The Gathering - did you take part in any?

ZombieBride

Been stuck on a committee for one of these and it is infuriating, we just received the criteria for getting the second half of the funding allocated to us.
Those who were allocated funding were not actually given the funding that was announced in the press, they were given half up front and then told that the other half would come only if they already spend the second half (so will be out of pocket) and get the number of overseas visitors they were expecting.

Le sigh.

Do any of you have any involvement in these and have they actually worked anywhere?

Seachmall

The Gathering sounds like some ominous ruse to collect large amounts of people in one area for whatever reason so I've been avoiding it at all costs.

Jimoslimos

If this was anything else I'd say it smells like a scam....

...actually it still does!

humbert

I didn't realise Highlander was based on a true story!

kneemos

ZombieBride wrote: »

Been stuck on a committee for one of these and it is infuriating, we just received the criteria for getting the second half of the funding allocated to us.
Those who were allocated funding were not actually given the funding that was announced in the press, they were given half up front and then told that the other half would come only if they already spend the second half (so will be out of pocket) and get the number of overseas visitors they were expecting.

Le sigh.

Do any of you have any involvement in these and have they actually worked anywhere?

What are the backrounds of the committe members and who calculates the success of the gathering?

CianRyan

I'm still not sure what the gathering actually is.

Sergeant

Yes. I intercepted a load of elderly Americans at Dublin Airport and pretended to be their guide. I drove them round in a minibus for a few days and ripped them off at every opportunity.

Fr_Fitzexactly

CianRyan wrote: »

I'm still not sure what the gathering actually is.

Gathering of money for the Irish government to send to Germany

IM0

CianRyan wrote: »

I'm still not sure what the gathering actually is.

I think its the new celtic tiger

Peregrine

Wait

The gathering wasn't a joke??

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

ZombieBride wrote: »

Been stuck on a committee for one of these and it is infuriating, we just received the criteria for getting the second half of the funding allocated to us.
Those who were allocated funding were not actually given the funding that was announced in the press, they were given half up front and then told that the other half would come only if they already spend the second half (so will be out of pocket) and get the number of overseas visitors they were expecting.

Le sigh.

Do any of you have any involvement in these and have they actually worked anywhere?

To be honest, I have no idea, having spend most of the last 5 months in Dubline, what the hell it even is. I saw a few posters, but there was asbsolutely nothing going on at local level.

Gathering of money for the Irish government to send to Germany

Waaaay ahead of them, so.

clairefontaine

CianRyan wrote: »

I'm still not sure what the gathering actually is.

It's a scam to shake down Americans, though the Americans have already woken up to the Irish shake down a long long long time ago.

true

It's a scam to line the bockets of Bord Failte personnell with excessive pay, freebies, junkets and perks.

DarkJager

humbert wrote: »

I didn't realise Highlander was based on a true story!

No the thing in Highlander is called the quickening. For this Irish "Gathering" the 2nd phase will be the quickening - basically how fast can we milk every tourist for their cash. Dramatic lightning may or may not be included in this.

Sergeant

If it gets more people to visit the country than usual, and gets them to spend their money, then it has to considered a good effort. Tourism is important to the country.

It's the usual whining. Damned if they do something; damned if they don't.

true

Sergeant wrote: »

If it gets more people to visit the country than usual, and gets them to spend their money, then it has to considered a good effort. Tourism is important to the country.

you do not work for bord failte or one of the other government funded quangos by any chance?

Sergeant

true wrote: »

you do not work for bord failte or one of the other government funded quangos by any chance?

No I don't. I just don't dismiss it automatically. I happen to think it's a rather novel idea. Time will tell if it worked. It's a new spin on the advertising Ireland does around the world each year to attract visitors.

humbert

DarkJager wrote: »

No the thing in Highlander is called the quickening. For this Irish "Gathering" the 2nd phase will be the quickening - basically how fast can we milk every tourist for their cash. Dramatic lightning may or may not be included in this.

Haha, but The Gathering is what draws them all to New York in Highlander where they "battle to the last".

Wattle

How's this different to anything that came before? Haven't we always fleeced tourists?

Sergeant

Wattle wrote: »

How's this different to anything that came before? Haven't we always fleeced tourists?

How do we fleece tourists? Can you give examples?

It's an expensive country to visit. The various websites and guidebooks say this. It's not like Hank and Isabel American arriving here expecting things to cost half nothing.

squod

Sergeant wrote: »

It's an expensive country to visit.

Small understatement. I don't think anyone is prepared for the level of expensiveness.

