UCD Canoe Club
Committee Announcements => Announcements => Topic started by: Sick Boy on January 11, 2009, 23:01:58
-
Hi guys,
There has been a bit of talk about relocating for Kerry for next new year over the past while. I for one wouldnt be against it. I think it is an issue that is worth looking into and i thought id get the ball rolling on the issue of where to go if not Rossbeigh. What do you all think about this?
-
Location, location, location. Okay when we moved to castlegregory, the lads put in the research and we found a nice pub that enjoyed the extra bussiness. However many of the houses where spread out over a greater distance and by the second year many of the clubs where having great difficulty in finding a spot.
Donegal is an option and I think there are one or two places similar to rossbeigh.
I feel we should stay in rossbeigh as to be blunt they have forgiven us more times than we can remember. People always raise the issue of price of houses as a reason to move but when we are all down in large numbers there is a demand for houses as such the prices are normal for a peak time.
-
Stay.
-
hey Guys,
I though the atmosphere in the pub could have been better however for me it was the lack of rain. A good run down the flesk would have shaken out a cold pub had having to buy cans!
I thought because the pub never kicked us out ment that the house party scene never really kicked off . . . .
However, i agree with Kieran. But maybe people lean more towards staying in the Glenbeigh direction and go drinking there? the last few Kerry's had no Glenbeigh drinking even though there are 3 pubs there.
I think moving the event to somewhere like Donegal would stops alot of other clubs from going as it would be a much longer journey on crap-er roads?
Tom
-
this is something that i have chatted about with other clubs too and many of them seemed interested. im not saying that we have to move, or even that it is up to me to make such a decision but i figure that if people do want to go now is the time to change.
house prices are not the only reason but they are a big one, trippling of the rent rates for one week is a rediculous thing to do no matter how much the demmnd for houses increases. there is also the fact that one of the major house owners down there is, to say the least, difficult to deal with.
for those of you who wernt too happy with the pub this year i think it will be back to normal next year, i got this from talking to the Cahils.
-
River-wise I think it would be a shame to leave Co. Kerry, So for the To Kerry or Not to Kerry question I would definitely say Kerry!!
The Pro's of Rossbeigh would need to be met by another Kerry location;
Houses close together (at least 10 houses)
A beach with surf possibility within walking distance for non driver types
A big pub
But thats all stating the obvious, I'd be happy to go back to the same place again although finding a house where heating and electricity costs are included would be pure amazing!
Sara
-
I'd be happy to move, to be honest there was an awful lot of people giving out about accomodation costs - that'll happen, however as Cian has said, the actual increases involved are excessive. Moving needn't remove us from Kerry so the actual trip itself could remain similar and as accessible. Inch, Kenmare. etc are all small places with a wealth of tourist accomodation available. Who said change is a bad thing.
Kieran, your point about the way our little misdemeanours being forgiven over the years is well taken - however our business might be a bit more appreciated for a year's absence. A realistic perspective would be that we are gouged when we go to Rossbeigh, how much more can students with no income afford, I know I wouldn't spend that much money on accomodation for a week in winter. Period.
Kerry is made by the people you go away with, it can happen anywhere as long as your friends are there. If the other colleges agree I think it would be good to move it, possibly with an eye to bringing it back. Who knows?
my2c
-
right, obviously I don't have a whole lot of say in picking a venue from a paddling perspective, but I think it's safe to say we should aim for the west coast, for the novelty, for surf, and for mountains and hence rivers.
I like the present setup where there is really only one trip per county, so Clare and Sligo are out. Achill in August is declining but Mayo is still kind of 'done'. Likewise, everybody is in Galway frequently. While Galway or Mayo could work, for the sake of something different we should look at Kerry, West Cork, or Donegal (although obviously it wouldn't be the end of the world to do the same county twice in a year).
Attendance at Kerry this year consisted of people from Dublin (from where it's much of a muchness where on the west coast you go), Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway, etc (i.e. the southwest). While we could easily get to Donegal, I can't imagine Cork or Waterford being too keen on this idea.
In that case, the venue should be in West Cork or Kerry.
I agree that house prices are rising in Rossbeigh, although pints dropped this year by a fair bit (but maybe that was just the temporary change of management). Still, €100 for 7 nights (which is what I paid for an ice box) is cheaper than any hostel, so we can't complain that much.
The one very good thing Rossbeigh has going for it is the Ross Inn. It's a big pub in the middle of nowhere, which means we can fill it, we can be the only ones there, and we don't go anywhere else. If we were to be in a town, even a small town with just 2 or 3 pubs, we'd get split up from each other and we wouldn't have the run of the place so much as we do. It'd be more like Colours is, for example.
The key features of a good new year location would be:
west coast
accessible to dublin&munster people
near a surf beach
with rivers nearby
with many houses in close proximity to each other
and a big pub that's not in a town
I've spoken to many people about moving Kerry over the past two or three weeks and while everybody has an opinion about Rossbeigh, nobody has suggested an alternative.
I think Spring Break this year should consist of a scouting road trip for possible new venues. We can pick some likely candidates with the help of an OS map, and then tour up the coast checking them out (yeah, I know it's kinda against the rules to plan spring break, but meh). Would anybody be up for that? Some paddlers to check out the local rivers, some social members to check out the local pubs, and one big messy fact-finding mission in march or april. ;D
-
€700 for a week dosent seem like too much, untill you see the price list for the following week where the same houses go for €250 or so, no matter what way you put it that is a rediculous increase. people have. if you say donegal rules cork and waterford out you could also say that it possibly rules our nordie neighbours in.
people have suggested alternatives, personally i think inch could be a savage place. it has the same swell as rossbeigh, just the other side of the bay. it would add possibly 20-30 min of drive time on to getting to some of the rivers but that isnt too much and it seems like the kind of place where we could have the entire area to ourselves.
is there anyone form any other clubs reading here who have any ideas on this?
