‘The real good news story ... has yet to be told fully’

Irish Examiner Political Reporter Mary Dundon is to take up a new post as Communications Executive with the Limerick Co-ordination Office next month. She outlines why she looks forward to the challenge.

THE attempted shooting of Limerick man Anthony Kelly yesterday is a stark reminder that the local feuding families have not gone away.

Unfortunately, this latest attack will dominate the newspaper headlines today.

But the real good news story that is Limerick today has yet to be told fully.

The truth is that Limerick gardaí are winning the war on crime - there has not been a murder for 13 months and up to 50 members of the handful of feuding family gangs are behind bars.

And the latest major developments along the Shannon are converting Limerick into a Riverside City with waterfront restaurants and leisure activities that make it a great fun place to live in, and in which to enjoy a short break.

Limerick is also home to some of the country’s top cultural institutions including: Lyric FM, the Hunt Museum and the National Chamber Orchestra. It is also the spiritual home of rugby, the innovative University of Limerick and some of the leading US multinational companies operating in Ireland.

Top executives in these companies have given Limerick a vote of confidence by setting up research and development centres there because they know it has a top class university.

They also know it is a great place to live and work in.

The challenge that faces us all is to ensure that local and national media give Limerick’s good news stories the coverage they deserve.

As a native of Limerick, I am proud of the major transformation the city has undergone in the past decade.

And that is why I have decided to take up a new post as Communications Executive with the Limerick Co-ordination Office next month.

This office was set up two years ago by the key public and private stakeholders in the city to actively promote a positive image of Limerick and to spearhead projects that enhance its cultural and leisure life.

Limerick City Council, Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Shannon Development, Limerick County Council, Limerick Civic Trust and the European Commission are among the public and private stakeholders backing the Limerick Co-ordination Office.

In the past two years, the Limerick Co-ordination Office has made major strides improving the image of Limerick by organising the successful RiverFest and introducing the innovative Street Ambassador project to make tourists more welcome in the city.

The pedestrianisation of the city centre is also well underway and this has spurred major retail developments in the city

And Limerick Co-ordination Office has just launched a major fundraising campaign among the local business community and corporate sector to secure support for promoting the city’s image.

I will be working with City Centre Co-ordinator of the Limerick Co-ordination Office, Andrew Mawhinney, and the city’s key stakeholders to transform the image of our city.

It is a challenge I want to take up because I believe the people of Limerick and the city they live in deserve far better.