Christmas market 2016

talking_walnut

FitzShane wrote: »

Also added to this, there is no link between the portaloos to the beer tent. You have to leave, then walk all the way around down through the market and back up the steps to beside the tent, just to get into them. A litre of 2 of beer added to the congestion of people idling standing in the way are not a good mix! Why are they blocked off from the tent when to be fair the biggest users of the portaloos are probably the people in the beer tent!

Rant over!

One of the years (1st?) they were behind the marquee selling all the Christmas trees and decorations. You had to basically go through the place to get to them. The didn't seem too happy

Maybe whoever is in charge of doing the layout isn't a drinker.

Curly head

In Edinburgh at the min. While it's a much bigger city than Galway the xmas market there is really impressive. There's a real xmas buzz to the place n hundreds of stalls selling a great range of stuff. A great section for kids n plenty of food n beer etc. big wheel there as well as a big chairoplane type ride. Can't see why a smaller effort cldnt be sorted in eyre sq. it's a Mickey Mouse effort compared to Edinburgh

Whereisgalway

Seen more gardai presence around the market, must be trying to deter the pick pockets

You know what I'm going to miss?

People complaining about the grass in the run up to the market in 2017.

gifted

We brought the 3 girls in there last Sunday....girls went down the slidie thingy and went on the big wheel.....realised that we would have to cross the road to get to the rest of the market and just decided no thanks...went to debenhams instead for a juice and cakes for the girls...really disappointed with the layout this year.....its akin to playing one half of a hurling match in salthill and playing the second half in tuam....hope common sense returns next year...oh and noticed the same buzz wasnt there this year...less people as well. A pity.

TerrorFirmer

gifted wrote: »

realised that we would have to cross the road to get to the rest of the market and just decided no thanks..went to debenhams instead for a juice and cakes for the girls

its akin to playing one half of a hurling match in salthill and playing the second half in tuam....

I'm all for outrage but the walk to Debenhams surely requires significantly more effort than simply crossing the road. It's not a ten lane motorway.

Boggy Turf

Is the market still open? When is it closing?

Mrs OBumble

Boggy Turf wrote: »

Is the market still open? When is it closing?

Yes

Thursday. Which seems very late for the traders to get home. Suspect some will go early.

http://www.galwaytourism.ie/event/Galway-Continental-Christmas-Market-18th-Nov---22n-n88.html

snubbleste

How can it be called a Christmas market if it is not there at Christmas?

Gadgetman496

snubbleste wrote: »

How can it be called a Christmas market if it is not there at Christmas?

What the hell has that got to do with grass!

gifted

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I'm all for outrage but the walk to Debenhams surely requires significantly more effort than simply crossing the road. It's not a ten lane motorway.

What outrage?...I merely gave my opinion.

I'm aware it's not a ten Lane motorway but it's also a busy road....coupled that with the fact we have 3 young girls it was easier to go to Debenham and safer.

Mars Bar

gifted wrote: »

What outrage?...I merely gave my opinion.

I'm aware it's not a ten Lane motorway but it's also a busy road....coupled that with the fact we have 3 young girls it was easier to go to Debenham and safer.

There is a set of traffic lights close by

gifted

Mars Bar wrote: »

There is a set of traffic lights close by

I'm aware of that as well...I've used them often enough.

Apologies that reads a tad touchy response. We decided to go to Debenham as we were on that side. We've often used those lights and they are fairly slow coupled with the extra people crossing the road we decided to go to Debenham. I gave my own personal opinion about the layout, I don't agree with it, other people do agree with it, I've no bother with them, each to their own. The market on the other side could have been brilliant for all I know, I chose not to cross the road. It's the layout I don't like. At no point did I say it was an outrage, more important things in life to concern me.

ben.schlomo

Mars Bar wrote: »

There is a set of traffic lights close by

Two actually. None however on Rosemary avenue or Eyre Street.

Mrs OBumble

Whatever ... the layout sucks. The market is in two disconnected bits, and doesn't feel as good as it did last year.

However the precious is safe, so all is well in the world.


fyi, there are several nice cafes in the Eyre St area: Revive, Cocoa, Renzo, Chez Augustin, Poppyseed. Debenhams, ahh ... let's just say I wouldn't list it.

Mars Bar

Cafe Express is the bomb. Best ciabattas in Galway!

JohnCleary

gifted wrote: »

We brought the 3 girls in there last Sunday....girls went down the slidie thingy and went on the big wheel.....realised that we would have to cross the road to get to the rest of the market and just decided no thanks...went to debenhams instead for a juice and cakes for the girls...really disappointed with the layout this year.....its akin to playing one half of a hurling match in salthill and playing the secondary half in tuam....hope common sense returns next year...oh and noticed the same buzz wasnt there this year...less people as well. A pity.

You wouldn't cross a road to go to the rest of the market? Were you raised in a laundry factory? You must live a sheltered life

biko

John and others, drop it now.

bobbyss

snubbleste wrote: »

How can it be called a Christmas market if it is not there at Christmas?