-
I liked the pub!!
Kilkee could be a good place. There's plenty of holiday homes, I think the surf does be good but the beach is a bit in-closed. I have no clue about rivers though. Does Clare have good rivers? There's also a few pubs in the town. The only problem is the people that go there sometimes.
Great diving too.
West Cork there's Castletownbere, or more isolated is Bere Island but that has no rivers. Allihie's is down the road from Castletown, haven't gone there yet but should be during the summer.
Oh, I think Donegal is a bit far but I suppose it's only once a year.
-
Clare's fairly limited for river's Leighton, unless you wanna try spate run coming off the burren - SCARY!
-
As long as I don't capsize Connor!!
What about Dingle? Although messing will be noticed more so there than Rossbehy.
-
Oh, I think Donegal is a bit far but I suppose it's only once a year.
Donegal is considerably easier to get to than west Kerry.
The only problem is the people that go there sometimes.
that is an issue, but probably not so bad at new year as it is in the summer bank holidays. still, a bit of isolation goes a long way.
Cian: good point about the Ulster colleges; I'd love to see LYIT and QUB at new year, they're both great craic. Maybe we should all compromise and go somewhere in Galway/Mayo?
-
Price in august is the same as at new years, demand is just as high, slating people for just following supply and demand is a bit harsh. Normally there would be a very high demand for houses, this year there wasn't but next year it could be back to the same levels, come the end of october it becomes very hard to find somewhere, speaking from experience here. I doubht demand is as high even in august, so it is a peak season. It maybe totally dependant on us turning up but I doubht the prices will drop hugely if you leave for a year and certainly won't stay down in the long term. If you move you will get a lower price on the house to start then it will rise as the local community cashes in.
-
Yea, with the roads Donegal wouldn't be too bad now. Doolin could be good, just down the road from Lahinch so there should be good surf.
-
I'd say stay in Kerry... there are so many good rivers down there & we are a canoe club after all... thats what we go for (if only it would rain ::)).
I dont think the prices are excesive in Rossbeigh considering the demand, its just a pity the houses are so cold but thats gonna be a problem wherever we go. It is the middle of winter & most holiday house are built for summer use.
Anyway, has anyone gone on the other clubs boards about it yet? As far as i know a few of the colleges already have plans about where to go next year.
-
Price vs value may be a bigger issue. The hire price may be the same in August but you are far less likely to have to spend the first two days of your rental getting the damp and cold out of the house then and there is a huge expense involved in that also.
I'd be up for changing but I've no idea about the rest of UL.
-
i have been talking to trash about it. infact it was trinity who suggested we look into it last year, i think something came up and we never got round to it. as far as i know trash has been talking to some people from ul. anyway what i got back from her was that everyone might be interested at looking for another possible location, maybe hence this post are peeps interested and so on and so forth. you picking up what im puting down?
-
If you are looking at donegal i could give you a few places to go. A few of us were to be in kerry for the new years but i couldnt get off work which ruined it for everyone else as i was driving but from limerick to donegal is 4 hours. Have made that trip many times and its pretty much within the time frame of getting to dublin on a busy day. It was timed for me to be in rossbeigh in 5.30 hours.. i do drive fast but not excessively fast so the north west is within reach of most clubs.
The roads are pretty good in most places... like on every road except the ones in donegal... naw its not that bad but its like any county in the northwest they are bad in places.
Keep us posted in Lyit about where you's are headn throughout the year and ill get the club to move on more events than just the intervarsities.
P.S
Oh there is a place in donegal called rosbeg and it is int he middle of nowhere with good surf and river close by and oh there is one hotel/pub there so why change the name just the location :P
And it rains a hell of a lot more in donegal than anywhere else so rain isnt usally a problem for us
-
arrgghhh, it's 2.30 in the mornig, I just got in from work(sort off) and have just read this.... Stay Stay Stay.... I'll write more ing the morning.... no body go anywhere!!!!
-
Can we add,
'at least 3 different rivers of a grade 3 or 4 standard'
to the selection criteria, The whole talk of places with surf and maybe one river is very upsetting *sob*
Sara
-
How about this:
1.Surf nearby( Finnian's bay is about an hour from rossbeigh)
2.At least 3 rivers of grade 3 to 4 standard
3.At least one of grade 2-3
4.At least ten holiday homes in close proximity with a further twenty local
5.A large bar
Extras a beach close by for swimming ::) a shopping centre, and some form of leisure centre within an hours drive.
-
Im liking your list Mr McKevitt!
-
I think most of the problems with Kerry would be solved my moving a mile up the road to glenbeigh and basing the clubs there.
There were a lot less people there this year and a lot of houses didn't rent so in theory should be cheaper next year and don't have the same reputation of being iceboxes but this year was colder than most.
The cork oldies had a house this year for 100euros a head including light and heat, there is better value out there just find someone who speaks local.
Glenbeigh is also meant to be a lot of fun for a night. There were bands in the towers most night we were there this year and they enjoy the same opening hours in the village expect the night the sergeant was off sick.
The main advantage of there it is now is how familiar it is, both the locality and the rivers. I know where I am cos I was drunk here before and the get off is actually around the next corner.
But i don't like change ;)
-
I tought Kerry was great fun!! I guess maybe it could get a bit boring for people who've been going there for years, but looking at that list of what there is in Kerry I'd say it would be pretty hard to find anwhere as well suited as rossbeigh!!
-
How about just not booking the iceboxes?
Book every other house in Rossbeigh and Glenbeigh instead. Our house in Rossbeigh this year was 150euro cheaper than an icebox, and a lot bigger. Last year we had a massive place in Glenbeigh and it worked out really well.
See how that goes for a year before changing.
I can't think of anywhere better than Kerry for whitewater and surf, with a suitably-sized pub in the middle of nowhere...
