquarie's North Shore, a small coastal community which is again surrounded by water four years after devastating floods ravaged the town. "Last time those six days were just really eerie, strange and difficult," Ms Meagher told AAP. "You get very displaced, and you listen to just the silence of the water lapping underneath your house and coming up your stairs." Port Macquarie has received a dumping of more than 390mm of rain since Tuesday, with the Hastings River reaching major flood levels on Wednesday. The only road into the North Shore has flooded and ferry services have been cancelled. Despite the North Shore's isolation, they're more connected than ever before. The community Facebook page is pinging with notifications as people tell each other when and where an emergency boat service is dropping off supplies. But the story of a resident who fended off a kangaroo that was trying to drown someone has received the most attention. "Something like this (Facebook page) brings out the best in any community because people come together and they're looking at how they can support each other," Ms Meagher said. "It's not just you talking to someone on the other side of the fence, it's also talking to hundreds of people who live in this small community. "People feel they're isolated, so that's where the whole community spirit is so pivotal because if people don't feel isolated, they have greater strength to cope with the trauma of what's happening." Ms Meagher says it took 18 months for the town to fully recover from the last major floods. The local mayor said he was particularly concerned about the small town, which about 380 people call home. "Of particular concern is the North Shore, but I sense people just want to get out and about and help each other rebuild and clean up," Port Macquarie Hastings mayor Adam Roberts told AAP. "There's a sense of quiet optimism that we're hopefully at the back end." Some 50,000 people have been isolated on NSW's mid-north coast and Hunter regions with rain moving south after days of downpours.
Perth Now
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Perth Now
Locals finding connection in flood-isolated communities
Margret Meagher knows what it's like to be alone in an flood-isolated community with a dead phone, no electricity and water the only sound from the outside world. She lives on Port Macquarie's North Shore, a small coastal community which is again surrounded by water four years after devastating floods ravaged the town. "Last time those six days were just really eerie, strange and difficult," Ms Meagher told AAP. "You get very displaced, and you listen to just the silence of the water lapping underneath your house and coming up your stairs." Port Macquarie has received a dumping of more than 390mm of rain since Tuesday, with the Hastings River reaching major flood levels on Wednesday. The only road into the North Shore has flooded and ferry services have been cancelled. Despite the North Shore's isolation, they're more connected than ever before. The community Facebook page is pinging with notifications as people tell each other when and where an emergency boat service is dropping off supplies. But the story of a resident who fended off a kangaroo that was trying to drown someone has received the most attention. "Something like this (Facebook page) brings out the best in any community because people come together and they're looking at how they can support each other," Ms Meagher said. "It's not just you talking to someone on the other side of the fence, it's also talking to hundreds of people who live in this small community. "People feel they're isolated, so that's where the whole community spirit is so pivotal because if people don't feel isolated, they have greater strength to cope with the trauma of what's happening." Ms Meagher says it took 18 months for the town to fully recover from the last major floods. The local mayor said he was particularly concerned about the small town, which about 380 people call home. "Of particular concern is the North Shore, but I sense people just want to get out and about and help each other rebuild and clean up," Port Macquarie Hastings mayor Adam Roberts told AAP. "There's a sense of quiet optimism that we're hopefully at the back end." Some 50,000 people have been isolated on NSW's mid-north coast and Hunter regions with rain moving south after days of downpours.
