i went into a bookstore yesterday to look at a map of kerry....
but before i get into that, firstly i'd like to propose discussion on a few bits and pieces....
1. Centres for extreme sports in Ireland: realistically, there are only three areas in Ireland with shed loads of *white water* paddling condensed into an accessible region which does not involve horrific amounts of driving. Kerry, Wicklow and Donegal. The event has to be considered in such terms.
my opinion:
Wicklow: as a Dublin based club, going to Wicklow for a week of paddling at new years is a non starter as we would be going away to somewhere we go every time it rains.... also, east coast so much lower probability of rain, and no surf.
donegal/sigo: supposed to be lots of good whitewater, but extreme cold conditions, other considerations, and extreme competition with surfers for available housing at prime locations. ballybunion, rossnowlagh, strandhill, mullaghmore etc. (though i quite fancy mullaghmore as a concept: schweet area, cool surf, plenty of holiday homes etc... availability? ask una? bit of a hike to donegal paddling as it is in south donegal or sligo? though )
kerry: mecca to east coast boaters. lots of accessible whitewater to all grades. surf accessible to all grades at multiple locations. loads of holiday destinations with plenty of holiday villages. warmer location in general.
connemara: i had originally proposed connemara, but on reflection, the paddling is extremely diffused, and the surf spotty and generally a lot more inaccessible at the fresher standard.
<b>2. Location Location Location: What are we really looking for in a new years destination? accessibility to rivers, surf, housing, pub. ambiance. [/b]
my opinion:
firstly, I'd like to discuss rossbeigh without reflecting on price. What exactly does rossbeigh offer us.
(a) access to kerry paddling: in very close proximity, three stretches of the carragh river for three different standards of paddler. in medium proximity: access to killarney area rivers, clydagh, flesk, three stretches of the roughty. in diffuse proximity: west cork/east kerry boating.
(b?) surf: accessibility within WALKING distance to ross beach for all and sundry. The importance of this factor cannot be overstated. the fact that clubs can step out the front door of their respective houses, already dressed for battle, walk across the road and get in the Atlantic, without having to mobilize transport, or masses of rescue is of vital importance for the trip. no rain, throw the freshers in the soup (ross surf), too much rain (where all your decent boaters/rescue f**K off to do some good boating, throw the freshers in the soup. night time and deranged drunk and you just want to get naked and wet: throw the freshers in the soup. the ross beach within walking distance is of paramount importance to this discussion.
accessibility in the medium distance: castlegregory, garywilliam point and finians bay: great surf spots for the not so faint of heart. inch strand for more soupy beach break fun.
(c) housing: lets face facts here people. nobody actually seems to live in rossbeigh. it seems to be a village of empty holiday homes, so: NO LOCALS TO PISS OFF. i mean, lets be honest, how easy is it going to be to find another place where nobody actually lives, that has a pub, a beach and 50 holiday homes in a half mile radius. because that's what rossbeigh is.... and why castlegregory didn't really work. the one thing about castlegregory that really annoys me was that we were spread out all over. it was like taking a shotgun to the dingle peninsula we were that spread out. try and find another village with that much holiday housing condensed into a confined area.
(d) the pub: the pub is ours for the week, and by this i really can't emphasize how much that pub actually is ours. two years ago i actually had to push the barman out the door of the pub at 8am deranged drunk, take the keys off him, lock the pub myself and drop the keys up to michael cahill.... you just aren't going to get that anywhere else... they let us do what we want, for as long as we want, dj our nights ourselves, no cover charge, free chips and sausages in the small hours, allow us lock ins for sing songs, a function room for table quizzes, and all with the knowledge that if there ever is any hassle with locals, the locals get slapped on the hand and turfed out. anybody remember the days of the GAA ball on the 29th? he used to lock us in the bar and throw all the gaa crowd out at 1.30 while letting us party til 5 or six am. no hassle with the police as michael is a local county councilor etc, etc, etc, etc. and within walking distance of your bed? lets find another pub like it....
(e) ambiance: kerry for me is also about a time where i get together with all of my friends for a week, and i get to see everybody repeatedly, sit around talk shite, people come back from abroad, and we're all within walking distance of each other, so dropping up for tea/sherry in the afternoon for a chat with friends i might not have seen properly in 6 months or a year is of major importance to me as an oldie, and of vital consideration for me in terms of the trip as a whole. realistically, i don't do as much boating now as i used to, having slipped into that oldie comfort zone of story telling and "back in my day"ness. what i enjoy about kerry is my friends, and having them all about me for every night in the week. dinner parties where i can invite up all and sundry in the knowledge they'll come because it really is a case of sticking a bottle of wine in your pocket and popping next door. parties i can walk ten seconds to, and if they're shit, be back in the pub in ten seconds. i really think of it as a package holiday to a resort with a hundred of my mates. and so....
3. Cost/affordability: The raging issue. Are we being overcharged in the ross area?
my opinion: no, No, NO, definitely not. where else can i go where i get the advantages of a package holiday, without having to pay package holiday rates with a hundred of my mates. the ross area ticks all the boxes on my list for the very affordable price of 120-150 euros accommodation and board, provides access to the sports i do, a venue for socializing, the ambiance of friends, the craziness of having all the paddlers of ireland locked in a box for a week of madness.... i think that a hundred euros rent for my week (600 euro for 3 bed/sleeps 6)
is right on the money.
My conclusion:
I really DON'T care about paying a premium for housing in the ross area. i'm super thankful for everything the area provides me.
The rain issue: every so often we have a dry kerry. suck it up. ever been on a trip to scotland where it hasn't rained? low water alpes trips? ski trip and no snow to ski on? mountaineering/climbing trip where conditions were too bad to do anything but stay in your accommodation. with any adventure trip where the dates are set in stone, you roll the dice on whether conditions are going to be right for your activity, and don't whine when it doesn't suit. we don't have a weather machine. that's the long and short of it. so. suck it up. or go hill walking, or mountain biking, or kite surfing, or paragliding, or rock climbing, or mountain boarding, or cliff jumping, or caving, or playing music, or heavens forbid you go to the pub! kerry is a playground people.
Notwithstanding the dee issue. i don't think we're going to find anywhere else in ireland that gives so much in such a condensed area. I'd like to see reasoned debate centred around the three topics i mentioned, and advocate the investigation of other areas. i've looked at a map of ireland, and can't really see any where else that doesn't involve me making concessions on my ideal kerry experience. but i'd also like to see a lot more respect given to the ross area. we have been going there for over twenty years now and it hasn't failed us yet...
xxx
allio
