Just two weeks to go!! [it's over]

Wompa1

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

Wompa1 in running down third level education shocker. I never saw a person with such a chip on their shoulder about university especially coming from someone who claims to have attended. It's especially funny as your opinions are the things which are flawed not our very good third level eduction system.

HaHa, thanks for addressing it, it allows me to respond with even more rhetoric that runs down the Irish third level education system.

One mans chips on his shoulder is another mans desire for the progression of his country. Education has a big part to play in that and in it's current form it's not going to help...even worse still, money is being pumped into it like crazy without any significant change to how things are run...I guess that's the downside of electing teachers and lecturers to office, eh?

Since you take such exception to my opinion on it, Tell me what's good about the education system? I can list what I don't like about it...I'll take on what you have to say and put them in the Pros vs Cons.

gordongekko

So to replace the races you want

Close down the 3rd level colleges that provide 2000 jobs and keep the city going all winter
A music festival that is likely to bring a worse crowd than the races
A air show that nobody is willing to pay for
A jazz festival that's already in place
Bring back the Volvo ocean race that nobody wants to pay for
And a fishing competition

pleasant Co.

Just to reiterate the on-thread warning made the last time you brought education randomly into the mix, the Galway races have nothing to do with education, please find an appropriate forum for that discussion.

irish_major

Im just about recovered from it. What a week, the craic on quay street and shop street every night would be hard to top no matter where you are in the world, its not everyone's cup of tea i suppose but it's definitely the majority's. Didn't see one fight all week and I was out every week night. As for the pissing everywhere didn't see that but wouldn't have been in places where it would have been happening.

Wompa1

pleasant Co. wrote: »

Just to reiterate the on-thread warning made the last time you brought education randomly into the mix, the Galway races have nothing to do with education, please find an appropriate forum for that discussion.

Alright. I'm going to sidestep this. It was relevant in the discussion of creating jobs, extra hours etc. But I'll give you that.

Wonder how the less talked about restaurants did during the week

http://galwayindependent.com/20140806/news/race-week-no-shows-slammed-S42172.html

This guy likely made over six figures for the week and is complaining and he only employs 40 people across three restaurants. Either his profit margin on the food he's making is lower than you'd think or he's a touch on the greedy side.

donfers

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

Careful now, you don't want to push your limited brain too hard coming up with such funny comments.

ah come on, it's just a bit of banter...you're coming across as being "devoid of any craic"

dloob

Wompa1 wrote: »

Alright. I'm going to sidestep this. It was relevant in the discussion of creating jobs, extra hours etc. But I'll give you that.

Wonder how the less talked about restaurants did during the week

http://galwayindependent.com/20140806/news/race-week-no-shows-slammed-S42172.html

This guy likely made over six figures for the week and is complaining and he only employs 40 people across three restaurants. Either his profit margin on the food he's making is lower than you'd think or he's a touch on the greedy side.

I don't think he is a fan of race week judging by some of his comments in the article.

“With the Races, people are overwhelmingly going drinking and simply don’t turn up. It’s just like one big long Rag Week for adults. Every morning I came into work, there was vomit on the doorstep; it was disgusting.”

And, he said it appeared locals were now steering clear of the city during the Race Week “drinking festival”, with the local bookings for the Eat Restaurant group down throughout the week.

Mr McMahon’s frustrations regarding Race Week were voiced on Facebook this week, with hundreds of followers supporting his views on the state of the city throughout the week. In his posts, Mr McMahon said he was looking forward to the end of the week, which had left the city looking like a dump, with locals hiding from all the drunken revellers.

zarquon

Wompa1 wrote: »

Alright. I'm going to sidestep this. It was relevant in the discussion of creating jobs, extra hours etc. But I'll give you that.

Wonder how the less talked about restaurants did during the week

http://galwayindependent.com/20140806/news/race-week-no-shows-slammed-S42172.html

This guy likely made over six figures for the week and is complaining and he only employs 40 people across three restaurants. Either his profit margin on the food he's making is lower than you'd think or he's a touch on the greedy side.

Interesting quotes there from a local businessman. He is correct that it is essentially "rag week for adults". I also found it interesting the difference in atitude to custom between the arts festival and race week. 5% no shows is poor form.

