Genband cast a strong vote of confidence in Galway yesterday when it announced that it is to invest the guts of eight million euro in its plant which will open early next year. Tomorrow, Friday, the IRFU, although belatedly, will also cast a strong vote of confidence in Connacht rugby when they at last give it the sort of stability and recognition that it has long sought, and long deserved. Last Saturday and Sunday, tens of thousands of shoppers cast their vote of confidence in Galway when they chose this city to be the place where they want to do their Christmas shopping, by flocking to the streets and giving Galway a Christmas atmosphere it has also long sought.
Companies like Genband are attracted to Galway because of the strong education base, the attractiveness of the city and what it stands for, and no doubt the fact that their competitors have seen something in it to also base themselves here. In that sense, Galway is like the Seattle of Ireland, attracting clean, modern companies that are confident they can find happy employees here.
Three different votes of confidence and three different boosts, but they have all shown however that Galway is very well placed to dig itself out of this recession; perhaps we are better placed than any other city in Ireland. And remember, we do have the light at the end of the tunnel, that is the Volvo Ocean Race of 2012. All we have to do is make sure that the Galway we show to the world then is the same, prosperous, vibrant city we now have. And that is why it is so important that we support all our local businesses and ensure their survival.
The Volvo Ocean Race is a shop window. The stopover two years ago is reaping dividends now, as companies and events like Genband and the Christmas Market had their heads turned by the success of that event. But like any shop window, it must be keep shining and sparkling and that is why we need to ensure that we all help each other maintain the Galway that we know so that it gets the best opportuinty it can to show itself to the world again in 2012.
We can all do this by keeping our Christmas spend in the city and in our communities this year. One of the letterwriters to our paper this week suggests that if you see a business that you wold like to see survive, try and spend a few euro with them each month and convince your friends to do likewise. It is an American concept, a sort of commercial meitheal that will help us all maintain jobs and a way of life.
Companies like Genband, bodies like the IRFU and indeed ourselves can make Galway feel the love it deserves.
By the way, talking of helping ourselves. It is that time of the year when the St Vincent de Paul will be looking for your help. I will be making a strong appeal for them next week, but there is a quirky way in which you can help them this weekend. Go online now and download the Saw Doctors new single Red Cortina and for every download, Smyths Toys are to give a euro to the society of St Vincent de Paul.
