Ring of Kerry Tourism- me oul Shillelaley;)

crockholm · 29-10-2014 07:40PM

The whole Point of tourism is to make Money,yet people here are complaining about people making Money! There is a Kerry forum here on boards,I'm sure if you wished to find Everything for cheap,ask the folks there.

In fairness,it's not like you see all the multi-nationals locating to Kerry or places like it,so of course they have to get their income from the Tourist trade-and guaranteed that there will be many more folks packing Killarney and kenmare at the weekends because they Always make sure something is on to entertain Tourists.

In fact,last time I was in Killarney(last year),I Think I paid about 4.20 for a pint of stout,so nowt wrong there.

Be thankful for kerry tourism-what's the alternative? Donegal? "Come for the endless amount of midges,stay for the boyracers in N.I. reg subaru's"

WesternZulu · 29-10-2014 07:47PM

Western Pomise wrote: »

Please move Mods if in wrong thread,Down enjoying scenery on 'Ring of Kerry' at mo with family,have never been down to Kerry before and while the scenery is outstanding they fairly know how to charge for food,'souvenirs' etc.
Would be from a very scenic part of Mayo myself but we are in the dark ages compared to down here for exploiting tourists (which I abhor by the way)...good eg,staying in Killarney and in the good pubs offering pub grub your avg dish eg steak is 3 or 4 euro dearer than even likes of Galway city!
We just stopped there in a 'quaint' coffee shop in a village,got the young lad a one scoop ice cream,2 cups of tea and 2 yellow snack bars and it came to 10 euro FFS!....
Don't get me wrong the scenery,accom etc is lovely but it's all a bit 'stage' Irish to me and would say a lot of tourists head home happy but v light in pocket,
PS- before a horde of proud Kerry people come on defending their homeland,my point is just that their business people might be killing the golden goose.
Personally I have travelled the world,stayed in accom from dire hostels to 4 star hotels so know the value of a holiday budget and know that it
means a lot more to give a tip to someone in a country like India or Cambodia where the whole family might be fed for a few days from it,than by giving a tip in a restaurant in England as an eg.

Yerra

lazybones32 · 29-10-2014 08:08PM

NewCorkLad wrote: »

Why would they be embarrassed with their council trying to promote their town and bring more money into the local community. That is a stupid mentality to have.

Promotion is one thing; begging someone to visit is quite another.

Not reading/understanding what is written is another "stupid mentality" to have.

fastrac · 29-10-2014 08:24PM

The Wild Atlantic Way is taking tourists into new areas that will give value for a few years . They are no worse in Killarney than any other tourist trap in business for donkeys years.I think the government would be better off spending the millions promoting tourism on some decent infrastructure.That way everybody wins and the tourists wont be telling Tripadvisor the highlight of their holiday was getting directions to the next stop from the B&B owner.

Stinicker · 29-10-2014 11:11PM

Scannal wrote: »

You can find cheaper places in Killarney but it's pricey enough in general. As someone above mentioned, Donegal is far more reasonable and has nice scenery also.

Have you seen the price of silver polish lately? Somethings got to pay to keep Sam shiny

29-10-2014 11:17PM

I'm from Killarney, and you're right. Prices do get hiked for the tourists, and of course the locals have to pay those prices too! The hotel prices are ridiculous.

29-10-2014 11:19PM

lazybones32 wrote: »

OP- that's Killarney for you. They - imo - are the most shamelessly money-hungry shower I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. Remember how they wanted Queen Elizabeth to come visit the town a few years ago and the galling pandering to H.M. to grace them with her presence, so that Killarney would get more media exposure. I was talking to some of the locals and I asked if they were embarrassed by their town council's grovelling and the reply I got was "well, if it'll bring more money to the town"

The Hill Billy · 29-10-2014 11:21PM

I've been to Kerry for the past 4 years for my holliers - Killarney & Dingle - & got good value for money each time. I love it. Murphy's ice cream rocks!

Red21 · 30-10-2014 12:43AM

lazybones32 wrote: »

OP- that's Killarney for you. They - imo - are the most shamelessly money-hungry shower I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. Remember how they wanted Queen Elizabeth to come visit the town a few years ago and the galling pandering to H.M. to grace them with her presence, so that Killarney would get more media exposure. I was talking to some of the locals and I asked if they were embarrassed by their town council's grovelling and the reply I got was "well, if it'll bring more money to the town"

I'll bet they got embarrassed for humanity when you started shouting, "Yuu Aaa up the Raa"

ErnieBert · 30-10-2014 12:52AM

Last year I brought my kids to Kerry. We got a great deal in a hotel in Tralee so based ourselves there. The town was such a sh!thole that I'd rather pay more and enjoy Killarney than pay less and be bored in Tralee.

Mountainsandh · 30-10-2014 01:22AM

Lapin wrote: »

paddywhackery ...Oh Beggoragh to attract visitor to what is a beautiful part of the world.

Op, I agree about the ripping tourists off part, but I disagree on the Irish "experience" part.

I'm not Irish and it kills me how embarrassed, or self conscious, mortified, shameful, or "whatever you call it" Irish people are about their own culture.

Why not embrace the Beggorah and paddywhackery-nesses, the shamrock keyrings, the Leprechauns aprons and tea towels ? The sheep and the fifty shades of green, the Riverdance tackiness ? What's the harm in them ? Make people look not intellectual enough ?

What about the French so ? Should they similarly reject the garlic bedecked beret wearing old mustachioed fellow on a bike with baguette image ? The Mime Marceau references, the Citroen cars parked by quaint village bakery table sets ? The Eiffel Tower keyrings ?
What about the Italians, the Spanish, the Germans ?

Do we not all have stereotypes and at times cringy cultural references that fire tourists' imaginations ?

I don't think any of the countries I have mentioned above lose in "street cred" because of the stereotypes or tacky cultural concepts. Tourists (even American !) are well able to enjoy the Leprechauns and take in more serious or intellectual characteristics of a country.

I don't know, maybe it's just me but every time I see Irish people complaining about the tourism sheenanigans, or should I say tactics, I imagine a "morto" teenager that just wants to look deep and clever.

I'm a bit passionate here because I was once a Leprechaun loving tourist, and I think these introductions to the country should be no issue to anyone in Ireland.

siblers · 30-10-2014 01:59AM

I live near Killarney, restraunt and cafe prices and bar prices seem pretty much on par with any major tourist town/city in ireland that I've visited.

Packrat · 30-10-2014 02:06AM

Scannal wrote: »

You can find cheaper places in Killarney but it's pricey enough in general. As someone above mentioned, Donegal is far more reasonable and has nice scenery also.

Agree, but for a cracking weeknight or weekend town, Killarney kicks everyone's ass, bar Dublin, even Galway and Cork don't have as much going on. You'll pay for this.

crockholm wrote: »

The whole Point of tourism is to make Money,yet people here are complaining about people making Money! There is a Kerry forum here on boards,I'm sure if you wished to find Everything for cheap,ask the folks there.

In fairness,it's not like you see all the multi-nationals locating to Kerry or places like it,so of course they have to get their income from the Tourist trade-and guaranteed that there will be many more folks packing Killarney and kenmare at the weekends because they Always make sure something is on to entertain Tourists.

In fact,last time I was in Killarney(last year),I Think I paid about 4.20 for a pint of stout,so nowt wrong there.

Be thankful for kerry tourism-what's the alternative? Donegal? "Come for the endless amount of midges,stay for the boyracers in N.I. reg subaru's"

I like Donegal, but if I had coffee, I'd have spat it over my phone at your last sentence.

Lia_lia wrote: »

I'm from Killarney, and you're right. Prices do get hiked for the tourists, and of course the locals have to pay those prices too! The hotel prices are ridiculous.

You could get a hotel or b&b on Muckross Rd all through this summer for 35 a head. I know cos I stayed there about 25 nights between May and Sept. That's not dear. In fact it's the cheapest tourist town in Ireland to stay in if you want it to be. Try Kinsale for comparison.

Mountainsandh wrote: »

Op, I agree about the ripping tourists off part, but I disagree on the Irish "experience" part.

I'm not Irish and it kills me how embarrassed, or self conscious, mortified, shameful, or "whatever you call it" Irish people are about their own culture.

Why not embrace the Beggorah and paddywhackery-nesses, the shamrock keyrings, the Leprechauns aprons and tea towels ? The sheep and the fifty shades of green, the Riverdance tackiness ? What's the harm in them ? Make people look not intellectual enough ?

What about the French so ? Should they similarly reject the garlic bedecked beret wearing old mustachioed fellow on a bike with baguette image ? The Mime Marceau references, the Citroen cars parked by quaint village bakery table sets ? The Eiffel Tower keyrings ?
What about the Italians, the Spanish, the Germans ?

Do we not all have stereotypes and at times cringy cultural references that fire tourists' imaginations ?

I don't think any of the countries I have mentioned above lose in "street cred" because of the stereotypes or tacky cultural concepts. Tourists (even American !) are well able to enjoy the Leprechauns and take in more serious or intellectual characteristics of a country.

I don't know, maybe it's just me but every time I see Irish people complaining about the tourism sheenanigans, or should I say tactics, I imagine a "morto" teenager that just wants to look deep and clever.

I'm a bit passionate here because I was once a Leprechaun loving tourist, and I think these introductions to the country should be no issue to anyone in Ireland.

Great post.

My own opinion is that as scenery goes, the Dingle peninsula or the less exploited Beara peninsula both far outrank the Ring of Kerry.

Other counties also are full of tourist traps; particularly Clare, where they have wonderful natural attractions but dirty over developed towns and have destroyed the coastline from Black head down to Spanish point with crappy holiday lets.

Different types of tourist will enjoy different types of attractions. I've been at the banquet in Bunratty over 50 times yet I can see the attraction for SOME people to attend once.
As a driver/guide at the top end of the market, we try to do unique experiences with people, but there is a reason most tourists visit Killarney or the Cliffs - it's spectacular.

Tldr: Lobster is great, but sometimes you just want a burger.

lazybones32 · 30-10-2014 08:32AM

Red21 wrote: »

I'll bet they got embarrassed for humanity when you started shouting, "Yuu Aaa up the Raa"

No. Nothing like that happened. I'll write for you, what I said to them "If she wants to come visit, fine, just don't go begging her to visit".

It's a little thing called self-respect.

gramar · 30-10-2014 08:49AM

valoren wrote: »

In the Gap of Dunloe.

How much for a Donkey ride?

£20!

I don't want to buy it at all!

Did you get the condom included in the price?

30-10-2014 10:55AM

DublinCJM wrote: »

Or in my case, I would say do it.

You could of course save yourself a euro or two or even three and sit in a dark coffee shop off the beaten track, talking about how you'd saved a quid, I'd prefer to spend a fiver on a coffee in St Marks square or €8 or €10 for a beer sitting on La Ramblas.

You've spent a good few quid to get there, on flights, accommodation etc, a couple of extra euros for a beer or a coffee in a great location, watching it all pass by you is one of the reasons you go to places like this.

If you were there every weekend then don't do it, but lots of these places are once off visits, so why try and scrimp, just soak it up.

That's why Temple Bar is always jammed with people who don't give a toss about spending an extra 20 or 30 on a night out. It's full of tourists, not full of locals who know better.

The way I see that is I would much rather see something real and get a real sense of the place, in Venice for example we found the local food market which had a small hole in the wall bar serving coffee and wine to the locals and the stall holders, I would much rather have a coffee from some where like that. I know every one is different but its a bit much to complain of being ripped off when you have the choice of going some where else.

Ring of Kerry Tourism- me oul Shillelaley;)

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