Staff Achiever of the Second Quarter 2013

Congratulations to Patrycja Jankowska (Coast Restaurant Waiting Person) who was awarded Staff Achiever of the Second Quarter 2013 in the Grand Hotel on Friday, 20th September 2013.

Patrycja has been employed in the Restaurant and Palm Court areas of the Hotel for 9 months now.

Well done Patrycja, and wishing you further success with your career here in the Grand Hotel!

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Fifty years to the day...

The Grand Hotel, Malahide would like to offer congratulations to Robert and Ann Finn who recently celebrated 50 years of marriage in our Coast restaurant with family and close friends. It was 50 years to the day that Robert and Ann celebrated their wedding at the Grand Hotel, we are delighted that they came back to the Grand Hotel to celebrate their special occasion.

The picture above was featured in the North Side people last week. From the picture you can see the day the couple stood on the Grand Hotel Staircase for their wedding celebrations 50 years ago and a more recent shot taken at their anniversary celebrations.

The management and staff at the grand hotel wish them many more happy years together.

To book your special occasion, please contact our expert sales team on 01 8450000 or email sales@thegrand.ie

Laura Stotesbury, Research and Marketing Executive

Malahide has it festival

The town is ready to come alight this weekend when the Malahide has it festival hits the village. There is lots to see and do around the town from all day Cup cake parties to live music on the streets.

 

The Malahide Chamber of Commerce and other local groups present the 2013 Malahide community Festival.

 

The Festival starts with the 'Great Malahide Quiz' organised by Tidy Towns this Thursday the 25th in the Grand Hotel - please come along with all your friends and support a great cause.

 

The Festival will feature family orientated activities on The Green and various entertainments on New Street. Click here for more information  

 

The Grand Hotel is also getting involved, this Saturday enjoy some mouth watering strawberries and cream on the lawn from 3-5pm. On Sunday get grooving with our very own Elvis.... Mr Cahill Byrne live on the lawn from 2pm to 5pm. Cahill was runner up in the World Elvis Competition held in Memphis, and is sure to get you moving. If you manage to work up an appetite, we will be having a BBQ on the lawn followed by more music from DJ Somers.

 

Come join in the family fun, we would love to see you at the Grand Hotel, this weekend.

 

Looking to stay over, Book Now

Please note that there is limited rooms available.

 

Laura Stotesbury- Research and Marketing Executive

 

Gold White Flag Excellence for Spa & Leisure

Did you know that the Arena Health and Fitness Club here at the Grand Hotel is the only Hotel Leisure Centre to receive the Gold Excellence White Flag Award in Ireland?


The White Flag Awards are judged by an independent jury made up of experts from a number of nationally recognised organisations including Failte Ireland, the HSE, the Irish Hotel Federation, Consumer Association, Swim Ireland, and Irish Water Safety. Judging is thorough and rigorous ensuring that fitness, gym instructors and lifeguards are fully qualified, facilities are safe, clean and hygienic; and that equipment is maintained correctly. This comprehensive award focuses on three main categories: Safety and Hygiene, Maintenance and Environment and Customer Service.


By reaching Gold our guest can be assured that we are doing everything in our power to continuously improve our standards, and therefore continuously improve the service you receive here at the Arena Leisure Centre. If you would like to know more about the award or us, you can contact us at the Club on 01-8450222 or drop us a mail at arena@thegrand.ie. Check us out on our Arena Facebook page.  

A Big Grand Hotel Welcome to the Physio Company

We are delighted to announce the opening of a physiotherapy clinic within the Arena Health and Fitness Centre at the Grand Hotel operated by The Physio Company, Ireland largest Chartered Physiotherapists are looking forward to meeting you! The clinic will open on the 8th of July on the ground floor of the fitness centre. For more details on the physiotherapy services, fees and opening hours at the clinic please click here. 

The Success Story 2013

Well there you have it! This years flora women's mini marathon was a fantastic success yet again, with over 40 Arena members and their friends taking part in the event, and all in aid of CASA.

Here is what Sheena (Team Trainer) had to say,

"It was such a memorable day; the sun was shining down on us and the other 39,960 women! The streets were lined with live music to help motivate us all throughout the 10km route, along with so many members of the public, cheering us on and spectating at the biggest women only event in the world!

 

We all met at the club in Malahide at 11am on Monday morning, we distributed their goodie bags, t-shirts and race numbers. By the time we had left the Arena Leisure Centre, their wasn't much left of the Charity t-shirts!! Bundles of sleeves and cut off necks were gathered at reception... apparently a self made tank top helps with the Aerodynamics of it all"

After a pre race stretch outside facing onto the beautiful Marina, the 40 ladies boarded the bus bound for Dublin City Centre to join 39,960 other hopeful women for the ultimate race day event of 2013.