The race week apologists insist that people don't puke or piss publically, but yet here is another businessman running 3 of the most restaurants in the city stating that the vomit cleanup on his doorstep was a daily occurance.

The only reason that this sort of adolescent behaviour is tolerated is due to the excessive spending in town. Drunken buffoons will always be tolerated if they are happy to empty their wallets. It's just a shame that a lot of people don't know how to behave in a civilised fashion during an event like race week.

LurkerNo1

"Every morning I came into work, there was vomit on the doorstep; it was disgusting.”

If you believe that quote you'll believe anything. The guy lost money during the week most every other buisness clean up, he's just going off on a rant.

evil_seed

Off on a rant? People booked tables in his restaurants and didn't show. Why I don't know but it was probably (and there's not point denying the high probability) they stayed out drinking. Why would you forget to cancel, umm I dunno because you were drunk. Why would you simply say you were not coming, umm because "the craic" was too good (read you were drunk). He's well within his rights to have a go at these no shows. Good luck to them getting bookings in those places again

LurkerNo1

Didn't see him moaning any other year and his establishments are around a while. Probably had people queuing out the doors other years and thought he'd have a banker of a week if he took bookings. His gamble failed so now he has to blame someone else and give daily mail style quotes.

He had no need to take bookings , first come first served and he would have packed it out. Could have taken bookings from regulars if he wanted no problem. Bet he'll know better next year, every other restaurant owner is laughing at him.

LurkerNo1

This guy is an absolute plonker, proper up his own ass.

And, he said it appeared locals were now steering clear of the city during the Race Week “drinking festival”, with the local bookings for the Eat Restaurant group down throughout the week.

I'm sure plenty avoid the week but did it occur to him that locals were probably out drinking too, maybe they preferred a take away ? Oh no my customers wouldn't do that!!
Come down off your high horse sunshine, there is a huge crowd of locals out during the week.

Zzippy

Haven't much time for McMahon, there's a distinctly snobbish tone with most of his utterances, and he (and his chef) have been downright rude to punters and other chefs on social media before. Seems to think he's the only proper foodie in Galway and everyone else should bow down to him.

He's been working in the restaurant trade long enough to know better - that's the risk if you take bookings, and don't hold tables if people don't show.

We booked a table in Artisan last week as we knew it would be packed out. Made sure to turn up on time as we knew they wouldn't be able to hold tables long during race week. Had a delicious meal with a nice bottle of wine, and contrary to price-gouging rumours in this thread, paid not a cent more than we would have any othe week of the year. Great food and great service. Highly recommend it...

zarquon

zarquon wrote: »

The race week apologists insist that people don't puke or piss publically

I never said it didn't happen, I said it's all part of the show, it's not something that bothers me and sure it happens the best of us from time to time.

Wompa1

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

I never said it didn't happen, I said it's all part of the show, it's not something that bothers me and sure it happens the best of us from time to time.

:eek:

zarquon

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

I never said it didn't happen, I said it's all part of the show, it's not something that bothers me and sure it happens the best of us from time to time.

No it happens the worst of us! The best of people don't go around urinating publicly in doorways and vomiting on street from over intoxication! It appears we have different standards in what constitutes best behaviour.

Mrs OBumble

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

and sure it happens the best of us from time to time.

Count me as one of the rest of us, so.

dilallio

If Mr McMahon is so concerned about drunken revellers, then he should consider stopping the 'lock-ins' which regularly occur in Cava Bodega.

Twice I've had to bang on the door at 5:30 am and plead with them to stop the loud music and roaring, while the poor residents including young children of the apartments upstairs had to put up with it.

The second time, they wouldn't even answer the door and the Gardai told me they had nobody available to call down.

antoobrien

zarquon wrote: »

I also found it interesting the difference in atitude to custom between the arts festival and race week. 5% no shows is poor form.

5% no shows is about 1/2 tables not showing up per restaurant sitting, which is about normal from my experiences around town.

Whining about nothing and trying to make it about race week.

Larianne

I attended my first Galway Race week, on Ladies Day. I had a great time. I dressed up with my fancy hat. Won 3 out of 4 bets I placed.
I found the raceground not overly crowded and waited less than 5 minutes for drinks at the bar or a trip to the toilet. The limited selection of food would be my only complaint but I wasn't expecting anything great.
Went to the Raddison after and headed home around 11.30 as I was wrecked.
I'd definitely go again.

