Based on the accounts of British and Anglo-Irish travelers, 'Creating Irish Tourism' charts the development of tourism in Ireland from its origins in the mid-eighteenth century to the country's emergence as a major European tourist destination a century later. The work shows how the Irish tourist experience evolved out of the interactions among travel writers, landlords, and visitors with the peasants who, as guides, jarvies, venders, porters and beggars, were as much a part of Irish tourism as the scenery itself.

For many years Ireland has been a popular tourist destination and tourism has been one of the most significant social, economic and cultural forces in Irish society. Irish Tourism: Image, Culture and Identity engages with major national and international debates on contemporary tourism through cutting-edge research. The book explores the multi-faceted nature of this important phenomenon, drawing on current work in sociology, cultural studies, ethnography, and language studies. For those who theorise about tourism and those who make practical day-to-day decisions on tourism policy, Irish Tourism will provide invaluable insights into historical and contemporary tourist representations, practices and impacts. In addressing issues such as the relationship between the local and the global in tourist settings, the construction of tourist imagery and products, and the development of tourism policy, contributors to Irish Tourism offer an innovative and critical analysis of the impact of global tourism on a small country. This book will be indispensable reading for students and scholars in Tourism Studies and Irish Studies and will also be essential for students of sociology, cultural studies, geography, languages and anthropology.

From the dark shadow of civil war to the pastel-painted towns of today, Making Ireland Irish provides a sweeping account of the evolution of the Irish tourist industry over the twentieth century. Drawing on an extensive array of previously untapped or underused sources, Eric G. E. Zuelow examines how a small group of tourism advocates, inspired by tourist development movements in countries such as France and Spain, worked tirelessly to convince their Irish compatriots that tourism was the secret to Ireland’s success. Over time, tourism went from being a national joke to a national interest. Men and women from across Irish society joined in, eager to help shape their country and culture for visitors’ eyes. The result was Ireland as it is depicted today, a land of blue skies, smiling faces, pastel towns, natural beauty, ancient history, and timeless traditions. With lucid prose and vivid detail, Zuelow explains how careful planning transformed Irish towns and villages from grey and unattractive to bright and inviting; sanitized Irish history to avoid offending Ireland’s largest tourist market, the English; and supplanted traditional rural fairs revolving around muddy animals and featuring sexually suggestive ceremonies with new family-friendly festivals and events filling today’s tourist calendar. By challenging existing notions that the Irish tourist product is either timeless or the consequence of colonialism, Zuelow demonstrates that the development of tourist imagery and Irish national identity was not the result of a handful of elites or a postcolonial legacy, but rather the product of an extended discussion that ultimately involved a broad cross-section of society, both inside and outside Ireland. Tourism, he argues, played a vital role in “making Ireland Irish.”

Picturesque but poor, abject yet sublime in its Gothic melancholy, the Ireland perceived by British visitors during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries did not fit their ideas of progress, propriety, and Protestantism. The rituals of Irish Catholicism, the lamentations of funeral wakes, the Irish language they could not comprehend, even the landscapes were all strange to tourists from England, Wales, and Scotland. Overlooking the acute despair in England’s own industrial cities, these travelers opined in their writings that the poverty, bog lands, and ill-thatched houses of rural Ireland indicated moral failures of the Irish character.

This study, exploring a broad range of evocative Irish travel writing from 1850 to 1914, much of it highly entertaining and heavily laced with irony and humour, draws out interplays between tourism, travel literature and commodifications of culture. It focuses on the importance of informal tourist economies, illicit dimensions of tourism, national landscapes, ‘legend’ and invented tradition in modern tourism.

What role does the state have over national development within an increasingly globalized economy? Moreover, how do we conceive 'nationality' during periods of rapid economic and social change spurred on by globalization? By examining tourism in the Republic of Ireland over the past 20 years, Michael Clancy addresses these questions of national identity formation, as well as providing a detailed understanding of the political economy of tourism and development. He explores tourism's role in the 'Celtic Tiger' phenomenon and uses tourism as a lens for observing national identity formation in a period of rapid change.

The Best and Most Unique Ireland Travel Guide So, you're planning to visit Ireland? Excellent decision, you'll find us to be a warm and friendly people who'll make you feel truly welcome. We don't like to boast, but we really have it all: Ireland combines a strong and vibrant culture stretching back thousands of years with vibrant cities featuring all the perks of modern life. We're a small nation and we like to keep our options open. And the good news is that because the entire island is less than 85 thousand square kilometers, you really can come here and see (and do!) everything.Have you come to experience our dynamic and cosmopolitan cities? Or have you come to surf the world-famous Aileen's Wave? Are you hankering to go horseback riding through the surf or to spend a day at the races? Whichever activity makes your heart beat faster, you'll find something here to make you happy.There are two important things you need to know about Ireland and the Irish. The first is that we're a proud and passionate race. When we commit to something we run with it all the way, whether it's a TV comedy about a trio of priests or a way of life that includes good food, good music and connection with the very soil of this island we live on. Don't worry, though; we're a welcoming people and we'll be very happy to share our passions with you.The second is that we love to have fun, and if that comes with dressing up and -- preferably -- a parade, then we'll be so much the happier. We have festivals and celebrations throughout the year, and during the summer you'll find at least one somewhere in the country every weekend. We celebrate everything from matchmaking to Halloween, and we don't do it in a small way. This guide will guide you through a country as diverse as beautiful; where to sleep, the best restaurants and those little tips and recommendations which can turn a regular vacation into something completely magical. You'll be helped through how to use the local traffic (not very complicated) and what you need to do if you want to get into the best nightclubs (slightly more complicated). This book is a very useful guide to travel through Ireland, helping you discover one of the most beautiful islands of Europe. Start your reading experience by finding out the essential reasons why you should consider choosing Ireland for your next holiday.Experience a whole new world when you come and visit Ireland. In this total guide you will find: Areas covered: History lessons/Best museums/Surfing/Adventure land off road trips/Wildlife spotting/ Ireland neighborhood/Medical Tourism/Learn English in Ireland /Cooking and drinking/ Accommodation/Staying safe/Music/Festivities - General Information of each area - Area Transportation (how to get around i.e. car, bus, taxi, train, bicycle, etc. and how much it would cost) - Sightseeing (Best Sights to See, Off the Beaten Path) - Best shopping (where are the major shopping districts and what they are known for) - Bargain Alternatives (where the locals shop to avoid the high tourist crowds) - Things to do (recreation outdoor, indoor, events and festivals) - Local Food Specialties - Farmer's and Fish (Meat) Markets (Locations, dates and times of various markets) - Language, Political and Etiquette Considerations (What the average tourist should know and how to get along with the locals. Type of currency used and types of places that exchange currency) - Seasonal Considerations (Typical high and low temperatures, if there is a rainy season, if it snows, floods or is known for "heavy weather) - Comfort Services (Massage, hair and nail salons, spas, etc.) - Essential Services (Embassy locations, medical facilities, law enforcement, etc.) - Area specific discounts and coupons. So, download now this total guide and start traveling as you read!