Grand Hotel Employee is St. Sylvesters GAA Club U-21's Footballer of the Year!

Congratulations to Barry Ryan (Lounge Staff - Grand Hotel) who was named St Sylveters GAA Club Under-21's Football Player of the Year 2009 at their annual awards ceremony which took place in the Grand Hotel on Saturday, 21st November 2009.

Best of luck to Barry and his team who shall play Kilmacud Croke on Thursday, 26th November 2009 in the quarter finals of the Dublin Football Championship.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Malahide Viaduct Rail Line Reopens

Full rail services have resumed on the Dublin-Belfast line following the completion of repair work on the Malahide Viaduct in north Dublin. Iarnród Éireann have said that the line reopened this morning and a normal timetable has been restored for Northern Commuter and Belfast Enterprise services.

Services had been curtailed since August 2009 after part of the viaduct collapsed into the estuary.

Speed over the line will be reduced to 25mph for the first two weeks, before being raised to 50mph for another fortnight and then eventually 90mph.

Some €4m has been spent on repair works to restore the viaduct included rebuilding the pier and strengthening foundations, strengthening all the piers along the viaduct and relaying the track.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

World Cup Qualifier Press Conference Held in Grand Hotel

On Friday, 13th November 2009, the manager of the Irish soccer team, Giovanni Trapattoni , held his final press conference here in the Grand Hotel before the vital World Cup Qualifier. There was a huge press interest in this briefing with TV and print journalists from both Ireland and France in large attendance. During his briefing, Trapattoni said “'We need the same spirit, we need the same performance, we need the attitude we have had in the games throughout qualification - but we have to add some more”.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

EIQA Awards 2009

Congratulations to the Arena Health and Fitness Club who were finalists in the 2009 EIQA Quality and Excellence Awards. The ceremony took place in the Burlington Hotel on Friday, 30th October 2009.

The annual awards ceremony is the highlight of the calendar year for EIQA, celebrating the drive, commitment and achievements of all of the nominated companies. With over 150 companies competing for awards in various categories on the night the atmosphere was electric with everyone eagerly anticipating the results of their award category.

Pictured with Martin Roper (Technical Director of the EIQA) are Suzanne Byrne (Arena Health and Fitness Club Manager) and Philip Byrne (Assistant Arena Health and Fitness Club Manager).

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Grand Hotel Employee Part of Winning Junior County Hurling Final Team

Congratulations to Grand Hotel employee Kieran Falvey (Lounge Person) and the St Sylvesters Hurling team who beat Clanna Gael Fontenoy in the Junior County Final on Sunday, 1st November 2009. The final score was St Sylvester's 1-15, Clanna Gael Fontenoy 1-4.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Rail services to resume across Malahide viaduct from Monday

Iarnrod Eireann is to reopen the viaduct at Malahide, Co. Dublin, and resume normal commuter services on Monday, 16th November 2009.

Northern commuter and Belfast Enterprise services have been disrupted for almost three months since a section of the viaduct collapsed on 21st August 2009.

The 5.40am train from Dundalk to Pearse Station shall be the first passenger service to use the reopened line as full rail services resume.

Please note that Iarnrod Eireann has announced that replacement bus services shall no longer operate and that strengthened routes 33XC and 33D shall now be scaled back.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager

Halloween at the Arena Health and Fitness Club, Malahide

The annual Arena Health and Fitness Club Halloween Party took place on Saturday, 31st October 2009 for all members and Hotel guests.

Sarah Ann McGrath - Assistant HR Manager