LONELY PLANET GUIDE MISSES OUT ON MANY ATTRACTIONS
TIME was the publication of any new travel guide could be guaranteed to raise the heckles of those involved in the local tourism industry.
Back in 2006, Lonely Planet Guide said: ‘ Tough, uncompromising Dundalk is a reminder of a bygone age, when Irish towns couldn’t care less about looking pretty for the nice tourists and just went about the hard business of eking out a living. Louth’s dour county town is a charmless place, with few historic sites and not much else to see or do.’
And that was an improvement on the first edition published in 1994 which branded Dundalk as ‘a Republican stronghold’.
The most recent edition, a bible for independent travellers, is a huge improvement although the listings for Dundalk are disappointingly limited, considering it’s one of the biggest towns inthe country.
‘Midway, between Dublin and Belfast, Dundalk, despite its role as an industrial hub, is a surprisingly pleasant town with some interesting sites,’ states the 13th edition published earlier this month.
However, the only sites mentioned are the County Museum, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Courthouse.
The listings for sleeping and eating are equally meagre with Ballymascanlon House Hotel as the sole choice for accommodation, while Eno and the out of town Strandfield cafe are the only options for dining out. The later is also singled out as one of the Best Places to Eat in the region comprising Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan, joining such elite establishments as MacNean House & Restaurant and Tankardstown House.
The Spirit Store is the Dundalk’s solitary listing for entertainment, with no mention of the town’s other pubs, nightclubs and cinemas.
Dundalk Tourist Officer Sinead Roche comments: ‘While what’s it is positive, there’s not enough in the listings.’
‘Dundalk is a vibrant enthusiastic town, with fantastic visitor accommodation and attractions, a thriving retail sector and great night life, but that’s not reflected in the piece,’ she complains.
‘ There’s not a mention of Dundalk Stadium, one of the jewels in our crown, and there’s no reference to the Táin Arts Centre and Basement Gallery which are thriving.’
‘While it’s a lot more positive than it used to be, it’s not reflective of our overall offering,’ she says, pointing out that the entry for the village of Slane, for example, is much more extensive.
While older editions of the guide included attractions such as Roche Castle and Faughart as places which visitors might like to see, there’s no mention of them in the current publication,
The Cooley peninsula fares better although the listings are concentrated in Carlingford, which is described as an ideal base for visitors.
‘Amid the medieval ruins and whitewashed houses, the vibrant little village of Carlingford buzzes with pubs, restaurants and boutiques. There’s also spirited festivals and gorgeous views of the mountains and across Carlingford Lough to County Down.’
Recommended sights include the Carlingford Brewing Company at the Old Mill, Riverstown, King John’s Castle, The Carlingford Heritage Centre, Taaffe’s Castle, and Mint, while the Flagstaff Viewpoint is flagged as being ‘worth a trip’ for the ‘sweeping views of Carlingford Lough, framed by forested mountains, green fields and the sparkling Irish Sea beyond’.
Suggested activities include walking The Tain Way, cycle hire from On Yer Bike, birdwatching, and the Carlingford Adventure Centre but there’s no mention of The Greenway or the ferry across the Lough.
The Leprechaun Hunt merits a special mention, with the guide noting that believers in the little folk include the late PJ O’Hare and self-acclaimed ‘Leprechaun Whisperer’ Kevin Woods, whose lobbying led to the EU issuing ‘a highly unconventional directive establishing a protective leprechaun zone’.
The village’s Oyster Festival and Heritage Week also get a mention.
Listings for sleeping and eating are more comprehensive than those for Dundalk, with Carlingford House, Belvedere House and Ghan House as the suggestions for accommodation and Ruby Ellen’s Tea Room Liberty Cafe, McAteer’s, the Bay Tree, P J O’Hare’s and the restaurant at Ghan House recommending for dining.
Fitzpatrick’s Bar and Restaurant in Rockmarshall, described as ‘a locally patronised treasure with fantastic craic’ is given a ‘Don’t Miss’ accolade.
There’s no mention of Gyles Quay, home of the only approved caravan site in north Louth, or Omeath
“Dundalk, despite its role as an industrial hub, is a surprisingly pleasant town