The many fans of Munster Rugby will have seen the motivational slogan “To the Brave and Faithful Nothing is Impossible”. Now those same Munster fans are being asked “Are You Brave Enough?” to abseil the iconic Thomond Park to raise funds for Self Help Africa on the 24th June 2012.

Self Help Africa is Non-Governmental Organisation working in 9 African countries eradiating poverty and hunger.  Sharon Mc Meel of Fusion Events is organising this unique fundraiser as she prepares to head to Ethiopia in November to visit Self Help Africa Projects and to take part in the Great Ethiopian Run.

“I’m really looking forward to this abseiling event in Thomond Park and hope to raise substantial funds for Self Help Africa and I am very excited about my trip to Ethiopia to see first hand where the funds are going. I’d like to encourage everyone to come and get involved in this exciting fundraising event and to experience Thomond Park from a whole new angle.” says Sharon.

John Cantwell, Niall Ronan and Damien Varley are also showing their support. John adds,

“We are delighted to facilitate this fundraising event of the year at Thomond Park Stadium and we fully support this very worthwhile and positive initiative to raise funds for Self Help Africa. This is a unique opportunity to abseil Thomond Park Stadium and to support a worthy cause at the same time. We wish Sharon every success with her fundraising efforts”

The abseiling will take place in Thomond Park on Sunday 24^th June 2012 with time slots available from 10am to 7pm. Those interested in taking part are asked to raise a minimum of €200 per person. Places are limited for this event and places must be booked by 8^th June 2012.

For bookings or more information please contact Sharon Mc Meel of Fusion Events on 086-8524800 or sharon@fusionevents.ie

Or Gaye Moore, Munster Fundraising Co-ordinator, Self Help Africa on 087-2766012 or gaye.moore@selfhelpafrica.org

If you want to become part of this legendary Red Army, you can do so by simply logging on to www.mrsc.ie.  Membership costs just €30 for the year and members can avail of discounted season tickets by joining during the month of April.  Benefits include:

• Exclusive Membership Pack and Gift
• Up to 20% off your RaboDirect PRO12 season ticket , prices from €64
• Priority access to Heineken Cup home, away and knock out matches
• Access to Six Nations match tickets at the Aviva Stadium
• 10% Discount in the Munster Rugby Stores and online
• Full access to our exclusive MRSC Discount Scheme
• For a full list of benefits simply log on to www.mrsc.ie

The Supporters Club also offers members the opportunity to attend special events such as Q & A evenings with the players, quiz nights, pre-match functions, and meeting points for away matches. There is also a member’s bar in Thomond Park Stadium, which serves as a great location for soaking up the atmosphere before the game.

The Supporters Club membership is integral to the continued success of Munster Rugby, both on and off the pitch.  The MRSC has made a financial contribution of €400,000 this season alone, €260,000 in support of the professional team and €140,000 to the Academy to develop our players for the future.

If you wish to join the Munster Rugby Supporters Club, simply log on to www.mrsc.ie , email mrsc@munsterrugby.ie or call the MRSC office on 021-4323737 for more details.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Red Army!

View our latest Video Clip Here;

RED ARMY ON THE MARCH : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As6LpFdo9nQ&feature=youtu.be

A spectacular Darts Exhibition evening will be held on Thursday 14th June 2012 with the stars of the show being the 2 best double acts currently on the professional circuit.

The 4 confirmed professional darts players are:

• Andy “The Pie Man” Smith
• Peter “One Dart” Manley
• Wayne” Hawaii 501”Mardle
• Terry “The Bull” Jenkins

We will have Paul Wilson as compere for the evening. Paul has recently toured with Phil “The Power” Taylor and is MC for the Legends of Darts events and is now also working at PDC tour events. Paul will add his inimitable style of compering to this event.

An evening with light hearted fun and humour is guaranteed where everyone at all levels of dart playing or just as a spectator can enjoy a wonderful evening of entertainment.

Tickets for the Exhibition on the 14^th June will be priced at €20 where you will also be able to meet the players before the event.

For further information and/or to be placed on a priority waiting list when tickets are released please call 061-421106/061-421109 or complete the following pre-booking form:

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Would you like to be in with a chance to Throw with the Pros?

Then join us in Thomond Park for the qualifiers on the 27^th May for the opportunity to take part in the Exhibition The qualification round is a free entry event and open to everyone and will take place in the Thomond Suite.

Please complete form below to register before the 17^th May.  Registration is open to all over 18’s men and women.

