(Note: due to surprise circumstances, this post is one day late, thought much of it was written yesterday. So, every time I say “today” I am referring to yesterday, the third of August.)
It’s been another great two days here in Ireland on the Haller Global Fellowship Program. Both yesterday and this evening we had the pleasure of seeing a number of different events and places that can draw tourism. Tourism can be very beneficial to the economies of small towns like Carrigart, and is indeed already a large part of Carrigart’s identity and local economy. Obviously, each feature successfully drew us to them, but what kinds of people would typically be drawn to such attractions and would they successfully boost the local economy, and how can this be applied to the tourism that Carrigart gets?
Going in chronological order by starting with last evening, we went to the Downings Music Festival. Held annually to coincide with the August Bank Holiday, the festival focuses on locals and people from nearby towns by featuring local music artists and events at pubs and clubs in Downings. The vast majority of the people there were Irish, like one man that we spoke to who was from Dublin and another from the nearby town of Dunfanaghy. An event like this also directly benefits the town. A festival gets you into the town and spending money directly. Even people like us and other tourists who might’ve been there would be spending money at local businesses and festival attractions, no matter how brief our time in Downings was. Such a festival, albeit at a different time of year due to summer already being prime tourism season, would be very beneficial to Carrigart. It already has a few annual events, but festivals like these can reinvigorate the local economy by bringing attention to the town in times when business is slower.
Next up is the trip we took to Murder Hole Beach, which was earlier today. However, I should first talk about the Wild Atlantic Way. The Wild Atlantic Way is a huge coastal route, the longest in the world, that takes one all the way from the southmost Atlantic edge of Ireland under Cork all the way to the top of the northwest in Derry. Many of the towns and landmarks we have visited or are going to visit, such as Dunfanaghy, the Sliebh Leig, Fanad Head, and Carrigart itself, are along or at least very near to this route. Many tourists come to Ireland specifically to drive the whole Wild Atlantic Way, and by extension see the towns that are along it. There are many resources released by the Irish government for supporting businesses and towns along the Way, but how effective this is varies. Carrigart, as such a small town, sees many travellers of the Way, but they often just drive through it instead of stopping there. Of course, that’s not to say the Wild Atlantic Way doesn’t bring business to Carrigart, but since Carrigart is such a serene and quaint town, those driving the Way are less inclined to spend a significant amount of time there. However, I think there are ways that Carrigart could market more to those travelling the Way, and it’s something that I’m sure each group will be keeping in mind for our presentations… this Thursday! Time’s really flying by, huh…
Finally, I’d like to talk about the highlight of today, at least sightseeing-wise. This afternoon we went to Boyeeghter Bay, more commonly known as Murder Hole Beach, one of several key locations not technically on the Wild Atlantic Bay but often included as a stop in trips through this part of Ireland. The beach, which presumably gets its name from how the only access and exit point on land is a steep hill(referencing the military term “murder hole”) features several interesting rock formations and small caves. The beach itself is public, but the main carpark for it costs five Euros per car to park in. It’s situated right near several caravan parks, which are areas where people travelling in caravans during Ireland’s summer caravan season can stay. Murder Hole brings in a lot of people travelling the Wild Atlantic Way, or just those looking for great sights in Donegal; it doesn’t(or at least shouldn’t) bring people actually looking to swim, though, as the water can be extremely dangerous! The nearest town to Murder Hole Beach is Downings, and it’s unclear how much business it gets from its proximity to the beach. This is similar to how Carrigart is situated a short drive from many attractions, like Doe Castle, Glenveagh National Park, and Fanad Lighthouse, which is actually a Wild Atlantic Way “Signature Discovery Point.” Tourists looking to see these sights may prefer to stay in a larger town despite Carrigart’s excellent location, and locals just driving to those sorts of places won’t stop at all. Still, Carrigart’s proximity to these places is a great draw for people looking for a peaceful place to stay to contrast the adventurous places they go, and one which will be important in my group’s presentation. All in all, my time here in Ireland stays both exciting and academically challenging, and I’m looking forward to finishing my project!
