Aunty Nellie’s is a traditional Irish sweet shop chain located throughout Ireland. The classic Irish sweet shop provides a taste of nostalgia with old favourites such as boiled sweets and liquorice, whilst also providing an exciting experience for their younger customers. The stores, which are decorated with a traditional feel, provide a visually pleasing experience for the customer with a colourful array of sweets and an atmosphere that is sure to evoke memories of times gone by.

The retro sweet shop is a favourite when it comes to providing wedding day treats with a difference. The famous ‘Aunty Nellie’s Candy Cart’ – fully stocked with beautifully arranged sweets of your choice – has appeared at many weddings and is a fun and memorable way to entertain guests. The Candy Cart or Candy Buffet is unmanned so guests can help themselves to a pick and mix selection of sweet treats. Aunty Nellie’s also provide personalised Wedding Favours and from as little as €1.50 per favour, they are a very cost effective way to delight friends, loved ones and anyone with a sweet tooth!

Aunty Nellie’s Wedding packages are tiered at bronze, silver and gold; customised to your wedding theme and the Aunty Nellie’s team will liaise directly with your wedding coordinator to ensure you get everything you want on the special day. There is a sweet package for every budget, from the party hampers and unique party bags, to the gold package which can include sweet table centre pieces and sweet bouquets for the bridal party.

Aunty Nellie’s provide a corporate sweet service that allows businesses to treat their clients or staff. Aunty Nellie’s are specialists in arranging personalised corporate gift bags and hampers branded with your company logo – giving that wow factor. The personal service offered by the Aunty Nellie’s team will ensure that your clients and staff receive unique and memorable gifts. The gift bags will be filled with Auntie Nellie’s sweets but will be uniquely branded with a company’s logo.

Aunty Nellie’s Sweet Shops specialise in Irish Artisan confectionary and are proud to support local. The chain also sells unique and rare ‘penny sweets’ from the 1970s and 1980s and classic sweets from abroad that are not otherwise available in Ireland. At Aunty Nellie’s the shelves are packed with an abundance of beloved delicious sweets including Bon Bons, Liquorice, Toffees, Chocolate, Nougat, Gobstoppers and so much more. The diverse collection of traditional and retro confectionary ensures everyone’s taste is catered for.

To see store locations or to purchase customised gifts, visit the Aunty Nellie’s website now on www.auntynellies.com. Find Aunty Nellie’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuntyNellies.

Salthill-Knocknacarra GAA Club is hosting a special pre-match questions and answers session with former Galway and Mayo greats – such as former managers John O’Mahoney, Liam Sammon and former players such as Ray Silke, Maurice Sheridan, Niall Finnegan, Anthony Finnerty, Gordon Morley and Cathal McGinley and many more – at Salthill Hotel this Sunday, 19^th May ahead of the eagerly awaited provincial derby match.

The event kicks off with a reception at 1.15pm in the Salthill Hotel with the Q&A session starting at 1.30pm to 2.30pm facilitated by Ollie Turner of Galway Bay FM. The event will also be streamed live on Galway Bay FM. Live music by the West Coast Jazz band and finger food will be provided in what will be a great opportunity to meet former Galway and Mayo players.

Tickets for the Q&A session are priced at €10 and are available from Peter O’Halloran on 086-2675193 or David Burke on 087-2023447. Alternatively, they can also be purchased at Arus Bothar na Trá on Dr Mannix Road.

The Galway V Mayo match kicks off at 4pm in Pearse Stadium, which is only 2 minute stroll from Salthill Hotel. Tickets for the match can be purchased on the Galway County Board Offices at Pearse Stadium or at tickets.ie.

Former Corrib Shamrock players John Glynn, Paul Sheridan, Paraic Fadden, Gerry Mullin, Martin O Neill are shown the red card by the Mayor of Galway, Cllr. Terry O Flaherty as they tog out ahead of this years Carlsberg Salthill National Fives annual tournament which takes place on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of June this year in Salthill Park, Galway. Pic: Andrew Downes

Mayor of Galway, Councillor Terry O’ Flaherty, launched the ‘Carlsberg Salthill National Fives’ annual tournament which takes place on Saturday the 1^st and Sunday the 2^nd of June this year in Salthill Park, Galway. Now in its 37^th year, the Salthill Devon 5-A-Side league has become a highly anticipated date in Galway’s  soccer calendar and sees a great mix of Galway natives, visitors and friends gather to enjoy this great footballing festival.

