Why is Ireland regarded as a scenic country?

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 26-06-2011 10:30PM #1

I've often wondered what Ireland has a reputation as a beautiful 'Emerald Isle'. Although some areas of our country are beautiful, the majority of the landscape is quite dull and we also have a major problem with litter and poor planning, which spoil many areas with the potential to be scenic. I've been in Wales and it is a far more scenic country than Ireland, with beautiful unspoiled countryside, yet it doesn't seem to draw half the amount of tourists Ireland does. Why is this?

And before people point out areas that have great natural beauty such as Achill, West Kerry, Connemara etc, my entire point is that these areas are very rare.

GLaDOS · 26-06-2011 10:31PM

Well we've feck all else going for us, so may as well exaggerate what we do have.

mawk · 26-06-2011 10:33PM

I was out on my kayak all day.
Ireland is stunning. You're clearly just doing it wrong.

Chuck Stone · 26-06-2011 10:33PM

We have a beautiful little country here.

Our tourist trade speaks for itself.

NSNO · 26-06-2011 10:34PM

I love my area, it's brilliant. Great scenery and only 20 minutes from Dublin city centre.

Ireland IS beautiful. Must people like you begrudge everything?

Ditch · 26-06-2011 10:34PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

I've been in Wales and it is a far more scenic country than Ireland, with beautiful unspoiled countryside, yet it doesn't seem to draw half the amount of tourists Ireland does. Why is this?

Because it's full of hateful Welsh people .....

OPENROAD · 26-06-2011 10:34PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

We have a beautiful little country here.

Our toursit trade speaks for itself.

Could be a lot lot better particularly with repeat visits

theboss80 · 26-06-2011 10:34PM

The scenery I'd say

Ghandee · 26-06-2011 10:35PM

OP, the fact that your even asking this would suggest to me you haven't seen the cliffs of Moher, Giants Causeway, nor been on Lough Erne?

Get from the front of your screen, go see some of our Island ffs!:rolleyes:

Son Of A Vidic · 26-06-2011 10:37PM

OP - Love Wales do ya?

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

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 26-06-2011 10:37PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

And before people point out areas that have great natural beauty such as Achill, West Kerry, Connemara etc, my entire point is that these areas are very rare.

Ghandee wrote: »

OP, the fact that your even asking this would suggest to me you haven't seen the cliffs of Moher, Giants Causeway, nor been on Lough Erne?

:rolleyes:

I've been to many different areas of our island and I've seen many beautiful sights (I havn't made it to the Giants Causeway but I've seen the other two you mentioned). However the country as a whole is not exceptionally scenic, and many countries in Europe totally outmatch us on this.

LETHAL LADY · 26-06-2011 10:38PM

The welsh have a bad reputation for sheep sh***ing and I would think that puts alot of tourists into scenery off.

galwayrush · 26-06-2011 10:40PM

Have a look around OP, lots stunning areas all around the country.

Ghandee · 26-06-2011 10:40PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

:rolleyes:

I've been to many different areas of our island and I've seen many beautiful sights. However the country as a whole is not exceptionally scenic, and many countries in Europe totally outmatch us on this.

Example..............?

Sticky_Fingers · 26-06-2011 10:40PM

Perhaps the OP should go out and see a little bit more of it. I was on holidays along the West Coast and some of the sights were spectacular, the Burren was amazing and there are places up near the 12 Pins in Galway that look like something out of Lord of the Rings and thats only a tiny fraction of what the country has to offer.

ejmaztec · 26-06-2011 10:40PM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Could be a lot lot better particularly with repeat visits

He might come back, you never know.:(

Conor108 · 26-06-2011 10:44PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiBlmQaYpL4

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 26-06-2011 10:45PM

Ghandee wrote: »

Example..............?

Wales is a very scenic nation. Many areas of England are also beautiful, such as the Lake District, Dartmoor, the Yorkshire Dales. The Scottish Highlands are stunning. France contains many absolutely stunning areas of natural beauty, as do many other continental nations such as Germany and Austria. In fact continuing to list them would be pointless as they virtually all have better scenery than Ireland.

Sticky_Fingers wrote: »

Perhaps the OP should go out and see a little bit more of it. I was on holidays along the West Coast and some of the sights were spectacular, the Burren was amazing and there are places up near the 12 Pins in Galway that look like something out of Lord of the Rings and thats only a tiny fraction of what the country has to offer.

I've been in those places on several locations and I'm well familiar with the west coast in general as I live there. Those areas are beautiful indeed, but they don't surpass what other countries have to offer.

Daegerty · 26-06-2011 10:47PM

Why is Ireland regarded as a scenic country?

Because it fecking is one. Maybe you're too busy moaning about how inferior we are and how much better every other place is to realise it.

I've been to Wales too. Its alright, it has scenic places and a few right dumps. Like every other place in every other country.

Chuck Stone · 26-06-2011 10:47PM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Could be a lot lot better particularly with repeat visits

Probably due to the cost. There is definately a problem with ppl being ripped off for sure.

Look at this

http://irishflyfisher.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/gougane-barra-lake.jpg

http://www.destination360.com/europe/ireland/images/s/ireland-cliffs-of-moher.jpg

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/walshphotos/walshphotos0803/walshphotos080300004/2825871-early-morning-in-kerry-mountains.jpg

http://thenonbeliever.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/giants-causeway.jpg

http://en.structurae.de/files/photos/2025/mizen_bridge.jpg

http://www.veryhappypig.com/blog/021ShaneMcGowanDM_468x644.jpg

ejmaztec · 26-06-2011 10:50PM

It would have been a lot better if some fuckers hadn't stolen all the trees.:(

squod · 26-06-2011 10:50PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

We have a beautiful little country here.

