The Life of Nevin Maguire

Neven Maguire was in born and raised in Blacklion, Co. Cavan. He grew up with his mother Vera, father Joe, and eight other siblings. Nevan was raised in

Mc Nean House (family home at the time) the resturant which he now owns. His mother Vera orignally started the business many years ago and Nevan found himself in the kitchen from a very early age.Vera proved to be very influential in the future career path that Neven was to embark on.

Training

Neven studied catering in Fermanagh College (where he now teaches 2 days a week). During his college years he worked in Moyglare Manor which was followed by a stint in Berlin in the

Grand Hotel. At 21 he won the Baileys Young Chef of the year award and spent three months in Luxembourg working with Lea Linster, a three star Michelin chef and the only female chef to ever win the ‘Best Cook in the World’ award.
He then moved to Belfast to work in Roscoff’s resturant under Paul Rankin and after a while he returned to Luxembourg for more training. However the lure of home and the family proved too much and eventually he returned to Blacklion to work in the family business.

Nevins Philosophy

Nevin Maguire is a true believer in sourcing, were possible his ingredients locally. He buys all his produce from local suppliers, sourcing his vegetables from a local organic farmer who runs a business called Baraizone Gardens. His free range duck comes from near by Thornhill Duckling. He also sources his fish from Killybegs and his meat from a local butcher. It is evident that Nevins philosophy refelects heavily in the wonderful fresh and exciting dishes he is famous for.

Nevin the Author
Not only has Neven shown us that he is a high profile chef, he has also published 3 cookery books to date. His Cookery Collection is the definitive reference book for the way we eat today, containing the most popular recipes from Neven’s bestselling cookery books: Neven Cooks, Neven Cooks 2, and Cooking for Family and Friends. He understands the needs of the busy amateur cook. Using readily available ingredients, and written in his trademark approachable and straightforward style, this book brings together old favourites as well some exciting new ideas. It’s all there, from entertaining friends to world cusine, including variations on everyday favourites to keep you inspired. Delicious food, simply explained, beautifully illustrated.

There is no doubt that Nevin Maguire is a truely inspirational chef, coming from a quiet sleepy town (Blacklion), to working in some of the top resturants in the world. But what is most admirable is his return to his home town to open up his well known and award winning resturant. I believe that he himself has put Blacklion on the map. He is living the dream that the majority of chefs set out to achieve, he has proven that with a lot of commitment and dedication your dream can indeed become a reality.

Reference :

Campbell, G, 2002, Georgina Campbells Jameson Guide – Ireland, Georgina Campbell Guides Ltd.

http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/Archives/Oct2006/Chef_orange.htm

http://www.wineireland.ie/feat_twoa.htm

Virtual Communities

What is a Virtual Community?

A Virtual Community is a community which is formed by a group of people who have a certain interest in common, these people communicate their thoughts and feelings on certain topics or issues via, e-mail, telephone, social networking (facebook, bebo), newsletters, blogs, etc. These communities can be formed for professional or social reasons.

Why Are Virtual Communities Formed?

As mentioned earlier these communities are formed for either professional or social purpose. People enjoy many activities through virtual communities including,

• Working Together (for the purpose of business) : Certain work groups within companies and between companies use on line communities for the purpose of team building, keeping in touch and working on assignments together.


• Socialising: Alot of Virtual Communities are formed for the purpose of socialising, whether it be just chatting, sharing jokes or trying to meet people. These communities usually operate through chat rooms, social networks or on-line bulletin boards.


• Discussion of Topical Issues: Forums are often constructed online to give people the opportunity to discuss their feelings and beliefs in relation to topics which are of importance to the users.

What is a Brand Community?

"A brand community is a specialized, non‐geographically bound community, based on a structured set of social relations among admirers of a brand."(O'Guinn,2001)

Brand Communities build relationships between the brand and the customer, the customer and a particular product and also between fellow customers. The overall aim of these communities is to create brand loyalty among consumers. Along with creating loyalty these communities give members a sense of belonging or connection which is something that many people lack due to the demands of modern day life.

