Belfast Newsletter - Well well well. There is a whole different side to Belfast that I suggest many people have been totally unaware of - to their loss. So you are familiar with city centre shopping, Belfast City Hall, The Cathedral Quarter, the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens, the Golden Mile, the Victoria Square and environs, Lisburn Road and the Troubles Tours in the west of the city?
But what about the Titanic Quarter as a weekend leisure designation?
Never thought of it? Me Neither.
But that all changed with a stay in the delightful Titanic Hotel.
One of Ireland’s largest privately held companies, Harcourt Developments, has unveiled the results of the first phase of a €20 million investment in its hotel portfolio - The Harcourt Collection, at County Donegal’s five-star Lough Eske Castle.
The new additions are named “The Donegal Suites” and showcase furnishings, artworks and amenities sourced and created by local craftspeople and businesses. Overseen by Harcourt Developments Creative Director, John Doherty, interior features include working with world famous local tweed weavers Magee 1866.
A short film about the amazing artist Angela Conner FRBS who created a series of large kinetic sculptures for Park West Business Park in Dublin including the 40m (129ft) high, 20-tonne 'Wave' - the tallest kinetic sculpture in Europe, which is powered only by the wind. Our chairman Pat Doherty was delighted to be interviewed by the filmmakers Laura Warner and Dreweatts 1759.
Hollywood, Los Angeles - the team at Titanic Belfast were delighted to accept a THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Visitor Experience Re-envisioned at the ‘Oscars’ of visitor attractions.
The THEA Awards, organised by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), recognise achievement, talent and personal excellence from those who bring incredible experiences to life for people around the world. This is the first time an attraction has won twice in its 30-year history.
Belfast City Council - He sums up its work as bringing “step changes” to Northern Ireland, such as the emergence of a new film and TV industry in the 2000s after Harland & Wolff’s old Paint Hall was transformed into Titanic Studios.
It's among the milestones for Titanic Quarter witnessed by James Eyre since he joined Titanic Quarter Ltd, the company behind the massive seafront development, as a surveyor in 2006.
James, who studied estate management at UIster University, was last week named its new chief executive – the first at the company since a restructuring in 2015.
Harcourt Developments, the proprietors of Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Donegal has announced the appointment of Donal Cox as the venue’s new general manager. Cox has returned to Lough Eske Castle from sister hotel Redcastle Hotel & Spa in north Donegal, after having previously served as the former hotel’s operations manager seven years ago.
The Taste - I have to admit I was fairly sure Belfast had exhausted every Titanic related revenue opportunity conceivable. With thousands of tourists flocking to The Titanic Quarter in Belfast on a daily basis it seemed odd that this neck of the woods was poorly served however when it came to accommodation options.
The Titanic is a monument to Belfast’s maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city’s Titanic Quarter where the now infamous RMS Titanic was built. Being one of the busiest visitor attraction in Northern Ireland it makes perfect sense that when an opportunity to acquire an old shipbuilding office right next door presented itself the company behind this mammoth attraction saw it as a chance to really transform the space.
Bellingham Herald - For families looking for a new playground for their kids to conquer, Waypoint Park is ready.
The park is one of several projects happening as the city, Harcourt Developments and the Port of Bellingham work to redevelop the area. This includes a glass-and-steel structure being built near the Granary building by Harcourt for a potential fine dining restaurant; the construction of the waterfront district’s two main roads, Granary Avenue and West Laurel Street and a $32 million residential project west of Waypoint Park.
Belfast, Northern Ireland - National Geographic Pledges $500,000 Toward Effort Supported by James Cameron and Dr. Robert Ballard, Discoverer of the Titanic Wreck.
The Titanic champions pledged their support at the event which formally launched a $20m campaign by Royal Museums Greenwich, National Museums Northern Ireland, Titanic Belfast and Titanic Foundation Limited to bring home to the UK and Ireland 5,500 artefacts.
Harcourt recently hosted Sir Paul McCartney, James Corden and the Late Late Show production crew at the Titanic Hotel while they were in Liverpool filming the latest episode of Carpool Karaoke.
Described as 'one of the most extraordinary interviews he's ever done', James Corden spent a special day with Paul McCartney exploring the city of Paul's youth, visiting his childhood home where he wrote music with John Lennon, performing songs in a local pub and of course driving around singing a few of Paul's biggest hits.