-
How about just not booking the iceboxes?
Book every other house in Rossbeigh and Glenbeigh instead. Our house in Rossbeigh this year was 150euro cheaper than an icebox, and a lot bigger. Last year we had a massive place in Glenbeigh and it worked out really well.
See how that goes for a year before changing.
I can't think of anywhere better than Kerry for whitewater and surf, with a suitably-sized pub in the middle of nowhere...
the problem with that is that several of the houses / house-owners aren't willing to rent to us anymore. especially for the club house, they have to book it under a private individual's name (eg a committee member) and will often be subjected to a grilling to make sure they're not a college kayak club. it's fine for the newer colleges who haven't burned their bridges, or for houses of oldies who have no clear university affiliation, but a lot of houses are hard to get a hold of.
I didn't think the ice boxes were that cold and I don't think we spent more than maybe €20 or €30 on electricity plus the same on coal, split 7 ways over a week. that's not that bad.
although I have to disagree with amanda - this was an incredibly mild Kerry compared with how the weather has been in the past.
-
Jeez Annie no need to get so ranty ;) he he he
I stayed in a massive house in Glenbeigh with a few of UCD & the Galway guys one year, it slept 10 of us & electricity & heating were included. I think it worked out at €80 for food & accom for the week. It would make a savage club house if we did go there next year!!!
Glenbeigh could work but its not gonna have the same atmosphere as Rossbeigh because it'll be more spread out.
Oh & Aengus I think Kerry actually gets better every year, not boring!!!! :)
-
I like Annies Idea :)
And Yeah Kerry gets better every year :)
Sara
-
And Yeah Kerry gets better every year :)
Like wine, cheese and guys right Sara?
-
was suggested on our board to get onto the person who owns the Ice Boxes on behalf of all the club houses who booked this year and try negociate a price with her for all the houses......im guessin she'd like some business rather than no business...
.....was 700e each this year.....how about asking for each house at say.....500e....with Trinity, UCD, UL booking two each(going on this year) with option of other group getting in on this aswell.....
i'd ask for 500e but be happy if she agreed with 600e for the week.....
....i like kerry cause of the beach, rivers and middle-of-nowhere pub......tis the attitude of a particular holiday home owner and ever increasing prices that annoy me....
*Edited to remove a name*
-
Also ask her to either bypass the electricity meters for the week seeing as so much needs to be spent on heaters or to increase the number of kilowat hours per €2 as it was and is known to be completely extortionate.
Or to throw a fire on in each of the houses the first day so we don't have to walk into giant fridges.
If you don't ask you won't receive. :)
-
Please don't specifically mention any names of the people who let out houses in kerry.
-
this topic is actually far older then the 2 years quotedearlier on in the thread, but this is the first year that anythin has been discussed both among everyone who is involved and also with enough time to make changes if they are agreed upon.
Firstly i'm not in a position to make any comments on the amount or grade of rivers either in Rossbeigh or any other place we might move to. I do however like the current location because of its proximity to some fantastic mountains and climbing (which i will someday be sober enough to do!!). But any rivers/beaches that are accessable from rossbeigh are also almost as accessable from anywhere else in the county. So this can be boiled down to an accomadation and "entertainment" issue.
The reality is that the houses are being charged at extorsionest rates, and then you still have to pay for heating and electricity. A number of ways have been suggested to deal with this but I think the solution might be a synergy of several of the suggestions.
1)firstly we do as Trash suggested and try to book out the place as a whole group of colleges, rather then everyone just seeing what they can get. This will give us greater leverage to negosiate on the price. But whoever is doin the booking will make it clear that the clubs in general are dissatisfied and that if a lower price is not reached then as mentioned above its all or nothing.
2) as siobhan said the electricity meters are a farce, and we should defenatly demand that the houses are warm and dry prior to us moving into them. Also a free bag of coal or brickettes wouldn't go a miss either seeing as all the houses have heating systems that can be run off a back burner in the fireplace
3) if this doesn't work then maybe it is a good idea to move. But as I recall the original plan was just to move for a year, just to scare them and make them realise how important our business is to them. It might be worse just sucking it up and having a slightly less then great Kerry for a year to reap the benefits in the future.
-
west cork sounds pretty intriguing(?).
baltimore jimi? small village, a few nice pubs, and lots of holiday homes, are they all occupied at new years already though ?
newport in connemara?
or for that matter, there are a shed load of holiday homes around leenane in west galway, clifden down the road, tuam surf spot across the way, spideal, and quite a few new galway rivers have come to light recently...
could we rent the delphi adventure centre for the week of new years? eoghan powell would be the man to talk to there, about suitability and availability as he has strong connections with the area....
and old employer of mine, and close friend lives in leenane full time, i suppose i could contact him re availability of houses....
contacting bord failte about the possibility of negotiating the rental of a whole village might not be too cheeky? they might be willing to contact all their associated houses in an area to negotiate something....
whatever the f**k i do next new years, it definitely won't be done in aberdeen.... worst christmas and new years ever....
allio
-
was also suggested to me that, we find a similar location that does rent out houses at say 500-600e and go to the landlord/landladies in the area and say that if they can match those prices then we'll stick with rossbeigh if not we'll go to the place with the cheaper prices
though leenane is a place i'd love to go to, that area is so beautiful!! and only two pubs there, right beside eachother, in the middle of nowhere, perfect! :) with the bundorragha for newbies, lakes, erriff river.....im sure there's other in the area but those just came to mind there......also the beach is a bit of a drive away but still pretty close.....if i'm trying to avoid study i'll do a bit of looking around for houses in the leenane area to rent during that time and probable prices for there......just as an idea
also, not sure if eoghans' uncle is still running delphi....but i could be mistaken on this....but still, would be pretty class for all of us to stay together in the one centre!
i would like to stay in rossbeigh but definitely will ask for cheaper electricity, warm hose and cheaper overall cost. if not, i'd be happy with going elsewhere
*edit to remove name!* TRASH!!!!!
