I was lucky enough to attend the recent launch of the new DVD to promote Dundalk as a place to live, work & invest and visit. It marked another stage in the strategy to create a favourable image for the town which has previously suffered fron some bad press. (If I hear the term "El Paso" again I'll scream!)
Many of the town's "movers and shakers" were there. Even our very own Jim Corr!
The County Manager called on one and all to become an "ambassador for Dundalk" promoting the town in a positive way at every possible opportunity.
Very timely indeed, you might think, seeing as our next assignment is on, yes, the very thing, Dundalk - the brand!
So these are my thoughts: sure, Dundalk has suffered from a serious negative image. And yes, it did suffer in the 70's and 80's from the death of many of the indigenous manufacturing industries for which it was famous: we no longer manufacture Guinness, Cigarettes & shoes.
Of course nobody wanted to invest in an area where their buildings might be blown up. Were there really more bombing incidences here compared to Dublin? I haven't got the figures to hand but whatever the statistics, there certainly was a lack of belief in the town's future.
Either this perception was craftily manipulated, or was the result of a general apathy caused by the recession and the disruptive political situation north of the border.
Luckily, we've moved on. And just in case anyone thinks it all happened overnight, because of the "celtic tiger" (another term I want made extinct) well no, it didn't.
Because these things take time.
It has been a few years since the term "gateway town" was first mooted. Again, this hasn't just happened overnight. We're still waiting to hear if we will be awarded some funding from the Gateway Innovation Fund (GIF)
For sure, there are plenty of examples of the progress that's been made: infrastructure in the form of roads, the M1 - Dermot's Road - as Peter Malone, Chairman NRA and Chairman DEDG - Dundalk Economic Development Group)calls it - our very own Motorway. We can go all the way to Wexford in one direction or to Newry and beyond.(By the way, I'm sure I don't need to explain that the "Dermot" referred to is our very own senior Cabinet Minister Dermot Ahern)
And have we forgotten about the Enterprise - surely one of the first new transport projects to put Dundalk on the map as a "commuter town", back in the days when Mary O'Rourke was Minister for Transport. What luxury that new train service was - and still is. Today, we take it for granted. The twenty-somethings have practially grown up with it!
The slow but steady build up of the town around the Inner Relief Road with Shopping, Office, Warehouse and Leisure developments in its immediate vicinity has changed the face of Dundalk dramatically.
We have some beautifully re-developed town centre landmarks such as the Museum, the Library, the Court House and the Town Hall. The Corner of Market Square and the Demesne has been rebuilt, rejuvenating that section of the town centre. All these have been done to the highest architectural and design standards, taking their surroundings into consideration and enhancing the heart of the town.
New hotels, developments at DkIT, the Ice Dome, Race Track and Olympic-sized Swimming Pool are all further examples of the progress that has been made. These didn't just happen overnight. There are many more examples. And yes, there's lots more to be done.
But they are all proof that while many were bad-mouthing Dundalk (and sure, there were some unsavoury goings-on) many good, honest, hardworking people in the town were working quietly together on a voluntary basis, for the overall good of the town.
Let's hope they continue doing so because things just don't happen overnight!
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