Tralee thread

Sully34

lottpaul wrote: »

Quick query. Have to pass 4 or 5 hours in Tralee tomorrow morning (without a car) and wondered if anyone had a suggestion for somewhere to go/something to do. The obvious ones of coffee shop, library(?) have already been suggested by my nearest and dearest - one even suggested Mass - but maybe I'm missing something blindingly obvious! TIA

Go walk the canal and out to the Windmill..you can stop off for coffee and a bite to eat at the Wetlands on the way back. As said you have the museum and Siamsa Tire alongside eachother in town if the weather ain't great.
Don't go to the cinema as suggested..you can go to the cinema at home. Loads to do in Tralee

lottpaul

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks. I headed off down Castle St. - did a quick look into Heatons, Penneys and a few other shops and then went down Denny St to go to the Museum -- and, as happens, met a school friend I haven't seen in ages and that was that. Had a great, long chat over coffee and scones in Dawsons (great spot for watching what goes on in the town!)
The town had a great buzz about it for a cold weekday morning. I haven't been in the town centre for over 20 years but 2 things I'd note - I had time to do a quick walk around the square and thought it was ..... bare, cold, - lacking in something. Would be interested to hear how locals view it and how it's used by them.
Secondly I kept seeing shops that seemed familiar, but knew I could never have been in them - and then it dawned on me - the power of ads on Radio Kerry....

Will be back on a similar errand in 3 weeks though and will get the chance to get to the museum I hope.

(and another plus - I had forgotten the guilty pleasures of O'Mahony's bakery and stocked up nicely for the long trip home )

Ciarrai76

lottpaul wrote: »

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks. I headed off down Castle St. - did a quick look into Heatons, Penneys and a few other shops and then went down Denny St to go to the Museum -- and, as happens, met a school friend I haven't seen in ages and that was that. Had a great, long chat over coffee and scones in Dawsons (great spot for watching what goes on in the town!)
The town had a great buzz about it for a cold weekday morning. I haven't been in the town centre for over 20 years but 2 things I'd note - I had time to do a quick walk around the square and thought it was ..... bare, cold, - lacking in something. Would be interested to hear how locals view it and how it's used by them.
Secondly I kept seeing shops that seemed familiar, but knew I could never have been in them - and then it dawned on me - the power of ads on Radio Kerry....

Will be back on a similar errand in 3 weeks though and will get the chance to get to the museum I hope.

(and another plus - I had forgotten the guilty pleasures of O'Mahony's bakery and stocked up nicely for the long trip home )

The square is a bit of a waste, but they do have stalls there a few days a week, although I have to say they are pretty tacky and a farmers market would look a lot nicer!

Quackster

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

The square is a bit of a waste, but they do have stalls there a few days a week, although I have to say they are pretty tacky and a farmers market would look a lot nicer!

'Tacky' is the kindest word you could use when referring to the Provo stall. Our moist weather limits the Square's usability though. Retractable canopies like at Meeting House Square in Dublin should be considered. Indeed Meeting House Square should be the model for how the Square is used with its regular markets and outdoor performances.

ongarboy

It seems Toni's fish and chip shop at Clash Roundabout is up for sale? That didn't seem to last long...


http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/Clash-Roundabout-Tralee-Co-Kerry/363924/

....and Horan's niteclub is definitely no more...the building is being sold....surprised that didn't make bigger news in the local media (end of an era etc..) unless I missed it.


http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/The-Horan-Centre-Clash-Tralee-Co-Kerry/332283/

Ciarrai76

Quackster wrote: »

'Tacky' is the kindest word you could use when referring to the Provo stall. Our moist weather limits the Square's usability though. Retractable canopies like at Meeting House Square in Dublin should be considered. Indeed Meeting House Square should be the model for how the Square is used with its regular markets and outdoor performances.

But waiting for the council to do something like that may never happen! It's a shame the Saturday farmers market is over by the Brandon & not in the square.

kn

ongarboy wrote: »

It seems Toni's fish and chip shop at Clash Roundabout is up for sale? That didn't seem to last long...


http://www.property.ie/commercial-property/Clash-Roundabout-Tralee-Co-Kerry/363924/

Just because the building is up for sale does not mean the leaseholder is affected.

kerryked

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

But waiting for the council to do something like that may never happen! It's a shame the Saturday farmers market is over by the Brandon & not in the square.

Never been to the farmer's market in Tralee on a Saturday, what kind of stuff do they have there? Passed by it once or twice and it seemed to be mostly fruit and veg?