Harley Davidson as a Brand Community

In 1983 the brand Harley Davidson faced an uncertain future as the company was in jeopardy. Today this company is listed in the top fifty global brands and is worth $7.8 billion. The success of this company has been put down to their commitment to building a brand community.

After the companies near collapse in the early 80's management within Harley Davidson completely redesigned their business model around a brand community philosophy. Harley Davidson re-structured every area of the organisation including its culture and operating procuders, this was all in a bid to drive its new community strategy.

Reference:

http://www.fullcirc.com/community/communitywhatwhy.htm

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/319618

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3203368

http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/04/getting-brand-communities-right/ar/1

The Godfather of Modern Cookery

Marco Pierre White grew up in Leeds; he was the son of an Italian housewife and a Yorkshire chef. At the young age of 16, Marco Pierre White decided to train as a chef after leaving Allerton High School. Marco began his training at the Hotel St George in Harrogate, West Yorkshire. In 1981 at the age of 19 he moved to London where he began his training in classical cookery at

Le Gavroche under the instruction of Michel and Albert Roux. White worked with the brothers until he felt he had been sufficiently trained in classical cookery.
In January of 1986 at the age of 24 White became joint owner and Head Chef of Harvey’s restaurant, the first of his restaurants in London. While in this position he mentored many aspiring young chefs, including Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsey. White received a Michelin Star one year after opening Harvey’s restaurant and a second Michelin Star in 1988. In 1995 he received a third Michelin Star, this saw his entry into the history books, as he was the first ever British chef to receive three Michelin Stars. After this staggering success White decided that he had reached the pinnacle of his career, he left the professional kitchen in 1999, and also renounced his Michelin Stars, he retired at the young age of 38.


“Once I realised the value of Michelin Stars it was really easy. The moment I accepted that I am being judged by people, who have less knowledge than me, it told me what it was truly worth.” (Marco Pierre White, 1999)


After his departure from the world of professional cookery White focused his attention on overseeing the management of his many successful restaurants. In 2000 White embarked on a entrepreneurial journey with his business, White Star Line Company. White now has his name attached to many famous eateries including, Belvedere, Criterion, L'Escargot, Mirabelle, Frankies Italian Bar and Grill, to mention but a few.


Along with being a world famous chef and restaurateur, White has become an established author and tv personality. He released his first autobiography in August 2006, it was titled White Slave. White also released a series of cook books, for which he received much acclaim. In September 2007 White replaced the loudmouth Gordon Ramsey as the head chef on the British cooking competition, Hell’s Kitchen.


Marco Pierre White has undoubtedly proven himself to be the God Father of Modern Cookery, his work ethic, determination and overall passion for his work has seen him reach astonishing heights, heights which have not been reached by a British Chef since. He is a true icon who displays all the attributes of seasoned professional in his field.


References :
http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment/marco-pierre-white/index.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/aug/14/foodanddrink.biography
http://www.marcopierrewhite.org/

The Fastest Creature on Earth

About This Creature

The Thoroughbred horse is known and has proven itself to be the fastest creature on earth, it is a supremely athletic horse which displays all the attributes of a well bred animal. Thoroughbreds are tall leggy animals which come in a variety of colours, mainly solids. Some thoroughbreds will often have distinctive white markings on their bodies such as a blaze or white socks, a blaze is a white stripe down the horses face and white socks refer to white markings on their legs above their hooves. These horses usually have quite prominent withers (the tallest bone at the beginning of their neck), with an elegant head and beautifully arched neck. This breed usually stands between 15 and 16 hands high and weighs about 1,100 pounds; these animals are full of raw power due to their muscular quarters. Thoroughbreds are famous across the world because of their display of courage and spirit on the race track and over fences. These horses are warm blooded animals, which mean they are usually smaller and leaner than other breeds. Thoroughbreds are often crossed with draught horses in order to produce high quality sports horses that possess the speed of the thoroughbred and the great strength of the draught horse.

