Derry Vibe - News

Ryanair Flight Fails To Land In City Of Derry Airport

1/27/2017

Yesterday's flight from Glasgow International airport to City of Derry Airport was diverted to Belfast after two attempts to land.

The 3.05pm Ryanair flight was diverted away from City of Derry Airport after two attempts to land but couldn't land due to heavy winds that we've had in the last few days.

So then passengers were taken by coach to Derry after the flight landed safety in Belfast.

Wetherspoons And The Ice Wharlf To Be Sold Off To Granny Annies Group

11/11/2016

Popular nightlife spots Wetherspoons In The Diamand and The Ice Wharf along the Strand Road are to be sold off to locally owned Granny Annies Group.

The Ice Wharf on Strand Road in Derry

Wetherspoons In The Diamond:

In a shock announcement today that Wetherspoons group announced that they are selling off 5 pubs across Northern Ireland including the two in Derry City Centre.

Granny Annie's is owned by two Limavady brothers Willis and Ryan McLaughlin

Granny Annie's Group say with these changes they'll be no job losses and all staff will transfer to the new group in which they will continue them as pubs.

Wetherspoons plans to open 2 new pubs in Belfast in the near future but today Tim Martin chairman of the company, said: “We understand that our loyal customers will be disappointed with the decision to sell five of our pubs in Northern Ireland.
“However, as a company we have to make commercial decisions and it was decided to sell the pubs.

Granny Annies in Waterloo Street:

Granny Annies already operates two pubs across the northwest in Limavady and on Waterloo Street (Pictured Above) but what will this mean for the two new pubs in the city?

We will have to wait to find out in the coming months but we expect the pubs to transition into Granny Annie's type bars just the same as Waterloo Street bar.

Share your views on what you think of this story on Twitter @DerryVibe, On Facebook: Facebook.com/DerryVibe or comment below.

Primary Schools Invited for “DuPont Float Your Boat.” Competition

5/6/2016

Primary schools across the northwest are being invited to take part in an exciting free education outreach programme that will allow them to explore their maritime heritage through an innovative and interactive programme entitled: “DuPont Float Your Boat.”

The education programme is being run by the Derry City and Strabane District Council in partnership with DuPont ahead of the forthcoming Foyle Maritime Festival that is taking place from 09-17 July when the Clipper Round the World Race yachts will make a welcome return to the city for a fun filled festival of fun and celebration.

The education programme will be delivered by Footsteps Interpretation and is being held alongside a competition encouraging students to design their own model boat and be in with a chance of their design being exhibited during the Maritime Festival in July.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Council, Cllr Elisha McCallion says the education programme is a fantastic way of getting primary school children from across the city and district involved in the festival and encouraging them to explore and appreciate their local environment and their close proximity to maritime heritage.
“What I really like about this education programme is that it is all about fun and getting the children involved in a way that encourages them to take a real interest in the topics covered. It is very interactive and creative and encourages them to use their imagination and come up with creative ideas and concepts. I am delighted that we have DuPont on board as our main sponsor for the festival and look forward to working with them on the festival,” she said.

Paul Kirkpatrick, Organisation Manager, DuPont, said: “We’re so pleased to be working with the Derry City and Strabane District Council to deliver a fun, engaging and free education programme to primary school children from across Derry~Londonderry. As a company, we regularly reach out to schools, offering prizes for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) related tasks as well as creating our own competitions, so we are constantly engaging with young minds and hopefully inspiring them to take more of an interest in engineering.

The students are also being encouraged to participate in a competition to build their own model boat using recyclable materials. The top three designs will receive an individual prize and will be on display alongside six highly commended designs during the Foyle Maritime Festival in July.

For more information on the competition Foyle Martime Festival are available online: www.foylemaritimefestival.com

Want To Be Part Of Derry Vibe Bloggers

4/9/2016

Are you passionate about writing about all things around your city?

Then we wanna hear from you if you got a passion for writing and blogging about stuff going on around the city.

Our new website brings together all the things we love about our city we got your covered.. From what's happening in bars, clubs and latest trending stories to all the best craic in the city from the locals. You can't beat Derry Vibe.

If this sounds like something that may interest you do get in touch with us...

Blog For Derry Vibe:

We’re especially keen to hear from anyone who’s clued up on food & drink, fashion & beauty, entertainment topics, popular culture, or has a local insight on what’s happening across our vibrant city.

If you think you got what it takes to be a contributor to us then please email us derryvibe@gmail.com with a sample of your work that you think will work with Derry Vibe's audience...

Photographers:

We are also looking for photographers around the northwest who are interested in working with Derry Vibe on a weekly basis in and around the nightclubs and covering some of the cities big events during the summertime.

If your a keen photographer and have your own equipment which is essential for these type of events.

