Harlequins are pleased to announce that Patrick Lennon is to join the club as its Media and Public Relations Consultant with immediate effect.
Patrick Lennon will work with Chief Executive, David Ellis and Director of Rugby, Conor O’Shea, to ensure a communications service that befits a club of Harlequins’ stature in the game is developed to meet the needs of the club’s audiences.
Lennon is a media and communications professional with considerable experience in leisure and sport, in particular rugby union. He headed up the media and PR function at London Irish for 15 years and is communications advisor to Global Sports Coaching and its website www.rugbycoaching drills.com, the online coaching resource that is working with the RFU and IRB.
Announcing Lennon’s appointment, David Ellis said, “These are exciting times for Harlequins. Not only are we performing well on the pitch, we are also working to ensure the club is structured to serve all our stakeholders better and position ourselves for future success. Communications will play a vital role in the successful delivery of all our plans. We’re pleased to have secured the services of a highly regarded and experienced professional like Paddy Lennon to support us in the media and PR area.”
The DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort San Diego, California has appointed Patrick Lennon Associates to undertake its first promotional and public relations programme in the United Kingdom, Ireland and selected mainland Europe countries.
The resort, conveniently situated 25 minutes north of San Diego International Airport, features 174 refreshingly redesigned guest rooms, two heated, outdoor swimming pools, spa and a range of conference and meeting facilities in a beautiful country club setting. A prominent feature of the resort is the Carmel Highland 18 hole championship golf course which offers a challenging yet fun experience for golfers of all levels of ability.
The catalyst for the promotional programme has been the launch by British Airways in June 2011 of a direct, scheduled service between London Heathrow and San Diego International Airport.
“British Airways’ initiative in launching a direct service between London and San Diego opens up new opportunities for our resort,” said Bernie Sweeney, irector of Sales and Marketing at the DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort San Diego. “This part of California has much to offer visitors from Europe and our resort provides a perfect base. Patrick Lennon Associates has the industry experience and expertise to raise our profile in this important market and we’re looking forward to making an impact.”
THE Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on 9th August 2011 the start of trials of a new internet based coaching academy which aims to deliver the best of rugby coaching information to coaches at all levels of the game throughout England as a complementary and integral part of the RFU’s coach development programmes.
The academy has been established in partnership with Global Sports Coaching (GSC) and its www.rugbycoachingdrills.com website. Established in 2010, GSC has accessed the talents and experience of leading coaches in this country and abroad, including Sir Ian McGeechan and Dick Best, to create on online coaching and club management resource that features a range of coaching exercises including interactive drills in 3D, a coaching toolkit and personal development programmes for players of all ages.
As the National Governing Body for rugby in England, the RFU aims to be regarded as a role model for coach development and coaching excellence and has responsibility for ensuring the quantity and quality of coaches, from grassroots to representative level, is constantly growing and improving. It has a series of well-developed coaching development programmes and support services that ensures rugby happens around the country in a safe and fun environment.
“This is the first time the RFU has entered into a partnership with an external provider for the delivery of essential coaching services,” said Gary Henderson, Head of Player and Coach Development at the RFU. “Our objective is to improve the expertise of our coaches at all levels nationally by complementing our face to face programmes with value added content and advice via the internet.
“All our research has shown that coaches play a significant role in providing the quality of experience we want to give our players so working in partnership with GSC and its www.rugbycoachingdrills.com website, we believe we can provide our coaches with access to resources that will greatly improve their performance.
“We’re starting with a pilot scheme before moving onto regional trials in September. Depending on the outcome of the trials, we plan to launch the academy nationally next January.”
Sir Ian McGeechan, Director of GSC, said: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the RFU on the delivery of this crucial aspect of the Union’s services.
“It is apparent that the rapid development of the interactive web technology and related communications infrastructures provide an appropriate resource with which to manage and develop coaching expertise in this country. We’ve invested heavily in the development of our website and are very excited about the potential of the RFU’s coaching academy.”
PLA provides pubic relations and communciations services to GSC.
Pictured at the announcement of the RFU-GSC partnership are (left to right) Carson Russell, Chief Executive GSC; Sir Ian McGeechan, Board Director GSC; Graham Rowntree, England Coach; Gary Henderson, Head of Coach and Player Development, RFU and Richard Wildman, Chairman, GSC.
Kevin O’Sullivan has been appointed Editor of The Irish Times in succession to Geraldine Kennedy who is retiring.
He takes over as Editor immediately and also joins the board of The Irish Times Limited.
Mr. O’Sullivan has been news editor since 2006. He has also served as night editor, special projects editor, editor of the Health supplement and environmental and food science correspondent.
Kevin joined The Irish Times in 1997 having previously worked with the Connacht Tribune and the Tuam Herald. He graduated with a BSc from University College Dublin in 1981 and a Diploma in Journalism from Dublin City University in 1983.
Aged 51, Kevin is originally from Tramore, Co. Waterford. He is married to Ger and they have two sons and a daughter.
The Board of The Irish Times Ltd formally congratulated Geraldine Kennedy on her editorship. The board expressed their gratitude for her commitment to the newspaper, to the objectives and ethos of The Irish Times and her clear dedication to the role of editor.
Nick Mullins, lead match commentator and reporter for ESPN’s coverage of the Aviva Premiership was named as “GUINNESS-London Irish Rugby Union Journalist of the Season” at a ceremony in Diageo headquarters in London on Monday 23rd May.
Nick came top in a nomination and adjudication process that involved the 12 clubs in the Aviva Premiership, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union.
The award citation praised Mullins for his professional and distinctive style and for “the quality, effort and commitment he has brought to his broadcasting” which adds greatly to viewers’ enjoyment of the sport.
Rugby Times magazine and its senior reporter Neale Harvey received a special award for outstanding service to rugby union in a media context.
The awards nomination and selection process and the presentation ceremony was managed by Patrick Lennon Associates on behalf of Diageo and London Irish.
Pictured (left to right) after the presentations are, Lee Bailey, Head of Sponsorship Diageo; Neale Harvey, Rugby Times; Nick Mullins, ESPN and Andy Martin, Chief Executive, London Irish.
