Traders to become ambassadors of English Market for royal visit

FOR decades, they’ve been experts at selling the freshest of produce.

But now, a select team of trader’s in Cork’s historic English Market traders is set to become expert media performers, as part of preparations for the visit to Cork next month of the Queen of England.

The “market ambassadors” will undergo the media training crash-course with Bord Bia and Bord Fáilte this week to help them sell the city and its food culture to the world.

The indoor market is just one of two official stops on Queen Elizabeth’s May 20 visit to Cork on the final leg of her state visit.

Bord Bia and Bord Fáilte have now been drafted in to offer counter and display advice to the market’s almost 70 traders.

But they will also offer advice, tips and training to help the “market ambassadors” deal with the press corps.

The “market ambassadors” are expecting interview requests from several national and international media outlets.

“The training will allow us to showcase and promote the market, Cork food, the city, and Ireland itself in the best possible way to the world,” said Tom Durcan, the chairman of the English Market Traders Association.

“We will also be getting advice on how to improve our stalls, and how best to display our products, so that this visit will leave a lasting legacy,” he said.

“The tourism potential for the market and the city is absolutely massive.

“The market has come on in leaps and bounds for the last four or five years. And it will culminate in the Queen’s visit.”

The royal couple will be presented with a hamper featuring some of the market’s finest products, including Mr Durcan’s own spiced beef, a range of local cheeses, patés, and O’Connell’s smoked salmon.

Mr Durcan also dismissed concerns about the market being closed to the public to facilitate the visit explaining that it will be opened “immediately after the visit”.

“We’ll all have fantastic displays of the finest products which will be sold that evening. We expect an influx of people that afternoon.”

City council spokesman Paul Moynihan also defended the market closure.

“The traders that have taken the time and trouble to attend a series of open forum meetings have seen the long-term value of this visit,” he said.

Sinn Féin is planning a public rally on the Grand Parade, opposite one of the market’s entrances, opposing the visit.

“I hope they’ll behave themselves responsibly,” Mr Durcan said.

“And I would also hope that they could see that this visit is a good thing for this country and that it will give a massive boost for our struggling economy.”

Cork Airport is expected to close for two hours to facilitate the arrival of the royal couple by air from the Rock of Cashel.

They will tour the English Market, before viewing advanced research on hi-tech micro-chip and nano technology at UCC’s Tyndall institute. They will depart from the airport at about 4pm.