-
this discussion of rossbeigh seems very much centred on the ice boxes. this year there were a disproportionate number of them booked out to us (I think 6 total? 2 DUKC / 2 UCDCC / 1 Maynooth / 1 UCDCCDC?). In previous years, people have been in other houses, equally near the ross, where electricity has been free and rent has been more reasonable. are these no longer available? are they under the same ownership? what's the story?
-
the other houses seem extremely hard to find contact details for and dont seem to be on the web.....does she have a monoploly on that too???
i'd like to stay in some of the others houses if people could suggest which ones are free.....cause i always thought the oldies of UCD booked these houses up pronto before any of the rest of the clubs had a chance to even find them......
found houses in lahinch for just under 500e for the exact same time of year!! couse use these as ammo! :P
....and oops about saying her name! sorry!
-
well two years ago we just wandered into the ross, had a word in mick's ear and got the nicest house in Rossbeigh. that could be the way forward.
how about we don't book anything, put the fear of god into them, and then just show up on the day? :P
-
ah lads....i know a lot of people skipped Kerry this year because it was a bit too difficult to deal with, and i am not saying this was right or wrong, but the truth is Kerry will always be fraught with mixed emotions, so maybe changing the location might be a good idea for some...but anyhoo, thats something thats personal and I'm not trying to influence anyone either way...
what i really want to address is that you all seem to be forgetting that the North of Ireland exists??? A helooo??? Drink is cheaper, accomadation is cheaper, and they're really quite used to wild shanningans up there, plus from what I understand there are quite a few rivers to run. I think Davy B has run a few thingys up there and I'm sure the veterans of the paddling world have ventured there, I mean they get as far as Uganda and Chile, and the north is only 2 hours from Dublin, no comparison really...
....and on the whole driving note, thanks to the new roads being built now it is literally 2 hours from Belfast to Dublin in the car...much closer than Kerry no???
Well theres my 2 cents worth, I know the north is a contentious subject for you softy southerners, what with your feelings of guilt for selling out on us and abandoning us to the Brits, but maybe its time to overcome this fear?? ;) and no its not dangerous to wear orange canoe club hoodies (which was Dee and Dave's theory)...they will not think you're orangies and pull out their machine guns....apparently they're all gone now, what with disarmament and all anyhow
-
what with your feelings of guilt for selling out on us and abandoning us to the Brits
I'm sure what Nuala meant to say was "feelings of guilt for selling out on *it* and abandoning *it* to *us*
:P
-
not sure about the north.
a few things i can see...
you'd really have to be certain that the village you go to is cool with a hundred people turning up to go absolutely batshit crazy for a week... having worked with lads from all over the north at home and abroad, i've found that northern lads (and i include donegal in this) tend to go from best mates, to insanely violent in about two heartbeats. just last night while working in the pub i had two seperate northern gents threaten to pull my ears off for asking them to settle down in the pub. thank god for bouncers. secondly, if we pissed off even one person in the village, i can pretty much guarantee that a phone call later the pub could turn into a warzone. anybody remember what the odyssey in creeslough used to be like, or tj's in bundoran for that matter. i could actually see some groups taking serious offense at a hundred of us taking over their local boozer for a week at new years. i know from working with these guys, that us *dublin freestaters* are not at all popular, even among the people of *nationalist* persuasion... this is just my experience.... i really don't think we'd feel all that comfortable.... small groups would be fine i think. a hundred of us could go very very wrong....
I've a lot of very good northern friends here in aberdeen, but when they're full of beer the kid gloves go on. it can be very much like handling dynamite.
secondly.... the weather on the north coast can be absolutely ridiculously cold at that time of year. i mean ridiculous. the atlantic is barely tolerable in kerry at that time of year. i've tried surfing up there late in the year and in the spring, not for the faint of heart...
thirdly, no matter what anybody says. you're legally in a foreign country, and all the fun and games that goes along with that....
we may get overcharged in the ross area. but, and i mean a big but, we are given massively preferential treatment, by everyone in that area when it comes to what we're allowed get away with. pub til 6/7am. no matter what happens, the police are never called. if there's ever any hassle with the locals, it's the locals that get tossed out of the pub. the people in the ross know which side their breads buttered on, but also know what services they provide for us and act accordingly. that pub closes in october and doesn't reopen until the spring, except for the week of new years where he reopens just for us.
i think its worth the extra few quid...
my .02$
allio
p.s. i hope i offended noone in this post, as no offense was intended
-
i can pretty much guarantee that a phone call later the pub could turn into a warzone
Ah go on yeah, we will go. It sounds like an adventure. Doesn't it sound like an adventure?
We could turn it into a game right, those who make it back alive get a curly wurly.
Those who make it back alive minus an eye get a curly wurly and a half.
If you make it back alive without a foot and/or arm you get two curly wurlys. etc.
I sound like the worst insurance cover ever. Hey, wouldn't you be just as pissed off if you lost an eye as if you lost a foot? I don't see why you get more for loosing a limb.
Personally, I won't go back to Kerry. If you guys feel like moving that would be cool but i would hope that no one would feel emotionally blackmailed into leaving because of what happened with Dee. Obvioulsy thats a consideration for me, and others too, but everyone who knew her has to make up their own mind about how much they're going to let that affect their decision to go to Kerry. It shouldn't be a group issue. Our freshers for instance, never even met her. so. Thats a bit sad really.
-
I'm with Becca on this one- i'd definitely give up an eye for a curly wurly!!
Ok no seriously, i'm personally not going back to Kerry but that's for my own reasons. I don't think the freshers should miss out on the amazingness of Rossbeigh for something that happened before their time. If its getting too expensive and the club finds somewhere better to go than you should move but don't let Kerry become the place that we only associate with Dee's accident. Me myself, well- I wanna burn that place to the ground but no one's forcing me to go back there and i don't think the club should give up on that tradition because as Allio said- we do have a pretty sweet setup down there!
