Fact checking/correcting Irish tour guides

Cyclingtourist

Should you fact correct a tour guide who is giving incorrect information to tour groups that often mainly comprise foreigners?

Years ago I heard a guide in the Phoenix Park say that Wellington said of himself "because a man was born in a stable, that does not make him a horse".

It's a popular myth that Wellington said this about himself, he didn't. It was said about the Duke of Wellington by Daniel O'Connell.

No, he is not an Irishman. He was born in Ireland; but being born in a stable does not make a man a horse.

• Daniel O'Connell during a speech (16 October 1843), as quoted in Reports of State Trials: New Series Volume V, 1843 to 1844 (1893) "The Queen Against O'Connell and Others", p. 206

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington - Wikiquote

More recently I was on a guided tour of an Irish country house when the guide mentioned that 'Ireland was neutral in WWI' which I quickly put him right on and he thanked me.

In the first example I corrected the guide afterwards but he seemed unconvinced and I suggested he do some research.

So the question is should one intervene or not and if the answer is yes should one wait till the tour is over and make your point privately or speak up while the tour is still in progress?

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058426538/fact-checking-correcting-irish-tour-guides

If it's egregious like "Ireland was neutral in WW1" have a word with him afterwards. If it's a commonly held myth like the Wellington quote..really, who cares. He would probably have said it anyway.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123899605#Comment_123899605

really, who cares

i do, really.

Jim_Hodge

Much as I have at times wanted to correct a guide, I'm conscious of being branded, by the rest of the group, as that guy (every tour group has one) who wants to show how much he knows and becomes a pain in the behind.

Peregrinus

I wouldn't interrupt the presentation in order to offer a correction. If the error is a material one I might have a word with the guide afterwards.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123900759#Comment_123900759

Generally I'd agree but every situation is different. Often a guide will pause and ask if anyone has questions, might be a good opportunity to point out the whole of Ireland was part of the UK in WWI and ask if he/she was not confusing I with II.

Seth Brundle

Surely, the only purpose to correct them in view of their audience would be to embarrass them?

Allinall

Why go on a guided tour if you know all the stuff already?

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123900962#Comment_123900962

Well they should be embarrassed if they don't know we were part of the UK in 1914.

For how long have they been getting away with telling untruths to foreign audiences? This is an historical fact, not some issue of interpretation.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901021#Comment_123901021

As Jim has said, if you're doing this, you're just being "that guy" that everyone else on the tour wishes wasn't there.

wildwillow

The tour guide is usually working off a learnt script and just repeats it every day, Many are volunteers and do it for various reasons. If there is an incorrect fact it might be better to contact the venue manager and ask them to review the script.

If the guide is a staff member or a professional guide I would bring it to his/her attention after the tour and only if I were sure of my facts.

Slightly off topic, I recently did a tour of Tullynally castle and the guide was superb. We were the last tour of the day and she allowed us to linger and ask questions without any hurry. It was the best I have experienced in a long time.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901052#Comment_123901052

No I've been on lots of tours and only twice have I corrected the guide on a matter of historical fact, once afterwards and more recently when we were asked if we had any questions.

Jim is confusing me with someone else.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901124#Comment_123901124

It doesn't matter how often or not you've done it, you were still "that guy" on the tour when you corrected the tour guide.

Majority of tours have one and on this one it was you.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901219#Comment_123901219

you were still "that guy" on the tour when you corrected the tour guide.

LOL

So you're saying 'whatever you say say nothing' on tours otherwise you'll be seen as "that guy" by all the quiet people on the tour who aren't actually as quiet as you think?

Hilarious!!!

The Davestator

A large proportion of what a guide says is rubbish in my experience. I went on a tour in Venice and we were shown 'casanovas' house and we all whipped out our phones happy that we seen it. Later that day, in a totally different part of Venice, we overheard a guide point out Casanovas house to their group!

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901313#Comment_123901313

No, as others have said if I was sure there was a mistake made I'd just say it privately to the guide after the tour was over.

Not sure what's so funny about that.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901328#Comment_123901328

I suppose he got around.

Quantum Erasure

Reminds me of the skull of Saint Patrick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zftfecVM9GI

z80CPU

On a tour of Killarney on a tour coach in February 2003, the driver / guide kept on referring to this building as a "gazebo"

The building is question was actually a "folly"

The tour was basically 90% over 70's. The rest were grandkids fawning over their rlder guardians and myself then in my early 30s.

irish_goat

As someone who does tours (beer related) I'd probably prefer a quiet word after or when we are walking to the next stopping point, rather then while I'm in the middle of my flow. I am 100% open to corrections though.

con___manx1

A pretty dumb tour guide. I mean it's basic general knowledge for an irish person to know that the 1916 rising was on at the same time as ww1. I mean it's probly the only reason it hapend then because the brits didn't have many soldiers to send. Thata Why we got the balck and tans here.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901328#Comment_123901328

And in Verona it's hit or miss which of Juliet's balconies your guide takes you to. A balcony that never appeared in Shakespeare's script about a fictional character.

Jellybaby_1

In some centres they employ actors as guides, and just hand them a script. I wouldn't correct that guide but I would go to the management and ask them to correct the script. I have witnessed this before, but I wouldn't embarrass someone who is speaking on script, its not fair to them. I'd have a care for struggling actors trying to earn a crust.

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123901052#Comment_123901052

Agreed

CelticRambler

Don't correct them in front of a whole group - that's just bad manners - and I wouldn't be too pushed about correcting an urban legend about who said what about someone else. But I would be inclined to remark quietly after the tour about factual errors.

I don't often join guided tours, but did treat myself to the one that accompanied the "Words on the Wave" exhibition in the National Museum till the end of September. That guide made several comments about Saint Gallen, specifically about its location, and I thought to myself: "you've never been to Saint Gallen, have you?" because some of the points he was making contradicted others. I hung around afterwards to set him right, but after he'd finished talking to a few other people he dashed off.

I did make a point of seeking out one other member of the tour group, though, and giving her the more accurate information, as she'd previously asked a question during the tour and been … misguided.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123902828#Comment_123902828

I've never come across that type of guide in Ireland. Most appear to be locals with an interest in whatever they're talking about. Anyone with an interest in history, including myself, appreciate being corrected where we make factual errors.

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123903849#Comment_123903849

I have definitely come across it, witnessed it, and know the actors involved. So I can speak with confidence about it happening.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905706#Comment_123905706

I've been on several 'acted' tours as well. They're usually more interesting than some guides waffling on.

Jellybaby_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905745#Comment_123905745

As long as their script is correct. Sometimes history just gets left behind in these commercially led centres/events.

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905706#Comment_123905706

Interesting.

I know actors are often and sometimes permanently unemployed within the 'profession'. Suspect a number of the guides doing walking tours of Dublin are actors but never been on one.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123905706#Comment_123905706

Same here, museum guides in this case. One talked like Christopher Walken with a weird cadences and odd pauses. Very cringy.