We should be glad and impressed that the Showcase Exhibition, held in the RDS every January, last year reached its 45th anniversary. It bills itself, correctly, no doubt, as Ireland’s leading Trade Exhibition, for fashion, household, gifts and other goods. But some former colleagues may be unaware of CTTs progenerative role in this perennially trade-productive institution..
It was, indeed, in the seventies -and Yes, about 45 years ago. CTT used to do a lot of promotional work in North America, both at consumer and trade level, and usually featuring a high class, design and reputation-influencing major department store (and its branches) most every year. This had the interesting result that Ireland became fashionable, for some while, and recognised as a Go To country for quality and well designed imported goods, due to our continuous association with influential top department stores. (And, it must be said, because of the phenomenal market position of Waterford Glass ) (I believe Ireland was featured inside stores and in their newspaper advertising, etc more than any other foreign country in the 1970s). This in turn led to some unexpected benefits of real importance. One was the Revlon promotion in 40 cities across the nation, which you all know about (No?). Another was a very interesting spawning of Irish Gift Fashion boutiques, or specialist shops selling Irish clothing, household good, textiles, gifts, gourmet foods, etc. These sprung up across the country and almost all of them, no exaggeration, were created and later managed with very close assistance from our offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Biddy Greene recently estimated to me that there must have been c. 150 of them. I’d say maybe closer to a hundred. Tony Courtney, Ann Tormey, Rosemary Craig and others on the team in those days could probably write a book about them. We should have built a franchise (- and, truth, I nearly did.. Nobody knows that till now )(I still have the business plan!)
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The Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire saw one of the biggest ex-CTT turn outs for years recently, to celebrate the 90th birthday of the one and only Nancy Downes. Great organisation work by Rosemary and Marjorie, who deserve our thanks
Pre-Christmas Get Together with AGM
CTT Alumni Annual Golf Outing will take place in Carrickmines Golf Club
Anniversary Gala Evening
As he approaches his 70th year, John McGuire is alive and well and living alone in Ranelagh in Dublin. He is retired from full-time work since 2014 and still works part-time as a management consultant, Board member, stock trader, voluntary worker and yoga teacher.
I was surprised and delighted recently to receive a flyer from the Donegal Historical Society promoting an interesting local history session in Killybegs, on the topic of early Irish christianity, and especially the design of early crosses and iconography. (I have a theory that the first stone crosses were actually Viking !) (But you know me..)
After very competitive semi final matches at Fitzwilliam on 2 September, Marion Kirwan and Colum MacDonnell won a close final.
