THE vast majority of people in Ireland will not be sorry to see the back of 2010. Yes, it has been a difficult year right across the board.
Many thought to have been in the super rich bracket lost their fortunes; local traders who had served the community for generations were forced to close their doors; thousands of jobs were surrendered across the Mid West and the average Joe Soap is just about hanging in there.
Confidence was further eroded by the behaviour of a Government that lost the run of itself.
But let’s not despair.
We are about to enter a New Year and hopefully, the dawning of a new era.
The Irish, we are constantly told, are a resilient people.
Already, there are some encouraging signs on the local front.
An air of buoyancy has returned to the city centre and shoppers will have noted the opening of several new outlets in recent weeks.
There are also new arrivals at the Crescent SC.
The IDA has new jobs coming our way.
Aer Lingus has reopened the Shannon-Paris route and indicators are that Ryanair will increase the number of flights to holiday destinations from Shannon.
Limerick City Manager Tom Mackey is determined to ensure that Limerick puts its best foot forward in 2011 and to build on the progress made this year.
Concerns have been aired at City Hall about the negative portrayal of Limerick by certain sections of the media, but the Limerick Post, the only Limerick owned newspaper in the Mid West, vows to continue to inform its 200,000 readers of all that is good and positive about our great city.
