Wall kicking in Salthill

Bob_the_dog · 02-01-2011 04:33PM #1

Why do people kick the wall at the end of Salthill prom. Has the wall done something bad to all Galwegians in the past?

My new years resolution is to clear up all these annoying questions in my life

Bob

emptybladder · 02-01-2011 04:44PM

Uh-oh. Dr McManus is back!

Bob_the_dog · 02-01-2011 07:07PM

emptybladder wrote: »

Uh-oh. Dr McManus is back!

Who is Dr McManus???

Bob

Storm 10 · 02-01-2011 07:17PM

Its a tradition started many many years ago its supposed to bring good luck to kick the wall with your foot after walking the prom.

PS Never done me any good all the times I kicked it

:D

Ficheall · 02-01-2011 07:51PM

It knocks off some of the sand that accumulates on your shoes as you walk along the prom, thereby lightening your load for the return journey.

JohnCleary · 02-01-2011 07:54PM

For generations people have wanted to extend the Salthill prom, so way back people started kicking that damned wall in the hope of pushing it west, thus increasing the length of the prom

:pac:

RubyGirl · 02-01-2011 07:54PM

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21201672550

Dunjohn · 02-01-2011 08:31PM

Kicking the wall was, I understand, originally introduced by the Council as a safety measure against the considerable and unexpected momentum built up by walking the entire length of the Prom. Prior to that, Prom walkers would simply slap right into the wall, having failed to begin slowdown back at the shelters, resulting in injury and embarassment, particularly if the donkey was there watching.

thenakedchef · 02-01-2011 08:36PM

Ficheall wrote: »

It knocks off some of the sand that accumulates on your shoes as you walk along the prom, thereby lightening your load for the return journey.

Or the dog $hit

Fuinseog · 02-01-2011 11:33PM

i miss the donkey that used to be there beside the house at Blackrock. a pity the house was let fall apart, but hard for anyone to live there with the uncouth element that the place sometimes attracted.

BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

Das Kitty · 03-01-2011 12:34AM

Fuinseog wrote: »

BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

Only you could turn a thread about kicking a wall halfway through a walk into this!

Mrs OBumble · 03-01-2011 01:16AM

I thought there was an underground pipe that is putting pressure on the wall, and the council had asked citizens to assist by putting some pressure in the opposite direction until such time as they could afford to fix it.

of course, but sure'n it's a good story to tell the Americans (who believe it), and also to tell other tourists as a warning about how the Irish tell tales to tourists.

howyanow · 03-01-2011 12:08PM

i always was told it was to give you luck for the return journey,i always found it amusing showing people for the 1st time.

biko · 03-01-2011 01:51PM

Fuinseog wrote: »

BTW do the gays still meet up at Blackrock after dark?

I respect your lifestyle choice and all but please keep this thread about the wall only.

snubbleste · 03-01-2011 01:59PM

When will some enterprising graffiti artist put a montage of irish political figures on that wall, so that we gain a bit of pleasure from kicking the wall?

all that dog poo..

Fuinseog · 03-01-2011 02:12PM

biko wrote: »

I respect your lifestyle choice and all but please keep this thread about the wall only.

do they not do it agin the wall?

seniorolaighin · 03-01-2011 02:14PM

its because if they dont kick it they'll keep walking and wont stop.....:D

Bob_the_dog · 03-01-2011 02:38PM

Many Thanks for all the replies

I particularly like the idea of a politicians face being put on the wall but sadly the wall isn't big enough for all our useless politicians but as least the next time I'm out walking I can visualise there faces.

How far to the nearest A&E Dept, I have a lof of kicking to do:D

mrsdewinter · 03-01-2011 04:25PM

I thought the tradition was as old as Blackrock itself, but a friend of mine used to swear up and down that he only started seeing walkers kick the wall in the 90s. He's wrong, isn't he?

Meteoric · 03-01-2011 09:56PM

Well I used kick the wall as a kid in the late 70's and 80's and that was because my parents told me it was what they had done since they were kids so no, it did not start in the 90's

Dunjohn · 03-01-2011 11:40PM

snubbleste wrote: »

When will some enterprising graffiti artist put a montage of irish political figures on that wall, so that we gain a bit of pleasure from kicking the wall?

In all seriousness, I hope never.

Fuinseog · 03-01-2011 11:48PM

Dunjohn wrote: »

In all seriousness, I hope never.

hear hear

Fuinseog · 03-01-2011 11:55PM

Meteoric wrote: »

Well I used kick the wall as a kid in the late 70's and 80's and that was because my parents told me it was what they had done since they were kids so no, it did not start in the 90's

in dem days you did not question such things

roboshatner · 04-01-2011 12:03AM

what is wall kicking ?

Bob_the_dog wrote: »

Why do people kick the wall at the end of Salthill prom. Has the wall done something bad to all Galwegians in the past?

My new years resolution is to clear up all these annoying questions in my life

Bob

Meteoric · 04-01-2011 12:16AM

Fuinseog wrote: »

in dem days you did not question such things

Lol, actually I did, was told it was the tradition and that it signified that I'd walked the entire length of the Prom so was a way of marking the half-way point (since we always had to walk back)

Lapin · 04-01-2011 12:26AM

One of these days that wall is gonna start kicking people back. :eek:

roboshatner · 04-01-2011 12:29AM

what is wall kicking ? never heard of it.

Mars Bar · 04-01-2011 12:49AM

roboshatner wrote: »

what is wall kicking ? never heard of it.

Well, you kick a wall.

roboshatner · 04-01-2011 03:53AM

Only in ireland

mars bar wrote: »

Well, you kick a wall.

Dunjohn · 04-01-2011 12:20PM

When people reach the Blackrock end of the Prom, they usually kick the wall before turning back.

Personally, I reckon it's just a way to keep your pace when you reach the end. It's not a proper tradition, just something that people "do." It's physically easier to turn on one foot and if people didn't do it, and if the wall was higher, they'd be tapping it with two fingers or something.

Blinking_Badger · 04-01-2011 12:42PM

is there any danger of the wall collapsing on top of an unlucky kicker after all the bashing it gets? This thought runs through my mind every time i roundhouse it..........

Wall kicking in Salthill

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