Sir, – Travelling south on the N20 to Co Cork, just outside Charleville on the Limerick-Cork border, a sign welcomes you to Ireland’s Ancient East. Travelling north, on the immediate opposite side of the road you will see a sign welcoming you to Ireland’s Ancient East.
Cork is the most south-westerly county in Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way starts and ends in Kinsale, 29km from Cork city. Cork Harbour is now in Ireland’s Ancient East not far from the Wild Atlantic Way! Limerick is in the midwest and most of the county lies south of the Shannon. Lough Gur, 21km from Limerick city is also in Ireland’s Ancient East. Counties Limerick and Cork are not east.
In many newspaper articles including "Treasures of the ancient east" from this newspaper (July 16th), it is stated that the east and south are the areas being promoted.
Why then does the region’s name only refer to the east?
I am a little embarrassed for the people who have pushed geography aside and clamoured for parts of their counties to be included in this new region. I can understand the worry about being left in a hinterland that Fáilte Ireland has created between the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, but what about identity?
I wonder if the same successful stakeholder management used in the creation of the brilliant Wild Atlantic Way was carried out in the creation of this ambiguous region with Limerick and Louth, Cork and Cavan in the same region?
Pass the aforementioned sign travelling south to Charleville and shortly afterwards you will see a sign welcoming you to Ballyhoura Country. Travelling north into Co Limerick, again passing the sign welcoming you into the east, you will see a sign welcoming you to the Shannon region. Now these are regions that Fáilte Ireland should develop further. They are real. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN O’DOWD
Adare,
Co Limerick.