The Ring Of Cork

Secad Event To Highlight ‘Ring Of Cork’ Brand

Branding Experts to discuss the value of “Ring of Cork” brand.

Cobh, Co. Cork

Leading brand champions will convene to discuss the importance of the Ring of Cork brand for the Region at an event organised by the South and East Cork Area Development company (SECAD) on Monday, 4 March 2013 at 7:30pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island.

The aim of the event, which is open to all and free to attend, is to promote the opportunity of extending the Ring of Cork brand to include; tourism, hospitality, adventure, food and craft businesses in the Region.

“We launched the first phase of the Ring of Cork brand last year with good success”, explains Ryan Howard, CEO SECAD.  “The focus of that initial phase was the tourism and hospitality sector, and now we are looking to push the brand out to the next level and incorporate the food and craft industry along with tourism.  We feel branding the South and East Cork area of Cork can add real value and attract more business and more trade for our Region.  We are extending an open invitation for any business in the Region to attend this important event to understand the appetite for this branding exercise, which should ultimately have a very positive impact on the Region”.

The impressive line-up of speakers at the event promises to provide real food for thought in relation to branding the Region.  Cormac Fitzgerald of The Blue Haven Collection will address the event about his experience of developing a food business and the benefits of being part of a regional branding initiative – West Cork’s Fuchsia brand.

Leading retail brand, the Kilkenny Group, is no stranger to the importance of building a strong brand to drive success in business.  Gregory O’Gorman, Marketing Manager at Kilkenny Group, will talk about the experience of building a brand, and how he would envisage Kilkenny working the Ring of Cork brand for the benefit of the Region.

As members of South and East Cork Tourism and Ring of Cork initiative, Trabolgan Holiday Village’s marketing manager Deirdre Mannion will speak about the value of being part of a network, and the opportunities that the brand ‘Ring of Cork’ presents in the industry.

Speaking at the launch of Ring of Cork last year, Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., welcomed the new brand by saying: “This is a very positive development for the South and East Cork area, and will serve to attract national and international visitors to this region, which has so much to offer.  The Ring of Cork is particularly important as it encourages visitors to explore this ring of Cork from wonderful sites of cultural importance, marine activities, scenic trips, festivals and family activities, to great food and fun.”

The Ring of Cork includes the towns of Cobh, Midleton, Youghal, Carrigaline, and Ballincollig and their surrounding areas, and is supported by the South and East Cork Area Development organisation (SECAD) as well as the town councils of Cobh, Midleton and Youghal.
For registration, please contact Liam Fitzgerald at SECAD, 021.4631432, lfitzgerald@secad.ie and visit www.ringofcork.ie for more information.