Wall kicking in Salthill

Bob_the_dog

Why do people kick the wall at the end of Salthill prom. Has the wall done something bad to all Galwegians in the past?

My new years resolution is to clear up all these annoying questions in my life

Bob

emptybladder

Uh-oh. Dr McManus is back!

Bob_the_dog

emptybladder wrote: »

Uh-oh. Dr McManus is back!

Who is Dr McManus???

Bob

Storm 10

Its a tradition started many many years ago its supposed to bring good luck to kick the wall with your foot after walking the prom.

PS Never done me any good all the times I kicked it :D

Ficheall

It knocks off some of the sand that accumulates on your shoes as you walk along the prom, thereby lightening your load for the return journey.

JohnCleary

For generations people have wanted to extend the Salthill prom, so way back people started kicking that damned wall in the hope of pushing it west, thus increasing the length of the prom



:pac:

RubyGirl

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21201672550

Dunjohn

Kicking the wall was, I understand, originally introduced by the Council as a safety measure against the considerable and unexpected momentum built up by walking the entire length of the Prom. Prior to that, Prom walkers would simply slap right into the wall, having failed to begin slowdown back at the shelters, resulting in injury and embarassment, particularly if the donkey was there watching.

thenakedchef

Ficheall wrote: »

It knocks off some of the sand that accumulates on your shoes as you walk along the prom, thereby lightening your load for the return journey.

Or the dog $hit

Fuinseog

i miss the donkey that used to be there beside the house at Blackrock. a pity the house was let fall apart, but hard for anyone to live there with the uncouth element that the place sometimes attracted.


BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

Das Kitty

Fuinseog wrote: »

BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

Only you could turn a thread about kicking a wall halfway through a walk into this!

Mrs OBumble

I thought there was an underground pipe that is putting pressure on the wall, and the council had asked citizens to assist by putting some pressure in the opposite direction until such time as they could afford to fix it.


of course, but sure'n it's a good story to tell the Americans (who believe it), and also to tell other tourists as a warning about how the Irish tell tales to tourists.

howyanow

i always was told it was to give you luck for the return journey,i always found it amusing showing people for the 1st time.

biko

Fuinseog wrote: »

BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

I respect your lifestyle choice and all but please keep this thread about the wall only.

snubbleste

When will some enterprising graffiti artist put a montage of irish political figures on that wall, so that we gain a bit of pleasure from kicking the wall?

all that dog poo..

Fuinseog

biko wrote: »

I respect your lifestyle choice and all but please keep this thread about the wall only.

do they not do it agin the wall?

seniorolaighin

its because if they dont kick it they'll keep walking and wont stop.....:D

Bob_the_dog

Many Thanks for all the replies

I particularly like the idea of a politicians face being put on the wall but sadly the wall isn't big enough for all our useless politicians but as least the next time I'm out walking I can visualise there faces.

How far to the nearest A&E Dept, I have a lof of kicking to do:D

mrsdewinter

I thought the tradition was as old as Blackrock itself, but a friend of mine used to swear up and down that he only started seeing walkers kick the wall in the 90s. He's wrong, isn't he?

Meteoric

Well I used kick the wall as a kid in the late 70's and 80's and that was because my parents told me it was what they had done since they were kids so no, it did not start in the 90's

Dunjohn

snubbleste wrote: »

When will some enterprising graffiti artist put a montage of irish political figures on that wall, so that we gain a bit of pleasure from kicking the wall?

In all seriousness, I hope never.

Fuinseog

Dunjohn wrote: »

In all seriousness, I hope never.

hear hear

Fuinseog

Meteoric wrote: »

Well I used kick the wall as a kid in the late 70's and 80's and that was because my parents told me it was what they had done since they were kids so no, it did not start in the 90's

in dem days you did not question such things

roboshatner

what is wall kicking ?

Bob_the_dog wrote: »

Why do people kick the wall at the end of Salthill prom. Has the wall done something bad to all Galwegians in the past?

My new years resolution is to clear up all these annoying questions in my life

Bob

Meteoric

Fuinseog wrote: »

in dem days you did not question such things

Lol, actually I did, was told it was the tradition and that it signified that I'd walked the entire length of the Prom so was a way of marking the half-way point (since we always had to walk back)

Lapin

One of these days that wall is gonna start kicking people back. :eek:

roboshatner

what is wall kicking ? never heard of it.

Mars Bar

roboshatner wrote: »

what is wall kicking ? never heard of it.

Well, you kick a wall.

roboshatner

Only in ireland

mars bar wrote: »

Well, you kick a wall.

Dunjohn

When people reach the Blackrock end of the Prom, they usually kick the wall before turning back.