I say scare that woman down there (who's name i can't mention) into thinking we're gonna go somewhere else next year and she'll eventually crumble and reduce the price!!
-
Just to be clear, everyone has their own reasons for suggesting venues other than Rossbeigh for new year's celebrations, however I do think it's worth mentioning at this point that this isn't just UCD who are pushing for a change of venue, it's a number of colleges and is more to do with the extortionate way we are dealt with.
If I've upset anyone call me and I'll clarify or apologise. I for one went back this year and had a ball. I didn't get ripped off completely because I stayed in Glenbeigh and I wouldn't pay the asking price in Rossbeigh.
I think if you're going to change the venue for this it needs the active participation of all the larger colleges and on that basis it's less of an emotive decision.
On the other hand, each reason and opinion is as important as the next (except Becca's) so maybe I'm just picking this up wrong and being an asshole. Who knows?
-
the call to discuss moving Rossbeigh wasn't started because of what happened last year and i say that as sensitively as possible cause i do realize it is the motive for quite a few people and i respect and understand that totally. for DUKC it was because of the continually rising prices. Its easily discussed here on the UCD board because all the other colleges have closed off message boards where you have to log in to see a discussion, where here its (well this thread at least) is open to the public to view.
I think each club knows that the other colleges are thinking about this too and maybe if we come together over varsities and discuss it then in person with people from each of the colleges, im sure we can come to an agreement of what to do next.
I think the suggestion of going to the local holiday home owner as a group and asking as a "collective" for a reduced rate sounds good, or looking for the other rented houses in the area and booking them instead as much as possible. I love kerry so im not the keenest on moving but still want soemthing to change.......I'll prob suggest to my club to not book the ice-boxes next year(if we do decide to go back) and look to the surrounding area within walking distance cause NUIG got a lovely house(big, warm, spacious) up the hill for 150e less than the small, damp and cold ice-boxes.....
edit to remove a name
-
ah shite sorry! said her name again!! really dont mean to do that!!! soooorrry! just keep typing as im thinking and its comes out!
-
not that i'm against moving kerry, just that a little bit of appreciation for what we actually do get down there doesn't seem to be being mentioned. if you can avoid the iceboxes kerry can be comfortable. but even then i have to say, some of my fondest kerries were spent in the iceboxes....
also the last time when we moved to castlegregory i had two amazing years in kerry....
as i suggested theirs plenty of holiday villages around the coast.... thence leenane, newport, baltimore suggestion. just that i didn't think the north is really all that great an idea for the reasons i mentioned.
somebody get out a map of kerry, or the west coast for that matter and start looking. then contact the pub in the village to find out how many holiday homes there are in the area. i'm fairly certain that most of the villages 50 miles either side of ross beigh know that we go down there for new years and how much money we bring into the area the week of new years, and look on with envious eyes. i know the tralee bay hotel certainly bent over backwards for us the year we went to castlegregory, and i certainly got the impression that all other local businesses were rubbing their hands with glee when we turned up.... :)
allio
-
Hey Guys,
Can we factor in one major point about this Kerry.
The was no water
If we had got 2 fresher trips in, runs down the flesk, cut grade 4 wannabies teeth on the roughty, ventured into the balck valley etc, we would not be having this rant.
I personally think, that for majority of people Kerry was just an expensive drinking holiday. If people just dropped the ice boxes then how bad would it really be?
Imagine if this tread was replaced with topics of the following -
"My first run down the flesk, what a day"
"Congrats to hero freshers on Upper Carragh"
"Swimmer - Cormac Lynch swims again (hardly surprising thou)!"
"Head Torch - never realised how useful they are on a river trip"
However, i'm on for a change but i agree with Allio. The area of Glenbeigh/Rossbeigh should not be blamed.
I think a change would be good. However, the proposed venue has to match Glenbeigh/Rossbeigh. I'm not going somewhere that required long driving to go paddling, and the only reason for going there is because they have pubs and holiday homes.
-
If we had got 2 fresher trips in, runs down the flesk, cut grade 4 wannabies teeth on the roughty, ventured into the balck valley etc, we would not be having this rant.
Absolutely not true. We have been discussing this for about two years now.
Nobody said "Kerry wasn't fun [because there was no boating] so we should change it", they said "it's expensive so we should change it (maybe)".
Running rivers or not doesn't affect the price of holiday homes.
The lack of rain this year may have affected some people's holiday but it has nothing at all to do with this thread.
-
The lack of rain this year may have affected some people's holiday but it has nothing at all to do with this thread.
I think it's safe to say it really effected the majority of people's holidays Diarmaid. This I would imagine has made a number of people look at the cost to benefit, a bit on the high side if you ask me. I spent a lot of money I hadn't intended on spending and would not have spent had I been paddling the morning after. While there has been chat on this before I think people looking at paying a lot of money for very little looks a little less rosy when they didn't get a chance to enjoy one of the main reasons they may have chosen to go on holidays in Kerry in midwinter. Otherwise it's just another 'Spring Break'...
-
Yeah, ok, that's a fair point.
:)
-
I think regardless of where you went on the West coast this year the rivers would have been the same. The lack of rain didn't only affect Kerry. The only thing that may have been different in other places is the surf.
To all the people comparing the price against the week before/after, it's not really a proper comparison. A true comparison would be with the beginning and end of the summer, when most, but not all of the houses in the area would be booked up. In this case you will find that the price is considerably more expensive than June.
Personally I had fun but I had neither anything to compare it with nor will any change affect me as I won't be here next year so I'm not going to try to push people either to move elsewhere or to stay in the Rossbeigh/Glenbeigh area.
