Ironman Event

celty

Zzippy wrote: »

Actually Galway were in an All-Ireland final on Sunday, they even won it . There are a grand total of maybe 2 hurling teams in Connemara, its football country and very few people in Connemara would travel for a hurling final. I didn't hear of any Connemara hurling fans giving out about road closures on their way to Dublin yesterday... You're clutching at straws making that argument - "what if.....?"

I attended the Ironman yesterday and had a great time despite the weather, feck the begrudgers, this was a great event that seemed well-run, would have been better attended if the weather had been better, and is another way to put Galway on the map - highlights of the race will be shown on tv worldwide.

A lot of the people giving out wouldn't get off their holes to get out of bed on a Sunday morning, but all of a sudden road closures were a major inconvenience. Humbug! :rolleyes:

Zzippy,

I'm well aware that Galway won the minor final yesterday, but I also know that hundreds would have travelled from the likes of An Cheathru Rua, Micheal Breathnach, Clifden, An Spideal, etc if we were in the senior final and would have been severely affected by the road closures.

Yes, I believe it was well run. I'm dubious about how much it boosted the economy. I'd like to know what kind of people would come to Galway for a visit after seeing how dreary and grey and windy it is here on TV, and seeing that the swim had to be shortened because the sea conditions were so bad.

A bit like the thousands of Brits who, no doubt, decided to come to Ireland after seeing all the empty streets and Gardai during the Queen's Visit. :mad:

Or the millions of Americans who have decided to come here because President O'Bama spent 12 hours here and drank a pint in an Offaly pub.

ciotog

celty wrote: »

Yes, I believe it was well run. I'm dubious about how much it boosted the economy. I'd like to know what kind of people would come to Galway for a visit after seeing how dreary and grey and windy it is here on TV, and seeing that the swim had to be shortened because the sea conditions were so bad.

FWIW, the chamber of commerce seem to be happy: http://www.galwaynews.ie/21382-ironman-proves-be-season-boost-city

beeintheknow

I give up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LjbMVXj0F8

TobyZiegler

The moaning on this thread is depressing. The papers might have exaggerated the benefits alright (shock horror) but who cares? Also the road closure were for one day and mostly for a few hours - a few hours during which most people were still in bed.

Fair play to all who completed the Ironman and all who organised it. Ironman and triathalons generally seem to have become huge in the last few years and securing an Ironman for Galway guarantees 5 years of exposure for Galway. All events such as the Volvo Ocean Race, the Galway races and the Ironman help to keep Galway the lively vibrant tourist attraction that it is today.

JnarF

TobyZiegler wrote: »

Also the road closure were for one day and mostly for a few hours - a few hours during which most people were still in bed.

No it wasn't. The main road in front of the Aquarium was closed from Thursday evening until 7 last night. And Salthill village was a no parking zone from 7 on Saturday night. I'm all for events in Galway but I know a few of the local business people and they were adversely affected. The Aquarium for one suffered badly.

beeintheknow

Is the aquarium a private enterprise?

JnarF

Yes, privately owned.

Zzippy

celty wrote: »

Zzippy,

I'm well aware that Galway won the minor final yesterday, but I also know that hundreds would have travelled from the likes of An Cheathru Rua, Micheal Breathnach, Clifden, An Spideal, etc if we were in the senior final and would have been severely affected by the road closures.

If, if, if....... fact is Galway weren't in a senior final, so it's irrelevant! And if hundreds of diehard hurling fans were to suddenly come out of the woodwork in Connemara I'm sure it would be a big surprise to the local hurling clubs there, all 2 of them. I'd have more time for these imaginary hurling fans if they actually supported their local clubs, I'd have no time for them if they only came out for All-Ireland finals. And I've played hurling in Connemara, so I know how "well-supported" they are...

Enough of the begrudgery, hopefully next year it will be run even better and the weather will co-operate, 5 years of this and Galway may yet be known as a great location for a HIM. I hosted one of the athletes this weekend, and spent the weekend showing his family around (who stayed in local hotels and spent plenty of money locally) and they kept saying how great it was that there was always something on in Galway, that the people were great at putting Galway on the map. This is just one more event to do that, and I say bring it on for the next 5 years! Onwards and upwards...

Head The Wall

JnarF wrote: »

No it wasn't. The main road in front of the Aquarium was closed from Thursday evening until 7 last night. And Salthill village was a no parking zone from 7 on Saturday night. I'm all for events in Galway but I know a few of the local business people and they were adversely affected. The Aquarium for one suffered badly.

You're just moaning for the sake of it, tell us how many people live down the road behind seapoint who couldn't drive in and out of their building. The carpark for the aquarium was also open and accessible and there was a diversion for the rest of the road down by The Warwick which probably added about 50m to the journey

JnarF

Head The Wall wrote: »

You're just moaning for the sake of it, tell us how many people live down the road behind seapoint who couldn't drive in and out of their building. The carpark for the aquarium was also open and accessible and there was a diversion for the rest of the road down by The Warwick which probably added about 50m to the journey

I'm not moaning, just stating the facts as the previous poster was inaccurate in his statement. If you feel I'm moaning that's your opinion, I do know a lot of business was taken away from the Aquarium complex as people were put off that weren't overtly familiar with the parking situation etc

HardyEustace

JnarF wrote: »

I'm not moaning, just stating the facts as the previous poster was inaccurate in his statement. If you feel I'm moaning that's your opinion, I do know a lot of business was taken away from the Aquarium complex as people were put off that weren't overtly familiar with the parking situation etc

If anything I'd expect them to get more business, given how many people there were.