Then we'd love to hear from you by emailing us some of your photography work and what you can do for Derry Vibe.

Sports Legend Peter Canavan Is Looking For The Next Best Sports Analyst

3/30/2016

Calling all primary and secondary school pupils across Ireland. Fancy yourself as Ireland’s next best young sports analyst?
Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next sporting pundit?

Then get yourself entered into this great competition open to all schools across Northern Ireland.

The hunt is on to find Ireland’s next great sporting analyst as superstar, Peter Canavan and
NIAVAC, Northern Ireland’s leading audio visual company, have joined forces to find and reward the top sporting analysts of the next generation.

With the competition deadline fast approaching, the ‘NIAVAC Best Young Sports Analyst
Award’ schools competition is encouraging pupils to take a leaf out of Peter’s book, as a Sky
Sports pundit, and analyse one of their school’s sporting activities or matches.

In association with sporting superstar and Sky Sports pundit, Peter Canavan, we’re on the hunt to find Ireland’s best young sports analyst to win a state-of-the-art 70” Clevertouch interactive touchscreen worth £4,000 for your school classroom.

The winning school will also receive a visit from Peter himself to demonstrate how interactive technology can optimise sporting performance on the field of play.
Peter will also visit the winning school to host an exclusive analytics session using the new Clevertouch interactive technology, courtesy of NIAVAC.

An enthusiastic Peter Canavan remarked, “I am really excited about the Best Young Sports
Analyst Award competition as it celebrates the increasing importance of match analysis,
technology and strategy in ensuring sporting success. We want pupils to show off their
analytical and commentary skills in a short video, and most importantly we want them to
have fun with the competition.”

“Technology is constantly enhancing how we can teach students, and I am delighted to be
part of a competition that will reward one lucky school with high-tech equipment installed in their classroom.
Clevertouch interactive technology will be of particular importance to the
PE/Sport departments as the interactive element allows coaches and pupils to bring
performance analysis to a whole new level and thus gain an edge on their opponents.

James Conlon, Managing Director of NIAVAC, commented “We are delighted to launch a
school’s competition and to have Peter Canavan on board as our brand ambassador.
Clevertouch technology is really revolutionising classroom learning, replacing interactive
whiteboards in classrooms with sophisticated touchscreen technology that does not require
costly replacement lamps and ongoing maintenance. Over 100 schools throughout Ireland
are already benefitting and we look forward to giving schools across the country the
opportunity to win one for themselves.”

Entries to the competition must be submitted by 5pm on 31st March 2016

Finalists will be selected to go through to the final round with the winner selected by a public vote on Friday 29th April 2016.

Irish sporting fans and technology lovers are encouraged to join the campaign on Twitter @NIAVAC and to check the competition out online for more information visit: www.niavac.com/competition/

Home Bargains To Takeover Former Budget DIY Store

3/23/2016

The popular discount store Home Bargains is coming to the city as it secures the Strand Road site of the former Budget DIY store which closed in 2006.

Home Bargains is a popular UK discount store owned by TG Morris with The company has almost 400 Home Bargains stores throughout Britain and Northern Ireland and this will be the first store to open in the city which will create up to 100 new jobs.

The company has been creating new jobs throughout the UK in recent times with new stores opening and this will be a huge boost to the northwest after the recent closure of B&Q Store on Buncrana Road.

So what do we think of the Home Bargains coming to the city? We wanna hear your views.

Easter Opening Times For Pubs This Weekend

3/23/2016

Thinking of heading out on the town this weekend with your friends to celebrate Bank Holiday Weekend. Before you head out check out the Easter opening times for pubs and clubs for Northern Ireland.

There's no current plans to change the "Easter Licensing laws" In Northern Ireland but 2,500 people responded to a consultation about extending opening hours in 2012 so that pubs could extend opening hours over the Easter holidays and allowing late-night opening at other times of the year.

Restrictions on selling alcohol in pubs and off-licenses across Northern Ireland run from Thursday right through to Easter Sunday. The rules which seems to surprise a lot of tourists when they come to visit the city but if ever a change was ever to be made it will have to be decided by Stormont.

Easter Opening Hours:

Thursday - midnight
Good Friday - 23:00
Easter Saturday - midnight
Easter Sunday - 22:00

Easter Opening Hours For Off-Licenses:

Good Friday - 23:00
Easter Sunday - closed

Sun Shines on St Patrick's Day Celebrations 2016

3/21/2016

The sun shines on successful St Patrick's Day 2016 in the city on Thursday with thousands turning out across the city to see the St Patrick's Day parades.

You can see more photos from St Patrick's Day celebrations as our roving photographers where out capturing all the days events in the city on our Facebook: Facebook.com/DerryVibe or on our website.