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Information on the Pros:

Firstly we have Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley and Wayne ‘Hawaii501’Mardle both huge names and true legends of the sport.

Peter Manley has reached 3 world championship finals, won the Las Vegas Desert Classic and has won 15 other tour events in an eventful and colourful career. Peter also featured in 4 Premier League seasons between 2005 and 2008.  During his career Peter has very rarely been out of the news and has always provided great entertainment. Peter has never been shy of an opinion and this forthright attitude turned him into a boo-boy for the ever more boisterous PDC crowds. However, the introduction of flamingo Hawaiian shirts in 2003 and Amarillo as his walk-on tune in 2005 helped Peter to turn the booing on its head, becoming the PDC’s first bona fide pantomime villain.

From 1993 Wayne Mardle played on the BDO circuit and picked up the nickname “Hawaii 501” when he wore Hawaiian shirts on the oche for a bet. Wayne has been runner-up in 3 major tournaments, world championship semi-finalist 4 times and has won 8 other tour event titles in his career. Wayne Mardle is now a regular commentator on Sky Sports and with Peter Manley is a huge draw on the exhibition circuit and there is never be a dull moment when Messrs Manley and Mardle are in town!

Also starring in the show are 2 of the best-known faces on TV darts, Terry ‘The Bull’ Jenkins and Andy ‘The Pieman’ Smith who will also be entertaining the audience with darts and humour and sharing stories of life in the PDC Darts World.

Terry is currently 11th in the world and has reached 5 major finals and was also runner-up in the Premier League in 2007 and the Grand Slam of Darts in 2008. He has also won 7 non-televised events. Terry is widely regarded as one of the most consistent players in the world and also one of the most popular.

Andy ‘The Pieman’ Smith is currently 20th in the world and has won 5 non-televised PDC events in his career. He is a very familiar face on TV darts and hugely popular with his two man show with Terry on the exhibition circuit.

Thousands of Munster flags and face tattoos will be distributed to fans in Limerick city centre attending the Rabo Pro12 Munster v Leinster game at Thomond Park Stadium on Saturday, March 31st and the Heineken Cup quarter final Munster v Ulster on April 8th.

Bands will perform at entertainment hotspots en route from the city centre to the stadium while the water in the O’Connell monument will be coloured red on both match days in support of the Munster team.

Munster flags will fly on Limerick city bridges and on key buildings in the city centre while giant flags have also been hung in the former Dunnes building in Sarsfield Street.

Businesses and shops in the city centre are being encouraged to extend a warm Limerick welcome to visitors and to decorate their windows in advance of the visit of Leinster and Ulster fans to the city.

Limerick city’s friendly Street Ambassadors will be working on both match days while actors from Limerick’s Bottom Dog Theatre Company will re-enact famous Munster legends to ‘greet’ visiting rugby fans to the city!

A special competition is also being run to encourage local taxi drivers to decorate their taxi in advance of the two big matches with Thomond Park Stadium and RaboDirect sponsoring a special prize of match tickets, a stadium tour and signed Munster jersey for the winning taxi driver! Taxi drivers should send an image of their decorated car to info@limerickoffice.ie and all entries will be publicised on the Limerick Communications Office Facebook page.

Ian Buckley, chairman, Munster Rugby Supporters Club said he’s delighted that Limerick is getting behind the Munster team ahead of the two big rugby weekends.

Laura Ryan, spokesperson, Limerick Communications Office added: “The Limerick experience is legendary on rugby weekends and we’re looking forward to welcoming visiting Leinster and Ulster fans to Limerick while also backing the Munster team by painting the city red to show our support. We’d like to thank the Limerick Hoteliers, Munster Rugby, Diageo, Rabo Direct, Thomond Park Stadium, Ger Clarke and Shannon Development for helping our initiative and we’re looking forward to a fantastic two weekends of showcasing the city.”

Rugby League World Cup 2013 today announced the schedule of matches for the group games and quarter finals being held in October and November next year. Limerick is delighted to be hosting the hugely exciting Ireland v Australia tie.

The tournament will kick off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff with a spectacular first day including the opening ceremony, host nation Wales taking on Italy and co-hosts England playing Australia.

Welsh hosts Wrexham’s Glyndwr University Racecourse Ground have Wales taking on the USA and one of the tournament quarter-finals. While in Neath, home supporters at The Gnoll can see the men in red take on the Cook Islands.