Kerrydude1981

lottpaul wrote: »

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks. I headed off down Castle St. - did a quick look into Heatons, Penneys and a few other shops and then went down Denny St to go to the Museum -- and, as happens, met a school friend I haven't seen in ages and that was that. Had a great, long chat over coffee and scones in Dawsons (great spot for watching what goes on in the town!)
The town had a great buzz about it for a cold weekday morning. I haven't been in the town centre for over 20 years but 2 things I'd note - I had time to do a quick walk around the square and thought it was ..... bare, cold, - lacking in something. Would be interested to hear how locals view it and how it's used by them.
Secondly I kept seeing shops that seemed familiar, but knew I could never have been in them - and then it dawned on me - the power of ads on Radio Kerry....

Will be back on a similar errand in 3 weeks though and will get the chance to get to the museum I hope.

(and another plus - I had forgotten the guilty pleasures of O'Mahony's bakery and stocked up nicely for the long trip home )

Ya the square can be fairly bleak looking

phormium

I disagree that putting the farmers market back in the square would work. I come down town practically every Saturday to the market as I can park very easily along by it. It is not as convenient at all to get to in the square and would be more dependent on passing trade rather than people specifically coming to it and I think the bulk of it's customers are ones who come specially. Yes you could park in the Abbey car park if you got a space but there is no doubt it's a lot simpler access it where it is. Also it must be far easier for the traders to set up where they are with kerbside access for their goods.

The use of a farmers market seems to be totally overestimated in relation to the square or the new Denny's site, there is not enough business in Tralee to keep this type of market going at any sort of a profitable rate for most market traders. See how few are left in the one by the Brandon at this stage! Several have long given up trading there and it is only for a few hours once a week, in general people are not prepared to pay the extra cost of market type food which is of course more expensive than the local supermarket.

I say this as one who sold at markets for several years but gave up last year as it's just not worth it, everyone goes into it thinking it's going to be a great way of making a few bob but quickly discovers that's it's a lot of work for very little money, only certain types of stalls with non perishable items have any hope. Also they should all be indoor markets, better chance of getting and keeping stallholders and customers, we don't have the weather for outdoor markets.

Felix Jones is God

2 quick points... Toni's started as a shop with a deli counter..It is now a closed shop with a chippy where the deli used be..Chances of survival are nil.

Regarding a farmer's market in the square...No, it was suggested before and the prices asked for pitches were crazy, also it needs to be covered as the place is treacherous when wet

kerryked

Back to the chopping board for Tony so :rolleyes:

Fair play to him for giving it a lash all the same, but as most people said the lack of parking was going to be a killer from the start.

The_Mac

Quackster wrote: »

'Tacky' is the kindest word you could use when referring to the Provo stall. Our moist weather limits the Square's usability though. Retractable canopies like at Meeting House Square in Dublin should be considered. Indeed Meeting House Square should be the model for how the Square is used with its regular markets and outdoor performances.

Ah the Provo stall is gas. Always has a bit of Wolfe Tones blaring out of it to top things off too.

Pirates Ale

phormium wrote: »

It is not as convenient at all to get to in the square and would be more dependent on passing trade rather than people specifically coming to it and I think the bulk of it's customers are ones who come specially.

Surely passing trade is great (indeed vital) for any business though? Those specifically coming to it can surely manage to park nearby.
I think putting it down there is giving it very little chance of thriving tbh.

Quackster

kerryked wrote: »

Back to the chopping board for Tony so :rolleyes:

Fair play to him for giving it a lash all the same, but as most people said the lack of parking was going to be a killer from the start.

The butchers beside Argos seems to be doing a good trade too since they put in their hot counter and they've adjacent parking, putting Toni's at a further disadvantage.

With regards the former Horan's nightclub - it's on the market for letting, not for sale.

ongarboy

kn wrote: »

Just because the building is up for sale does not mean the leaseholder is affected.

OK but the advert did say suitable for a variety of uses. It would normally say sold as a going concern or "tenant not affected by sale" if the current business was to remain on. Maybe they are still in business if someone passing by it can confirm?

Quackster

ongarboy wrote: »

OK but the advert did say suitable for a variety of uses. It would normally say sold as a going concern or "tenant not affected by sale" if the current business was to remain on. Maybe they are still in business if someone passing by it can confirm?