-
Diarmaid,
This was a kayaking holiday for the club. We got no kayaking for the money we spent. therefore we got very bad value for money.
If we got loads of kayaking we would have got a return for our investment, even if the investment was expensive.
Now i know that you get very bad value for money because you came down to drink for the week however the rest of us come down to kayak in one of the countries best paddling destinations. remember this is a canoe club not a drinking club.
For this reason this topic should lead by the kayaking, then follow up with cost, pubs etc . . . .
i have no problem moving to another cheaper destination if it offers the same potential quality of paddling. if the new destination requires alot of driving to get to paddling then we will lose on petrol etc.
The new destination is to allow a good kayaking holiday not a drinking holiday.
I have paddled in West Cork and it does not off the same qualtiy of paddling and would require alot of driving.
Tom
-
as much as i hate to say it Tom's right!! we have to put the kayaking first!!
so if a nice kayaker who knows the rivers and surf spots could give us a list of the ones in kerry you want to get to and where they are (the nearest town or village) then we can start looking at places that suit!!
give us a list and we can start from there :)
-
i also agree with tom, i had planned skills courses etc for trinity but cause of the water they couldnt go ahead.....i do think rossbeigh is a good location for the river and surf, that why i suggest looking into differetn houses int he area or approaching the ice-boxes owner and agreeing a prices with her for whoever would be looking to book one......i look forward to the day when i head down to kerry and push myself on rivers ive nenver tried before(fingers crossed its next year or sooner!!!)
....look i remembered not to say her name!! :D
-
Imagine if this tread was replaced with topics of the following -
"Head Torch - never realised how useful they are on a river trip"
Tom, why don't you just kill us all now, that way we won't die of boredom if you ever take controll of the message board.
Let me tell you this, if you ever make a post like that there had better be a funny story attached to it. Because if there isn't..well..lets just say i might feel pretty angry towards you for awhile after that.
-
I've been on a river in Kerry and needed a head torch and it was, thinking back, funny ??? ;D
So 24 people have so far posted under this topic out of 57 replies and 1148 views. I presume the decision effects a lot more people than the 24 who have posted so far = kayakers from all colleges, social members, oldies, ex pats like myself, Allio talks about 100 heads, but I'm thinking more like 300heads who come and go to "Kerry". So the suggestion to talk about it at varsities and at the ball??? and all any other big events and not being too hasty here is a good idea.
Maybe others who haven't posted yet could post what you think? If you're not in, you can't win!
And just to go around in circles..... my .02c
In my opinion, don't move. Rossbeigh has the best in the country to offer, but obviously the money rates need to be negotiated with the locals. Moving to scare them WAS DONE. For two years we went to Castle Gregory. A great time was had by all but all wanted to return to Rossbeigh.
For those who do not want to go back because of Dee, I respect your decision but I was a little surprised as one of the reasons I really want to go back this year is because of Dee. I wasn't there 07/08 or 08/09 and really want to remember Dee in Kerry.
Having spent one New Year's in Nicaragua and this year in Cornwall working, I made up my mind, no matter what happens, I'm not missing another Kerry. So I was soooo shocked to read the title of this post and its contents. Having red all the replies and having talked to good friends who were there this year, I understand the need to raise the issue. But I think negotiation with the cottages owners is the first port of call, not leaving.... Please don't leave :'(
It's going to be difficult to please everyone but I believe in UCDCC and in kayaker’s mentality in general to try and accept everyone’s opinion. Since I moved away, I realise even more how special a group of friends you guys are, one in a million. So at the end of the day, I will spend next New Year's where the majority end up...
in Rossbeigh ;)
-
Dear Becca,
That was poor. Come on now, you've thrown better insults at me in the past.
Remember the insults about my small feet, the sending prostitues to my parents house, making a pair of gloves from my beloved cat?
Although it's hard for me to admit, they were quite clever, however that was just poor . . . .
Maybe you're getting old Becca? Or maybe you're becoming more like your mother?
Either way i won't lower myself to insulting you in this weakened state.
Get well soon,
Tom
-
you're so sensetive. you're like a fifteen year old girl.. I wasn't even insulting you.
-
Tom, Conor,
I kinda resent what you're saying to/about me. Yes, I'm a social member, but I never said Kerry is a drinking holiday or that the paddling is unimportant. Obviously the paddling comes first; I know that even if I don't plan on paddling in Kerry, Kerry wouldn't happen without boating.
I didn't say that Tiernan's post was off-topic because it was about kayaking. But the talk about moving Kerry has been going on at least since several months before Kerry 07/08. To say this whole debate is motivated by people not getting value for money this year is mistaken. We have been talking about this even after years when there was plenty of rain.
If paddlers didn't get value for money this year, then that's unfortunate and it exacerbates their grievances with the amount of money they're handing over. But all I said is that the lack of rain this year isn't what initially prompted this discussion - it has been going on a whole lot longer than that.
Also, as I believe someone pointed out already in this thread, the lack of rain this year wasn't localised in Kerry - it was dry all over Ireland. If we had moved Kerry, there still would have been no boating.
So while the lack of paddling this year may have left people with a bad taste in their mouths about the cost of Kerry, it's not something that would be addressed by a change of venue. And a dry Kerry is something that could happen any year, wherever we are.
That's why I said the lack of rain this year wasn't the crux of this issue. It's not because I myself don't paddle. I love this club and I am only interested in its wellbeing, but just because I don't boat that doesn't give you licence to make me out to be a drunken laughing stock. I have opinions about the venue for Kerry, just as the next person does, and I'd appreciate it if you gave me some credit and didn't presume I'd be so short-sighted as not to consider the kayaking in the planning of a kayaking holiday.
