“There is just a lovely vibe in Leitrim” says TV show host Mary Kennedy

“It's a hidden gem in a way, Leitrim,” said Mary Kennedy speaking to the Leitrim Observer at the vibrant and colourful market at Market Yard in Carrick-on-Shannon last week.
Mary is presenter of Moving West, a six part series showcasing life in the West of Ireland which is in it's third series and is produced by Dundara Television and Media in association with the Western Development Commission.
Mary had big praise for Leitrim and spoke about how she visits the Wild Rose County often, sometimes to see her good friend Eleanor Shanley, who is a well known singer from Keshcarrigan.
“I love Leitrim. I have a very good friend, Eleanor Shanley. Actually her and her group have just released an album. She does a lot of work in The Dock and I come down to see her concerts. I've other friends here, Joe Dolan and his wife Rosie, who ran The Bush Hotel and I come to see them.
“There is just a lovely vibe in Leitrim. I've also come into Carrick on a cruiser with my partner as well as my brother and his wife and another couple.
“We always go away in the Autumn and sometimes would take a cruiser from Glasson up to the Shannon and come to Carrick and dock here. There are so many nice places to eat, to have a drink, go for walks. I've done a few Nationwides here as well and the boardwalk is a wonderful amenity.
“I love Carrick but I had never been to the market before and I just think it's a beautiful amenity. What I really like is the fact that there are some many people coming to the market and buying things.
“You have eggs, beautiful flowers, bread; what's lovely about it too is there is a cosmopolitan nature like Paris; the two cheese makers I've just been speaking to are from America and have been living in Singapore. They said that as a gay couple with a child, there was more of a welcome here than they had experienced when living in Singapore and in the States,”she said.
Mary said she was struck by the strong sense of community in Carrick and indeed the county.
“I love communities and there is a massive sense of community here. Leitrim is just beautiful with the lakes and the gentle countryside.
“I love the fact that a series like Moving West, which TG4 has very kindly re-commissioned for three years, is an opportunity to show off these places because so many people don't realise what we have when you go out of Dublin and go west or go south, there are just so many fabulous places and Moving West really showcases that,” she said.
Rebecca Farrell, Economic Regeneration Officer/Atlantic Economic Corridor Officer at Leitrim County Council, spoke to the Leitrim Observer about how the council were delighted to sponsor the show.
“When the opportunity came up, we were really excited about showcasing what Leitrim has, both from a quality of life point of view and also from an employment perspective as well.
The production team were filming in Merenda in Manorhamilton the previous day, she said. The company is a manufacturer of high quality wood veneer surfaces for the furniture and interior fit-out market worldwide.
She said the crew spoke to Monique Carroll, Customer Service Administrator at Merenda, who hails from South Africa.
“The great thing about it is it's an indigenous company so it was set up in Manorhamilton by local people and has grown over the years and is a great employer in north Leitrim.”
The team also met with quantity surveyor Gavin Duignan, associate director of Kelly and O'Callaghan who made the move from Dublin to Leitrim.
The crew visited his work station at The Hive in Carrick-on-Shannon which is the town's co-working space.
Gavin started out at a hot desk at the co working space and now has a number of employees and is based at The Hive.
“The visit to The Hive highlighted the possibilities of remote working. Kelly and O'Callaghan is a Dublin company but is based in The Hive and Gavin started out just taking a hot desk and now employs two local people and has a small office there.
“It really shows the flexibility of options there for smaller enterprises as well in terms of leasing arrangements and using office space.”
On the day we met with the TV crew they were featuring the ladies from Leitrim Hill Creamery.
Rebecca said, “The food sector is really important in Leitrim. The show will feature them here (in The Market Yard) and will also feature them out at Drumcong where they have their business.”
She said that the show was a chance for viewers to see all the county has to offer.
“From our perspective, we're sponsoring the show and it's really about getting the message out there that Leitrim is a place where there is great quality of life, great outdoor amenities, affordable childcare, obviously housing is a nationwide issue but it's more affordable here and you will get more for your money.
“There are great employment opportunities and great options particularly with Local Enterprise Office and small businesses that want to set up, and working hubs as well. It's a great place to live!” said Rebecca.
Enda Grace, producer and director of Moving West, said that none of those who've moved West have regretted their decision.
“In Merenda, we spoke to Monique who moved here a couple of years back and made it her home and has a small family and absolutely loves it here and has no regrets which is something that we have actually found with everyone through the course of the series; nobody ever regrets moving to the West of Ireland.
"We were in Manorhamilton yesterday and today, we are here at the Market Yard market and later will go to meet the principal of the Gaelscoil in the afternoon and will hear her moving story.
“She moved from Dublin to here and became principal of the Gaelscoil and loved the move. It's a long time since she moved but we meet people who moved a long time ago and who've moved recently.
“Tomorrow, we're back with Richelle South and guys from Leitrim Hill Creamery at Leitrim Hill and then we meet Heather Humphreys, Minister for Social Protection in Mohill,” he said.
A busy itinerary for the TV crew but it should be worth it when the show is aired later this season.