Yes indeedey.
I haven't been to the market yet to give any opinion about it. I get a few days holidays starting on Friday. I think there are 12 days of Christmas starting on 24 or 25 Dec. Lo and behold the Christmas market is over before Christmas has even started. People may like to get an experience of it during the holiday season when families are off.

ben.schlomo

bobbyss wrote: »

Yes indeedey.
I haven't been to the market yet to give any opinion about it. I get a few days holidays starting on Friday. I think there are 12 days of Christmas starting on 24 or 25 Dec. Lo and behold the Christmas market is over before Christmas has even started. People may like to get an experience of it during the holiday season when families are off.

Strange that many thousands have already used it and had their experience in the run-up to Xmas, which is the norm. Just because you follow an archaic Xmas calendar don't mean the rest of society has to.

bobbyss

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Strange that many thousands have already used it and had their experience in the run-up to Xmas, which is the norm. Just because you follow an archaic Xmas calendar don't mean the rest of society has to.

There will be tons and tons of people off during the festive season. Families too. Families could enjoy the market at their leisure and think of all the money that could be spent by these families in the market and surrounding shops and businesses. What else can families do during the holidays down town? Driving past that big wheel thingey I noticed a queue for it. Bet your bottom dollar that there would be a queue too during the holidays.

Regarding archaic christmas calendar: Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to go to the market while they are working. It is just not possible I am afraid. It is just a person's circumstances and there is nothing archaic about it at all. And some people would prefer to go there when they are on holidays and can't make it before then. And for some, their holidays start when the market closes. So for those families, who may not necessarily live in the city and whose work commitments mean they work at weekends and who have school going children, they are going to miss out.

Do you have any specific objections to the market continuing through the festive season?

Ronan H

So is the market definitely closing on Thursday?

bobbyss

Ronan H wrote: »

So is the market definitely closing on Thursday?

I am pretty sure it is. I think they sell of stuff cheaply to clear their stalls before closing shop.

gifted

gifted wrote: »

What outrage?...I merely gave my opinion.

I'm aware it's not a ten Lane motorway but it's also a busy road....coupled that with the fact we have 3 young girls it was easier to go to Debenham and safer.

You live a sheltered life if you even have to think about crossing that road never mind highlight on the internet. The world really is fcuked when you hear this sort of stuff.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yes

Thursday. Which seems very late for the traders to get home. Suspect some will go early.

http://www.galwaytourism.ie/event/Galway-Continental-Christmas-Market-18th-Nov---22n-n88.html

It should run until at least Christmas Eve if not reopen for a few days again after Christmas. A lot of people miss it due to closing so early.

Ronan H

bobbyss wrote: »

I am pretty sure it is. I think they sell of stuff cheaply to clear their stalls before closing shop.

Thanks. Seems next to impossible to get a definitive answer. The hotels don't even seem to know.

ben.schlomo

bobbyss wrote: »

There will be tons and tons of people off during the festive season. Families too. Families could enjoy the market at their leisure and think of all the money that could be spent by these families in the market and surrounding shops and businesses. What else can families do during the holidays down town? Driving past that big wheel thingey I noticed a queue for it. Bet your bottom dollar that there would be a queue too during the holidays.

Regarding archaic christmas calendar: Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to go to the market while they are working. It is just not possible I am afraid. It is just a person's circumstances and there is nothing archaic about it at all. And some people would prefer to go there when they are on holidays and can't make it before then. And for some, their holidays start when the market closes. So for those families, who may not necessarily live in the city and whose work commitments mean they work at weekends and who have school going children, they are going to miss out.

Do you have any specific objections to the market continuing through the festive season?

It already operates during the festive season and is full of families every day. And yes id object on behalf of the operators who would like to go home and enjoy their own Xmas.

bobbyss

ben.schlomo wrote: »

It already operates during the festive season and is full of families every day. And yes id object on behalf of the operators who would like to go home and enjoy their own Xmas.

For me, the festive season begins Dec 24/25. That's what I associate the season to be:the traditional twelve days of Christmas. That's also just about when I get some holidays. I am not an operator so I can not speak on behalf of them. If they were allowed to go through until Jan 6, shall we say, perhaps some would not object to having a stall and so on and a chance to make money. But, I don't know for sure. Again, I can't read their minds or speak on behalf of them as I am not an operator myself.

Mrs OBumble

Ronan H wrote: »

Thanks. Seems next to impossible to get a definitive answer. The hotels don't even seem to know.

I linked to their website. If that ain't definitive enough for ya i don't know what will be.

Mrs OBumble

bobbyss wrote: »

Yes indeedey.
I haven't been to the market yet to give any opinion about it. I get a few days holidays starting on Friday. I think there are 12 days of Christmas starting on 24 or 25 Dec. Lo and behold the Christmas market is over before Christmas has even started. People may like to get an experience of it during the holiday season when families are off.

I guess your amily must be looking forward to their new year presents.

Personally id have no problem if the market wanted to stay for longer. But thats not what the market organisers have planned for this year anyways.

bobbyss

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I guess your amily must be looking forward to their new year presents.

Personally id have no problem if the market wanted to stay for longer. But thats not what the market organisers have planned for this year anyways.

That's true. But if they were given permission to operate throughout the festive season, until the new year at any rate, it would be interesting to see how many would choose to stay. I don't know if there is an ice rink here this year. There used to be I know. Did they close down before Dec 25? I can't remember but i have a feeling they remained open until new year. But as I say I am not sure. They clearly thought it worthwhile. Perhaps some operators may feel the same way.
I didn't quite catch what you meant about my family looking forward to new year presents... ? Can you clarify please?