Lad goes to Paris, says hotels are expensive. Lad goes to Switzerland says beer is expensive. Lad goes to Denmark says food is expensive. Lad goes to Ireland....... says Holy Fuhk! Everything is expensive!

SV

I was wondering why the place was littered with Americanos

squod

Is the gathering over so? They had nice weather for it anyway. What clown suggested holding it in the feckin' freezing cold?

NuckingFacker

Did they gather them all in one spot or was there a sporadic cluster-gather? Along with many other things, this one slipped under my radar. I was busy recessioning. I can though report that apart from a few scobies outside the Spar last friday, there were no gatherings around here.

ilovesleep

Sergeant wrote: »

If it gets more people to visit the country than usual, and gets them to spend their money, then it has to considered a good effort. Tourism is important to the country.

It's the usual whining. Damned if they do something; damned if they don't.

As others have said, it's a scam and anybody who visits expecting a gathering must feel so deceived. These people are no doubt coming to visit Ireland expecting to find gatherings in towns and villages and there's absolutely nothing outside the norm. If for example organisers took the summer months and encouraged towns, and villages and cities to hold gathering events, it might actually bring a gathering of people together for 'the gathering'. Instead it's all spread throughout the year.

It's scam.

Wattle

Sergeant wrote: »

How do we fleece tourists? Can you give examples?

It's an expensive country to visit. The various websites and guidebooks say this. It's not like Hank and Isabel American arriving here expecting things to cost half nothing.

This

squod wrote: »

Small understatement. I don't think anyone is prepared for the level of expensiveness.

Lad goes to Paris, says hotels are expensive. Lad goes to Switzerland says beer is expensive. Lad goes to Denmark says food is expensive. Lad goes to Ireland....... says Holy Fuhk! Everything is expensive!

And this.

ilovesleep

I'd love to know how much money is being spent promoting this gathering?

Galway can definately show what a gathering is. Only 20,000 will come out at 1am on a Monday night. Last year, we had the volvo race back in galway and it brought out thousands of people for the week, put Galway on a world stage and helped hugely with tourism and lifting peoples spirits for the week. The festival organisers came into financial difficulty with debts and money/funding powers that be - maybe failte ireland, i don't know, wouldn't help at saving it and taking the volvo race back to Galway. A gathering right there - dismissed.

the groutch

it's all a big sham benefitting those with friends in high places.
half the money is going to funding people's private parties, out of our pockets.
whoever came up with the idea needs a Bishop Brennan style kick up the arse.

edit: looking on the site, one person even has the nerve to use it to fund their wedding reception.

ilovesleep

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Did they gather them all in one spot or was there a sporadic cluster-gather? Along with many other things, this one slipped under my radar. I was busy recessioning. I can though report that apart from a few scobies outside the Spar last friday, there were no gatherings around here.

That's so funny. I'd say the only gatherings that's happening is outside supermacs after closing time.

Sergeant

squod wrote: »

Small understatement. I don't think anyone is prepared for the level of expensiveness.

Lad goes to Paris, says hotels are expensive. Lad goes to Switzerland says beer is expensive. Lad goes to Denmark says food is expensive. Lad goes to Ireland....... says Holy Fuhk! Everything is expensive!

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/irish-hotels-are-third-cheapest-in-europe-at-81-average-a-night-26894164.html

The price of a pint in Dublin is less than in Zurich. I can assure you of that.

The amount of restaurants in Dublin and Galway (the two I would visit) serving wonderful food at prices that reflect our cost of doing business is fantastic. We have wonderful restaurants here. Creative young chefs doing amazing things with local produce.

As I said, people don't come to Ireland expecting things to be cheap. It may surprise you, but people do some research before handing out money to visit a country on a holiday.

They come here because it's an amazingly beautiful country with wonderful scenery, attractions, golf courses and fishing (amongst others).

It's just giving out for the sake of it.

0ph0rce0

"There are clan gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts taking place all across the country, all year long."

duncan macleod from the clan macleod??????

I haven't seen any of this? so people have been given funds to do stuff like the above. Where they spending it? No gatherings out this way, haven't even heard anything about it since new years.

Load of shíté if you ask me?

Sergeant

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

"There are clan gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts taking place all across the country, all year long."

duncan macleod from the clan macleod??????

I haven't seen any of this? so people have been given funds to do stuff like the above. Where they spending it? No gatherings out this way, haven't even heard anything about it since new years.

Load of shíté if you ask me?

Over 4000 of them on the website as of now.

Rabble.

0ph0rce0

Sergeant wrote: »

Over 4000 of them on the website as of now.

Rabble.