The door was open and the lights on when I was passing a short while ago.

phormium

Pirates Ale wrote: »

Surely passing trade is great (indeed vital) for any business though? Those specifically coming to it can surely manage to park nearby.
I think putting it down there is giving it very little chance of thriving tbh.

For most businesses yes but a farmers market is different, a bit of passing trade is fine but the main customer is someone who knows it's there and is going specifically for items sold there. Shops in town depending on passing trade are trading 9/6 in general, market is only there for a few hours so needs customers deliberately seeking them out to have sufficient volume of trade.

The passing customer might buy the odd bun or bunch of carrots but in general you are either doing your food shop or you're not. If you're down town for a coffee or a ramble around the shops you're not going to lug a free range chicken around with you

Sully34

Looks like Horans health store will be moving into the old Vodafone store in the Square. I guess opportunity knocked when Seancara closed.
And what happened to the talk of turning the old pig factory into an old English market?

Quackster

Sully34 wrote: »

And what happened to the talk of turning the old pig factory into an old English market?

Such a market would be completely unrealistic for a town the size of Tralee and a waste of the site. Hopefully the OPW will engage with the council on using part of the site for a new courthouse.

Sully34

Quackster wrote: »

Such a market would be completely unrealistic for a town the size of Tralee and a waste of the site. Hopefully the OPW will engage with the council on using part of the site for a new courthouse.

New courthouse?? Be better off just using the place as a jail

Sully34

On a serious note they should be looking to build something for the youth in this town. Skateboard Park, drop in centre, whatever it takes to keep them off the streets.
There is an ever growing heroin and crack cocaine epidemic in Tralee that will spiral out of control. There are kids as young as 15 already smoking heroin and soon be mainline the stuff. It's the stuff of nightmares out there for our kids untill we gain control of the problem

Felix Jones is God

Skateboarding stops heroin addiction?
There's probably about 12-16 skateboarders in town, building a park for them would be a waste of money ESP as they're quite happy to call down the steps of the courthouse and the beginners steps beside the old Vodafone store

Sully34

Felix Jones is God wrote: »

Skateboarding stops heroin addiction?
There's probably about 12-16 skateboarders in town, building a park for them would be a waste of money ESP as they're quite happy to call down the steps of the courthouse and the beginners steps beside the old Vodafone store

Yes a skateboarding Park will sort out all the problems..well I guess if they build a new courthouse in that area then it kills two birds

Pirates Ale

phormium wrote: »

For most businesses yes but a farmers market is different, a bit of passing trade is fine but the main customer is someone who knows it's there and is going specifically for items sold there. Shops in town depending on passing trade are trading 9/6 in general, market is only there for a few hours so needs customers deliberately seeking them out to have sufficient volume of trade.

The passing customer might buy the odd bun or bunch of carrots but in general you are either doing your food shop or you're not. If you're down town for a coffee or a ramble around the shops you're not going to lug a free range chicken around with you

I think they need both tbh, easy access AND passing trade, and I think somewhere like the square offers both.
To have customers seeking you out, they need to know you exist in the first place. I think the bulk of visitors to Tralee on a Saturday (other than those that park in the Brandon car park) are totally oblivious to that market in its current location

phormium

The market was in the square originally, didn't do there either.

These markets attract a particular type of customer and I'd imagine those that like markets know well it's there. There just isn't enough of that customer type locally to keep a bigger/better one going.

Sully34

I think the town is in serious need of a treatment centre for all these addicts. Two pharmacies in Town that I know of are supplying methadone and doing needle changes. Maybe that area next to the skateboarding Park or even do something with the creepy Geraldine apartments

The_Mac

Sully34 wrote: »

I think the town is in serious need of a treatment centre for all these addicts. Two pharmacies in Town that I know of are supplying methadone and doing needle changes. Maybe that area next to the skateboarding Park or even do something with the creepy Geraldine apartments

You love your skateboarding parks you do. At least it'll keep the kids off heroin and keep them on weed.

kerryked

I think Felix is right re the skateboard park idea. Imo, it's a very American idea, wouldn't really work in Tralee. In my experience the majority of teenagers in Tralee don't 'skate', they'd probably laugh at the idea and use it as a space to drink cans wit da bais.

Think the powers that be need to be more in tune with young people rather than just throwing out the 'skateboard park' idea all the time.


Are Horan's opening a new store where Vodafone was or relocating one of the existing stores?

Sully34

How come everybody picked up on the skateboarding thing and nobody even bothered to mention the whole heroin problem

And you see folks that's why we have a problem