Belfast Telegraph - The prequel to Game of Thrones will be filmed in Belfast’s Titanic Studios.
Filming on the Game of Thrones prequel will start in Belfast in October, it has been confirmed.
Staff at the Paint Hall studios in the city's Titanic Quarter have been briefed that their next major project will be a series set 1,000 years before the events of the fantasy drama.
After only 8-months of operation, Titanic Hotel Belfast has won the prestigious RICS Award for 'outstanding contribution to tourism and leisure facilities in Northern Ireland.'
The new hotel is situated in the original Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices & Headquarters, one of Northern Ireland's most important historical buildings. A location of global significance where over 1,000 ships were designed including the famous Olympic-class liners.
Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern and George Mitchell were the guests of honour at a special Co-operation Ireland event organised by the charity’s chairman Christopher Moran to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of The Agreement. Hosted by Pat Doherty at Titanic Hotel Belfast on Tuesday, April 10, the event brought together business leaders and supporters of the peace building charity.
Harcourt were honoured to welcome Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle to Titanic Belfast on their first official engagement to Northern Ireland.
The couple visited Titanic Belfast on 23rd March, where staff, locals and visitors from across the globe caught a glimpse of the couple ahead of their wedding in May.
Irish Independent - Ready to feel old? It's hard to believe, but on this day 20 years ago Titanic: The Movie first premiered on cinema screens in the US.
The three-hour-long blockbuster, which set the love story of passengers Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) against the backdrop of the liner's tragic maiden voyage, premiered in the US on December 19, 1997.
It went on to become the top grossing film of all time, bagging some $2 billion worldwide (another James Cameron movie, Avatar, has since surpassed that).
Harcourt recently hosted British reggae legends UB40 and the Virgin Holidays film crew at Carlisle Bay when they were in Antigua making a new music video for their top ten hit 'Come Back Darling' to encourage tourists to 'come back' to the Caribbean following a concerted recovery effort after the impact of Hurricane Irma.
Irish Independent - The five-star Lough Eske Castle hotel in Co Donegal last year recorded profits of €1.54m.
The luxury hotel, which is part of Pat Doherty's Harcourt Developments, enjoyed the profits after revenues increased to €8.56m for the year.
Harcourt Developments finance director Nick Doherty said: "2016 was a strong year for Lough Eske where overall revenues grew by 6pc. "Overall, in terms of geographical market share, we witnessed strong growth both from the Irish and US markets, which more than offset a slight decline in the UK market."
Daily Mail - From derelict to fully-booked! Belfast's Titanic Hotel finally opens after birthplace of tragic cruise liner is transformed with £28 MILLION make-over. Brand new hotel occupies the former Harland & Wolff headquarters, where the ill-fated liner was designed. Boasting 120 rooms over four floors, it has been billed as the world’s most authentic Titanic-themed hotel. Officially opened on Sunday, the building is adjacent to the slipways where ship was built and launched.
Belfast Telegraph - Belfast's newest luxury hotel has opened its doors at the site of the former Harland & Wolff drawing offices and headquarters after a two-year restoration.
The £28m Titanic Hotel, which highlights the history behind Queen's Island and the shipbuilding industry in Northern Ireland, was opened with a performance by...
Irish Independent - Housing development is one of state agency's largest joint ventures to date
Nama is teaming up with Pat Doherty's Harcourt Developments for a major house building project in south-west Dublin.
The state agency and Doherty's group have applied for planning permission for more than 500 units...
Irish Independent - The hotel arm of Pat Doherty's Harcourt Developments group last year recorded revenues of €60m and said that its experience of Brexit to date has been positive.
The Harcourt Collection comprises seven hotels and resorts spread across Ireland, the UK and the Caribbean along with Titanic Belfast and a spokesman said yesterday that it is "very pleased with the performance of the hotels".
Dublin-based Harcourt Group has signed up Irish international rugby star Robbie Henshaw to help consolidate its new hotels brand, the fast-growing Harcourt Collection.
The Harcourt Collection which has an annual turnover of €60 million currently boasts seven hotels and resorts spread across Ireland, the UK and the Caribbean...
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