History
Unlike many horse breeds which have existed for years, the thoroughbred is a relatively new breed. Around three hundred years ago in Britain the most commonly used horse by the nobles was the heavy draught horse. These horses descended from the knights of England who would use these horses during battle. They were used primarily for their strength, they could carry a fully grown man wearing a heavy suit of armour effortlessly. However during the 17th century the nobles of England started gaining interest in horse racing and hunting, and in order to be successful in either pursuit light fast horses were required.

Where Did the Breed Come From?

The thoroughbred as we know it today is due to the influence of three Arabian Sires (Arabian Stallions). During the early part of the 17th century three Arabian Sires were imported into Britain, the Godolphin Arabian, Byerly Turk, and the Darley Arabian. These sires were bred to quality English mares resulting in the off springs Herod, Eclipse, and Matchem, these horses exhibited great speed and endurance and have had a huge influence over the thoroughbred breed as we know it today.

I can gladly say that I am the proud owner of one of these wonderful animals. I bought my horse, who I name my blog spot after, Triskele Valentine in Feburary of this year. She is a 15.3 hands high leggy mare, she is dark bay in colour and is just turning five years old. She is very energetic and a bit of a handful at times, however I wouldent change her for the world, she is a joy to own and work with.

Reference :

Dorling Kindersley, Horses, E Edwards

Miles Kelly Publishing, Horses, 1000 Facts

http://www.thoroughbred.com/

http://books.google.ie/books?id=TKkO8zbm9vQC&dq=thoroughbred+horse&printsec

The Irish Gypsy Cob

There is an old saying, which goes “Gypsy Gold does not chink and glitter, it gleams in the sun, and neighs in the dark”. This proverb is believed to have originated from the Claddaugh Gypsies of Galway, it is in reference to the wonderful relationship between gypsies (travellers) and their most treasured possessions, their horses.

The traditional Gypsy Cob was primarily used by the gypsies of Ireland to pull their carts and caravans from place to place. These draught horses are of medium height with a very distinctive compact body. They have a very strong muscular stout build with a distinctive full main, tail, and feather. These cobs usually stand between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high. These cobs come in a variety of colours both solid and pattern.

In years gone by these horses were not only used by travellers but by farmers also, they are a strong, incredibly hard working horse which made them ideal for heavy farm work.

This particular breed of horse is pleasant and tolerant in nature making them an ideal animal to work with and be around both adults and children.The Irish Gypsy Cob has been recognised as one of Ireland's oldest breeds along with the world famous Connemara Pony and Irish Draught Horse.

The Gypsy Cob Today

In recent years the Irish Cob has become increasingly popular in equestrian centres and in the world of hunting. This is due to their temperament, they are quiet and docile which makes them very easy to work with and also appealing to novice riders and young children. These horses have proven themselves in most disciplines imaginable in the equine world including, competitive dressage, driving, and also western sports. Cobs are been used more and more in equestrian and hunting activities, their muscular build gives them the strenght which is required for powerful jumping and hunting hard terrain.

I have had the pleasure of working with these gentle animals on many occasions in my horse riding lessons, they truly are a very pleasant and tolerant breed of horse. They don't exhibit the flighty tendencies which most other breeds have, they are relaxed, friendly and when asked, very hard working.

Reference :

E.Edwards, Dorling Kindersley, Horses

http://www.gypsyirishcob.com/

http://www.theirishhorse.com/IrishCobhorsebreed.html

Wireless Technology

A Little History

Throughout the past few years wireless technology has advanced greatly in relation to the information technology. The concept of wireless technology was developed by Guglielmo Marconi more then a century ago. This inventor was the creator of the radio which was designed back in 1897. Technology has continued to evolve and advance considerably since this.

What is Wireless Technology?

"Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carrythe signal over part or all of the communication path."

Telecommunications is a term used to describe the communication of information, including text, data, pictures, video, and voice over long distances.