The popular 5-A-Side competition – which is run in association with Carlsberg – has firmly established itself as the kick-off sporting event of the summer. Denis Burke, Tournament Director, tells, “Salthill Park will play host to ever growing 5-A-Side teams, with over 130 teams from all over Ireland due to enjoy a series of fast-paced games in the hope of walking away with the coveted Carlsberg National Fives winner’s title and a fantastic cash prize”.

The competition consists of three categories; the ‘Open Age Competition’, the ‘Buyback Competition’ and the latest addition, the ‘Over 35’s Section’. The introduction of the over-35’s category in 2011 saw great rivalry spark among teams that would have met on the pitch when the tournament originally began, and a team that will certainly make an appearance is the former players of Galway team Corrib Shamrocks who are celebrating their 40^th Anniversary this year.

Corrib Shamrocks F.C. was founded in August 1973 by Brother Justin Madden, a Patrician Brother who immersed himself in the sporting life of Galway City. Initially he became involved with Western Stars in the old Galway City League where the late Eamonn ‘Chick’ Deacy was one of his early protégés. Former Club players and Committee members are organising a 40^th Anniversary Gathering in the Galway Bay Hotel in Galway on Saturday 1^st of June, to coincide with the Salthill Fives event, at which Brother Justin will be the Guest of Honour.

The National Fives tournament is expected to attract thousands of football enthusiasts to Galway city over the June Bank Holiday weekend, with a large number of visitors travelling from abroad to the popular event.

Registration for teams is now open. Cost of entry for a team of seven for the Main Fives Tournament is priced at €100, and €80 for the Over-35’s category. For further information or to enter a team, visit www.salthilldevon.ie or call Denis on 087-7442877. For enquiries about the Corrib Shamrocks 40^th Anniversary Gathering, contact Martin O’ Neill on 086 2508743.

Ireland – with a population of approximately 4,588,252 people – currently has over 2.2 million registered Facebook users. This indicates that a staggering 48% of the population is now using the social media site compared to 36% in Spain and 44% in the Netherlands. 54% of Irish Facebook users are female and 31% of users in Ireland are aged between 25 and 34. The average user has approximately 240 friends, making it easy for businesses on Facebook to reach wider audiences every time a happy customer shares or ‘likes’ Facebook content.

A report undertaken by social media site Socialbakers.com has revealed the top brands on Facebook in Ireland from the 1^st to 28^th February 2013. The number one position is held by fashion retail giants, Penney’s, with a total of 295,577 fans in Ireland. Coca-Cola is the third most popular brand in Ireland with 201,912 fans; which is a relatively small percentage of 0.3% of their 59 million fans worldwide. Mr. Tayto is in fifth place with 195,012  fans and Guinness comes in seventh place with 170,887 fans – only 43.3% of their worldwide fan-base.

The top media outlet on Facebook is Spin South West with 157,319 fans and Argos is deemed the most socially devoted brand on Facebook with a 95% response rate to their fans queries.

The most popular post in February was from Blackberry with over 29,000 ‘likes’ and over 2,386 people sharing the post about the new Blackberry Z10 phone. The second most popular post was from Baileys with 11,000 ‘likes’ and over 1,587 shares for a simple picture of a glass of Baileys and ice!

The statistics further show that when your business has a strong presence on Facebook, it becomes part of conversations and has access to the most powerful marketing tool – word of mouth and sharing and recommendations between friends. When fans interact with or endorse your business their friends can also be influenced by their decisions.

MBPR handles online communication campaigns for small to medium businesses. For more information and tips on increasing your social media presence, log on to www.mbpr.ie or call us now to discuss PR for your business on 091 782820 or email info@mbpr.ie.

