German Christmas Market

Webbs

Michael Angelo. wrote: »

It ruins the atmosphere in the square, I always love the way the square looks at Christmas, its like stepping into another world.

Maybe there is another world that you get to magically, because I must have missed it as all I normally see at christmas are those grim blue lights just thrown haphazardly over any tree that is to hand

Johnjo, I gladly paid €7 for that. You obviously didn't see just how much pork they shove in there, especially if you don't want stuffing. Well worth the money. The only stall I believed to be a complete ripoff was the pick 'n' mix one at the front, but that goes with the territory of "pay per weight"

PopeBuckfastXVI

dillodaffs wrote: »

the staff standing behind them cooking their bits and pieces

snubbleste wrote: »

Did you think it was anything german about it op?

dillodaffs wrote: »

i thought there was nothing german about it

ErnieBert wrote: »

It is been billed as a continental market and not specifically German

It all sounds very German to me...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armin_Meiwes

dhaumi

TristanPeter wrote: »

It's better than having nothing in Eyre Square...which is imo a miserable-looking place at the best of times. All the park is is a thoroughfare for getting from lr. Eyre Square to Upr. Eyre Square. In good weather the place is taken over by gomies. Any time I walk through it the park benches are taken over by winos. The place is dodgy so anything that helps to promote the productive use of a public place, for the public in general, is a step in the right direction. So what if it's not absolutely amazing. It's a good effort and I'm sure the traders took some risk setting up there given that it was an "unknown quantity" in terms of what the visitor numbers were going to be. As another poster pointed out, it will improve over time if it's successful. It is expensive but you are paying for the novelty I suppose. I must admit; I was hoping the keller would be a log cabin type thing such as I visited in Berlin

I could not agree more with you. People don't seem to realise how dodgy Eyre Square can be.
Even though I've seen far better Christmas market on the continent, the Galway market is a good first try, not sensational, too focused on food, but a lot better than a dodgy area with loads of black ice...

swe_fi

Webbs wrote: »

Maybe there is another world that you get to magically, because I must have missed it as all I normally see at christmas are those grim blue lights just thrown haphazardly over any tree that is to hand

I heard there is a Narnia style portal in those new star trek toilets

common sense brigade

I travelled from Clare last Sunday. I didnt enjoy it except for Santas grotto as I had my little girl with me. There were pigeons flying in tents were german hotdogs were being prepared, literally flying over the cooking food. disgusting. everything was over priced 25 euro for 3 christmas tree decorations.

dolphin city

strange how people differ

The couple of times I have been up there recently I found it extremely dodgy, with plenty of unsavoury characters hanging around behind the stalls. Never felt like I had to hide my bag before in Galway until now.

Carolyyn

Have to say I love it and think it brings something different to the Christmas experience in Galway! They're doing well out of my pocket cos I've picked up xmas pressies everytime I've been in there

Don't usually eat fast food but love trying the continental food: currywrust yummy & highly recommended! Do agree though that some things like the sweets, cupcakes and the disappointing hog roast are pricy.

Mrs OBumble

Michael Angelo. wrote: »

It is my belief this is a sham to increase foot traffic in the city center by the Chamber of Commerce. Its a poor showing!

Planned to increase foot traffic - you betcha! And speaking on behalf of the retailers who've benefited (not me ), I'd like to say "THANKS!"

Chamber of Commerce - no, I believe it's a rival group called the Galway City Business Association. God bless competition.

Sham - well I guess that depends on what you think it "really" should be. A continental market in Galway is never going to be real, because Ireland isn't actually in the continent.

Michael Angelo.

Ficheall wrote: »

Nothing... I must have just missed the magical transformation of Eyre Square in previous years.

Magical world/very nice area decorated well and pleasing to look at, in one of the most famous squares in the country.

It always had a good atmosphere in the square at Christmas and those blue lights mentioned above are a hell of a lot better than 600 40watt bulbs strewn across streets around the country in a lot or towns.

(Eh? is canadian slang, perhaps you were in Canada all these years Ficheall missed all the magic :rolleyes: )

dolphin city

JustMary wrote: »

Planned to increase foot traffic - you betcha! And speaking on behalf of the retailers who've benefited (not me ), I'd like to say "THANKS!"

Chamber of Commerce - no, I believe it's a rival group called the Galway City Business Association. God bless competition.

Sham - well I guess that depends on what you think it "really" should be. A continental market in Galway is never going to be real, because Ireland isn't actually in the continent.

weren't most of the business's in the town in Galway AGAINST the market?

Acoshla

So not content with complaining about the market on the original thread a new one has been set up? I honestly can't believe the hostility this city/country has for new things, God forbid people should try a new idea, could everyone on this thread complaining about how crap it is set up a new venture and guarantee to have it perfect and flawless immediately?

And of course if it hadn't gone ahead people would have complained too, feckin hell, impossible to please begrudging cranky Irish people, makes me ashamed to be Irish sometimes. When I lived in Canada if something like this was organised people would be supportive, and while of course they would offer constructive criticism they wouldn't shoot it down as soon as it opened, they would be reasonable and give it AT LEAST this season to see how it went, but here it's instantly hated by many.

mikom

Spadina wrote: »

begrudging cranky Irish people, makes me ashamed to be Irish sometimes.


When I lived in Canada.........

I feel sorry for you and your ashamedness.
Canada seems to have really enlightened you.