I doubt they would have been exactly over run last weekend, given the horrendous weather conditions and the fact that it was the last weekend before school started in earnest.

GalwayGaillimh

Heres a link to the video we shot of the Ironman enjoy!
Ironman 70.3

KittyeeTrix

GalwayDotCom wrote: »

Heres a link to the video we shot of the Ironman enjoy!
Ironman 70.3

Really enjoyed watching that, thanks!!:)

Bugsy2000

I was in Salthill all weekend as I was volunteering for the Ironman & the buzz was unbelievable. There were great crowds around Saturday & once the sun came out on Sunday afternoon there were great crowds again. Fair enough they mightn't have matched things like the airshow but this is a weekend in September. Compare like for like and not for a weekend in the height of the tourist season. I was also out in Salthill today as I was bringing my little girl out for a swim, I called into have a local cafe for something to eat & with this thread in mind I asked the proprietor how the weekend went for him. He told me they were flat out all weekend. On race day he opened up at 5.30am & was full to bursting point until 8.30pm. He was raving about the race and is already looking forward to next year.

Regarding the parking & road closures I don't see the major disruption that people were claiming. My partner came in from Monivea on race day - she had no problem getting in for race start, no problem parking in St Enda's school as it was the advertised overflow public parking and she had no problem leaving around noon. Does the lack of traffic problems point to a lack of interest in the race or just a successful traffic management plan by the organisers? Possibly the latter. I know they undertook an intensive leaflet drop door to door along the route of the road closures to inform as many people as possible. This was not required by them by the terms of the road closure permit - they just wanted to go above and beyond in their preparations for the race.

My father lives in Maam Cross & I have many friends living in Oughterard. They were all well aware that their primary route to town was completely unavailable to them for the full day and rather than complain about it the locals out there embraced it. If you read any of the race reports they all mention that the people of Oughterard were out in their hundreds in torrential rain supporting the racers.

I just don't get some of the negativity surrounding the race. It was the first time anyone in this country tried to bring a race of this type to Ireland and it was a great success. Long may it last.

numorouno

I'd just like to give my 2cents. I completed the half ironman and had a fantastic weekend. The support from everybody on all routes was just unbelievable. The weather should have kept people away but they were out in their hundreds and even on small junctions in the middle of nowhere. This is a fantastic event and for the sake of a few minor road closures for as short a period as possible it should be embraced. Im from kerry and Im only jealous that we didnt have the gumption to get this event. The hospitality i received from everybody will only make me want to go to Galway more often than I already want to go. Go Galway and Galway people!

Pure Sound

Despite the weather that video really paints a great picture of Galway, I wish now I could have gone down to support it, Maybe next year

ir555

Some of the posts in this topic are very disappointing to read. Another high profile international event in the city and all ye can do is sit behind a computer and moan about a few road closures, and repeating the awl whinger from the hotel in Oughterard who supposedly turns over 20K euros every Sunday :-)!

The video produced by galway dot com - makes me proud to be from Galway and also extremely proud to have helped out with the event.

Our business was forced to close on Sunday also due to road closures. Did we moan - no we got 14 people from our business out on the Swim course to help with the rescue cover. Up at 4.30am and thoroughly enjoyed been able to help with the event.

Proud to be part of any local, national or international sporting event which promotes our city, healthy activity and "positive frames of mind" unlike some people around here.

I would ask the question to everyone who made a negative comment on the past few pages - have you ever attempted to organize an event? I severely doubt it given the narrow mindedness shown in some of your comments.

Well done to the organisers for bringing such a high profile event to Galway, and to the all the supporters and volunteers who also made the event a success!! Rumour has it is here for five years... lets all do our best to help make it better each year....

That help can be as simple as bothering to go and support the participants - many of whom are realizing a lifelong dream of completing an Ironman!

My two cents!
D

dloob

ir555 wrote: »

Some of the posts in this topic are very disappointing to read. Another high profile international event in the city and all ye can do is sit behind a computer and moan about a few road closures, and repeating the awl whinger from the hotel in Oughterard who supposedly turns over 20K euros every Sunday :-)!

The 20K seems a bit unlikely all right, I noticed in the article where the chamber of commerce said it was a good boost, that the Hotels Federation said it gave a good boost to the hotels too.
Maybe the Oughterard one isn't a member.
I suppose among the 2000 competitors and the TV viewers a few people may like the scenery out that way and decide to visit them, could be boost for them in the end.

beeintheknow

won't somebody think of the Aquarium????

snubbleste

Apparently 2 bicycles belonging to competitors were stolen from an unnamed hotel on Sunday evening.

banjobongo

I took part in the triathlon over the weekend, and THANK YOU THANK YOU one and all to all the people that stood out in the rain and wind to provide support, it made such a HIUGE difference to people like me (ie not top athletes!) and helped push me on to finish the whole thing. Im not sure who had the greater endurance on the day, the specatators or us the triathles!
Also a hugh thanks to the volunteers, so cheerfull, helpful, polite and brave, despite the appalling weather....
so despite some negativity on this thread about the economics, I say, feck it, we have more than enough bad news on the radio every every, this was a good news story, with hundreds of great stories by every day people.
To wrap it all, thanks Galwagians!

Head The Wall

It's being broadcast on channel 4 next Sunday morning the 18th at 7:20