Why is Ireland regarded as a scenic country?

grenache · 27-06-2011 12:18AM

I've often had similar thoughts about Ireland, the majority of it is an unkempt kip. Our cities in particular are quite ugly when compared to other European cities. And our countryside is very spoiled. Just look at the verges of the roads, and then go Britain or France and see how they are much better maintained.

Yes we do have some nice scenic areas, but to be honest 80% of this island is dull.

Solair · 27-06-2011 12:19AM

The fact that Ireland's stunningly scenic does not take away from the fact that Wales, Scotland and England are stunning too.

I know quite a lot of Americans, Australians and Canadians who do trips like : London, perhaps a stately home like Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey of TV fame) and then fly on to Ireland and do Connemara or West Cork or whatever they fancy.

It's all very easy to fly around these days and I think it really ought to be marketed towards people who want to do packages to take in Ireland and Britain as well as just Ireland or England or Scotland.

We're actually very lucky to be in an area with quite amazing scenery.

OPENROAD · 27-06-2011 12:20AM

Solair wrote: »

The fact that Ireland's stunningly scenic does not take away from the fact that Wales, Scotland and England are stunning too.

I know quite a lot of Americans, Australians and Canadians who do trips like : London, perhaps a stately home like Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey of TV fame) and then fly on to Ireland and do Connemara or West Cork or whatever they fancy.

It's all very easy to fly around these days and I think it really ought to be marketed towards people who want to do packages to take in Ireland and Britain as well as just Ireland or England or Scotland.

We're actually very lucky to be in an area with quite amazing scenery.

Very good post imo

PARKHEAD67 · 27-06-2011 12:27AM

Solair wrote: »

The fact that Ireland's stunningly scenic does not take away from the fact that Wales, Scotland and England are stunning too.

I know quite a lot of Americans, Australians and Canadians who do trips like : London, perhaps a stately home like Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey of TV fame) and then fly on to Ireland and do Connemara or West Cork or whatever they fancy.

It's all very easy to fly around these days and I think it really ought to be marketed towards people who want to do packages to take in Ireland and Britain as well as just Ireland or England or Scotland.

We're actually very lucky to be in an area with quite amazing scenery.

England is beautiful.I holidayed in London a couple of years ago.What a beautiful city.I thought nothing would top New York, but London is stunning.

Caraville · 27-06-2011 12:40AM

I have never been anywhere as unusual and as amazing as the Aran Islands. When I landed on Inis Meáin, I honestly felt like I was on another planet. If you ever want to go somewhere to just get away from it all and see some amazing landscapes and scenery, go to the Aran Islands.

The Giant's Causeway is on my to-do list, really hope to do it before the end of the summer.

I think the scenery in Ireland is breathtaking- mostly because for such a small country, it's so diverse; and also because everything is in such close proximity to each other. That's not to say that other countries don't have fabulous scenery- but Ireland really is beautiful.

admiralofthefleet · 27-06-2011 12:41AM

i was up in sligo on holiday recently, the scenery around ben bulben was breattaking. we have a beautiful country

rossie1977 · 27-06-2011 12:50AM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Ireland's mostly dull uninspiring landscape doesn't remotely compare to the varied and incredible landscape I seen in America.

it doesn't but the states is 120 times the size of the entire island of ireland so thats not really a fair comparison, South Carolina is the exact same size as ireland (including both north and south)

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Sligo and Leitrim are on the coast.

really nice parts of sligo and leitrim inland, down there by lough arrow is lovely, glencar waterfall, lough gill, the cruises that shannon between carrick and boyle, the problem in this country for me is the weather, the rain makes everything dull, miserable and depressing, i have been to austria and norway (two unbelievable stunning countries) and when it rained there i got the same feeling as here, when the sun comes out here though its really nice place, the snow too actually

tourists have commented to me how green this country is, thats something we take for granted, another is our bogs, we ridicule our bogs and people living there but very few places on earth have large areas of bogland like ireland

Sonnenblumen · 27-06-2011 12:51AM

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?

.