(Source:http://www.socialbakers.com/blog/1496-february-2013-social-media-report-facebook-pages-in-ireland)

Artisan Restaurant – located in the Medieval Latin Quarter of Galway city – has once again delighted food lovers with the launch of their enticing and exquisite new spring menu. Comprising of a host of mouth watering seafood, steak and game options, the award winning restaurant has truly out-done itself with their latest offering, which can only be described as a delicious infusion of carefully selected ingredients and heavenly flavour.

Head Chef, Mark Campbell, has composed a menu that would wet ones appetite at first glance, with invigorating dishes such as ‘Gin, Orange and Ginger cured Salmon’, ‘Poached Connemara Crab Claws’, ‘Ballotine of Rabbit and Smoked Bacon’ signalling the start of spring time. Boasting fantastic variety across the entire menu, the ‘Spring Vegetable, Comte Cheese and Coriander Brik Pastry Parcel’ and ‘St. Tola Goat’s Cheese and Roast Organic Cherry Tomato Risotto’ are must-tries for all vegetarians, with the ‘Oven Roasted Monkfish, Sundried Tomato and Spring Onion Crust’ and ‘Pan roasted Hake Fillet wrapped in baby spinach and Serrano ham’, a mouth-watering experience for all lovers of seafood.  ‘Duo of Confit Pork Belly and Scallops’ and ‘Pan Roasted Guinea Fowl with Potatoe Gratin and Parma Ham Wrapped Asparagus’ are dishes infusing flavours from around the world with the best of Irish produce – a classic Artisan Restaurant trait. The tantalizing treats that comprise the dessert menu – including old favourites such as ‘Baked Alaska’ with a Caribbean twist, the on trend ‘Homemade chocolate Macaroons’ or the homemade ice cream including Brown bread and Treacle & Strawberries and Meringue flavour  - will tempt the sweetest of tooths!

Head Chef Mark Campbell takes pride in each dish presented and tells that “all ingredients have been carefully selected using locally sourced and organic produce where possible”. Artisan’s renowned wine list has also been revised to include New Zealand’s Lawsons Dry Hills and a variety of Pinot Noirs from Louis Latour in Burgundy.

The location of Artisan Restaurant, above the cobbled streets of medieval Galway, affords the visitor a unique and memorable dining experience. Candlelight, soft sounds and subdued lighting create the perfect atmosphere in which to enjoy the extraordinary culinary delights of this true foodie restaurant. Now open daily for an extended lunch period – 12 noon to 4pm – Artisan is now offering a fantastic value lunch offer of homemade soup, gourmet sandwich and a freshly brewed coffee for only €10 along with a full lunch menu option of starter, main course and dessert for only €20. At the weekends, customers can kick back and enjoy a lazy ‘Sunday Jazz Brunch’ from 1pm – 3pm with the sounds of jazz trio ‘The Hot Frogs’ each Sunday.

Speaking on the new lunch and dinner menus at Artisan, recently appointed Restaurant Manager Una Quigley explains, “We are delighted to offer a great range and selection of dishes that will satisfy our lunchtime diners and evening customers. Our lunchtime lunch menu highlights include a Beef Fillet, Organic Cherry Tomato & Courgette Brochettes with Rice Pilaff & Roast Garlic and Whole Grain Mustard Cream €9.95, Baked Fillet of Sea Trout, Spring Vegetable Cous Cous, with a Chilli, Lime and Coconut Dressing €9.95 and  a Prawn Cocktail Sandwich on Homemade Brown Bread. “

To make a reservation to try out the new spring menu at Artisan Restaurant – voted ‘Best Restaurant in Galway 2012’ and ‘Best Restaurant in Connacht 2012’ at the Irish Restaurant Awards – call 091-532655 or to view the new spring menu in full, visit www.artisangalway.com.

A new Irish, organic and ethical skincare range has been launched on to the market. Kinvara Skincare is an exciting range of organic face care products, created by an Irish woman for Irish women. The founder, Dr. Joanne Reilly, is a scientist who believes that women shouldn’t be confused and stressed about the science of skin care because “skin care is and should be simple”.

Kinvara Skincare was developed out of a personal need after Joanne tried numerous products for her tricky skin to no success. She tells, “I was always looking for a good moisturiser and I tried them all and still found I had to reapply after a few hours.  I developed my Rosehip Face Serum in response to that need for serious hydration and moisturisation”.

