Tourism Ireland - have they ever been to Donegal?

UPDATE 
Friday 28th August 2015 - Some changes have now been made to the suggested tour 'County Donegal in 5 days' and more are promised.

St Aengus' Chapel in Burt -  voted ‘building of the 20th century’ in 1999 in a poll by the Royal Society of the Architects of Ireland. Not good enough to get it into Failte Ireland's 'County Donegal in 5 days'

The Wild Atlantic Way is one of the most positive things that has happened for tourism in Donegal tourism. By all accounts Slieve League is very busy with visitors this summer. The two other 'signature discovery points' in Donegal - out of fifteen along the route - are Fanad Head and Malin Head, and they're bound to benefit.

That's what makes it all the more irritating to see the shambolic 'County Donegal in 5 days' presentation at http://www.ireland.com/en-gb/itineraries/wild-atlantic-way/donegal-in-5-days/
Some of the highlights include -

• moving Errigal close to Dungloe
• assuring visitors that Dungloe people do speak English
• suggesting that Fanad people think their lighthouse is taller than the Eiffel Tower [lighthouse c22m, Eiffel Tower 301m]
• re-locating North West golf club to somewhere around Burnfoot
• recommending a trip "to Buncrana castle" (a private house)
• talking of Glenties' "strong links with the sea" (it's one of the few Donegal towns and villages not on the coast)
• saying "film buffs might remember [Glenties] from Dancing at Lughnasa" (shot in Wicklow)
• missing out Glencolumbkille completely ('Ken' from Failte Ireland describes it in an email as 'just [one] of the towns and villages on the route')
• suggesting that the shopping centre and leisure centre are two of the main attractions in the Letterkenny area
• missing out Five Finger Strand, Burt chapel, Carndonagh Cross, Dunree Fort, Glebe Gallery etc etc

It seems to confirm that while you do find excellence in the public service, too often you also find mediocrity and the 'do rightly' approach. Check out the Wifi on Bus Eireann buses for another example.

Another fine pic of St Aengus' Chapel in Burt from the web -  https://protumservices.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/irish-architecture-st-aengus-church-burt-co-donegal/

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Here's an exchange of emails on the subject of 'County Donegal in 5 days' -

May 2015 - it can be better

Hi, Perhaps I can help with your suggested 5-day itinerary covering the Wild Atlantic Way in County Donegal. It seems to have been cobbled together based on a trawl of available websites rather than 'on the ground' experience. It's doing the visitor a disservice to ignore places like Glencolumbkille and marvels such as the Irish 'Building of the [20th] Century' at Burt. I'm a former BBC journalist, local newspaper editor and fiddler, and also a Donegal person. And I'm delighted with the success of the Wild Atlantic Way :-) Regards, Martin

18 May 2015 - sure it's grand, says Ken from Tourism Ireland, have a great day

Hi Martin,

Thank you for contacting Tourism Ireland.

We are always glad to be given feedback in response to all aspects of our website, and your comments are very welcome.

In compiling suggested routes and itineraries we try to provide information about a wide variety of things to see and do in Ireland. This, of course, is so that visitors get an idea of Ireland’s many facets.

In addition to Ireland’s well known, and popular sights, there is a host of less well known attractions, what might almost be called our ‘hidden gems’ which make it extremely difficult to mention everything that can be seen.

Our suggested itinerary does mention Burt, albeit in the context of bird watching, while Glencolumbkille is just of the towns and village on the route of the Wild Atlantic Way.

We appreciate and understand your interest in promoting Donegal and we share your delight at the success of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Hoping you have a great day,

Ken

18 May 2015 - file under 'get a life'

Hi Ken,

I’m not getting the sense that you have picked up on the wider point I’m making - that the suggested 5-day tour of Donegal lacks credibility and does a disservice to those using your site and, more to the point, to their experience of Donegal. Tourism Ireland should share the concern about the omissions, misinformation and plain hokum on its own website. There’s not much wrong with the presentation but the content is an embarrassment.  

