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| There have been mounting complaints about congestion, littering, and ‘illegal’ overnight parking in popular stop-offs such as Killarney, Hook Head, Achill, Westport and Terryglass. |
In 1983 a young bottle-nose dolphin showed up for the first time in Dingle Harbour.
What would normally have proved a mundane enough event in
the busy fishing port has instead remained a phenomenon, 37 years later.
The stories are legion, the folklore is teeming - this is
Kerry after all - with tales of the exploits of the friendly dolphin which
continues to flirt, flip, fascinate and find favour with locals and countless
visitors for years on end now.
Ireland’s very own Flipper never flops. Everyone loves
Fungie.
There is even a story, perhaps an urban myth - this is Kerry
after all - that at one time, rival tourism interests from the town of Cahersiveen across the bay attempted to
lure the frolicking flipper away over to their side of the coastline.
The guts of four decades later, Fungie is still doing the
business for Dingle. People who were
brought to see him as children are in turn taking their own kids to see the
famous Fungie. The good people of the
town have immortalised their favourite dolphin by erecting a statue to him slap
bang in the middle of the busy port. The only other one to get that treatment
in town is former Taoiseach, Charles J Haughey. Both have done their bit for
tourism in Dingle.
Now Dingle has much to commend and recommend. It’s a place
you go back to, time and again.
The landscape, heritage, music, food, culture. We think of
the language, the Gaeltacht, the lore, the pubs, the craic, the possibilities,
the football, the Dingle Regatta, Other Voices, the popularly acclaimed Oscar
winning Ryan’s Daughter, fresh fish’n’chips, the local ice cream, Inch Beach
out the road, Ventry and Dunquin out the other road. Dingle has plenty to say
for itself.
Yet, other than the stunning Ring of Kerry and its countless gems on the neighbouring Iveragh Penninsula, few - if any -
single attractions can boast the inter-generational appeal and pulling power of
Fungie in Kerry for almost forty years.
Not that I want to tempt fate but not even Fungie is
immortal. Dingle and Kerry need to start planning for life after the famous
fish heads off, as the song goes, and we’ll all see him someday in Fiddler’s Green.
In the meantime, there is the marketing genius that is the Wild Atlantic Way. The success of the
WAW is sheer brilliance. 2,500 km of stunning coastline which passes through
three provinces.
The Wild Atlantic Way
has been around long before Floki and Ragnar set sail in their longboats from
Kattegat, but it is only in recent years it has been really rediscovered thanks
to a quirky name, road-map, some quaint rustic signage, a legend and the locals do the
rest.
Trouble is, with no outbound ferry options in staycation
2020 everyone is setting sail for the Wild Atlantic Way, a victim not of the Vikings,
but its own marketing master class.
The good folk of Dingle could never stand accused of looking
a gift dolphin in the mouth, but the Irish tourism sector could face the charge
of looking the gift horse of the camping boom in the face and blithely ignoring
the vast opportunities it presents.
There is not a camping bunk, bed or berth to spare in the
country this weekend.
The post-Covid-lockdown-cabin-fever has led to an
unprecedented upsurge in demand for all things camping. There is a run on
everything from tents, to motorhomes, campervan rental and campsite spaces.
A combination of factors has conspired to make camping real
estate much sought after. A place to pitch your tent or park up your campervan
is hot property. The Garda have even had to issue a public warning due to a
spate of caravan robberies fuelled by the demand and the opportunistic
criminals who would try to cash-in.
No ferries, no campsite spaces, no tents allowed, no toilets
or shower blocks open is all adding up to a major headache for seasoned campers
this summer as we head in to the Irish and UK bank holidays and the peak August
holiday season.
Nevertheless, out of such challenges should spring
opportunities.
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| An aerial view of the popular Kilmore Quay Campsite which has been busy out since it re-opened, requiring its inimitable proprietor Alice to open the over-flow field to cater for the additional demand. |
The campsites which have adjusted and responded well are out
the doors busy, albeit with Covid restrictions and
protocols in place. Many are not accepting tents, as toilet and shower blocks remain closed. Some have been innovative and created additional space and
promoted the basic services of water, electric hook-up and waste disposal.
Ardmore Seaview
Motorhome Park in Waterford is a case in point. A fairly basic beach facing
field with water supply and waste disposal, it is doing brisk business since the
lock-down restrictions lifted on June 29th. The owners are keeping touring campers
informed as to availability of spaces on site with twice-daily online updates.
More affectionately known throughout the motorhome community
as Dick’s Field, this family, off-farm enterprise is a good example of what can be achieved with a little bit of
effort, imagination and ingenuity. While the services here are no frills, it is the
seaside location in this picturesque village along with the friendly family, warm
local welcome that keeps campers flocking back.
There are other similar examples around the country of
people putting their space to good use and adding another string to their bow,
such as Tom Malone’s Pub Parking in Miltown-Malbay. Likewise The Beach Bar in Aughris in Sligo is coming in for great praise for the camping friendly services it provides.
Towns like Cobh,
Sneem, Kenmare and more recently, Easkey
and Castlegregory have also been
innovative in welcoming campervans, even if it is just a fresh water source and
black water disposal and a €10 overnight parking charge. Goosey Island in Sneem comes in for particular praise for its central location, accessibility, scenic location on the tidal river bank, pet friendly, with EHU and all for a tenner.
However, overall the reaction to the renewed interest in
camping and the demand for campsites and overnight parking spaces has ranged from hapless
to hopeless.
There have been mounting complaints about congestion,
littering, and ‘illegal’ overnight parking in popular stop-offs such as Killarney, Hook Head, Achill, Westport and Terryglass.
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| Hook Head remains an increasingly popular site for campers but there is growing talk of restrictions. |
Yet for all the demand for camping, the great outdoors and
leisure activity based breaks there are whole swathes of the country that do
not have even a single officially registered touring campsite to tap in to the burgeoning
demand. Camping enthusiasts insist they are good spenders and like to support
local where at all possible. Largely this is the case.
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| A sign for the Laois Caravan & Camping Park, which does not appear to be operational. Despite the upsurge in interest demand for camping holidays there are whole swathes of the country without any facilities. |
Some places, like Dunfanaghy,
welcome campers with open arms in a symbiosis that works for everyone; others grudgingly
mark out a handful of designated motorhome spaces, which are often not reserved
or respected, while it’s increasingly common for campers to be greeted with
warning signs and headroom barriers making them unwelcome and driving them
elsewhere.
The issues arising this summer are not unique to Ireland,
but are also emerging right across the UK,
with similar tensions and problems manifesting. A forum has been established to
campaign for real Aires in England. Scottish camping enthusiasts
have appealed for proper conduct for campers to respect the Highlands and the
environment, so as not to provoke public outcry and spoil the camping
experience for everyone. Meanwhile in Wales the authorities are issuing cautionary notices to deter camping in national parks and National Trust sites.
While there are those who see the possibilities and are
embracing the opportunities; move along,
get along, go, move shift, is more the order of the day from officialdom at
least.
For this summer at least, enthusiastic camping enthusiasts
are left looking wistfully at the sunny days of camping across the channel
which is out of bounds for most this year due to ferry restrictions and
quarantine travel rules.
Once overseas options resume however (the ferry companies
are already discounting early bookings for 2021) Irish campsites and tourism
interests may find they have missed the boat, if they don’t soon get their act
together.
Campsites in France
and Spain are generally far superior
to here, with much better facilities and far less expensive... and we won’t
even mention the weather. In parts of France overnight parking Aires with
modest amenities co-exist and co-locate right beside long stay campsites. There
is demand for both types of facility.
In Portugal this
week the first in a series of Service Areas for Motorhomes located in Ponte de Sor, Alentejo, was officially
opened by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques marking the
beginning of a multi-million euros action programme aimed at creating
conditions to promote sustainable motor caravanning. This strategy envisages an
integrated smart national network of service areas for motorhomes to capitalise
on the increased demand for this type of tourism.
Go Portugal!
Meanwhile back home as we wait for the sun to shine and a
campsite space to free up it appears that local authorities, landowners and
landlords seem determined to sit out the camping spree and look this particular
gift horse in the mouth.
It wouldn't happen in Dingle! Ask Fungie.
SEE ALSO: Carry on camping... the #staycation of choice for summer 2020
SEE ALSO: Carry on camping... the #staycation of choice for summer 2020