The current Kinvara Skincare range includes three main skincare products. Their active Rosehip Day Cream – described as ‘yoga for your face’ – will help you to start your day right with moisturised, plumper looking skin. It absorbs quickly leaving your skin protected and primed for the day ahead. The creams anti-aging formula is enriched with Omega rich plant oils, regenerating vitamins, 3% natural plumping hyaluronic acid and fragrant oils of lemon and lavender.

By using the Rosehip Face Serum, ‘your skin will thank you’. The mega-hydrating serum blends organic botanics in a unique cold process that ensures the fragile oils and heat sensitive vitamins remain intact. “That’s radically different to how most face care products are made and it makes ours better”, tells Joanne.  This serum – which can be used at any time but is recommended for night time use – will hydrate and nourish your skin, making it look amazing.

The Absolute Cleansing Oil an uplifting blend of plant oils aims to ‘open your mind, balance your pores’ with a unique cleansing experience.  “After talking with women we felt that many were using inappropriate, harsh cleansers that in some cases actually aggravated and stripped the skin necessitating the use of richer moisturisers.  Absolute Cleansing Oil offers our customers a product that is really gentle but really effective, cleaning your skin without stripping”.  It takes away dirt, grime and make up – as well as mascara – leaving your skin thoroughly clean, soft and prepped. So with no need for a make-up remover and no extra steps it really does saves you time and money.

Kinvara Skincare’s performance driven formulas exceed customer expectations in many ways – they are concentrated, they multi task, they layer well, they feel great, smell wonderful and really work. Joanne really believes that most of us only need a few products if they’re the right ones, commenting, “We all lead such busy lives that anything that simplifies our life and saves us time and money is really needed”.

Suitable for men as well as women, the handmade products are packed full of plants extracts because at Kinvara Skincare they take the time to infuse nourishing leaves, flowers and roots to extract every ounce of their goodness. Preserved using the gentlest of methods you won’t find any ‘nasties’ in Kinvara Skincare products.  This coupled with sustainable practices and a no nonsense approach is what make this hand crafted skincare line unique, reliable….and it really works!

Kinvara Skincare is currently developing exciting new products that will compliment their existing skincare range. Kinvara Skincare is available from all good health stores, pharmacies and from www.kinvaraskincare.com.

The Galway City Business Association – in conjunction with the Galway Food Festival – will host an exciting and engaging family Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Saturday, 30^th March. The Easter Egg Hunt – a free event – will take place from 12 noon to 3pm and will include many popular businesses from around the city, with lots of treats for kids along the way!

The lively Easter Bunny will be on hand to help those taking part and will be handing out maps outside Brown Thomas. Participants are advised to collect their maps before 12.30pm. The maps will include the shops, cafés and businesses that families must visit. In each venue, the ‘hunters’ will receive a special sticker and when all stickers are collected, contestants must return to the Easter bunny and give back the completed map by no later than 3pm.

The Easter bunny will present an Easter egg to all children after the map has been returned, as a special token for taking part in the hunt. In McDonalds – one of the venues on the map – children will receive a complimentary ice cream and mini Easter egg.

One lucky winner will receive a beautiful Easter hamper from McCambridges on Shop Street with lots of chocolate goodies. Every participant will also be entered into the GCBA’s Spring Shopping Promotion draw which takes place on Wednesday 10^th April and includes an amazing trip for two to Dubai, staying at the luxury five-star Madinat Jumeirah Hotel.

Chairman of the Galway City Business Association, Anthony Ryan, tells “The GCBA look forward to hosting the upcoming Easter Egg Hunt as one of the main aims of the GCBA is promoting Galway city as a relaxing, safe, friendly and vibrant place for people of all ages”.

The Easter Egg Hunt will coincide with the Galway Food Festival, which takes place from Thursday 28^th March to Monday 1^st April. The festival is aimed at promoting the best of what Galway has to offer with a strong focus on artisan, seasonal and organic produce.

For further information on the GCBA’s Easter Egg Hunt visit www.galwaycba.ie or email galwaycba@gmail.com. For more information on the Galway Food Festival, visit www.galwayfoodfestival.com.

