Ireland is renowned for its warm welcomes and endless supply of "craic", ready and waiting to dote upon the next visitor to our green isle. We've traded off of this reputation for decades, if not longer, and tourism is still a thriving source of income for the economy.
The reality, however, is that the arms welcoming incomers are rarely ours, but the trained and battle worn arms of professionals, positioned to welcome the 200,000 guests per day in tourist accommodation or the 38,000 ticket holders for our most popular tourist spots.
This sector is crucial in more ways than one: Almost a quarter of a million people – or 10% of the workforce – depend on tourism for their livelihood. Tourists, whether we love or loathe them, are vital for our economy, as every €1 million they spend helps support 27 Irish jobs.
Filmed across 24 hours, in locations as varied as a B&B on the Ring of Kerry to the shooting ranges of the exclusive Ballyfin Demesne in Co Laois, the documentary illuminates how this often hidden sector of the workforce work to show off the best Ireland has to offer.
Promoting the splendor of Ireland starts early for many. Agnes O’Sullivan, who has been running her Taobh Coille B&B on the Ring of Kerry with her husband John for almost 40 years, will start her day at 6am.
After serving up some of the 24,000 breakfasts that tourists will eat in Ireland each day, there are beds to be changed and rooms to be cleaned: "I have to get out Henry, my hoover. Henry is the only employee I have, you know… "
By 10am retail supervisor Louise Banks has the tills up and running for another busy day at Tayto Park in Co Meath, which is the size of seven Croke Parks and which welcomed 770,000 guests in 2017.
Her job includes testing the giant Cú Chulainn wooden rollercoaster before the park opens to the public: "Two or three times usually is the max we go around. My record is 19 times. Once the camera broke so we had to just keep going!"
It’s lunchtime and guest activities manager Glenn Brophy has spent the morning clay pigeon shooting and fishing with guests at the exclusive Ballyfin Demesne in Co Laois, where it can cost up to €2,400 to spend one night. While 85,000 people will stay in a hotel each year in Ireland, only 41 can stay in Ballyfin at a time.
His schedule allows just enough time for a uniform change before starting into his other role – as a five-star butler. "The guests are paying a lot of money to stay here. …This is more of a home than it is a hotel. And you get that feel as soon as you come in."
By 4.30pm, DublinTown tourist ambassador and public appearance vigilante Vincent Kearns has completed his checks of the city centre streets. "I would notice a piece of graffiti a hundred yards down the street before anybody else would. Because that to me is just a red alert, popping out."
Next, he is manning an information kiosk at St Stephen’s Green. His work is paid for by the local business community and on a busy day he and his team can hand out up to 1,000 maps of Dublin city centre.
"At this time of the day, it can be a waiting game. You can get bored at times, but that’s only if you let it. I enjoy watching people going about their daily lives."
By 8pm, Bunratty Castle entertainer Lynne Connolly has already served more than 140 hungry tourists at their famous medieval banquet, which will see up to 3,000 visitors per day.
After a quick break, the 22 year veteran with the Bunratty troupe is getting ready for the second banquet of the evening, serving up to 900 ribs and close to 300 pieces of chicken. "As soon as you’re down in that banquet hall, and the hustle and bustle, you get a boost of energy. It’s like you feed off the audience."
Some other fascinating facts about tourism include:
- They will eat 24,000 breakfasts a day in B&Bs and guesthouses, buy 38,000 tickets to our most popular tourist attractions, and help us to drink 99,000 pints of stout
- Other tourists are more homegrown. In one day, "Staycationers" will go on 26,000 trips – spending €5 million on holidays at home. 8,000 a day will also stay in a campsite or caravan park
- Tourists spend the equivalent of €1,000 a year per household in Ireland
- Visitors to Dublin spend €5 million a day in the city’s shops, pubs, restaurants, and hotels
- Up to three thousand tourists will visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in one day. Two out of every three come from either Ireland or the USA
Watch One Day: Showing Ireland Off on Monday 21 January at 9:35pm on RTÉ One.
