[Article] A guide to how not to sell Ireland.

SeanW

Are these guys for real? This from the Indo on the 12th, in the Review section. (Important bit highlighted).

link

So many of the top hoteliers outside Dublin have been bemoaning the disappearance of up-market American visitors here this summer.

One of my girlfriends from New York was visiting this week with her family. They were on a luxury CIE tour that started in Dublin, took in Waterford and Kerry and finished up at Dromoland Castle. She herself had studied at Trinity and visited Ireland several times a year for years, so knows the country better than most.

She was appalled last Sunday when returning from a tour of south Dublin and Wicklow to hear the guide's commentary as they passed St Vincent's Hospital. "This is the biggest hospital in Dublin but it's half closed down because the Government hasn't the money to pay for it and most people spend weeks on trolleys in corridors."

Passing the Four Seasons, the guide continued: "The former Prime Minister Albert Reynolds paid €10m for an apartment there."

The tour then swung by Ailesbury Road where the Reynolds home was pointed out - it will be on the market for €20m.

Shrewsbury Road was "where most of the Irish 173 millionaires live".

As well as being inaccurate, the commentary was as much about bashing the Irish government as anything else.

"Most of the people were elderly and had never been to Ireland before, they didn't know what to think," my friend told me later.

Great promotional stuff from the Irish semi-State? Is it any wonder American visitors are few and far between?

I don't like the politicians anymore than those CIE guys but what the hell was that???

Chris_533976

"Welcome to the M50, you will spend 10% of your life sitting here getting frustrated"

BrianD

I've been on foreign tours and I have heard similar comments about the locale I was in. I think some of these guides want to give the impression that they are giving visitors the local view or inside track on whats what.

Diaspora

It certainly goes against the old Irish principle of bitching about everything amongst ourselves but shaming anyone who talked to outsiders about it.

I also don't like to see Reynolds being singled out it is clear where he got his money from and there was in my book nothing suspect about any of it.

What does concern me are the thoughts of the Dublin Rose

Sarah is 21 and a fulltime student of Business Studies at Dublin Institute of Technology.

From Killiney “close to the sea, it enables me to escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. I also like the family orientated community in which I live and the fact that I live very close to all my extended family and friends”.

Sarah regularly performs many principal parts in Opera, and Musical Theatre on stage with the Royal Irish Academy of Music, the Rathmines and Rathgar Musical Society and Lyric Opera productions in chorus and solo performances. “Music is a huge passion of mine” the Dublin Rose enthuses. Swimming is another activity that is important to Sarah, she holds Irish Amateur Swimming Association swimming teacher’s and coach certificate and the Bronze Medallion Life Saving Award. Dislikes are “the materialism of today’s society and Dublin’s public transport system!”

Asked to describe herself Sarah responds “I believe that I am a very honest, sincere and charismatic person. My special characteristics and traits would be my passion, commitment and energy I apply to anything I undertake to do. My strengths and talents are my friendships, my approachability, my intellect and my social skills.”

Mohair suit psychology and dodgy transit obviously aren't her thing.

westtip

The guides could have said somethign complimentary: And here is a our cultural centre our very own left bank Temple bar - come and witness the ritual puking in the street every weekend, and experience the true irish pub atmosphere where you will be charged over five euro a pint for the local brew of dark stuff. Enjoy yourselves and check your credit card bills when you get home. Then tell them the reason irish web sites use the .ie provenance is because ie stands for incredibly expensive.

Why pussyfoot about and not tell them the truth.

bryanw

Not to mention the €500 cocktail available at the Westin Hotel.
(http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0818/57live.html)
(http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/228-2166259.smil)

....back on topic though.

When I read this topic I was shocked at this carry-on. I mean if this is widespread its utterly appalling. This country has its problems but so does everywhere else, nobody's perfect. We are supposed to be positive (and dare I say proud) about our country! I'm puzzled as to how they can even get away with it.

John R

bryanw wrote:

I'm puzzled as to how they can even get away with it.

Why, is it now illegal to moan about the country?

If it is then this place would be very quiet.

bryanw

Well I'm not saying that there shouldn't be freedom of speech, but in any other job there would of course be consequences for bad-mouthing the higher ranks.

spacetweek

John R wrote:

Why, is it now illegal to moan about the country?

If it is then this place would be very quiet.

You're taking it too literally. Here we're talking about being ambassadors to our country and it's disingenuous and childish to slag it off to foreigners. Many people in Ireland are relying on tourism.