Personally, I reckon it's just a way to keep your pace when you reach the end. It's not a proper tradition, just something that people "do." It's physically easier to turn on one foot and if people didn't do it, and if the wall was higher, they'd be tapping it with two fingers or something.

Blinking_Badger

is there any danger of the wall collapsing on top of an unlucky kicker after all the bashing it gets? This thought runs through my mind every time i roundhouse it..........

biko

Kicking the wall is the only way to make sure you actually walked the distance and isn't a lazy git.

"What ya do Sunday?"
"Walked the prom"
"Did ya kick the wall?"
"No"
"???"

Blinking_Badger

biko wrote: »

Kicking the wall is the only way to make sure you actually walked the distance and isn't a lazy git.

"What ya do Sunday?"
"Walked the prom"
"Did ya kick the wall?"
"No"
"???"

ha ha ha!! True.............

joeKel73

I think it's common enough anywhere that has a long straight walk with a definate end. They do it at the end of Nimmo's pier too.

Otherwise it'd be an awkward moment of coming to a stop, turning around, then walking back... it'd make it seem like a pointless trip rather than a small achievement!

dilallio

Blinking_Badger wrote: »

is there any danger of the wall collapsing on top of an unlucky kicker after all the bashing it gets? This thought runs through my mind every time i roundhouse it..........

No.

Chuck Norris hasn't walked the prom yet.

Wompa1

JustMary wrote: »

I thought there was an underground pipe that is putting pressure on the wall, and the council had asked citizens to assist by putting some pressure in the opposite direction until such time as they could afford to fix it.


of course, but sure'n it's a good story to tell the Americans (who believe it), and also to tell other tourists as a warning about how the Irish tell tales to tourists.

I'm Irish and at this stage I'd nearly believe something like that.

Signed,

Smelly Galwiegan who's been without water since the 22nd of December

dolphin city

mrsdewinter wrote: »

I thought the tradition was as old as Blackrock itself, but a friend of mine used to swear up and down that he only started seeing walkers kick the wall in the 90s. He's wrong, isn't he?

definitely wrong - its been going for at LEAST the last 40 years.

wet-paint

I like it. I know it's a nonsensical tradition, but when you do it, you're included in the thousands of people that do it, and thus part of a group, giving yo ua sense of belonging. It's a Galwegian thing to do, along with strangling swans down the Claddagh, and breaking bottles of Buckie down the arch.

Meteoric

wet-paint wrote: »

I like it. I know it's a nonsensical tradition, but when you do it, you're included in the thousands of people that do it, and thus part of a group, giving yo ua sense of belonging. It's a Galwegian thing to do, along with strangling swans down the Claddagh, and breaking bottles of Buckie down the arch.

Oooooooo:eek: Of those three I've only ever done the kicking the wall thing

JaneB

Bob_the_dog wrote: »

Why do people kick the wall at the end of Salthill prom.
Bob

Well if they head-butted it they would hurt themselves!! Don't ask silly questions!!:p

ttoppcat

wet-paint wrote: »

along with strangling swans down the Claddagh,

I initially read that as straddling swans:eek:

wet-paint

Or swaddling swans.

Lapin

wet-paint wrote: »

Or swaddling swans.

Dangerous little feckers them.

Placebo Effect

Does anyone know the approx. distance from Nimmos Pier to the wall @ Blackrock?

I can't seem to find it anywhere online, thanks.

biko

3.5km

blogga

wet-paint wrote: »

I like it. I know it's a nonsensical tradition, but when you do it, you're included in the thousands of people that do it, and thus part of a group, giving yo ua sense of belonging. It's a Galwegian thing to do, along with strangling swans down the Claddagh, and breaking bottles of Buckie down the arch.

Skangers and swan strangling and buckie drinking. Some skangers are Galwegians but not all Galwegians are skangers.

Placebo Effect

biko wrote: »

3.5km

Thanks Biko..

Hyperbullet

roboshatner wrote: »

Only in ireland

Not really. Sure didn't Jesus himself hit a kick in a wall before the cross was placed on his shoulder. It's in the bible, look it up.

got2011

when I was there in May, a local told me the tradition had to do with some estate owner building the wall in ancient times (he didn't elaborate on 'ancient'), presumably to keep riff-raff off the estate, or on it; however, it clearly interferes with one's ability to walk along the shore... Galwegians have been kicking it ever since it was built on the understanding that it will eventually fall down if everyone does their bit. You must understand that I'm from Canada and we are willing to believe anything.
Galway and the west are possibly my most favourite places in the world, next to the east coast of Newfoundland (especially the so-called Irish Loop), which is pretty much identical, but with fewer pubs and more moose.