Yeah you're right, Ireland's dull landscape could do with a few enhancements like Hollybollyhead, Sella****ingfield, Pissguard to name a few:(

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 27-06-2011 01:31AM

Einhard wrote: »

West Cork, much of Kerry, parts of Clare, Connemara and other areas of Galways, Sligo, Roscommon,

Roscommon? Scenic?

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 27-06-2011 01:35AM

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Yeah you're right, Ireland's dull landscape could do with a few enhancements like Hollybollyhead, Sella****ingfield, Pissguard to name a few:(

Sellafield's not in Wales for starters, despite the baseless belief by many Irish people that it is. And we could definitely do with having small towns and villages as scenic as those in North Wales, especially compared to the concrete monstrosities that dot the Irish countryside.

hotmail.com · 27-06-2011 01:38AM

The quays in Dublin could do with a new look. Looks awful on both sides!

There is nothing scenic about Dublin in fact.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 27-06-2011 01:39AM

hotmail.com wrote: »

There is nothing scenic about Dublin in fact.

Dublin has some nice sights and views but overall its nothing spectacular to look at. Much like our country as a whole.

mikom · 27-06-2011 01:39AM

Familiarity breeds contempt.
/thread.

hotmail.com · 27-06-2011 01:42AM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Dublin has some nice sights and views but overall its nothing spectacular to look at. Much like our country as a whole.

Dublin City though, it's not very scenic. The Georgian squares are alright, that's about it.

OPENROAD · 27-06-2011 01:42AM

hotmail.com wrote: »

The quays in Dublin could do with a new look. Looks awful on both sides!

.

Do agree re The Quays, real shame that imo.

Dr. No · 27-06-2011 02:21AM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Sellafield's not in Wales for starters, despite the baseless belief by many Irish people that it is. And we could definitely do with having small towns and villages as scenic as those in North Wales, especially compared to the concrete monstrosities that dot the Irish countryside.

In fairness a lot of towns and villages in north Wales are pure ****holes. There is some nice scenery in the UK but overall I don't think its a patch on what we have in Ireland. Plus the countryside in Ireland is less crowded. You could go all day without seeing anybody in the hills of the southwest especially in the Caha mountains. Whereas you would have queues of people on Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis.

sandmanporto · 27-06-2011 02:21AM

boards is full of moaners about ireland! I havent seen it on any other site!

OPENROAD · 27-06-2011 02:24AM

Dr. No wrote: »

In fairness a lot of towns and villages in north Wales are pure ****holes. There is some nice scenery in the UK but overall I don't think its a patch on what we have in Ireland. Plus the countryside in Ireland is less crowded. You could go all day without seeing anybody in the hills of the southwest especially in the Caha mountains. Whereas you would have queues of people on Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis.

You could also say the same about plenty of places here, my own view from what I have seen in Ireland/England/Wales, is that we are closely matched.

Daegerty · 27-06-2011 03:30AM

sandmanporto wrote: »

boards is full of moaners about ireland! I havent seen it on any other site!

Greener fields syndrome

Namlub · 27-06-2011 03:36AM

Ireland has a lot of natural beauty, what underwhelms me sometimes is how grim and badly-maintained a lot of the small towns are...

The Scientician · 27-06-2011 03:41AM

Namlub wrote: »

Ireland has a lot of natural beauty, what underwhelms me sometimes is how grim and badly-maintained a lot of the small towns are...

You're right. Although there's something a bit fakey about them, I think primarily tourist towns tend to look much, much better than a lot of say primarily agricultural or commuter towns. They all vary though, some locals just care more about the whole look of a community than others.

In Dublin city centre it can be difficult to tease out the scenic but it's there. Standing on O'Connell bridge of a clear summer's evening and looking up or down the Liffey is splendid. Much of the city around the squares and Stephen's Green are lovely. On the northside there are nice spots like the Blessington Basin and the Phoenix Park.

filthymcnasty · 27-06-2011 04:55AM

hotmail.com wrote: »

The quays in Dublin could do with a new look. Looks awful on both sides!

There is nothing scenic about Dublin in fact.

Walk alongside the liffey early morning at the strawberry beds with the mist over the river, you might think twice!

On the whole, I agree though: Ireland is nothing special compared to most other countries.
Wicklow, Connemara, west Kerry , parts of Donegal and thats it.
The vast majority of Ireland is quite bland and pedestrian.

Also another factor is our lax planning laws which have blighted many areas both urban and rural with horrible OTT homes built during the boom (and before).
There seems to be no uniformity to housing styles, a mixmash of anything and everything which can be an assault on the eyes.

27-06-2011 06:08AM

It's got some great spots.. No one is arguing that. But the regular drive between towns or whatever is very dull.
Vietnam is the most beautiful place I've ever been to and it completely blows Ireland out of the water in terms of regular countryside. I've been sitting at the side of the road a right few times thinking that it'd be great if Ireland had some of the scenery from here.

D1stant · 27-06-2011 06:35AM

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.

Bad planning is ruining the country

Ireland has more tourists primarilly because of its diaspora, and good marketing

Scenery isnt a Eurovision. If you make the effort to seek it out and appreciate it, great, if you dont ... erm emigrate?. But in Ireland nice scenery is certainly not rare

Walnutcracker · 27-06-2011 08:16AM

There really are a lot of really scenic places in Ireland. If you went to some other country, you would probably see a lot of things and consider them scenic when people who live there wouldn't. When you see the same things every day, you filter out a lot.

Fratton Fred · 27-06-2011 09:00AM

Some parts of Ireland are stunning. I'm heading back down to Kinsale next weekend and will be visiting several places along that coast, it is beautiful.

I spend a lot of time at Powerscourt and the waterfall there, again, beautiful.

I enjoy a good sunday walk around Glendalough and a roast dinner at the Wicklow Heather, another stunning place.

Lastly, take a stroll up Killiney Hill and take in the views of Dublin, the bays and the view down to Bray Head, more stunning scenery.

These are just three places I frequent regularly, there are many many more I can mention that I have visited just once or twice, like the North Antrim coast or Hook Head.

getz · 27-06-2011 09:24AM

OPENROAD wrote: »

You could also say the same about plenty of places here, my own view from what I have seen in Ireland/England/Wales, is that we are closely matched.

yes the likes of ,the lake district ,and the dales, in the UK,cannot be mached ,but if you are like me and love going to ireland,the thing that is the biggest attraction is its friendly people,were ever i have gone in ireland i have been treated as if i was a family member,beautiful country with a kind and friendly race,

fryup · 27-06-2011 09:52AM

the midlands are dour

but the whest (kerry, the burren, connemara and Donegal) and wickla are gorgeous

personally speaking i think Scotland has more spectacular scenery

dpe · 27-06-2011 10:41AM

Horses for courses innit? You have to compare Ireland to other temperate countries (there's no point comparing it to the "flat, arid bits"), and I have to say Ireland has its moments, but its not as great as the tourist brochures would have you believe. Scotland and Wales are both more spectacular than Ireland (and as I'm neither Scottish, Welsh or Irish I have no particular axe to grind). Its mainly becuase Ireland is actually geologically quite homogenous; no spectacular mountains, not many big rivers etc. All the action is really along the coastlines. If I was a tourist, I wouldn't be visiting Ireland just for the scenery; like most people I'm pretty sure I'd be visiting for the craic first, scenery second, whereas Scotland and Wales it would definitely be the other way around (especially Wales).

Of course compared to New Zealand, the whole of the UK and Ireland is about as scenic as a car park.

positron · 27-06-2011 10:43AM

Are you kidding me? This country is stunning! The countryside is just so beautiful here, you have to be out there to appreciate it. The rolling green hills is not just a makeyuppy thing - it's real, and it's really breathtaking. And I dont' think you have to go to Dongal or Wicklow to see the beauty of Ireland - for instance, just outside Drogheda, take any of the back roads around Naul, Duleek, towards Navan around Newgrange etc - it's just stunning.

/I discovered the above since I started biking. Cars just doesn't give you the same feeling as you are too cocooned in your own world.

Why is Ireland regarded as a scenic country?

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