The tournament will be pushing Rugby League further than ever before with Limerick’s Thomond Park in Ireland hosting Australia v Ireland and France playing New Zealand in Avignon and Samoa in Perpignan.

Shannon Development and the Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau teamed up with Rugby League Ireland & Thomond Park last July to launch a successful bid for Limerick’s right to host a game in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

Speaking about their reaction to today’s announcement, Dr. Vincent Cunnane, Chief Executive, Shannon Development said: “We are delighted that Ireland will play Australia in Limerick in what will be a highly entertaining game. Rugby League is the most watched sport on Australian TV and with an expected global TV audience of over 20 million viewers, the Ireland v Australia game gives us a major opportunity to entice Australian tourists and Diaspora to Limerick and our Region in the year of ‘The Gathering.”

Nigel Wood, RLWC2103 Tournament Director said “This is an exciting day for all our hosts. They now know who will be playing or training in their stadiums and who their communities will be getting behind. We’re saying to them ‘this is your World Cup, this fantastic international event will be putting the world’s best Rugby League players right on your doorstep’. I have no doubt they will help to make this the best Rugby League World Cup so far”.

To Pre-book your tour complete the following form and we will call you for payment details and to confirm your booking.

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The question is, where to hold your conference?
Conference centres in Limerick do not get more ideal than Thomond Park Stadium – where better to inject new life into business strategies and brainstorm ways of bringing your company to new heights than the legendary home of Munster Rugby?
Passion, teamwork, innovation, dedication and a desire to succeed do not end with the squad – our highly trained and experienced staff will help you plan all the details of your business conference requirements. As a result, you will get the best conference venue in Limerick, with a unique and inspiring twist – all of our business conference rooms overlook the stunning Thomond Park pitch for some extra motivation.
Here at Thomond Park Stadium we believe strongly in building deep-rooted links with the Ireland’s business community, whether they are local Limerick companies or are located across Munster or the country as a whole. That is why we have worked hard to build a conference venue in Munster that will lead our clients to regard Thomond Park’s conference facilities as the best conference room they have ever used.
If you are holding a conference in Limerick, here are some of the key facts you should know about Thomond Park Stadium as a business conference venue:

• We are located just minutes from Limerick City Centre and the main M7 Motorway. So if you, or members of your team, are travelling, it makes for an ideal conference centre venue whether you are local or are using Limerick as a mid-way meeting point.

• Our conference centre facilities include five state-of-the-art suites that can be tailored and adapted to meet any requirements. We can allow one or multiple workshop facilities and a variety of seating arrangements such as theatre, u-shaped, conference etc. We also offer the latest in audio-visual technology for comprehensive presentation and display options.

• Thomond Park Stadium has proven success in hosting conferences – companies who have thought ‘conference facilities Ireland’ and used Thomond Park Stadium as the perfect answer to their conference venue search include: Google, Wella, Adidas, Diageo, Zurich, Ulster Bank, GlaxoSmithKline and INTO.

Whether you are basing your decision on finding a unique conference venue, a small conference venue or maybe a business conference venue that can take larger numbers – then Thomond Park has an easy, affordable conference venue hire solution for you.

For conference organisers in Ireland, it is important to note Thomond Park’s unique conference facilities on offer. As well as boasting state-of-the-art technology for hosting your business conference, Thomond Park conference facilities also feature natural lighting, private bars and lift access. If you want to hire a budget conference room– without losing out on quality, our Munster Suite will perfectly suit your needs and caters for up to 60 people. Another option for those looking for a small conference venue is our Munster Suite, which caters for 70 guests while the Ormond Suite caters for 120 people. Or perhaps you require a larger business conference venue? Then why not try the President’s Suite that holds 200 guests or the Thomond Park Suite that caters for up to 400 people.

No matter what requirements you have for a prospective conference venue in Limerick, Thomond Park Stadium will meet, and exceed, your expectations.

A 360-degree virtual tour of each of these conference rooms for hire is provided under the Events Suite section of the website for your convenience. Or why not call one of our experienced team on 061-421100 who can answer any of your queries on Thomond Park as a conference centre.

www.educ8.ie
Educ8.ie – The Schools Supply Co-operative

For queries enquiries, please complete this form:

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Ireland’s cooking sensation and Michelin Star Chef, Derry Clarke is confirmed to attend this year’s Savour Limerick’s Food Festival and will be showcasing his talents at the event’s food demonstrations.

SAVOUR Limerick launched in style at Thomond Park, with chefs from all over the region turning up to celebrate, as well as special guest rugby player Denis Leamy.

SAVOUR Limerick is a celebration of Limerick’s culinary expertise, showcasing the very best the region has to offer in terms of top quality produce, fantastic chefs, cookery demonstrations and more. Participating outlets to date from the region including Café Noir, Masterchefs Hospitality, The Cornstore, Hamptons, Mustard Seed, Adare Manor Hotel, River Bistro, One Pery Square, Bella Italia, Carrigerry House and many more.
All restaurants, cafes and hotels participating will offer menu tastings from their Seasonal Spring Menus. Several artisan food producers and wine companies will also be showcasing their produce, offering tastings, advise and samples for everyone to enjoy.

Also included will be hugely popular live cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs, including Derry Clarke from Michelin Starred Restaurant L’Ecrivan, as well as tips and helpful advise for your personal culinary challenges. Expect many surprises that will make this event like no other. You may even see several Munster Rugby legends also displaying their talents behind the stove as well as an insight into their diets and exercise regime.

The, not to be missed, 2012 Savour Limerick Food Celebration is in aid of the CARI Foundation and takes place on the 15th March 2012 in Thomond Park from 6pm until late. The event is coordinated by students from 2nd year Business Studies with Event Management group in Limerick Institute of Technology and is supported by the Restaurants Association of Ireland. The event will be held  in Limerick’s most iconic venue, Thomond Park Stadium from 6pm onwards.

For more information contact:

Pat O’ Sullivan
Masterchefs Hospitality
E: pat@masterchefs.ie

Victoria Shorten
Power PR   T: 086-1983322
E: victoria@powerpr.ie

The Ideas Summit is a brainstorming session that will see the attendees broken into smaller groups where they will each have the opportunity to develop further, the ideas discussed at the initial meeting and also bring new & exciting ideas to the table.  This more focused format will help bring together a diverse group of people from all areas of expertise with a shared interest in Limerick’s future.   The aim of the summit is to establish a list of actionable projects & ideas that the people of Limerick, under the banner of the Limerick Local Heroes initiative, can engage in and bring to fruition.  Full secure parking will be available in Thomond Park and LIT for all those in attendance on the night  and refreshments will also be served.  All those intending to attend are asked to pre-register.

To this end Limerick Local Heroes is delighted to announce that Michael Tiernan, Tiernan Properties, has given a massive vote of confidence in the people of Limerick by offering the use of a first floor unit in Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre to act as the Local Heroes hub.   Having a home for the Local Heroes initiative will allow the general public who wish to get involved a focal point where they can sign up to help, give ideas and help get the buzz back in Limerick business and culture.  It is hoped that the Local Heroes Hub will open to the public in the coming weeks.

Tony Frawley, spokesperson for the Limerick Local Heroes Steering Group, explained, “The support for the initiative so far has been enormous and goes to show that Limerick’s battling and entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well.  This has been illustrated by the donation of the unit for the local hub through Tiernan Properties and the donation of numerous goods & services from tradespeople across the city that are helping to get the hub up and going.   We also kindly received the use of Thomond Park free of charge for the ideas summit itself which mirrors similar support we have seen from the Absolute Hotel & Strand Hotel to date.  We were obviously delighted with the turnout last Monday at the Public Meeting in the Strand, but now is the time to capitalise on the momentum and drive forward with actionable, practical ideas that will benefit the city.  We are expecting a significant attendance from all walks of life namely business, community, culture, trade, retail, tourism and sport. We are encouraging people who may not have been able to attend the initial meeting to come along on Monday night and join with the hugely diverse and enthusiastic group who have already embraced the Local Heroes concept. ”

The Limerick Local Heroes initiative is not for profit and the steering group behind the initiative is made up of individuals from all sections of Limerick society, business, sports, arts, community, education all of whom are giving their own time to developing an environment for job creation.  Those interested can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/localheroeslimerick, Twitter @LmkLocalHeroes or at  www.limericklocalheroes.com. The Drogheda project on which the Limerick Local Heroes initiative is based upon was the subject of a television documentary on RTE and details can be found on www.rte.ie/localheroes/. Animo TV productions who produced the RTE documentary recorded the public meeting in The Strand in conjunction with local company Red Paw Media.

Website

• http://limericklocalheroes.com/

Facebook page

• http://www.facebook.com/localheroeslimerick

Twitter

• @LmkLocalHeroes