Our tourist trade speaks for itself.

in 2003. US$17.2 billion was spent in the UK by tourists

Disagree. Tourist numbers are falling here. The OP has a point, access to many scenic areas is at best hit n' miss. The UK have many tourists visiting and spending in centres like Oxford, Nottingham, Cambridge. We seem to have Dublin CC, Galway and Kerry.

Bit of joined up thinking could turn a weekend traveller to a two week tourist if the prices, location(s) and events were right.

Daegerty · 26-06-2011 10:51PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Probably due to the cost. There is definately a problem with ppl being ripped off for sure.

Indeed with places like the ould cliffs of moher charging entry fees and the tourist tax

There should be a fella standing at the airport handing out 100 euro notes to any tourist who can reasonably prove he's staying for a few days saying "We know this place is a rip off here's a few bob to help you along". Trains and stuff should also be free

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 26-06-2011 10:51PM

NSNO wrote: »

I love my area, it's brilliant. Great scenery and only 20 minutes from Dublin city centre.

Ireland IS beautiful. Must people like you begrudge everything?

It appears anyone who expresses a critical opinion of anything is a "begrudger" these days.

Daegerty wrote: »

Because it fecking is one. Maybe you're too busy moaning about how inferior we are and how much better every other place is to realise it.
.

Yes, except I never do this, and actually like Ireland as a country. I just don't think its a very scenic one. But hey, don't let that get in the way of your stereotyping of me as self-hating Irishman who constantly runs the country down!

Snowie · 26-06-2011 10:52PM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

I've often wondered what Ireland has a reputation as a beautiful 'Emerald Isle'. Although some areas of our country are beautiful, the majority of the landscape is quite dull and we also have a major problem with litter and poor planning, which spoil many areas with the potential to be scenic. I've been in Wales and it is a far more scenic country than Ireland, with beautiful unspoiled countryside, yet it doesn't seem to draw half the amount of tourists Ireland does. Why is this?

And before people point out areas that have great natural beauty such as Achill, West Kerry, Connemara etc, my entire point is that these areas are very rare.

are you blind?

take a walk along a small country lane in the height of summer..
Take a walk along any of the costline we have ever noticve the countless hades of green we have here...

then go live in some dessert state in america and youle suddenly apricate what we have here !

Daegerty · 26-06-2011 10:53PM

squod wrote: »

Disagree. Tourist numbers are falling here. The OP has a point, access to many scenic areas is at best hit n' miss. The UK have many tourists visiting and spending in centres like Oxford, Nottingham, Cambridge. We seem to have Dublin CC, Galway and Kerry.

We're fecked so because people go to Cambridge for the beours. The amount of fine beours in that place is unreal.

All our fine beours with a millimeter of thread left on the tyres has left for "Oz". If I run into one more beour saying she's leaving for "Oz" I'm going to blast her with piss

Lapin · 26-06-2011 10:53PM

squod wrote: »

Disagree. Tourist numbers are falling here. The OP has a point, access to many scenic areas is at best hit n' miss. The UK have many tourists visiting and spending in centres like Oxford, Nottingham, Cambridge. We seem to have Dublin CC, Galway and Kerry.

Bit of joined up thinking could turn a weekend traveller to a two week tourist if the prices, location(s) and events were right.

Nottingham

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 26-06-2011 10:55PM

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

are you blind?

take a walk along a small country lane in the height of summer..
Take a walk along any of the costline we have ever noticve the countless hades of green we have here...

then go live in some dessert state in america and youle suddenly apricate what we have here !

I regularly walk through Irish country lanes. And they're not filled with awe-inspiring beauty. Funny you should mention America, its filled with much greater natural beauty than Ireland. I can never understand Americans visiting Ireland when they have unbelievable scenery throughout their own nation.

It wasn't me! · 26-06-2011 10:55PM

You know, any time I've gone abroad, I've been rocked by the breathtaking spectacle of some of the scenery I've witnessed. However, when I come home, and if I'm out early, in November, shooting, snow and frost on the ground, crackling underfoot like thunder in the still morning, and a snipe breaks underfoot and rises over the hedge, backlit by a red sky over pines, I realise this place is special. And there are a thousand other images like that that make this country unique. It's not about being better; it's about offering something absolutely unique.

kippy · 26-06-2011 11:03PM

People tend to not appreciate something when it's on their doorstep.
I know for a fact that despite some of the negatives the OP choses to dwell on we still have one of the nicest countries in the world with some of the most scenic areas I have ever seen.
Granted I probably dont appreciate it as much as I should either.

We've some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, with fantastic mountains, cliffs and bogland.
The only thing that takes me away from this country is my wife - who, like a lot of people, loves to get a bit of sun. I would never leave here were it for the weather, the scenery is second to none in this part of the world.

ejmaztec · 26-06-2011 11:08PM

It wasn't me! wrote: »

You know, any time I've gone abroad, I've been rocked by the breathtaking spectacle of some of the scenery I've witnessed. However, when I come home, and if I'm out early, in November, shooting, snow and frost on the ground, crackling underfoot like thunder in the still morning, and a snipe breaks underfoot and rises over the hedge, backlit by a red sky over pines, I realise this place is special. And there are a thousand other images like that that make this country unique. It's not about being better; it's about offering something absolutely unique.

I notice things like old cars rusting away after being dumped in the river, and once scenic areas being destroyed by some arsehole who slipped a few quid to the local planning department, so that he could quarry the guts out of the place.:mad:

Why is Ireland regarded as a scenic country?

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