Want to stimulate your skin to regenerate and repair itself naturally and safely, creating smoother brighter, healthier, younger looking skin?

Multi-award winning Elysium Day Spa and Laser Clinic in Moycullen is now offering Micro Needling – the ultimate non-surgical and non-ablative treatment for various skin conditions.

This popular and safe skin renewal technique will restore the youthful, healthy appearance of your skin with almost no down time. Micro Needling significantly improves the appearance of acne scars, ageing and sun damaged skin, facial and décolleté fine lines, lack of tone and uneven skin tone and pigmentation. The procedure is carried out with a roller that is covered with 540 fine short sterile, surgical needles. These needles penetrate the upper layers of skin to a depth of up to 1.5mm, triggering an intense reaction that begins a cascade of subsequent reactions. Micro Needling causes the skin cells to release growth signals to skin stem cells which then stimulate rapid growth of new fibroblasts. These new fibroblast then transform into collagen which integrates with existing collagen in the upper dermis.

Elysium owner Valerie Osborne explains, “We administer a topical anaesthetic before each treatment to ensure there is no discomfort. It will normally take between 15 to 25 minutes for the topical anaesthetic to work and at least 30 minutes for the actual procedure. Micro Needling is a natural alternative to Botox, as this therapy is intended to stimulate the body’s own natural collagen production in order to fill fine lines. The aim of this treatment is to create a controlled injury underneath the skin’s surface, thereby inducing the body to respond by producing more collagen in the treated area. The cells plump and thicken in response to the stimulus, reducing the appearance of scars, pigmentation and fine lines while improving the skins tone and elasticity’’.

Since opening in 2003, Elysium has been at the forefront of beauty care and innovative in its study and practice of Medical Grade Advanced Aesthetic Treatments. The team at Elysium specialise in all aspects of the beauty industry, from advanced skincare techniques including Glycolic Peels, Micro-needling, IPL Thread Vein Removal and Skin Rejuvenation to the more mainstream beauty treatments including; Electrolysis, Shellac, Tanning, expert eyebrow shaping and tinting and Specialised Lycon Waxing. Elysium also houses a Doctors Injectable Clinic, which provides a discreet professional service for their discerning clients.

For a full treatment menu go to www.elysium.ie or to speak to an Elysium therapists about Micro Needling, please phone 091-556846 or e-mail info@elysium.ie

Barry’s Hair Studio – located on Shop Street – is now stockists of the Sensidote Dermo-Calm range from luxury hair care brand Kérastase.

Kérastase’s latest range is being described by industry professionals as being the ultimate antidote against all scalp discomforts . The scalp is one of the most vulnerable and nerve-rich organs in the body and therefore is prone to itching, redness and tingling. The Kérastase Sensidote range includes a serum, masque and two cleansers  that cares for and soothes even the most stress-ridden scalps. Each new product contains four main active ingredients – Polysorbate 21 (PS21), Salix N, Mentha P and Glycerin – all formulised to treat sensitive scalps.

Eliana Fusco, Kérastase Specialist and manager at Barry’s Hair Studio tells, “With more than 230 nerve endings per square centimeter, the scalp is one of the most nerve-rich organs in the body and also one of the most vulnerable.  Itching, redness, tingling to fight the four major reactions of sensitive scalps, Kérastase presents Sensidote Dermo-Calm, the professional antidote that uses sensoriality to enhance performance.  Inspired by Asia’s head spa trend, the Kérastase Sensidote line includes a serum, masque and two cleansers harnessing a mix of textures, ingredients, fragrances and massages to care for and soothe even the most stress-ridden scalps”.

The textures in the Sensidote Dermo-Calm line contain a cooling agent for an immediate refreshing sensation on the scalp and an instant soothing action. The texture of the Soothing and Calming Masque is inspired by Japan’s famous bath creams, creams that create a cocoon of gentleness for deep massage. Absolute Soothing Serum is inspired by skincare essences for the face with their fluid formulas enable in-depth penetration and are perfectly adapted to intensely relaxing massages.

Barry’s Hair Studio is one of the west’s leading stockists of Kérastase products. For further information on the products, contact Eliana Fusco – Kérastase Specialist – on 091 561392 or email info@barryshairstudio.ie.