Council To Turn Lights Out For Earth Hour

3/21/2016

This weekend buildings in the Derry City and Strabane District Council offices along Strand Road area to go dark in order to highlight a global campaign geared towards raising awareness about climate change.

The lights will be switched off for one hour at 8.30pm on Saturday March 19th to mark Earth Hour.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr. Elisha McCallion encouraging businesses and households to support the campaign said she was delighted Council was on board to back the campaign. “As a Council we are always conscious of finding new ways of getting the message across about energy efficiency and how we can all do our bit for the environment.

“The Earth Hour campaign provides the opportunity for everyone to show their commitment to the environment for just one hour and switch off non-essential lights and appliances to save energy. I would encourage everyone to support the campaign in whatever small way they can.”

Among the ways people can get behind the campaign is to switch off all non-essential lights from 8.30pm until 9.30pm and trying something a bit more energy efficient like having a candlelit dinner, playing a board game or simply sitting and talking for an hour. Organisations taking part are encouraged to register their participation in the global WWF map by visiting- http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/

The Council's Energy Manager Leo Strawbridge, added: “The Council has an ongoing programme of measures to increase energy efficiency and the Earth Hour switch off reinforces Council’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and playing its part in stopping climate change.”

Derry’s Guildhall Clock will be among the lights which will be dimmed across the city and district as well as the Council offices on the Strand Road, Derry and Derry Road, in Strabane.

You can find out more about how you or your business can take part on www.earthhour.org and show your support on your social media networks #ChangeClimateChange.

Call For Derry To Be Included in Ireland's Rugby World Cup Bid

2/21/2016

As this year's Six Nations Championship begins, a campaign has been launched to have Derry included in Ireland's bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) is one of the biggest sporting events globally, delivering a huge financial and tourism boost to the nation that hosts it. The 2015 finals in England were estimated to have created almost £1billion of economic value and to have supported 41,000 jobs, both in the build up to and during the tournament.

Ireland is one of four nations bidding to host the 2023 finals - along with South Africa, France and Italy. The French and South Africans have held the tournament previously, whilst Italy is considered one of rugby’s weaker nations. All of which makes Ireland many people’s favourites to be awarded hosting rights.

The final decision on who will host the 2023 tournament won’t be taken until May 2017, but an initial proposal must be submitted by each bidding nation this coming June. And whilst a number of towns and cities around Ireland seem likely to be selected to host games in the Irish bid, Derry is the only one of Ireland's six main cities that has been completely overlooked.

Steve Bradley is spokesperson for the 'Derry For 2023' campaign. As a Derryman based in the rugby-mad city of Bath, he recently studied the impact of major sporting and cultural events as part of a Masters degree in Urban Regeneration. He is concerned that Derry and the North-West is about to miss out on the economic windfall that an Irish Rugby World Cup would bring. He commented "The biggest sporting event on the planet in 2023 will be the Rugby World Cup. If it comes to Ireland it will be the biggest spectacle ever staged here, providing global exposure to the towns and cities involved. Derry has everything needed to successfully host group games in the tournament. Yet we're being completely overlooked by those behind the bid".

Each bid to host the Rugby World Cup needs to identify 12 stadiums capable of holding matches in. With few rugby grounds in Ireland big enough, the GAA has agreed to make eight of its venues available. It is therefore expected that the Irish proposal will include three stadiums in Dublin, two each in Belfast and Limerick, and one each in Cork, Galway, Thurles, Killarney and Castlebar.

Here is list of Stadium locations across Ireland being Considered for Ireland's 2023 Rugby World Cup Bid:

"There are three simple reasons why Derry should be included : It would be good for Ireland's bid, good for the north-west region, and good for rugby.

"The North-west has a huge amount to offer Ireland's bid. Derry is the fourth biggest city on the island, with a unique tourism product. We've shown through the Fleadh, City of Culture, Clipper Race and the Halloween Festival that we can hold major events here. In Celtic Park we have a city-centre stadium with the potential to hold group-stage games, which would cost less to upgrade than some of the other GAA grounds proposed. And with the IRFU emphasising the cross-border nature of the Irish bid as a positive, adding Ireland's only cross-border regional capital would make perfect sense. Derry and the North-west belong in Ireland's Rugby World Cup bid, and it would be a weaker proposal without them".

The campaign is calling for every resident, politician, sports lover and business owner across the north-west - including Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone - to recognise the opportunity that the Rugby World Cup would bring to the region, and to support the call for Derry to be included.

Mr Bradley concluded "If the eyes of the sporting world are looking at Ireland in seven years time, we must ensure Derry won't be left in the shadows. It's just too big an opportunity to let slip by".

To find our more about the campaign and to add your support visit www.DerryFor2023.com.
There is also a Facebook page : www.facebook.com/DerryFor2023, and on Twitter at @DerryFor2023.