Irish Rail Draft Timetables 2013:

Iarnród Éireann has released a draft copy of new timetable proposals for all services operating to and from Heuston Station and on regional lines in 2013.  The proposals include faster journey times, improved connections and departure time changes. 

Changes proposed for the Cork-Dublin route include,

- Journey time improvements of between 5 and 20 minutes

-  21 out of 28 services operating daily will be delivered in 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 35 minutes, with all services operating in 2 hours 45 minutes or less

- 05.05 Cork to Dublin service will no longer operate, the current 06.15 service will be brought forward to 06.00 arriving in Heuston at 08.30.

- Additional services will operate from Cork to Dublin at 19.20 hours

-  Most services will depart at 20 minutes past the hour instead of 30 minutes past the hour except departures from Cork at 06.00, 07.00 and 08.00

Changes to Cork Commuter lines include,

- New 06.15 Midleton to Cork service to connect to 07.00 Cork to Dublin

- A later final service from Cork to Mallow at 23.00 hours

Draft timetables are now available on the Irish Rail website (http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_news.jsp?i=4732&p=116&n=237 ) and constructive views and feedback from customers is requested to help improve services.

We would like to hear the views of our members on the proposals.  Please contact the Policy & Research team with your comments by December 11^th.

Parking @ Christmas:

Cork City and County Councils have extended ‘Park and Ride’ facilities in the run up to Christmas. 

The Black Ash Park and Ride (near the Kinsale Road roundabout),

- Operates every Monday to Saturday 7.30 to 19.15, buses run every 10 minutes ‘on peak’ and 15 minutes ‘off peak’.  Parking and bus fare is €5 inclusive. 

-  A Sunday service will now operate on 2^nd, 9^th, 16^th and 23^rd December.  First bus will depart at 11.00 and last bus will depart Lapps Quay at 19.15.  Buses run every 15 minutes.  Parking and bus fare is €5 inclusive

A temporary Park and Ride service will operate every weekend from the County Hall as follows,

- Saturday 1^st, 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd December.  Services will run from 9.30 to 18.15.  Buses will run every 15 minutes with last bus departing Liberty Street at 18.15.

- Sunday 2^nd, 9^th, 16^th and 23^rd December.  First bus will depart the County Hall at 10.30 and last bus will depart from Liberty Street at 18.15.

- Fee: €5 family return, €3 adult return, €1.50 child return

Further information on parking in the city centre this Christmas can be found at http://www.corkcity.ie/

Over two hundred business people from a broad range and size of companies have graduated from the Biznetcork Skillnet Business School at Cork Chamber.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the Maryborough Hotel & Spa where Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine, Simon Coveney, T.D. presented a commemorate plaque to graduates, Ms Norma Lynch, Training Services Manager, Cork Chamber said, “We are thrilled to be recognising the commitment and dedication of those who participated in our extensive training schedule.  They have developed new skills and business knowledge across a wide range of subject areas which they can bring back to their workplace”.

“The Chamber Business School course schedule is based on the findings of an annual training needs analysis which ensures the schedule is highly relevant to the needs of the business community. The funding subsidy applied via Skillnets Ltd means the courses are competitively priced.  A panel of skilled trainers are selected through a rigorous procurement process and all are leaders in their respective fields.   Our motto of “Best Quality, Best Trainers and Best Prices” ensures we deliver at an exceptionally high standard”.

“We have an exciting and broad range of training courses planned for the future and details are available on www.corkchamber.ie/training”.

Congratulating the graduates, one in five of whom are job-seekers, on their successful completion of these accredited programmes, Domhnall MacDomhnaill, Chairman of Skillnets Ltd, remarked that “This is a great endorsement of BiznetCork Skillnet and Skillnets Ltd responding to the labour market and the jobs challenges in the Cork region”. 

Avril Ronan, Senior Operations Manager, EMEA at Trend Mirco recently completed the Certificate in Business & Executive Coaching (FETAC 6). She said, “This course takes you on a journey of self-discovery and self-awareness and attracted like-minded and well experienced individuals which resulted in a high level of positive engagement from the group. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in the area of coaching.”

For further information on all of our training courses please contact:

Norma Lynch, Training Services Manager, Cork Chamber, tel (021) 4530142 / norma@corkchamber.ie or Aoife Dunne, Training Administrator, tel (021) 4530141 / Aoife@corkchamber.ie 

Iarnród Éireann is delighted to offer Munster Rugby Supporters a special “All-In Return Rail & Match Ticket Package” for the Munster-v-Saracens Heineken Cup game being held at 18.00hrs in Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick on Saturday, 8^th December next.

The “All-In Return Rail & Match Ticket Package” includes:

• Return Rail Travel from Cork or Mallow to Limerick (standard class),
•  Match Ticket (Terrace Ticket / Face Value €30.00) for the Munster-v-Saracens game at 18.00hrs in Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick on Saturday, 8^th December 2012.

The price for the All-In Package is:

• From Kent Station, Cork:    €49.00 per adult.
• From Mallow Station:         €47.00 per adult.

(There is a reduction for Children under 16 years of age).

Tickets are now live online at http://www.irishrail.ie/ and early reservations are recommended as match tickets are limited.

Supporters can purchase their “All-In Return Rail & Match Tickets Package” on-line at www.irishrail.ie or by phoning Iarnród Éireann’s Customer Information Centre on 1-850-366222 or through Iarnród Éireann’s local Telesales Number (021) 455-7185.

