[statbass]

St. John's is now part of a lobbying effort to have direct flights between Canada and Ireland. The only direct service between Ireland and Canada happens between April and October when Air Transit operates a scheduled service, however Canada's Ambassador to Ireland, Loyola Hearn, says efforts are being made to get year-round direct flights. He stressed that St. John's International Airport is a big part of this campaign.

Hearn says the direct flight lobby is making progress with a number of interested parties on both sides of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Hearn put on the hockey skates recently to help officially open the first NHL hockey size rink in Dublin. He says he can't wait to have hockey teams from this province, especially his home turf on the Southern Shore, to travel to Ireland to play some games in the new facility.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?...23819&latest=1