Ireland--a warning!

Rugger_2

There is a big tourist initiative going on in Ireland at the moment aimed particularly at getting those Irish abroad or with connections to Ireland to visit. It is called 'The Gathering'. More correctly, it should be labelled 'The lets Fleece the Tourists Season'
I have had a lot of friends visiting me this year and have been seriously embarrassed a lot more than once.
Some were on motorbikes and suffered damage because of the state of the roads.
I live in a touristy area and in the end stopped taking people out to eat because of the disgraceful prices being asked for very indifferent food.
The final kick in the teeth came when my last guests departed from Knock Airport and were charged €10 each to leave the country!!!!!!
I'm still trying to ascertain if this charge is legal.
If you are contemplating a trip to Ireland, I would strongly advise you to think again!

mcfisco

Ireland has been too expensive for a few years now IMO

There's a few airports this side of the Irish sea that charge similar departure fees

814man

Strange post. I lived in Ireland back in 90's and have visited on many occasions. All countries have the odd dodgy road surface as well as restaurants that charge exorbitant prices, most people know how to deal with this or if they are on holiday are occasionally happy to pay the price for a meal in a specific location. A pint of Guinness in a Dublin city centre bar may well be overpriced compared to a country pub but we pay for it knowing what we are getting is both the location and atmosphere as well as the product.
As for the departure charge that certainly interesting and I'd like to know the specifics as I've never seen it before.
Can I ask if you are undercover from the English Tourist Board? (Only joking by the way)

andygb

814man wrote: »

Strange post. I lived in Ireland back in 90's and have visited on many occasions. All countries have the odd dodgy road surface as well as restaurants that charge exorbitant prices, most people know how to deal with this or if they are on holiday are occasionally happy to pay the price for a meal in a specific location. A pint of Guinness in a Dublin city centre bar may well be overpriced compared to a country pub but we pay for it knowing what we are getting is both the location and atmosphere as well as the product.
As for the departure charge that certainly interesting and I'd like to know the specifics as I've never seen it before.
Can I ask if you are undercover from the English Tourist Board? (Only joking by the way)

I couldn't believe it, but it is true

http://www.irelandwestairport.com/airportguide/airportdevelopmentfee.aspx

Can anyone believe the cheek of this, perhaps we ought to charge the Irish to visit England:(

apt

Plenty of airports in England charge a similar fee - Norwich, Newquay, Blackpool, Durham Tees Valley.

Senora

The fee out of Blackpool is listed as 'airport development' £10.00 per person.

[Deleted User]

Rugger wrote: »

There is a big tourist initiative going on in Ireland at the moment aimed particularly at getting those Irish abroad or with connections to Ireland to visit. It is called 'The Gathering'. More correctly, it should be labelled 'The lets Fleece the Tourists Season'
I have had a lot of friends visiting me this year and have been seriously embarrassed a lot more than once.
Some were on motorbikes and suffered damage because of the state of the roads.
I live in a touristy area and in the end stopped taking people out to eat because of the disgraceful prices being asked for very indifferent food.
The final kick in the teeth came when my last guests departed from Knock Airport and were charged €10 each to leave the country!!!!!!
I'm still trying to ascertain if this charge is legal.
If you are contemplating a trip to Ireland, I would strongly advise you to think again!

As a long-term resident of Ireland I have mixed views about your post.

Your comments about the roads are correct - they're in a disgraceful state and all except the main dual-carriageways and sometimes even those are positively lethal especially for motorcyclists.

Tourists should also be aware that Ireland is still extremely expensive and often for no apparent reason. A meal for two in the UK could cost up to three times that in Ireland - expect to pay between €20-25 for a simple steak and chips and €25 for a bottle of indifferent supermarket plonk.

The price of a pint varies from €4-6.

There's no doubt the country lives up to its Rip-Off Ireland tag.

Mind you, if you think it's bad now you should have seen it during the Celtic Tiger years when Ireland wallowed in greed and complacency. Not only were you ripped off but ripped off by people who couldn't give a toss what you thought.

HOWEVER, things are slowly changing. More and more restaurants are introducing early-bird specials and hotel and guest house prices have come down.

And generally the Irish will have a warm welcome for visitors.

But visitors should be aware that crime is on the increase dramatically in a country with both serious unemployment, a major drink and drugs problem and a police force that's virtually non-existent in many areas.

There's also widespread racism and in some parts there is still a latent anti-English sentiment. Visitors from the UK are advised to watch what they say while out in the company of others.

I wish the above wasn't true because Ireland is still a great place to visit but you really need to banish all notions about jovial locals singing diddly-eye songs at the drop of a leprachaun's hat while down pints of the black stuff.

This is a country in the middle of the worst recession in its history with a seriously p!ssed-off population.

Finally, this - from today's papers. Read the comments at the end from Irish people for a reality check.

www.independent.ie/irish-news/welcome-to-ireland-a-bottle-in-the-face-and-loss-of-an-eye-29482699.html

NiallB

Rugger wrote: »

The final kick in the teeth came when my last guests departed from Knock Airport and were charged €10 each to leave the country!!!!!!!

Some people might think that 10 Euros to get away from Knock was a bargain

Tarry

That story is sad,but can happen anywhere unfortunately, that's the way things are these days It's not just isolated to one country, one place.

Aside from a very washed away road in Ireland, scary stuff, and scary flooded roads, I didn't find the roads THAT bad, we have a few fair potholes over here these days especially around my area :S

I didn't find that prices THAT bad, but than my local supermarket isn't exactly cheap, and no it's not waitrose.

Gloomendoom

I must admit that last time I visited Eire, I vowed I would only be going back in a 4x4. Some of the roads had potholes deep enough to hide a sheep in.

1jim

I see what your all saying but I don't think Ireland is all that bad

Yes, in towns and citys there will be drink fuelled fights at the end of the night, it's the same here in the UK cities and towns...just look at any of the police documentaries showing how bad we are, same with drugs.

Ireland is a bit more expensive but has been for ages, but then other countries have as well which are tourist destinations but it's easy to find cheaper places to eat as well. Things will be a bit more expensive due to euro sterling exchange rate, that's not their fault

As for anti English, I have never come across that ever in the republic. I was born in the north but grew up here so you wouldn't know it. We have been going back to Ireland for holidays for years and never come across anything like that, weve always had a great time. We now tend to go back to the same small town/village and are welcomed like old friends, even after a gap of a few years we were remembered and welcomed back.

Will be heading back there very soon and will report back but I'd be very suprised if the mood has changed so much in that way.

Looking forward to my trip by the way :-)