Your wider point is well made - that your guide should have room for ‘hidden gems’, and doesn’t have the room to mention everything. However, that is not the problem here. The guide is clearly put together by someone who has precious little knowledge of Donegal, to the extent of falling into gross error and misrepresentation.

To satisfy my own curiosity I’ve just gone through your itinerary again. It’s confirmed my view that this ‘tour’ should be removed as it damages the reputation of Tourism Ireland and is entirely inadequate in terms of being a guide to the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal. I’ve given some detail below.

Can you give me your full name and title, and let me know who or what department is responsible for this erstwhile guide to Donegal?

Regards,

Martin

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[email continues]

Some examples (from many) of the ramblings, inaccuracies, misinformation and ‘filler’ material included in the 5-day guide to Donegal -

Day One - 

Inishowen

• No mention of the wonderful Five Finger Strand beach, Glenevin Waterfall near Clonmany, Carndonagh High Cross (one of the earliest and most important in Ireland - along the side of the road), Dunree Fort etc etc

Stay at Buncrana and -

• Take a trip to Buncrana Castle - this ‘castle’ is a private house and not open for visitors
• Rent a bike from Cycle Inishowen - this business is in Carndonagh about thirteen miles away

Day Two -

Buncrana to Letterkenny

• No mention of Liam McCormick’s church at Burt - Ireland’s Building of the [20th] Century
• “Further south, Inch Island soon looms on the horizon, and an opportunity for a round of golf presents itself at the North West Golf Club.” Bunkum, the golf club is back in Buncrana, you’re already miles past the entrance to Inch.
• “Veering evermore west, and dipping slightly south again” - meaningless 
• Letterkenny - attractions mentioned include the local shopping centre and leisure centre. No mention of the Cathedral, with stained glass by Harry Clarke and Michael Healy. Colmcille Heritage Centre mentioned, but not the actual reputed birthplace of Colmcille or the nearby Glebe House and Gallery, with pieces by artists including Picasso, Braque, Le Brocquy.

Day Three - 

Letterkenny to Bunbeg - 

• 'most beautiful beach in the world - inaccurate
• “Rumoured by locals to be taller than the Eiffel Tower (we’re not so sure!)” - what locals? more drivel, Fanad Lighthouse height c22m, Eiffel Tower 301m
• ‘King Tory’ - Patsy Dan Rodgers, artist and musician, is known as the King of Tory
• Teac Jack sessions - fine. [Another] pub, Hudai Beag’s, is known internationally for its Irish music sessions all year round. Again credibility . .

Day Four - 

Bunbeg to Dungloe -

• “When you do depart Bunbeg southbound, and edging slightly east” - travelling by compass? More filler
• 'Dungloe is another Gaeltacht town, meaning the primary language is Gaeilge/Irish.’ Wrong
• ‘With Dungloe as your base, you’re free to explore nearby Mount Errigal’. Once again, credibility shot. Errigal is on the far side of Bunbeg, which you left earlier.
• Glenties - ‘time in the limelight’. Wrong again, the film ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ was not shot in Glenties.
• Leo’s Tavern - ‘singer Enya from Clannad’. Wrong again. She made her name as a solo artist. 
• Ardara: No mention of Nancy’s Bar, former Irish pub of the year; Assaranca Waterfall; Kilclooney Dolmen; Narin beach; etc

Day Five - 

Ardara to Donegal Town - 

• No mention of Glencolumbkille, one of the most beautiful spots in Ireland. To describe it as “just one of the towns and villages” along the Wild Atlantic Way underlines that you haven’t been there. No mention of the Folk village (including old pub, school, shop, hall). Silver Strand beach [ . . .]. Etc.

[thus ends the correspondence]

Fine, but not fine enough for Tourism Ireland's guide to Donegal . . .
Silver Strand at Malin Beag in Glencolumbkille - described by Fodor's as "one of the best beaches in Ireland, renowned for its calm waters, dramatic scenery, and lovely golden sand"