Neyite

Romina Tall Calendar wrote: »

I never said it didn't happen, I said it's all part of the show, it's not something that bothers me and sure it happens the best of us from time to time.

Because you'll never have to clean it up? You'd change your tune if you had a full week of the year, every single year, where you had to clean up another human's excrement, piss or vomit just to open the door into work.

If one is going to debase themselves, they should step into the gutter to do it there and at least it will get washed away. Doing it in someones doorway is forcing someone to clean up after you.

Wompa1

Neyite wrote: »

Because you'll never have to clean it up? You'd change your tune if you had a full week of the year, every single year, where you had to clean up another human's excrement, piss or vomit just to open the door into work.

If one is going to debase themselves, they should step into the gutter to do it there and at least it will get washed away. Doing it in someones doorway is forcing someone to clean up after you.

This is absolutely not an attempt to troll or in any way stick up for the puking, pissing, ****ting on the streets mentality BUT don't the council go around at 5am to clean things up a bit? Do they only clean the street and not the paths? Just wondering.

Before I left, for a while there I was going into work around 5am...mind you it was during RAG week but I did see them out cleaning.

Neyite

Wompa1 wrote: »

This is absolutely not an attempt to troll or in any way stick up for the puking, pissing, ****ting on the streets mentality BUT don't the council go around at 5am to clean things up a bit? Do they only clean the street and not the paths? Just wondering.

Before I left, for a while there I was going into work around 5am...mind you it was during RAG week but I did see them out cleaning.

They'll sweep the streets, but they wont clean people's doorways!

Mrs OBumble

Neyite wrote: »

They'll sweep the streets, but they wont clean people's doorways!

They move stuff that can be moved from the footpath to the gutter using a leaf-blower.

Most human wastes, being somewhat sticky, aren't amenable to that.

They vacuum the streets and wash/shampoo some of them. But they cannot get right into doorways with the big washing / vacuuming machines.

connemara man

Power hoses for everyone sort the whole thing out

Irishgoatman

Wompa1 wrote: »

This is absolutely not an attempt to troll or in any way stick up for the puking, pissing, ****ting on the streets mentality BUT don't the council go around at 5am to clean things up a bit? Do they only clean the street and not the paths? Just wondering.

Before I left, for a while there I was going into work around 5am...mind you it was during RAG week but I did see them out cleaning.

I've been watching this thread but not joining in because I don't live in Galway but my Daughter and family do. I live in Mayo.

I was very surprised a few minutes ago to see a posting, on another thread from you, Wompa1, which shows that you live in America!

Would you care to tell us when you were last in Galway for the race week please. Things might have changed.

Wompa1

Irishgoatman wrote: »

I've been watching this thread but not joining in because I don't live in Galway but my Daughter and family do. I live in Mayo.

I was very surprised a few minutes ago to see a posting, on another thread from you, Wompa1, which shows that you live in America!

Would you care to tell us when you were last in Galway for the race week please. Things might have changed.

Last time would have been Race Week 2011. Back in 2011, the crowds were smaller than they had been due to the downturn. A lot more people were buying beer in off-licenses and drinking at a rented flat or friends house before heading into town and afterwards. It meant a lot of parties around a lot of the housing estates by the town. The council were cleaning things up before the morning rolled around.

One of my friends, who lives in Foster court took the week off and left Galway for it this year. His flat got broken into...doesn't sound like too much has changed.

I lived 20 minutes outside of Galway city for 13 years and lived in Galway city for just over 8 years

gordongekko

Wompa1 wrote: »

One of my friends, who lives in Foster court took the week off and left Galway for it this year. His flat got broken into...doesn't sound like too much has changed.

If it got broken into over Christmas would he blame Jesus?

Wompa1

gordongekko wrote: »

If it got broken into over Christmas would he blame Jesus?

Nope but if you got robbed by pick pockets I would correlate it to the increase in that, that usually happens around Christmas.

gordongekko

Wompa1 wrote: »

Nope but if you got robbed by pick pockets I would correlate it to the increase in that, that usually happens around Christmas.

I don't believe there is a correlation between the races and houses getting broken into.