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GOLF tourism in Northern Ireland grew to almost £40 million last year, according to new figures.The latest monitor results from Tourism NI have revealed a 12 per cent rise in revenue generated from golf in comparison to 2016, in spite of the fact participation continues to fall in established markets. Revenue from golf tourism in the north remains on track to reach the target of £50m in 2020, with Royal Portrush's staging of the 2019 Open Championship set to provide a sizeable boost.More than 120,000 golfers visited Northern Ireland in 2017 and they spent over £2,000 on average per trip. The research revealed that 60 per cent of visitors like to include a trip to a tourist attraction when off-course and demonstrated that for every £1 spent on green fees in Northern Ireland, a minimum of £4 is spent elsewhere in the economy.Key golf markets for the north include North America, the Nordics and Germany, while the Republic and British markets remain strong … [Read more...] about Golf tourism generates £40m in 2017

ALMOST three million mobile customers say they have been incorrectly overcharged by their network at a cost of nearly £64 million, a survey has found.Each billing error costs consumers an average of £23, and they are unlikely to be identified and removed from the bill unless challenged by the customer, uSwitch found.One in six mobile users say they have not checked their bill in the last six months, 47 per cent because they assume it is correct, the poll found.Ru Bhikha, mobiles spokesman at uSwitch, said: "While networks should be doing all they can to prevent billing errors, they can and do happen so it really does pay to be vigilant."Checking your bill should take just a couple of minutes. If you spot something that you think is a mistake, contact your provider to let them know - you might well find you're due a refund.USwitch surveyed 2,005 UK adults in March. … [Read more...] about Mobile bill errors cost consumers £64m

1. When did you think about a career in music and what were your first steps into it? My dad played accordion in a local group and every Friday night in our home in Castledermot, Co Kildare, we had a traditional Irish session and eventually I would play some tunes on the upright piano. When I was around seven my parents enrolled me in Carlow’s Harmony Music School, then I went to The Royal Academy in Dublin. When I was 12 I sang on The Late Late Toy Show, which kick-started my career – straight away I was asked to play at parties and I joined a band. 2. Best gigs you’ve been to? Charlie Pride in The Waterfront Hall in Belfast; Joe Dolan in a hotel in Carlow; Elton John in Belfast and Andy Williams in England, Dublin and Belfast – he must have thought I was a groupie. 3. Fantasy wedding/birthday party band? Rod Stewart. I'm a huge fan and his set is sure to keep everyone on the dancefloor. 4. The record you'd take to a desert island? A combination album of my … [Read more...] about Michael English on Andy Williams, Charlie Pride and The Late Late Toy Show

ELECTRONICA and classical music will collide at this year's Celtronic Festival in Derry when DJ/producer Phil Kieran teams up with the Ulster Orchestra for a special live performance of new original work. Having previously worked with Peter Hook, Gary Numan, Green Velvet, Speedy J and David Holmes, Kieran became hooked on the idea of composing original orchestrally enhanced music since performing live in Australia with a 12 piece chamber orchestra in 2016. Kieran, who had already approached the Ulster Orchestra while working on his last album Blinded by The Sun, this year became their electronic music ambassador through the European Orchestra Laboratory, which aims to develop new audiences for orchestras.He embarked on a six month project collaborating with viola player Jonathan Simmance and three local musicians, Eoin O'Callaghan, Neil Burns and Leon Crockett at Celtronic Studios. He explains: "Although there are a lot of good reinterpretations of dance music by orchestras and … [Read more...] about Ulster Orchestra joins forces with DJ/producer Phil Kieran at Derry’s Celtronic fest

WITH its enigmatic subject matter and dramatic sky, a famous painting of "ordinary" Donegal girl Annie McGinley has led BBC journalist Kevin Magee on an investigation like no other. The hard-hitting reporter has recently been indulging his artistic side following a chance encounter with the painting he found hanging in a pub in Glencolmcille, Co Donegal. It wasn't the original 'Annie' – that was traced to a family in New York – but the reproduction of the work by famous American artist Rockwell Kent that struck a chord and led to the making of Ar Lorg Annie – Searching For Annie – which goes out on BBC2 Northern Ireland this Sunday. "The painting of Annie McGinley lying on the Donegal cliffs caught my eye and I was immediately hooked," Magee enthuses. "I had been on a cycle ride across the county and stopped off at the pub. "It made me want to find out more. At one time Kent was a household name in the United States, but very little was known about the time he … [Read more...] about Veteran reporter unveils a story of Cold War intrigue under a Donegal canvas

Next week Arlene Foster will attend the PinkNews summer reception at Stormont, currently only being used for such events because there has been no government sitting in 18 months. This is the type [...] This story is for Premium subscribers only Registered users get 5 regular articles and 1 free Premium article per week.   … [Read more...] about Allison Morris: Arlene Foster has finally realised she needs to work on her image