These are exciting times for the Clarion Hotel IFSC. Their amazing refurbishment project is nearing completion and it is looking very impressive indeed.

After adding a seventh floor, the Clarion Hotel IFSC will now encompass 180 bedrooms, which included their 14 long-stay apartments. Already with the Pegasus room which can hold over 100, the Clarion are nearing completion of their Orion Suite which will be fully kitted out for all of your audio visual needs and will be able to cater for 120 theatre style. With 10 other rooms of varying sizes, the Clarion IFSC offers full flexibility for all your events. This is an amazing venue, ideally located in the heart of the city centre and with ample parking. The soon to be completed Medical Spa will offer a fully rounded experience to all Clarion visitors. Don't miss the chance to see it all for yourself at their re-launch party on the 24th October. For more information on the Clarion Hotel IFSC and about their re-launch, contact Honor Byrne, and tell her we sent you!

Having over 12 years experience in the hospitality industry, working in both Ireland and abroad, Joe has been a valuable member of the Guinness Storehouse® events team since it’s opening in December 2000 and has spent the last two years in the role of Operations Manager. As General Catering Manager Joe will be responsible for overseeing the entire events and catering operation, reporting on all financial results, driving the corporate events sales and marketing strategy and leading a team of over 60 full time hospitality professionals.

Joe has a National Advanced Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management from the Galway Institute of Technology. He has also pursued qualifications in wine tasting, bar management and personnel management. In November 2006 Joe was shortlisted for the Irish Hospitality Institute Catering Manager of the Year, one of the most prestigious awards in the Irish hospitality industry .

Back in March, Avcom were host to the Barco European Golden Rental Partners Meeting.

Barco is a world leader in professional markets, in which it offers display and visualization solutions. Based upon in-depth market knowledge, the company designs and develops solutions for large-screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection.

Avcom Ltd, have been using Barco products in the rental market in Ireland for the past 26 years and as a result have built a very strong working relationship with Barco. Avcom were contacted to source a castle and provide the remaining audio-visual equipment required for Barco’s annual Golden Rental Partners Meeting, to be held in Ireland for the very first time.

Avcom enlisted the help of Dublin Convention Bureau to source a suitable venue and as there wasn’t a castle within easy reach of Dublin Airport that met Barco’s requirements, two venues were proposed to Barco. The Crowne Plaza Hotel was selected for the plenary sessions which accommodated both the required floor space for the exhibition and the required number of rooms for the attendees. Clontarf Castle, a perfect blend of a boutique and luxury hotel, provides unique style and exceptional service in comfortable surroundings was selected for the Gala Dinner. The ancient Castle walls hold firm the traditions of Ireland - a welcome as warm and grand as the Great Hall itself. Avcom along with the Barco Team began the audio-visual set-up on Friday 16 th of March, which comprised of an Alcons line array pa system, stage lighting and rigging for all the equipment including Barcos range of new projectors and LED screens. The meeting started on Tuesday the 20 th March and finished on Wednesday 21 st March.

The gala dinner was held in Clontarf Castle on the second day. Avcom supplied and sponsored all the outdoor lighting and effects. The front of the castle was completely covered in coloured lights and a Celtic motif by 6 Martin Mac units and two Citycolors. The delegates were dropped off at the end of the driveway, so as they walked up the driveway to the castle they were met by medieval flame torches and 20ft balls of flames were shot into the air by a pair of “Dragons” as they walked into the castle.

Commenting on the overall success of the event, Bart Van der Beken, International Sales Director Events stated:

This yearly event is key to us, as we gather all our European top customers around our latest product developments. To do that, we always look for the ideal location and partners who can help us in doing that. Therefore, we choose Dublin because this lovely city offered us :

• Smooth flight connections from all over Europe, as our guests came from 24 different countries
• “Alive and kicking” city with multiple things to do
• Excellent cooperation with AVcom as their professionalism, creativity and knowledge of the whole team was pivotal to the success of the event. I was particularly impressed with their eye for detail, their desire to really understand our needs and to go the extra mile to make the success the event that it was.
• And last but not least, the Dublin Convention Bureau who gave us full assistance in finding the best suitable premises to meet our needs, for the convention as well as the gala dinner.

Mr. Van der Beken continued:

According to our customers, it was one of the best European Rental Partner meetings we ever had, and that’s what we were looking for.

Neo Ireland is now inhabiting new offices in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. We are going to miss NovaUCD which has been very good to us and has watched us grow over the past 2 years. However, times are a changing so here are our new contact details: