Celebrity chef enjoys a taste of LegenDerry

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The North West’s LegenDerry food scene has been showcased in a new online travel series.

Chef Randy Lewis, who describes himself as the ‘Phileas Fogg of food’, met with local chefs, brewers and producers to sample the fantastic dishes and drinks created in the City and surrounding areas.

Randy’s LegenDerry Adventure sees Lewis discover what makes the LegenDerry food scene so special; from Lo & Slo sauces and Dart Mountain cheeses, to fresh catch from fishmonger Moore on the Quay and Mekong Street Food’s Asian-inspired dishes.

The chef, who runs the Randaddy’s restaurant in Co Clare, also tried out some unique local experiences including paddleboarding along the River Foyle with Far and Wild adventures.

All four episodes are available to watch on YouTube, social media and on RTE.ie. You can catch the first instalment here.

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Derry bookstore crowned regional bookshop of the year

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Little Acorns Bookstore in Derry has been named Regional Bookshop of the Year at The An Post Irish Book Awards. 

Established in 2011, Little Acorns Bookstore has an overall stock of more than 40,000 books and specialises in Irish-related subjects, authors and publishers. 

The Foyle Street shop was named Ulster winner of the competition, with the other regional prizes awarded to Kennys Bookshop in Galway, The Company of Books in Dublin, Kerr’s Bookshop in Cork and The Maynooth Bookshop in Kildare.

Jenni Doherty, owner of Little Acorns Bookstore said: “I really am totally shocked, I feel so, so honoured and this is as much for the wonderful folks of Derry and Donegal who have ensured I kept going through the pandemic. They have all shown me fantastic support and loyalty and are all legends.”

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FinTrU recruiting for new Maastricht office

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Financial services firm FinTrU has announcing it is opening an office in Maastricht.

​Based at the southern tip of The Netherlands, next to the Belgian border, the Maastricht site will help the company support its Tier 1 Investment Bank clients and assist them in managing their global regulatory requirements.

Setting up a base in the Dutch city (where the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992, establishing both the EU and the Euro) further strengthens FinTrU’s operation in Europe. The company also opened a new Dublin office in September.

FinTrU, which currently employs more than 900 people across Derry, Belfast, London, Dublin and New York, is now recruiting for new roles in Maastricht. For more information on vacancies, visit FinTrU’s career portal: www.fintru.com/careers

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New Derry-Edinburgh route to take flight in May

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Loganair has announced a new service between City of Derry Airport and Edinburgh Airport.

The 55-minute direct route, which launches on May 17 2022, will initially operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. During the peak summer months, frequency will increase with additional flights on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Steve Frazer, managing director of City of Derry Airport, said: “Improving connectivity is key to strengthening our frequency to key business routes in support of the North West’s regional development plans.

“We are experiencing a high demand for leisure, visiting friends and family and as tourism is a growing element of our economy, we see this as a great opportunity to connect both cities and regions.”

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Discover digital, creative and fintech employers with new interactive map

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Local employers have joined forces with academics, educators and the Council to encourage further growth of the North West’s digital, creative and fintech sectors.

The Homeground website and interactive digital map profiles more than 90 local companies who between them have created thousands of jobs and are generating millions of pounds in revenue.

The collaboration is intended to raise awareness of the fastest growing sectors in the North West and help ensure a future pipeline of talent by informing young people about the global career opportunities on their doorstep.

Homeground.me

Website visitors can view the map of Derry, Strabane and Letterkenny and click on company logos to discover more information and contact details.

Through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Education & Skills Delivery Partnership, government, schools, higher and further education institutions and industry are working together to recognise skills gaps, identify how to attract or grow this talent, and nurture the workforce of tomorrow.

Columb Duffy, senior leader at Allstate NI in the North West, is chair of the partnership’s Digital, Creative and Financial Technologies Subgroup.  He said: “The digital, creative and Fintech sectors have been steadily growing in the North West, with over 100 companies offering job opportunities with excellent work-life balance and competitive salaries right here on our doorstep.”

For more information on these companies, explore the interactive digital map at www.homeground.me​.

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Halloween Homecoming for North West Expats

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Derry’s Millennium Forum is to stage a special cultural showcase – featuring snapshots of the region’s music, literature and art – for returning expats later this month.

The event – sponsored by the new diaspora association, Futureproof Northwest, which is made up of expats from Derry, Donegal and Tyrone – will take place at the Forum on October 28.

It will include a choral recital, hosted by Maurice Kelly (Allegri) and guests; a new exhibition of paintings of Derry street-scenes from the last century, by Bridget Murray; and the launch of the late John Bryson’s definitive historical reference guide to the city, ‘Derry’s Streets: 521-2021’.

Futureproof chair Sean Downey said the diaspora group, which was inaugurated at Dublin’s Mansion House in 2019, aims to support conversations that will help the region.

Mr Downey explained: ‘We want to encourage the diaspora of the North West to connect, share ideas and experience, exchange contacts and create opportunities

‘As part of this, we plan to organise activities and events to promote networking and relationship-building and strengthen the community of Northwesterners across the islands and further afield.

‘We also hope to provide support through the network to people in the North West and the diaspora across these islands and further afield seeking to develop business, promote culture and foster educational opportunities.’

Futureproof North West has previously held events at the Mansion House and the Bank of Ireland Exhibition Centre in Dublin.

Further information on the group, is available at futureproofnorthwest.com.

To register for the event click here

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WATCH: Carnival of Colours comes to town

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The Carnival of Colours returned in September to brighten up Derry city centre with acrobatics, circus performers, graffiti art, live music and much more.

Check out the highlights:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p–gCDpsHWE

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Walled City Brewery is Taproom of the Year

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Derry’s Walled City Brewery has beat hundreds of other taprooms to be crowned the best in the UK.

The Ebrington Square business, which has created more than 200 beers and received multiple accolades since it opened in 2015, was named Taproom of the Year at the nationwide Pub and Bar Awards.

WCB fought off competition from an estimated 600 other UK taprooms to win the top prize, with organisers called it “a cracking operation”.

The brewery, run by James and Louise Huey, is also planning a major expansion which will see it open a standalone Taproom and Experience Centre in 2022.

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LegenDerry Food welcomes 17 new members

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LegenDerry Food has given its seal of approval to 17 more eateries and local producers this year, bringing the total number of members to 70.

The network was established to celebrate high-quality produce and the food heritage of the city and region, from street food trucks and award-winning fine dining, to craft brewers and artisan producers.

Last year saw the development and launch of the LegenDerry brand, complete with a new website providing a central hub for accessing unique food, drink and taste experiences in Derry, Strabane and the surrounding area.

As a certified LegenDerry provider, businesses are showcased on the LegenDerry website and receive a suite of marketing material to signpost their venues or produce with the ‘LegenDerry – Great Place, Great Taste’ stamp of approval.

LegenDerry Food was the result of a Food and Drink Strategy launched in February 2019 by Derry City and Strabane District Council, as part of its wider plan to drive tourism and place the region on the map as Ireland’s top food location by 2025.

Selina Horshi, new Chair of the LegenDerry Food and Drink Network, said: “We are always happy to welcome new businesses onboard this exciting and innovative project and we look forward with anticipation to continued development in the weeks and months ahead.”

To find out more, visit www.legenderryfood.com

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Magee’s School of Medicine opens doors to first students

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Ulster University’s new School of Medicine at Magee has welcomed its very first intake of 70 students.

The first cohort to enter the first graduate entry medical school in Northern Ireland is made up of students with a wide range of related and non-scientific/healthcare backgrounds from politics to investment banking, radiography, management consultancy, optometry, forensic science, nursing and even a previous lecturer in Irish at Magee.

The opening of the School of Medicine, in a newly refurbished building with state-of-the-art facilities, comes just six months after the signing of the City Deal’s Heads of Terms, as the region prepares itself to capitalise on further growth in the burgeoning Life Sciences sector in Northern Ireland.

Professor Louise Dubras, Foundation Dean at the School of Medicine, Ulster University said: “I am very proud of our new School of Medicine which in itself marks the continued transformation of the Magee campus into a hub for Health and Innovation, as a pre-emptive part of the Derry and Strabane City Deal.

“Medical schools are sometimes located in a hospital setting but I want our students to learn near the city’s GPs and the population they will go on to care for. The School of Medicine will act as their home, a welcoming place, for the future doctors who are embarking on a challenging yet hugely rewarding journey with us.”

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