“Xpose Xmas Xperience”
Friday 2nd December
Quays Nite Club Youghal Doors open 8pm

TIME TO GLAM UP FOR CHRISTMAS by attending “Xpose Xmas Xperience” Youghal with special guest Avril Geary “Style Coach and Image Consultant” Avril will be on hand throughout the night and will be giving advice on how to dress for your body shape.

This red carpet event will take place in the Quays Nite Club on Friday the 2nd of December at 8pm and will showcase some of Youghal’s finest  fashion and beauty.  Tickets cost only €15, and on the night you will be greeted with a champagne reception and canapés. One lucky person will win an extreme makeover which will be uncovered on the night.

A facebook competition is currently running to choose the lucky winner for more information on how you could be in with a chance to win go to Youghal Chamber facebook page.  Experts will be on hand to give plenty of fashion advice; beauty tips glamorous hairstyles and gift ideas for Christmas.

You will also have an opportunity to buy some fabulous gifts for Christmas at a special “Xpose Youghal” discounted price on the night!  And if that’s not enough you will receive a goody bag on arrival and a draw will take place for some fantastic prizes and spot prizes will be given throughout the night.

After the show you can put on your dancing shoes and dance the night away for a glitzy style disco in the club with DJ Chris which is included in the price of your ticket.  This would make a great Christmas party staff night out for many small businesses

A donation from the proceeds of the draw will go to Youghal Community Bus.

This event is being run by Youghal Chamber to encourage “SHOP LOCAL” and to highlight the best of what our town has to offer for Christmas shopping.

Shop Local for Christmas is the message that Chamber President Mary O’Donnell wants to spread and commented  “I cannot stress enough how important it is for everyone to make a real effort to support our local shops, please try to buy your Christmas presents here in Youghal this year. By shopping local you are helping to sustain local employment and the future of our town”.

So put some sparkle back into your Christmas and come to Xpose Xmas Xperience Youghal. Tickets cost €15 are available from Youghal Tourist Office 024-92447, Team Bailey Hairdressers and Sole Shoe Shop or any of Youghal Chamber Directors.

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring, TD made the most of his official trip to Youghal on Tuesday 26th July with a well earned ‘paddle’ in Claycastle Beach, one of the resort towns three blue flag beaches.  The trip formed part of a visit to some of East Cork’s major tourism sites and attractions.

Hosted by Youghal Chamber of Tourism & Development and The Youghal Socio-Economic Group (YSEDG), the Minister spent almost 3 hours in the town having been introduced to its natural and built heritage by local East Cork Deputy, David Stanton along with Cork County and Town Cllr Barbara Murray.

Following the beach trip, the delegation (which included Head of Failte Ireland in the region, Fiona Buckley) took in a tour of Youghal’s historic quarter including the 13th century Town Walls, St. Mary’s Collegiate Church and College Gardens.

A formal meeting conducted in Youghal’s Enterprise Centre followed, with the delegation raising a number of pressing issues pertinent to the Minister’s portfolio.  These included funding of ‘fit-out’ costs of the iconic Clockgate building.  Town Clerk Liam Ryan explained to the Minister that the Town Council had undertaken a feasibility study, conservation plan and produced a business plan on the building.  Funding for the exterior and conservation works was anticipated to be sourced from South & East Cork Area Development.  The Town Clerk went on to explain that funding would now also be required to complete phase two of Youghal’s eco-boardwalk running from Claycastle to Redbarn, with phase one due for completion by December 2011.

The topic which drew most interest and discussion however, was the request by the group for a ‘Youghal-specific’ marketing fund to allow The Youghal Socio-Economic Development Group to roll-out a number of its key marketing initiatives.  The delegation emphasised that despite the town’s best efforts to develop and invest in its tourism product; its signage, streetscapes and exploit every positive development in the town, a negative public perception still existed about the town.  Other issues to be raised with the Minister included the provision of beach facilities, the development of the Greyhound Track and the urgent repair of the roof in St. Mary’s Collegiate Church.  The Minister committed to assist Youghal through any means available to him, citing his home town of Westport as being in a similar position to Youghal a number of years ago.

“Tourism is the number one priority for this Government and I am determined that rural tourist destinations will be promoted and developed as part of my brief” said the Minister.  The Minister went on to pay particular praise to the Town Council for its leadership and foresight in it’s investment in heritage tourism amenities.

“I don’t think I have ever met a group of people with such commitment, determination and passion about their town as I have here in Youghal; I am completely blown away by the town’s stunning beauty and it’s attractiveness to the visitor, both domestically and internationally”, said the Minister.

The visit concluded with a presentation by the Town Council Mayor, Eoin Coyne, to the Minister to officially mark his visit to Youghal.

Youghal Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is to conduct a survey of all vacant commercial properties in the town with a view to re-letting properties at 50% rent reduction for two years to first time businesses. In return, the town council will apply an equivocal rates reduction to the properties, via a waiver initiative depending on the town manager’s discretion.

The move, aimed at kick-starting commerce, arises from a motion tabled by Labour Councillor Tommy O’Connell last April. Cllr O’Connell’s proposal relates to properties vacant for two years or more.

The Chamber and Youghal Town Council discussed the issue at a special meeting following July’s town council sitting.  Chamber President Mary O’Donnell says the discussions were “very positive,” with both sides determined to co-operate on initiatives to improve the town’s fortunes.

The meeting saw the Chamber undertake to conduct a two-tier survey to gauge how many large and small properties lie idle. “We can’t impose on owners but we will inform them of the initiative and consider their responses,” says Ms O’Donnell. She concedes that some properties may be in the hands of financial institutions an in such instances “may complicate matters a little.”

Town clerk Liam Ryan will convey the data to the Cork Enterprise Board and seek suggestions on how to set about occupying the properties given the proposed arrangements. A second Chamber/Council meeting is scheduled for September.