Michael Angelo.

Spadina wrote: »

So not content with complaining about the market on the original thread a new one has been set up? I honestly can't believe the hostility this city/country has for new things, God forbid people should try a new idea, could everyone on this thread complaining about how crap it is set up a new venture and guarantee to have it perfect and flawless immediately?

And of course if it hadn't gone ahead people would have complained too, feckin hell, impossible to please begrudging cranky Irish people, makes me ashamed to be Irish sometimes. When I lived in Canada if something like this was organised people would be supportive, and while of course they would offer constructive criticism they wouldn't shoot it down as soon as it opened, they would be reasonable and give it AT LEAST this season to see how it went, but here it's instantly hated by many.

Eh?

dolphin city

Spadina wrote: »

So not content with complaining about the market on the original thread a new one has been set up? I honestly can't believe the hostility this city/country has for new things, God forbid people should try a new idea, could everyone on this thread complaining about how crap it is set up a new venture and guarantee to have it perfect and flawless immediately?

And of course if it hadn't gone ahead people would have complained too, feckin hell, impossible to please begrudging cranky Irish people, makes me ashamed to be Irish sometimes. When I lived in Canada if something like this was organised people would be supportive, and while of course they would offer constructive criticism they wouldn't shoot it down as soon as it opened, they would be reasonable and give it AT LEAST this season to see how it went, but here it's instantly hated by many.

stop moaning

Acoshla

dolphin city wrote: »

stop moaning

I will when you will, which I definitely can't see happening.

dolphin city

Spadina wrote: »

I will when you will, which I definitely can't see happening.

LOL, ya, must be an Irish thing - we all have it - including yourself, as you can see from your post.

ciotog

Spadina wrote: »

So not content with complaining about the market on the original thread a new one has been set up? I honestly can't believe the hostility this city/country has for new things, God forbid people should try a new idea, could everyone on this thread complaining about how crap it is set up a new venture and guarantee to have it perfect and flawless immediately?

And of course if it hadn't gone ahead people would have complained too, feckin hell, impossible to please begrudging cranky Irish people, makes me ashamed to be Irish sometimes. When I lived in Canada if something like this was organised people would be supportive, and while of course they would offer constructive criticism they wouldn't shoot it down as soon as it opened, they would be reasonable and give it AT LEAST this season to see how it went, but here it's instantly hated by many.

Begrudgery central. If something isn't being done then people complain. If someone steps up and tries something then they complain again. They'll never be the one to step up though.

Fuctifino

ciotog wrote: »

Begrudgery central. If something isn't being done then people complain. If someone steps up and tries something then they complain again. They'll never be the one to step up though.

I dont think an overpriced, dull collection of ugly sheds with a beer tent full of overpriced watered down twaddle is what they had in mind

dolphin city

ciotog wrote: »

Begrudgery central. If something isn't being done then people complain. If someone steps up and tries something then they complain again. They'll never be the one to step up though.

but when they do step up they get moaned about anyway so they can't win.

mikom

Here's the acid test............ If a load of my yank relatives landed in on me direct from Shannon and asked to be shown a taste of GALWAY at Christmas.
Do you think I would take them to the Christmas market?
Would I hell.

Zeouterlimits

Love it, great food, neat Christmas gifts, wonderful atmosphere each time I've been there.

mikom

mikom wrote: »

Here's the acid test............ If a load of my yank relatives landed in on me direct from Shannon and asked to be shown a taste of GALWAY at Christmas.
Do you think I would take them to the Christmas market?
Would I hell.

Well I presume Eyre Square would be included in the taste of Galway and since the Christmas market is there..

Seriously though, I would be interested to know just how much money this has brought into local business, vendors and hotels and then see you all complain about it.

mikom

Deleted User wrote: »

Well I presume Eyre Square would be included in the taste of Galway and since the Christmas market is there..

Well if your into that ould "ground zero" craic...........

Predalien

While I'm glad the market is there, if only for the novelty factor, I think the majority of the criticisms are fair. It was a great idea but it's obviously been poorly executed, it's poorly laid out and lacks atmosphere. If people didn't complain then we'd just get the same thing every year, maybe next year some of the criticisms could be taken on board to make it a better market, such as a different location, better decoration, music and a greater variety of stalls.

TristanPeter

Predalien wrote: »

...such as a different location, better decoration, music and a greater variety of stalls.

Eyre Square IS a great location. It just needs to be laid out better next year (if possible).

Ficheall

mikom wrote: »

Here's the acid test............ If a load of my yank relatives landed in on me direct from Shannon and asked to be shown a taste of GALWAY at Christmas.
Do you think I would take them to the Christmas market?
Would I hell.

CPs and Charcoal Grill ftw, eh?

EI111

Deleted User wrote: »

Seriously though, I would be interested to know just how much money this has brought into local business, vendors and hotels and then see you all complain about it.

I'd like to know how much it has diverted away from local businesses into the hands of absentee food stand owners

Xiney

If friends of mine were visiting I WOULD bring them to the market.

I think it's a nice change from the dirty, wino infested, urine soaked Eyre Square of usual.

ciotog

EI111 wrote: »

I'd like to know how much it has diverted away from local businesses into the hands of absentee food stand owners

I expect we'll find out in early January. I'm quite sure it will turn out to have kept more money in and brought money to Galway. How much do you think has been diverted out of the local economy?