Within the hospitality industry advances in wireless technology seem endless from remote check in services, wi-fi services in each bedroom and scanners to identify guests when they arrive. While these advances in technology seem to increase the hospitality industry's profitable and competitive advantage, they don't come without their problems. Dan Philips an industry expert has commented that "many of the applications that are being brought into the hospitality industry are technologies that have been developed outside the hotel industry and are being retro-fit to accommodate the needs of hospitality." Philips believes that this technology is not designed for the hospitality industry and therefore it cannot
accommodate all the different needs of the industry.

There are many forms of wireless technology in use everyday, everywhere in the hospitality industry, some of these include Blue Tooth and Wi-Fi.

• Blue Tooth : The name for this technology came from a 10th century Danish King by the name of Harald Blatand, known in English as Harold Bluetooth. This King brought together countries which were at war, these included Denmark, Sweden and Norway. This name was given to the modern technology because Bluetooth was intended to unite several different industries under one standard. Bluetooth is a communications protocol, its purpose is to replace bundles of cables and the hassel of connecting them all together. This technology can replace wires in many places, including, computer mouse, printers, and headphones. There are many benefits associated with bluetooth including its power usage, it was designed to use very small amounts of power for example every transmission on a bluetooth mobile phone uses on average 1 mW of power. In other words blue tooth has almost no effect on the battery life of a mobile phone. This technology is used on a regular basis within the hospitality industry, it allows for ease during the average working day.
  


• Wi-Fi : This technology is widely known for becoming the standard for wireless area networks it enables users from anywhere in the world to go on line, send files photographs or videos, and also interact with friends or colleagues any time day or night. It wasn't until 1999 that Wi-Fi gained recognition among computer users. Previously this technology did not appeal to users because of its lack of speed. There are many benefits associated with this technology, its economic a very affordiable technology, it also gets good range inside it can have a range of 75 to 150 feet and outside it can reach more than 1,000 feet. This is also another technology that is widley used within the hospitality industry.

Reference:

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2001_4th/Nov01_WirelessTech.html

Lecture Notes

http://www.answers.com/topic/wireless-technology

http://wirelesshistory.org/fullscreen.htm

http://www.cellularinternational.com/technology_history.cfm

Search Engine Optimisation

What is Search Engine Optimisation?
Search engine optimisation also known as SEO is the process and science of making certain web pages more attractive to the search engine. Most people who look up information on the web usually only look through the highest ranked search results, or the first page of results. This means that the higher your website is the more views it gets.

SEO tends to focus on certain techniques like making sure that each web page has correct meta and title tags. It also makes sure that key words and phrases for a particular page are distributed evenly throughout the content in a way that the particular search engine will like.
SEO's find web pages through spidering software. Not all search engine spidering software works the same way, so therefore what gives a page a high ranking on one search engine may not give it on another search engine.

A Little History

The world wide web came to life in November of 1990, with the launch of the first ever web server. In order to use the world wide web effectively a web crawler or robot if you like was needed this was developed by a student called Matthew Grey.

Throughout the years there were adjustments and alterations made to the web crawler and in 1994 the first fully operational crawler was born. In the years that followed this creation, many search engines came on board offering the same service with slight differences. There were many successful engines launched at this time including,

• Go To which is now commonly known as Overture, this company introduced the concept of pay per click (PPC) in 1997. Instead of ranking sites in the usual way which was based on formula, they allowed open bidding for certain keywords, the highest bidder got the highest ranking on the web. Today all major search engines rely on pay per click listings to generate revenue.

• In 1998 the concept of user feedback was introduced by a company called Direct Hit. This group allocated ranking according to who's listings were clicked most by users. This system worked for a while but the ability of manipulation was soon recognised, none of today's search engines use this form of feedback.

Search Engine Optimisation has advanced greatly throughout the past few years, it is a wonderful tool which enables computer users to access the web with relative ease.

To read more on this subject please click here.

Reference:

http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/live/articles/seo_history.asp

http://www.stickynewmedia.co.uk/articles/4/index.php