The return train departs Limerick Colbert Station at 22.10hrs (after the game) and is scheduled to arrive in at Mallow 23.26hrs and Kent Station, Cork at 23.55hrs.

"We are delighted to team up with Munster Rugby and to have access to some sought after Heineken Cup Match Tickets. The All-In Return Rail & Match Ticket Package offers great value to Munster Rugby fans travelling to the Saracens game in Limerick” – said Andrew Roche, Business Development Manager for Iarnród Éireann in Cork.

BUSINESS CLASS

• Emirates Business Class helps you arrive refreshed and prepared for the next step of your journey.
• Flat-bed seats, meals on demand and in-seat power mean you can stretch out and relax or catch up with business.
• Enjoy great tasting regionally inspired menus, including healthy options and complimentary champagne.
• Enjoy every moment of your flight with ice, Emirates award-winning inflight entertainment system. Whatever you're in the mood for, whether it’s international movies and TV programmes or music, video games and news from around the globe – with up to 1,400 channels, the ice system will deliver on-demand entertainment when you want it.

Travel 01^st MAY 2013:

•      05 Nights 5* Carlton Tower Hotel €2902pp Special Cork Chamber price of €2802

•    05 Nights 5* Bonnington Jumeriah Lakes €3007pp Special Cork Chamber price of €2907

•    05 Nights 5* The Radisson Blu Marina €3250pp Special Cork Chamber price of €3150

•    05 Nights 5* Hilton Jumeriah €3325pp Special Cork Chamber price of €3225

Package includes return business class flights, 5 nights’ accommodation on room only basis and luxury private transfers. Subject to availability.

Contact J. Barter Travel Group for more information or see http://www.travelnet.ie/channelpages/Emirates.htm

92 Patrick Street – 1890 303 303

Douglas Village S.C – 021 489 4084

Old Market Bandon S.C – 023 884 1925

Following on from last year’s success, the Christmas Markets will return to Grand Parade this year, opening at weekends from the 30^th of November, 10am – 8pm, and then every day from the 13^th to the 23^rd of December. Artisan food producers will showcase their locally sourced produce ranging from crepes and gourmet sausages to spiced beef and sushi. There will be a variety of crafts for sale which include paintings, jewellery and glass.

Bishop Lucey Park will once again become a glittering winter wonderland opening from 4pm to 8pm across the four weekends leading up to Christmas starting November 30^th. This year’s theme is inspired by The Nutcracker so don’t miss the chance to bring the kids along to meet the Sugarplum Fairy.

The English Market will also have extended opening hours this Christmas with a late night opening Friday 21^st December until 8pm and a special Sunday opening on the 23^rd December. That’s in addition to its usual opening hours of 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday.

For more information log on to www.corkchristmascelebration.ie , find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/corkcityarts or follow us on Twitter @corkcityarts.

A world premiere performance of a specifically composed piece of music for the Cork Association for Autism will be performed on the 7^th December at a Christmas Concert in Aid of the CAA.

Composer and Musician John O’Riordan composed ‘A Christmas Carol’ and is donating all funds raised from the sale of the CD directly to the CAA – the world premiere of the song will take place at St Vincent’s Church Sundays Well as part of a Christmas Concert featuring the best of Cork own grown talent, including Fiona O’Reilly, Soprano, Dan Twomey, Voice of Ireland, Tenor, the City of Cork Male Voice Choir, the chorus of Opera Cork and a variety of special guests.

Louise O’Sullivan, Fundraising Manager with the CAA believes that “Christmas music is a memory that we all bring with us from our childhood – and we want the opportunity to help to develop memories for the children of Cork – to make it a Christmas tradition to go to a fantastic night of music and fun as part of their Christmas experience – whilst also helping to raise money for a great organisation – by bringing their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts to the concert!  We would like to thank all the musicians who gave of their time and talent helping to record the CD and the end outcome is breathtaking!!”

The ethos of the evening is to make a Christmas Concert accessible to all pockets – so the Cork Association for Autism have tried to encourage children to come and experience the musical magic this Christmas for FREE and to bring along their parents for only €10!!

For further information please contact the Cork Association for Autism on

021 4271808 www.corkautism.ie

Don't miss what is sure to be THE concert in Cork this Christmas. The Cork Youth Orchestra are following on from highly successful concerts with Altan, and West-end Star Colm Wilkinson, with two nights in the City Hall Cork with a legend of the theatre MICHAEL BALL. Michael is fresh from a run in Londons West-end where he played the title role of Sweeney Todd. Michael has played many roles in theatre, he was the original "Marius" in "les Miserables", he has performed in "Phantom of the Opera", "Hairspray" and many other well known musicals.

The Cork Youth Orchestra are building a reputation as an Youth Orchestra capable of giving performances which are comparable to many professional orchestras. They recently performed to an audience of over 2,000 in Florences main square "Piazza Della Signoria" as part of the Festival of European Youth Orchestras, when it comes to Youth Orchestras, Cork can truly claim to be the Capital.

Michael will be performing many hits such as "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" from "Les Mis", "All I ask of you" from "Phantom of the Opera", to Christmas favourites such as "When a child is born" and "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas". These promise to be memorable concerts which will get the festive season started.
 

Tickets are available from Pro Musica, Oliver Plunkett St. and on-line from ticketmaster.ie