As we wrap up our time here in Ireland, I am soaking in all of the good memories, and today we took a super fun trip kayaking! I had never been kayaking before, so this was a brand new experience for me, and we were all going solo. It was a little scary at first because we were openly kayaking in Downings Bay, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean, but we soon all got the hang of it and had a blast!
An activity like kayaking in this bay creates an economic ripple in the local area because, for instance, when we were finished kayaking, we headed into town for coffee. The little coffee shop was slammed, and we all walked in wanting coffee. By participating in one local activity, we ended up supporting another business in the local economy as well. More than just the kayaking company benefited from our kayaking tour.
Today we also had a meeting about sports in the area and the local GAA Club. We learned a ton about the history and lots of cool facts about sports like Gaelic Football and Hurling. Regarding the local GAA Club, small towns like Carrigart and Downings create their own economic ripple effects by hosting fundraisers and events. About a week ago now we did the 5k that benefited the GAA Club, which created a ripple because out of all the people that attended, people also supported other local shops in the area. The economy is also boosted by spectators spending money at matches.
Comparing the two activities we did today, they have very different economic models. The kayaking company is a for-profit organization that is driven by tourism, while the GAA Club is a non-profit organization that is rooted in the local community. They contribute to the economy in different ways, mainly because of their different audiences. The kayaking company brings in new capital and new tourists, which will diversify the economy and create a ripple effect regarding other local businesses. On the other hand, the GAA Club strengthens the local community aspect by promoting local spending. Both of these efforts are equally important to the economy. They go hand in hand to ultimately create a stable, self-sustaining, and socioeconomic system.
We also had dinner tonight at the Carrugart OneEight, and our food was super good! This acted as our “farewell” dinner, which was bittersweet as our program is coming to an end soon. We have presentations tomorrow morning, though, so we are really excited!