The Arena Health and Leisure centre would like to take this opportunity to mention and thank Mary O'Donoghue and her team from CASA for their tremendous hospitality in providing us with a base at St Stephens Green. The Arena team were over whelmed at their attention to detail in providing light refreshments, chocolate bars(for energy of course), a selection of fruits, complimentary backpacks and stopwatches. "A personal thank you to Mary for the beautiful bouquet of flowers"   

On to the race....  "The race itself was magical, the sun was hot and the skies were so blue. The support from the public cheering us on and providing us with thirst quenching water was incredible, not to mention the thrones of live music along the way to keep us moving. We pushed and pushed until we neared the last corner where our lovely club manager Suzanne was waiting patiently to snap a photograph of us. From there, we sprinted as  much as our legs could possibly allow until we crossed the finish line with out precious mini marathon medals awaiting us"

Well done to team Arena, it seems that some of the team attained personal bests and others simply enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying being part of the biggest women only event in the world...and getting a medal to prove it. Congratulations to Team Arena's Annette Kealy who finished in the top ten finishers. What a fantastic achievement.

Just when the ladies thought the day couldn't get any better, Republic of Ireland and LA Galaxy soccer captain, Robbie Keane decided to jump in with our team of thirsty ladies for a few photographs in Gibney's of Malahide.

Final words from Sheena... "Well done to everyone involved for making this year the biggest and best yet. You all did amazing and made my job so easy by putting in all the effort that you have and by just being yourselves and enjoying it all"

 

Laura Stotesbury- Research and Marketing Executive 

  

On Your Marks.....Get Set.... Lets donate!!!

Team Arena is under final preparations for this year's Flora Women's Mini Marathon. The Arena has traditionally entered a team every year in the Mini Marathon. The club has given opportunities to members and friends of members who would never have thought to participate in an event of its kind. In previous years the Arena has supported many charities, including ABA in Donaghmede which is a school for children with autism and local charity CASA in 2012. 

Under the guidance of the Arena's very own Sheena, the Arena has decided to support CASA for a second year in a row.

 Here is what Sheena had to say 

"The sheer humbleness that was felt by all the team at last years' event was truly inspiring and utterly rewarding. The charity supports the life and well being of people with disabilities, their carers and provides "Break houses" in both Malahide and Swords. This is a fantastic initiative, where people with disabilities and their carers can book into the Break house centres and relax and unwind in the comfort of a friendly  and understanding environment. It gives them the opportunity to take a break from their daily routines and enjoy all the facilities the CASA Break house has to offer"

In previous years, the Arena has had a fantastic turn out for the event, with one of the member's proudly taking home Gold at the event which was a fabulous achievement after the long weeks of both training and fund raising.

"Race day itself is a bundle of fun, with everyone meeting at the club reception on the morning of the race. With the bus waiting outside the club, everyone is fantastic form, some even cutting the sleeves off their charity T-Shirts.... for aerodynamic purposes I'm told!"

I am sure this year will be no different than previous years, except for one thing.... it is going to be bigger and better than ever before as the organization celebrates 31 years raising much needed funds for hundreds of charities throughout the country. Well done and best of luck to all these wonderful ladies doing us proud this year.  

Some final words from Sheena

"So lets do the Arena, CASA and of course, the Flora Women's Mini Marathon proud this year and raise as much finds as we can, train as hard as we can, and fly through this mini marathon at ease, comfort and wearing the biggest smile for all to see!"

For more information on what CASA does, the efforts and work that they give to people, can be found at www.casa.ie and www.casabreakhouses.ie

All those who wish to help this worthy cause and support team Arena, please do so by popping into the Arena reception or donating online here. All donations are gratefully appreciated. 

 

Welcoming back to Malahide the 1898 Benz Velo Comfortable

The Grand Hotel is proud to welcome back to its doors the first petrol driven car ever to be run on Irish roads. Over 100 years ago Dr John Colohan, the then owner of the Grand Hotel imported the 1898 Benz Velo Comfortable.

This unique car will be the centrepiece in an exhibition of 90 classic and vintage cars that takes place in the ground of the Grand Hotel on Sunday the 19th of May next. Tickets are €5 for adults, €10 for Family and €3 for Students/OAP's. All proceeds will be going towards the Malahide Lyons Club.

The car was manufactured in Germany by Karl Benz, creator of the world's first motor car, the vehicle later fell into disrepair only to be discovered in a dilapidated condition on a Co. Kilkenny farm some 20 years ago. For more information on its refurbishment click here

Open to the public from 12 noon until 6pm, the exhibition will feature cars drawn from all parts of the country to create and afternoon full of motor nostalgia and family entertainment.



Laura Stotesbury -Research and Marketing Executive

We're launching a new menu in the Matt Ryan Bar

At the Grand Hotel we know how important it is to eat well; we have designed a new menu full of only high quality fresh ingredients. Keeping all the old favourites we have added a few surprises.

