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IT’S UNDERSTOOD THAT around 50 people have lost their jobs two days before Christmas with the closure of the International Rugby Experience in Limerick today, a year and half after its red ribbon opening.
The JP McManus-backed not for profit charitable €30million venture was constructed and delivered without State support, funding or grant aid.
“It is profoundly disappointing that we close the doors of the International Rugby Experience (IRE) today. From the outset, our goal was to help support Limerick city by gifting the building to the people of Limerick. Unfortunately, this has not been realised,” read a statement from the IRE.
The IRE was asked how many people were employed at the venture and what if any financial packages might have been offered to the employees, and a response awaited.
The entirely debt-free six-storey building offer to Limerick City and County Council, along with a €1.2m donation, was made in October 2023, with the building to be used for any civic purpose by the Council after 2028, however negotiations between the IRE and the Council could not be progressed.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every team member who worked tirelessly on growing all aspects of the business, and to the tens of thousands of visitors who walked through its doors,” the IRE stated.
It also thanked former Irish rugby players Paul O’Connell, now a coach with the Irish international rugby team, and Keith Wood “for their dedication to the project along with the many local traders and organisations for their invaluable support since the beginning”.
The IRE stated it had attracted “over 60,000 people to Limerick city since opening in May 2023, including overseas visitors from 31 countries”. It had hoped to bring 100,000 people through its doors annually.
It stated that more than 7,000 people visited a Santa’s Secret Workshop at the venue in recent days, and that it “hosted over 70 community and corporate events across our unique spaces”.
“Over the past 18 months, the IRE has contributed €9 million to the local economy,” it added.
Last year, the IRE was voted the nation’s favourite building in the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) Public Choice Award.
In a statement last October, Limerick City and County Council said it was “disappointed” at the decision then to close the IRE operation.
We want to assure the public that every effort was made to secure the proposed transfer of the International Rugby Experience into Discover Limerick DAC, the Council-owned tourism company that manages other Limerick attractions including King John’s Castle,” the council stated.
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I’m trying real hard to be understanding here, but why are the Irish who are illegally in a country called “undocumented” whereas if it were a Mexican in the same situation he’d be called (rightly) an illegal immigrant?
(Genuine question, because I’m baffled)
That’s just the nice name the Irish media use. They are, of course, all illegal immigrants. Breaking the law is not encouraged over there, or indeed, over here. If you over stay you visa you should be deported.
I think the general difference is an undocumented person has the right to apply for a right to remain but can’t afford 6 months to a year out of work and the lawyers fees to apply for nationalization.
While an illegal alien would not have that right even if they applied.
They should all be deported and no more about it.
Well said Peter ….Regarding to an instant solution provided by you to deport a 50K illegal/undocumented Irish ( only in America) and do same here for 20K to 26K according to recent and only survey by non government Organization, Will you have an instant solution to cop with that huge number here Mr Brainer?
I believe the term of word undocumented is genuine generated because they have not done any criminal offense , They breach a civil law like traffic law! Definitely you can’t call people breaking traffic law and make an office like breaking the speed limit, traffic lights…..etc are illegal road users, Drivers!!!
The same reason that when a crime is reported, no matter where it occurs, Tallagh, Finglas or Limerick will get a mention if the criminal has ever lived there any any point in his life… and if the criminal is from anywhere else, locations are not so important.
You never hear the words “originally from Dun Laoghaire” on the news.
No criminal offence except being in the US illegally!
why do illegal irish immigrants to the states think they are special?
If they were people from Africa and it was Dublin and not New York then people might have a different opinion.
the sense of entitlement here is something else , illegals here are pests that should be hunted down, irish illegals in the US are pluckly souls that should get gubberment aid
Thats politicians and tge media for you. Most people think these illegals should be deported like anybody else.
I know a guy that was pulled over by police while driving in New York. He is an undocumented Irish man. Obviously not have a NY driving licence, he produced his Irish licence. The cop looked at it and said,”what we got here is 6 pages of bullsh!t” and he let him off! Fair play!
I know an undocumented Irish man who was caught drunk driving and still remained in the country. Not sure how he swung that but I know it was a very horrible time for him
Doesn’t respect the local laws much your friend does he.
He certainly doesn’t. He’s a complete fool. I definitely expected him to be deported but it seems he was never asked about his status despite going through the courts.
The police also know if they take him in he Will be out the next day never to be seen again. Waste of time for them
why the fcuk would you want to be in any country where your afraid to go outside to work or play no wonder you would be depressed.you are making yourself’s depressed people and it’s not going to change it’s the same old story going on for year’s.why not move to a country where you can work and play legal?
Is it worth it? Why not just come home? If they have jobs getting paid well then they are committing criminal acts. Fine and give them papers. If crap job or no job why the hell stay? I don’t get it. Never in million years be it no job at all I wouldn’t travel to another country and hide. Oh the fun of such a life. If those depressed or afraid answer leave. Otherwise shut up.
Well as bartender in NY can make up to 2grand a week in some busy Irish bars around Manhattan during winter. So why come back to a job in Ireland where you are paid a quarter of that?
You can make the same money selling heroin, hardly an excuse for breaking the law is it
Then they should crack down employers who hire illegals. Either give them option to come forward get visa and pay taxes or be booted. No real sympathy for people whose fear is that won’t earn more money if they have to come back. No money is worth looking over shoulder. And the employers should be given certain quota of visas of they choice to use them if and only if they can prove someone who is American or already has work visa can’t do the job. Again no sympathy they brought on themselves and sucideal means that they need to just come home.
Totally get your point. But some cases of which in seen first hand these Irish illegals have social security numbers and are paying full tax taken from their cheque each week. Illegal or not if you pay your fair share of tax more likely the boys in suits will leave you alone.
They need to look in the mirror as it is themselves and nobody else who put them in that situation. There are plenty of Irish people who would like to work in the US but can’t but don’t go their illegally.
Why are they Illegally in the US, they don’t need to be there, they’re not running away from hunger like a Mexican, they’re giving us a bad name. They are there just because they want to and they would do so even if they have to break the law.
They have 30 other countries to migrate legally in Europe without paperwork, and they can migrate legally to Canada and Australia with small paperwork and a preferential treatment, so why the US? I’ve been there is not another planet
The majority of these undocumented are over there long term, ie left during last recession. Have settled over there, made lives for themselves there and probably have lost contact with most people here save for family. There lives/circle of friends are over there. The majority of posters here wouldn’t have been in that position hence the negativity.
Derek you are correct. It is tough not being able to come home to see loved ones especially at this time of year. There is a constant worry about parents’ health knowing that if your folks die, you won’t be able to go to the funeral. Stressful life being undocumented in the us or oz.
It’s self inflicted. If they hadn’t broken the law and applied properly for residency, funerals amd Christmas wouldn’t be an issue.
As I said, mostly comments/redthumbs from people who have no idea what they’re talking about. Same applies to migrants from all nationalitys. Trying to better your life can be described as “self inflicted” from an ignorant perspective, by the way very very few stay in US if they can’t get work, no hand outs there.
Applying for residency didn’t guarantee getting the green card. It was a lottery based system.
It’s because we’re irish ,
Isn’t the word illegal a give away?
They’re breaking the law there.
Why the sob stories.
There may be individual cases of hardship but Ireland is the same as Somalia.
Funny thing is most are probably paying tax if they were ever legal to pay it in the first place! It suits the government! You have a worker who contributes but is not entitled to any of the privileges or aid a citizen gets!
have your say