>:(
-
Boys put your handbags away and lets get back to the topic,
Reasons to leave Rossbeigh
1) The ice box houses (rent cost and electricity costs)
2) The Ross inn (service, kid at 3am, anything else)
3) People craving a change of scene
Options
1) Find somewhere different that meets our paddling, surfing and social requirements
2) Clubs negotiate a deal on the ice boxs (Private house renters discuss a deal on private houses)
Reasons to stay in Rossbeigh
1) Surf in walking distance
2) Excellent knowledge and abundance of local rivers
3) A large pub we have almost exclusivity to
4) Houses in walking distance of eachother
Anyone want to copy and paste this list and add some things I've missed???
Sara
-
hmm... it seems I can't edit postsin this particular board. two things:
looking back, it seems the first post about the lack of rain this year was by Tom, not Tiernan. sorry about the mixup.
and Conor, I would like to withdraw your name from the top of my previous post. I was a bit miffed at the time I wrote it but in retrospect there's nothing in your post I have reason to take offence at.
-
you should have all just come to uganda with me and ritchie.........
-
Yeah, that seems to have worked out great for you...
burn...
-
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
-
i was an hour writing that post, and sara's post was sshtuck up in the interim....
love to see that we're operating on the same wavelength sara :)
:) :) :)
allio
-
thought a wee bit more about what i posted and wanted to add something else for discussion:
how important is the beach/sea to the kerry experience?
if we took the beach out of the picture, kerry need not be a coastal trip, if we started looking inland and not just at coastal villages, i'm sure there'd be a lot more locations up for discussion....
*personally i think the beach is of central importance to the trip as a whole for reasons i discussed earlier*
allio
-
just found out that the michael cahill wasn't running the pub this year... was he about? anybody speak to him? was this a one off thing or are the cahills done with the ross?
-
Hi Kids!
Firstly - I'd better introduce myself - I'm Richy Gillespie and I was playing a bit of guitar in Kerry this year. I was also the guy who researched the move to castlegregory a few years back as my folks have a house there so I kind of know the lay of the land there. Back then we did it because the Ross in was totally taking the piss (there was 1 price for the locals and another for us!) and also there was a bit of a bad attitude from them.
Castlegregory had most of the same advantages (big pub that everyone can fit into loads of houses + good surfing beaches), but the first year we all ended up being a bit spread out (some of the clubs ended up burning their bridges - but it involved one of the most amusing paties I was ever at). The 1st two years in Castlegregory were a little like the one in Rossbeigh just gone - there was sod all to do. That, coupled by the chage of attitude in Rossbeigh ment that we went back to Rossbeigh.
Enough background
This is to my mind how things stand at the mo:
-The houses (especially the ice- boxes) are totaly and utterly overpriced - the arguement that it's cheep because you fit loads of people in (by comparison to a youthhostle) is frankly arse - if you rent a cheep house you can still fit loads of people in and more cheeply too! Paying £££ for the iceboxes is pushing it.
-The Ross is cheap and large, which is a small plus
-The bigest plus, however, with Rosbeigh is that everything is on an O.K. surfing beach. That is the hardest thing to replicate any any other place.
-Paddling wise the other big draw is the Flesk - it used to be a big reason to go south west that time of year.
My bias is that ye should move and save £400 odd quid for the housing. The worry is that clubs start moving to different places because of the cost of housing.
-Paddling options in Ireland (in broad strokes leaving loads of hiddden jems out) Northwest (Donegal), Southwest (Kerry/West Cork), and East (Wicklow).
Wicklow is too close to home for Dublin paddles and so is not a runner.
Donegal is far away from Cork Limerick and Galway and sure half the fun of Kerry is drinking with that shower. However you're near the border so it'll be cheep.
South West looks the best bet if you want to move. You'd need to find someplace quickly that ticks the boxes. I had to put together an Information Pack for Castlegregory and hand it out at the itervarsities so that everyone would move to the same place- so there's a bit of work involved in talking everone into moving if your that way inclined.
Here's the best way of finding a new venue:
Name all the surf breaks in West Cork / Kerry and then see if there's a holiday village beside them.
Example:
We to my mind haven't pissed anyone off in Inch (yet) is there a holiday village there?
One other thought that just hit me - a bigger travel but the U.K. Scotland will be cheep!
Anyways good luck and I hope this post is of use
-
P.S. The surf beach makes such a differance as it's so easy to get to paddle - one downer with Castlegregory is that if you weren't up early enough to put your name down on a list you didn't get to paddle. With Rossbeigh all the hungover people got the padling fix.
-
*bump
-
:o
Let's just pick Inch as a startin point, same area, access to surf, 12 miles further than Rossbeigh. It seems to tick the paddling boxes as far as I'm concerned.
Now to the minor details:
- accomodation? not sure but it's a big tourist town.
- Pub - there are two I think.
- Locals? Who knows anyone locally to use as a sounding board.
Debate and destroy. :o
-
alright then KY,
I would say that on the strength of what's been posted here, we should stay in Rossbeigh and just try to argue for better treatment there.
randomly picking a place off a map and going there for the sake of making a decision is a bit rash. better a still-very-good status quo than a long shot at even better.
-
I'm providing a practical example Diarmaid not just closing my eyes ad putting a finger on a map - It's in the same area so it maintains all the same constraints as Rossbeigh in terms of travel and paddling, you know like the HR people say, what does better look like - I don't know, but I'm willing to find out.
I hope by providing a location people will discuss it on merit and see if it fits the criteria that have been coming to the fore by consensus throughout this debate.
If Rossbeigh is the place then we go full circle on the argument and everyone clearly sees that it is the best option. What it will not do and never will explore is whether there is a better option available. We know Rossbeigh and the situation - we know it will still be the same in a month's time and the following month and the same again in April. So no harm done and the opinionated get to go hell for leather for a while.