Why not pop in and try our new selection of gourmet sandwiches, choose from a delicious ploughman, mouth-watering open prawn sandwich or our very own Matt Ryan Sandwich to name a few. These dishes are all made with the best products on the market.

Just fancy a nibble, why not try out new deluxe nacho sharing platter or our selection of artisan breads with humus dip, black olive tapenade, basil pesto and chilli oil.

Perhaps you are looking for a bigger bite; we have introduced a wholesome beef and Guinness pie to our menu, tender diced beef, baby onions and mushrooms cooked in rich Guinness and thyme jus, topped with a puff pastry case and served with champ potatoes.

Have we made your mouth water yet? Why not view our new menu here and call in and try our new delicious dishes.

Keep an eye out for our new healthy, gluten free and vegetarian options.

The Matt Ryan bar is open for food from 10.30am to 9.30pm

Laura Stotesbury- Research & Marketing Executive

Staff Achiever of the First Quarter 2013

Congratulations to Eoin Smartt (Leisure Specialist) who was awarded Staff Achiever of the First Quarter 2013 in the Grand Hotel this afternoon.

Eoin has been working in our Arena Health and Fitness Club for almost 5 1/2 years, always going that extra mile for clients, his colleagues and the Hotel.

Well done, Eoin!

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Another reason to visit the bustling village of Malahide

Tom Cruises Irish Ancestral Roots Revealed

Thomás O'Cruise (Tom Cruise) it has been revealed is a descendant of Patrick Russell Cruise who lived in Seatown Castle in Malahide during the early 1800's. (Now Seatown House, located just past the entrance to Malahide Rugby Club)

Here he is accepting his certificate of Irishness from the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.

Tom Cruise's Irish roots can be traced back 840 years to the arrival of Strongbow in Ireland. Tom was christened Thomas Cruise Mapother IV and the story of his Irish ancestors - the Cruises, the Russells and the Mapothers - is one of knights, rebels and hero’s.

Click here for more details on Tom Cruise's Irish Roots and an overview of the research involved.

Laura Stotesbury- Research and Marketing Executive

Hit a bit of a new year’s fitness slump? - Looking for inspiration? Introducing SYNRGY360s

 

Health and fitness’ seemed to be at the top of everybody’s agenda this New Year’s, but have your New Year resolutions dwindled already? Perhaps you are looking for something new to kick you off the couch again or maybe you just aren’t achieving the goals you set. It seems the Arena Health and Fitness Club Malahide might just have the ‘thing’ to get you up and active and achieving those goals. This week they are excited and proud to announce the introduction of a brand new way of training, the first club in Ireland to bring you SYNERGY360s.

So what is this SYNERGY360s you might ask? Well according to Suzanne, manager at the Arena, it is a brand new way of training that is adaptable to everybody’s physique, fitness level, gender and age. It gives you a total body workout in one go, incorporating 8 of the top 15 fastest growing fitness trends in the World. Including TRX, kettle bells, suspension training to mention but a few.

Does this all sound a bit tough? Well here is the best bit; it is entirely adaptable to YOUR life. Experts at the Arena will adapt exercises to work on areas which will apply to you by offering specialist courses, for example they could run golf programmes, exercises for new mums, healthy heart and boot camps to name but a few.

Classes start this February!

Starting February the 11^th, classes will run 7 days a week, morning and evening. Sessions will be sold in 6, 12 & 18 session blocks, obviously the more you buy the cheaper it will be.

This is the first time SYNRGY360s has been used in Ireland, and the Arena wants to know what your needs are. So if you think of a particular class you or a group may be interested in, email synrgy@thegrand.ie and they will design a programme for you. If you email now you can avail of their special introductory offer, 5 classes for only €45.

If you would like more information please contact the Arena on 01 845 0222 or email synrgy@thegrand.ie. 

 

The Grand Hotel welcomes the Constitutional Convention

We were delighted to welcome the Constitutional Convention to The Grand Hotel, Malahide last weekend for its first full meeting after its opening session in Dublin Castle last month.

100 people; representatives of Irish society and parliamentarians from the island of Ireland, with an independent chairman spent the two days in discussions.

The Management and Staff at the Grand Hotel look forward to welcoming the 100 delegates back again on February the 16^th and 17^th.

For further information you can visit the Constitutions website. 

Grand Hotel Wins Gold at I.A.S.I. Awards

Congratulations to Joan Brennan (Accommodation Manager), Arpita Shekhar (Deputy Accommodation Manager) and the entire Accommodation Department here at the Grand Hotel, Malahide who won the Gold Award for the Best Four Star Property yet again at the Irish Accommodation Services Institute Awards held in Co. Clare on Saturday, 26th January 2013.

Well done to all!

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager