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What the hell has happened to Kilkee?

12357…17

Comments

  • #122
    badboyblast
    Registered Users Posts: 753 ✭✭✭badboyblast


    Fnd Kilkee great. Beech is very safe and some lovely walks , it will only pick up as the economy improves .


  • #123
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    Deagol wrote: »
    My daughter lives in Kilkee (cheap rent!), and I was up there a couple of weeks ago and I have to say I was shocked by just how busy it was.

    Was a rainy, fairly miserable afternoon and the place was absolutely jammers.

    Now, having not been anywhere in the town I can't comment on the available ameneties etc but any seaside town that is packed on a wet weekend can't be doing that much wrong!

    The problem is not the fact that it is jammers but it is full of people spending a lot of time but little or no money. It is full of self-caterers and day trippers. Myles meals are basic. The Indian is good but they pulled a sly one on me by charging for popadoms. I don't trust them anymore. The Kilkee Bay Hotel, whenever it opens has only 41 bedrooms. For a supposed resort town it is pathetic that it will be the flagship hotel.


  • #124
    JCX BXC
    Registered Users Posts: 18,095 ✭✭✭✭JCX BXC


    4ensic15 wrote: »
    The problem is not the fact that it is jammers but it is full of people spending a lot of time but little or no money. It is full of self-caterers and day trippers. Myles meals are basic. The Indian is good but they pulled a sly one on me by charging for popadoms. I don't trust them anymore. The Kilkee Bay Hotel, whenever it opens has only 41 bedrooms. For a supposed resort town it is pathetic that it will be the flagship hotel.

    They do charge for poppadoms, but sure if you read the menu it's clear enough! I generally go for the early bird if I can.

    41 bedrooms is a good addition to the current accomodation available.


  • #125
    Cookiemunster
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    4ensic15 wrote: »
    The problem is not the fact that it is jammers but it is full of people spending a lot of time but little or no money. It is full of self-caterers and day trippers. Myles meals are basic. The Indian is good but they pulled a sly one on me by charging for popadoms. I don't trust them anymore. The Kilkee Bay Hotel, whenever it opens has only 41 bedrooms. For a supposed resort town it is pathetic that it will be the flagship hotel.

    It's always been like that. When I was a child in the 80s we spent whole summers down there. Everyone in a mobile home self catered. Which was the vast majority of people staying there. There were few holiday homes until the Celtic Tiger years. Eating out consisted of a take away and was rare. And when you talk about hotels, I never remember the Atlantic being opened before it was demolished, so big hotels always struggled.


  • #126
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    Cookiemunster wrote: »
    It's always been like that. When I was a child in the 80s we spent whole summers down there. Everyone in a mobile home self catered. Which was the vast majority of people staying there. There were few holiday homes until the Celtic Tiger years. Eating out consisted of a take away and was rare. And when you talk about hotels, I never remember the Atlantic being opened before it was demolished, so big hotels always struggled.
    The was the Hydro, The marine, The Thomond, The Victoria, as well as Clar Ellagh and the Esplanade. 41 bedrooms is sweet damn all.


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  • #127
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    JCX BXC wrote: »
    They do charge for poppadoms, but sure if you read the menu it's clear enough! I generally go for the early bird if I can.

    41 bedrooms is a good addition to the current accomodation available.

    If you don't order them, they give them for free, which is the norm in most Indians. Too cute by half. They won't catch me again.


  • #128
    screamer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭screamer


    Kilkee is indeed a sad state to see was there years ago and just visited for a few hours a couple of weeks back and it was awful. It's easy to say the wild Atlantic way yada yada but IMHO and I love Clare, it's only visited by the foreign tourists to the cliffs of mother, they then either head for the burren and Galway or cut across towards Shannon and bunratty etc. The southern parts of Clare kilkee kilrush launch are full of Irish holiday makers.


  • #129
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    screamer wrote: »
    Kilkee is indeed a sad state to see was there years ago and just visited for a few hours a couple of weeks back and it was awful. It's easy to say the wild Atlantic way yada yada but IMHO and I love Clare, it's only visited by the foreign tourists to the cliffs of mother, they then either head for the burren and Galway or cut across towards Shannon and bunratty etc. The southern parts of Clare kilkee kilrush launch are full of Irish holiday makers.

    Not much different really from Ballybunion, Tramore, Courtown, Bettystown and a host of others. They're all there to serve the local summer trade, they are not foreign tourist attractions. They have a purpose and it's self catering home away from home business for city dwellers.

    On the other hand you have all the short stay locations that cater for the tour buses and foreign tourists. North Clare, Lahinch (surfers), Doolin, Aran Islands, Lisdoonvarna, up into Kinvara and on to Galway and Connemara. They are attracted to the history and the scenery.

    Kilkee is what it is, a local seaside resort. It's Limericks Brighton.

    Just a passenger



  • #130
    JCX BXC
    Registered Users Posts: 18,095 ✭✭✭✭JCX BXC


    screamer wrote: »
    Kilkee is indeed a sad state to see was there years ago and just visited for a few hours a couple of weeks back and it was awful. It's easy to say the wild Atlantic way yada yada but IMHO and I love Clare, it's only visited by the foreign tourists to the cliffs of mother, they then either head for the burren and Galway or cut across towards Shannon and bunratty etc. The southern parts of Clare kilkee kilrush launch are full of Irish holiday makers.

    If you're going on 'holiday' to kilrush it's probably not the typical kind.


  • #131
    Mailcoachinn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Mailcoachinn


    JCX BXC wrote: »
    If you're going on 'holiday' to kilrush it's probably not the typical kind.

    If anyone is seriously thinking of taking a holiday in Kilrush, I would strongly recommend stopping in Ennis for a visit to Dr. Bhamjee


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  • #132
    mitresize5
    Registered Users Posts: 996 ✭✭✭mitresize5


    I find it hard to believe that some of the people commenting on this thread have actually spent time in Kilkee recently ...

    The place is booming and if you have a young family there is no better place to go.

    Random thoughts

    People not spending money down there, try getting into Murphy Blacks or Naughtons for dinner any night over summer. Always booked out. Must be the only small town iin Ireland that has new pubs opening in it recently

    Huge selection of quality casual dining during the day at the Pantry, Irish House and Diamond Rocks

    Limerick Scobes?? - really, there is more well healed Limerick people in kilkee than on the North Circular Rd. Have you seen the amount of 181 BMWs, Range Rovers, Audis there. Im down there every summer for the summer and the difference now compared to the 80 and 90's is unreal. All the rough crowd are now affording 2 weeks away for the same money as a week in Kilkee.

    No arcades - particularly hilarious, do you expect people with Xbox's, Switches and ipads to be in arcades slotting 10 cent pieces into one arm bandits. Does lack of arcades define a good or bad holiday resort.

    More outdoor activities than most resorts in Ireland and a real playground for sporty people young and old, Pollock Holes, Byrnes Cove, safe beach, diving boards, pier. Dunlicky or Georges head walk/run, loop head cycle, best diving in Ireland, thriving boat and jet ski clubs, cliff walk second only to Cliffs of Moher. Great swimming pool when the weather is bad

    Pubs closed to 6pm - great, that means people are out and about rather than pissing their holidays away in the pub

    Business slow - ha, I was talking to the proprietor of the Pantry last weekend and she said she couldnt have baked another scone this summer they were so maxed out. Same for the early to late in the square, told me he was in the wholesalers twice a week every week this summer.


  • #133
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    mitresize5 wrote: »
    I find it hard to believe that some of the people commenting on this thread have actually spent time in Kilkee recently ...
    I was there 2 weeks ago.
    mitresize5 wrote: »

    The place is booming and if you have a young family there is no better place to go.
    It is far from booming. Nothing like it was years ago.
    mitresize5 wrote: »
    Random thoughts

    People not spending money down there, try getting into Murphy Blacks or Naughtons for dinner any night over summer. Always booked out. Must be the only small town iin Ireland that has new pubs opening in it recently
    I got a table in Murphy Blacks on a Friday night with only a days notice. The fact that there are only 2 small restaurants with a small number of covers available shows the volume of business being done in the place.
    mitresize5 wrote: »
    Huge selection of quality casual dining during the day at the Pantry, Irish House and Diamond Rocks
    3 coffee shops is not a huge selection. I hate the Pantry so that only leave a choice of 2.
    mitresize5 wrote: »
    Limerick Scobes?? - really, there is more well healed Limerick people in kilkee than on the North Circular Rd. Have you seen the amount of 181 BMWs, Range Rovers, Audis there. Im down there every summer for the summer and the difference now compared to the 80 and 90's is unreal. All the rough crowd are now affording 2 weeks away for the same money as a week in Kilkee.
    They come to their own houses. Little or no benefit economically to the town.
    mitresize5 wrote: »
    No arcades - particularly hilarious, do you expect people with Xbox's, Switches and ipads to be in arcades slotting 10 cent pieces into one arm bandits. Does lack of arcades define a good or bad holiday resort.

    More outdoor activities than most resorts in Ireland and a real playground for sporty people young and old, Pollock Holes, Byrnes Cove, safe beach, diving boards, pier. Dunlicky or Georges head walk/run, loop head cycle, best diving in Ireland, thriving boat and jet ski clubs, cliff walk second only to Cliffs of Moher. Great swimming pool when the weather is bad
    mitresize5 wrote: »

    Pubs closed to 6pm - great, that means people are out and about rather than pissing their holidays away in the pub

    The pubs can'e justify opening for lunch, there is so little business.
    mitresize5 wrote: »
    Business slow - ha, I was talking to the proprietor of the Pantry last weekend and she said she couldnt have baked another scone this summer they were so maxed out. Same for the early to late in the square, told me he was in the wholesalers twice a week every week this summer.

    There might be plenty to do, the point is not enough perople are coming to do it. It is day trippers and self caterers. The coffee shops are the only places doing business. A few hotels with people eating a drinking in them would bring far more employment to the town and benefit the area. 3 coffee shops and 3 mini markets and that is it from a business point of view.


  • #134
    badboyblast
    Registered Users Posts: 753 ✭✭✭badboyblast


    mitresize5 wrote: »
    I find it hard to believe that some of the people commenting on this thread have actually spent time in Kilkee recently ...

    The place is booming and if you have a young family there is no better place to go.

    Random thoughts

    People not spending money down there, try getting into Murphy Blacks or Naughtons for dinner any night over summer. Always booked out. Must be the only small town iin Ireland that has new pubs opening in it recently

    Huge selection of quality casual dining during the day at the Pantry, Irish House and Diamond Rocks

    Limerick Scobes?? - really, there is more well healed Limerick people in kilkee than on the North Circular Rd. Have you seen the amount of 181 BMWs, Range Rovers, Audis there. Im down there every summer for the summer and the difference now compared to the 80 and 90's is unreal. All the rough crowd are now affording 2 weeks away for the same money as a week in Kilkee.

    No arcades - particularly hilarious, do you expect people with Xbox's, Switches and ipads to be in arcades slotting 10 cent pieces into one arm bandits. Does lack of arcades define a good or bad holiday resort.

    More outdoor activities than most resorts in Ireland and a real playground for sporty people young and old, Pollock Holes, Byrnes Cove, safe beach, diving boards, pier. Dunlicky or Georges head walk/run, loop head cycle, best diving in Ireland, thriving boat and jet ski clubs, cliff walk second only to Cliffs of Moher. Great swimming pool when the weather is bad

    Pubs closed to 6pm - great, that means people are out and about rather than pissing their holidays away in the pub

    Business slow - ha, I was talking to the proprietor of the Pantry last weekend and she said she couldnt have baked another scone this summer they were so maxed out. Same for the early to late in the square, told me he was in the wholesalers twice a week every week this summer.

    Excellent stuff .


  • #135
    jasper100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 455 ✭✭jasper100


    4ensic15 wrote: »
    3 coffee shops and 3 mini markets and that is it from a business point of view.

    There are 4 coffee shops and 5 mini markets.

    The fact you don't know this shows how clueless you are about Kilkee.


  • #136
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    jasper100 wrote: »
    There are 4 coffee shops and 5 mini markets.

    The fact you don't know this shows how clueless you are about Kilkee.

    The poster above referred to 3 coffee shops. In fact one of the 4 closed for the week between 11th and 18th August so that week there were only 3. 3 or 4, it is still pathetic that such a small number is being relied on to demonstrate the economic miracle that is Kilkee in 2018. As for the mini markets I confess to only knowing 4 and even at that one of them is really a shop.


  • #137
    mitresize5
    Registered Users Posts: 996 ✭✭✭mitresize5


    No notion of replying to your man as he hasn't a clue but I left out one real gem ...

    The Cultrain Sweeney is a real credit to the locality and Clare county council.

    Well stocked library and really fantastic talks every Wednesday night by the local historic society about the local area. Really interesting.

    Thursday evening kids cinema club is a real treat for them

    There is plenty of free music and paid gigs over the summer.

    ... some **** hole that kilkee place.


  • #138
    Dick Pickle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 86 ✭✭Dick Pickle


    mitresize5 wrote: »
    No notion of replying to your man as he hasn't a clue but I left out one real gem ...

    The Cultrain Sweeney is a real credit to the locality and Clare county council.

    Well stocked library and really fantastic talks every Wednesday night by the local historic society about the local area. Really interesting.

    Thursday evening kids cinema club is a real treat for them

    There is plenty of free music and paid gigs over the summer.

    ... some **** hole that kilkee place.

    Is it really that bad now?


  • #139
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    mitresize5 wrote: »
    No notion of replying to your man as he hasn't a clue but I left out one real gem ...

    The Cultrain Sweeney is a real credit to the locality and Clare county council.

    Well stocked library and really fantastic talks every Wednesday night by the local historic society about the local area. Really interesting.

    Thursday evening kids cinema club is a real treat for them

    There is plenty of free music and paid gigs over the summer.

    ... some **** hole that kilkee place.

    It hosts talks for a small number of people on a Wedneday. It can barely hold 100. A cinema show once a week? That is the problem with Kilkee. Something good but insignificant is touted as being massive. There isn't a decent hotel in the place ffs.


  • #140
    ABEasy
    Registered Users Posts: 566 ✭✭✭ABEasy


    Really can't see where all this negativity is coming from!

    Re: hotels, there is obviously no demand or there would be hotels open not 3 vacent hotels (incl. Halpins). Whilst there were a number of hotels there previously, that was 30 years ago!! Back when a flight to the UK cost 2 weeks wages, now you can fly to Spain for less than a days wages!! Globisation means Kilkee is now competing with the EU for visitors, 30 years ago kilkee was the only option .

    Wally's, the funfair and the marine were shacks, literally falling down. Advances in technology and entertainment mean they are obsolete anyway. They were never going to survive.

    Re: self catering, without it kilkee would be akin to quilty, one shop, one pub town! It has always been a self catering hub primarily servicing Limerick.

    For the record, I have been to Kilkee most weekends and a bit midweek, there has been a real buzz in the place this year.


  • #141
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    mitresize5 wrote: »
    No notion of replying to your man as he hasn't a clue but I left out one real gem ...

    The Cultrain Sweeney is a real credit to the locality and Clare county council.

    Well stocked library and really fantastic talks every Wednesday night by the local historic society about the local area. Really interesting.

    Thursday evening kids cinema club is a real treat for them

    There is plenty of free music and paid gigs over the summer.

    ... some **** hole that kilkee place.

    The wife wanted to go to Paris in June next year to see Coldplay but after seeing this I'm going to persuade her that we'll go to Kilkee to the library instead.

    Just a passenger



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  • #142
    4ensic15
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭4ensic15


    Mikefitzs wrote: »
    The wife wanted to go to Paris in June next year to see Coldplay but after seeing this I'm going to persuade her that we'll go to Kilkee to the library instead.

    Make sure to get in an early booking for Murphy Blacks before next weekend to make sure you get in.


  • #143
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    4ensic15 wrote: »
    The problem is not the fact that it is jammers but it is full of people spending a lot of time but little or no money. It is full of self-caterers and day trippers. Myles meals are basic. The Indian is good but they pulled a sly one on me by charging for popadoms. I don't trust them anymore. The Kilkee Bay Hotel, whenever it opens has only 41 bedrooms. For a supposed resort town it is pathetic that it will be the flagship hotel.

    It's not an inviting location. Look at Spanish Point down the road with 2 big hotels open all year round doing a great trade. They are inviting places to go, places that have character. Kilkee has it's audience but it's offering is somewhat dated and lacks a certain quaint character that's found in abundance in Lahinch, Liscannor, Ennistymon, Ballyvaughan. Doonbeg and Carrigaholt amongst others.
    Until Kilkee invents itself as having a unique festival or other attraction it will continue to attract the same clientele for decades to come.

    What happened to the big music festival that was held there a few years back? Why isn't the beach horse racing a national event? There's a great one, build a horse race track, there's none in Clare. There's 3 I know of in Kerry.

    There's 2 extremely famous names associated with Kilkee but they're not being exploited and capitalised on: Che Guevara and Richard Harris. Oh and what idiot decided to hide Harri's statue in the middle of nowhere? It should have been placed in the town centre.

    Just a passenger



  • #144
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    4ensic15 wrote: »
    Make sure to get in an early booking for Murphy Blacks before next weekend to make sure you get in.

    I'm on the phone there now lol

    Just a passenger



  • #145
    magentis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭magentis


    Mikefitzs wrote: »
    The wife wanted to go to Paris in June next year to see Coldplay but after seeing this I'm going to persuade her that we'll go to Kilkee to the library instead.

    Would rather listen to hobos fornicating than listen to Coldplay tbh.


  • #146
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    magentis wrote: »
    Would rather listen to hobos fornicating than listen to Coldplay tbh.

    You're well served in Kilkee then, better stay there.

    Just a passenger



  • #147
    jasper100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 455 ✭✭jasper100


    Mikefitzs wrote: »
    It's not an inviting location. Look at Spanish Point down the road with 2 big hotels open all year round doing a great trade. They are inviting places to go, places that have character. Kilkee has it's audience but it's offering is somewhat dated and lacks a certain quaint character that's found in abundance in Lahinch, Liscannor, Ennistymon, Ballyvaughan. Doonbeg and Carrigaholt amongst others..

    Only one coffee shop in spanish point though so thats obviously a failing destination. Of the other towns you mentioned how many have more coffee shops and mini markets than Kilkee?


  • #148
    Mikefitzs
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭Mikefitzs


    jasper100 wrote: »
    Only one coffee shop in spanish point though so thats obviously a failing destination. Of the other towns you mentioned how many have more coffee shops and mini markets than Kilkee?

    I wasn't aware that coffee shops were tourist attractions. I need to get up to speed with this sh1t.

    Just a passenger



  • #149
    Mailcoachinn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Mailcoachinn


    4ensic15 wrote: »

    The pubs can'e justify opening for lunch, there is so little business.

    To be fair now I've stopped in either Nolan's or Myles's for a pint in the early afternoon & they were always open


  • #150
    JCX BXC
    Registered Users Posts: 18,095 ✭✭✭✭JCX BXC


    Mailcoachinn wrote: »
    To be fair now I've stopped in either Nolan's or Myles's for a pint in the early afternoon & they were always open

    O'Maras, Hickeys, Stella Maris, Fitzpatrick's, all always open. It was a bizzare point by the OP so was duly ignored! Is it expected to have all pubs open in the morning?


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  • #151
    Mailcoachinn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Mailcoachinn


    Are crowds of people coming to Kilkee for New Year’s Eve still a thing? I used to do that every year, the whole town would be well buzzing. Haven’t done it in the best part of about 10 years now so I wouldn’t know if it still happens or not. Does it?


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