What we have here is the opportunity to examine viable alternatives, despite the emerging trend of let's approach 'she who must not be named' as a block and such, I for one believe that will be left too late and then all other options won't be available so we will walk back into the exact same scenario next year. To be honest approaching as a group may work, however if she's in any way tough she'll wait until she sees if there's any other interest from other parties nearer the date, I don't mean random gobsheens who for some strange reason would want to holiday in Kerry at Midwinter, but rather independent groups who organise accommodation aside from college club arranged accommodation who decide to go for it on short notice - which let's be honest is only all too possible.
So I'm suggesting that we actually put the money where our mouths will be and if Rossbeigh emerges as the best option above all others in this entire country a representative of the colleges will have to approach the landlords in Rossbeigh and negotiate a better deal, if they have another option they will be able to do it from a position of strength.
I see no harm in looking at alternatives, but saying we should look at them for a month without really sitting down and examining even one. Well, that could go on forever.
Like I said before debate and destroy
-
as i said before, i'm all for considering alternatives, providing they tick the boxes etc....
inch is the most obvious example of an alternative in the region... almost identical location to rossbeigh (directly opposite ross on the dingle peninsula), equivalent distance from killarney, surf beach yada yada yada.
immediately jumps out off google
http://www.inchbeach.com/
100 m to beach, 100 m to pub, 8 holiday homes, 350euros for week of new years each sleeping 6, 4 star,
sounds pretty similar to the ross inn and cottages... only the houses look a lot nicer from the photo's. i'd imagine if we booked all eight at the same time, you'd get them for 300/wk each...
+ 353 66 9158118
other properties on discoverireland.com
mentions something about sammys bar?
might be worth a call, find out the name of the bar and call them? check on availability? how busy is the bar at new years? possibility of booking all the houses... other properties in the immediate area etc etc... explain what we bring to the area, potentially up to 100 people for the week of new years, a traditionally slow business period... make sure the bar is open over the new years period.... etc etc etc
anybody fancy looking onto it? i'm not going to do it from the UK...
allio
-
Yup
It's hard to do from the UK!
I suppose my big experiance with the last move is that rather than just talking about a change, you have to come up with a viable alternative and sell it to everyone so that everyone is more or less happy. The only thing really wrong with Rossbeigh is the price of the houses so it's always going to be a hard sell.
But sure no harm in having a look and sure if you can't find any place better you can always stay put!
-
UCC have had there fresher weekend in Inch for the past 3 years. There are two pubs close to the beach which usually only one is open depending on the mood neither were open this year, but that could be fixed with some orginisation. The other pub is rather far away.
We have also found the the holiday villege has been increasing prices year on year and probably won't be returning.
The main problem with inch is it is actually rather hard to get in and out of without a car and u still end up on the lower carragh with fresher anyhow anyhow which is now far away.
But with a lot of people and orginisation these wouldn't be that great of a problem.
I would rather stay were we are but have it come cheeper.
-
people keep talking about negotiations with some of teh major property owners in the area. have you guys talked to these people? i have, i had a few dealings with them this year and to say the least my experience was less than pleasant. i was aboused and threatende with the police, granted i wasnt compleetly faultless at the time but in the end they took responsibility and i got no appology for the torrent of abuse i recieved. try to negotiate if you like but i think that the person in question is just plain unreasonable.
i havent wanted to suggest any where earlier in this thread bacused i wanted to see what people thought of the idea in general first. even if the people in inch are increasing their prices id very much doubt if they are going to be as expensive as rossbeigh.
as much as anything else im looking at this form a club point of view. it is all very well to have a nice house year in year out and say that you dont want to move beacuse the location is savage. have you guys and girls tried to look at this form the point of view of the peope who stay in a club house and cant get any where nice to stay, or even some where where you are just not getting ripped off? personally i wont be affected by this next year, i think i have done my time in the club house at this stage. other people how ever will be staying in teh club house and try to have some consideration for them .
other people have mentioned boycotting the iceboxes that is all well and good but there arent enough other places that will take us.
sure we get away with alot of stuff in kerry late pub opening and... well what else do we get away with? dancing on the tables in the pub i guess but we do spend loads of money in there. there is no one else in the pub and we dont do any real dammage to the place. at the same time we get treated like shit (by some of the property owners). charged extorishionist rates on both the houses and electricity. i think it is time we got some more common courtesy form the locals and i think leaving them with, what say €10,000 + ,out of their local economy might just get them to have some cop on.
Cian.
p.s.geeze i didtn realise i have written so much, if only it was about the use of PDAs for viewing madical images id be on to a winner. oh ya thats what i came back to say, the cahils will more than likely be back in the ross next year but not deffiniatly so.
-
lets not kid ourselves, we are let into the pub untill 5 in the morning because they enjoy the opportunity to take our money till 5 in the morning. The whole point of moving the location of Kerry is to show them that it is they that are onto a good thing with us, and that they should treat us as such. I personally think that given a year of not having our "Kayaking Money" in their back pockets will make them change their tune and realise that a drop in price will lead to secure profits in the future
-
If you want to try negotiating with them again I'd suggest getting some reasonable and responsible-sounding senior type who doesn't come across as a typical student (preferably staff... have you any staff members?) - I find it works better for some things here anyhow.
Personally if it's Kerry next year, I'm going to book a reasonably-priced, non-icebox, maybe in Glenbeigh. I'll make no mention of kayaking - hopefully it'll be a non-issue and it will get booked under an individual name not a club name. Give the owner my office number and hope she assumes it's for a group of professionals. Party-proof the house, remove the TVs and non-essential breakables and so on. Dedicate the last day to making sure the place is as it was when we arrived and hope noone is plain stupid enough to do non-repairable damage. Say thank you very much, and hopefully be allowed back the following year.
By the way, there are newish holiday homes in Glenbeigh that could well take you. Someone would want to get cracking on an alternative (Inch?) if the plan is to plug it at Varsities like was done for Castlegregory but I guess there will be other events to do that anyhow.