Yeah just had a look, but its all crap, people just advertising their own little events for their own gain. Not really "GATHERING" Worthy TBH

Can't see many tourists heading over to Ireland for the local under 13's football match.

Load of shíté like i said :rolleyes:

EDIT: Just seen the using the funds to pay for a wedding reception. Fúck me, Where do i sign up. Daddy needs a new car.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Isn't the Gathering just a fictional thing??? After all, tourists come here anyway (only god knows why) so I thought the government were just trying to cash in on those who were probably going to come anyway by pretending there was something actually happening to come for.

Senna

I've noticed an increase in American's coming to Donegal and they all say its because of "The Gathering", which isn't being advertised here (for obvious reasons) but is getting a huge push in America. So its only natural the Irish people wont be aware of how big it actually is.
Its very easy to be cynical, but I'm impressed so far and it actually seems to be working.

COYVB

I live in north America and the first thing I heard about the gathering was an ad at Dublin airport while I was home in February

squod

Sergeant wrote: »

They come here because it's an amazingly beautiful country with wonderful scenery, attractions, golf courses and fishing (amongst others).

Know that. I live here. Have seen a fair amount of it so I have.

Sergeant wrote: »

It's just giving out for the sake of it.

If anything is being done ''for the sake of it'' its people taking the piss in terms of prices. €30 for a taxi from the airport to town, tenner for a pint and sammich, €129 for a hotel room.

This isn't Las Vegas.

Catkins407

I am supposed to be doing something in October . I know my name was taken in vain in app,ting for funding but haven't heard anything since. I can't say that I am disappointed. I don't want to be in Ireland at the moment let alone lure unsuspecting tourists or Irish abroad who gave no idea that they are about to be mugged by every touristy thing once they get here.

true

the groutch wrote: »

it's all a big sham benefitting those with friends in high places.
half the money is going to funding people's private parties, out of our pockets.
whoever came up with the idea needs a Bishop Brennan style kick up the arse.

edit: looking on the site, one person even has the nerve to use it to fund their wedding reception.

this is Ireland, so what do you expect but a scam lining the pockets of the dept of tourism employees and their friends.

Remmy

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!

smileyj1987

I'd prefer a Project X style party .

April O Neill

Wow, some people are getting a wedding reception out of it! :eek: Innovative, I guess!

Endless Nameless

Senna wrote: »

I've noticed an increase in American's coming to Donegal and they all say its because of "The Gathering", which isn't being advertised here (for obvious reasons) but is getting a huge push in America. So its only natural the Irish people wont be aware of how big it actually is.
Its very easy to be cynical, but I'm impressed so far and it actually seems to be working.

That's strange, I haven't noticed any.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I'm going to the annual Rory Gallagher festival in Ballyshannon this Summer, I've heard these guys are organising something to coincide with it, as long as they don't interfere with me I won't have a problem. However I think the whole idea is pathetic, a shakedown of the Diaspora as Gabriel Byrne said.

ben.schlomo

true wrote: »

you do not work for bord failte or one of the other government funded quangos by any chance?

You do realise there is no such thing as Bord Failte? If you are gonna whinge you may as well direct it at the right entity.

ben.schlomo

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

"There are clan gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts taking place all across the country, all year long."

duncan macleod from the clan macleod??????

I haven't seen any of this? so people have been given funds to do stuff like the above. Where they spending it? No gatherings out this way, haven't even heard anything about it since new years.

Load of shíté if you ask me?

You must have missed these so..................http://www.thegatheringireland.com/View-Gatherings/Explore-Gatherings-on-Map.aspx

true

ben.schlomo wrote: »

You do realise there is no such thing as Bord Failte? If you are gonna whinge you may as well direct it at the right entity.

there are so many quangos now god knows what they all do, ...I do not even think they know themselves. Saw a project recently and it was funded by 8 different government bodies.
tourism ireland, failte ireland....

godwin

I tried to get by brother to come home from Canada(not necessarily for the gathering , I did bring it up though) for a week, he laughed and told me to fcuk off.

true

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

. However I think the whole idea is pathetic, a shakedown of the Diaspora as Gabriel Byrne said.

+1. Its embarassing.

great for the people getting the government money and junkets though.

ben.schlomo

true wrote: »

+1. Its embarassing.

great for the people getting the government money and junkets though.

What people, do you have a link or are you just spouting populist nonsense the way AH likes it?

true

ben.schlomo wrote: »

What people, do you have a link or are you just spouting populist nonsense the way AH likes it?

do you think "the gathering" is costing nothing to organise / promote / encourage / co-ordinate? Maybe you are one of those getting a few euro or trying to shakedown a poor foreigner for a few euro?