‘Anti-Kilkee bias’ over new tourism booklet

Kilkee community activist and retired pharmacist John Williams has accused Shannon Development of “anti-Kilkee bias” following the launch of a Fáilte Ireland promotional booklet for Ireland West.

Twelve Clare towns and villages are included in the booklet, but not Kilkee. Mr Williams also claimed that “suggestions of personal paranoia” doesn’t mean that he is wrong in his belief of the existence of an anti-Kilkee agenda.
“On enquiry, Fáilte Ireland told us that their information on Clare and Limerick was supplied by Shannon Development,” he said.
“Shannon Development told us that they were restricted in the number of towns they could mention although Galway has 19 towns mentioned. Even if that was the case, how can Kilkee possibly be left out of a list of tourist towns in Clare?” a bemused Mr Williams queried.
The 12 Clare towns and villages included are Ennis, Shannon, Bunratty, Killaloe, Scariff, Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora, Doolin, Kilrush, Miltown Malbay, Ennistymon and Lahinch.   
Fáilte Ireland has launched a number of promotional booklets for the six different tourism regions in Ireland.
John Williams said, “They are very well produced and illustrated booklets and are now the main promotional literature of Fáilte Ireland.
“They are in every tourist office and are free. Each booklet is subdivided into the relevant counties and at the beginning of each county there is a list of all the towns and villages that have any pretence to being tourist destinations.”
He added, “As far as I am concerned, this is part of a continuing anti-Kilkee bias of Shannon Development. When I have mentioned this in the past, I have been accused of paranoia. I suppose one could claim that because one is paranoid it does not make the source of the paranoia untrue.”
In response, a Shannon Development spokesperson said that Fáilte Ireland had limited space within the promotional booklet.
“Shannon Development was allocated a limited number of pages by Fáilte Ireland within the West Pocket Guide in which to include information on County Clare. Within that limited space we tried to mention as many places as possible.  While Kilkee did not feature under the towns and villages section, it was featured a number of times within the guide,” the spokesperson said.
“For example, it features in the touring routes section under the Loop Head Peninsula Drive and the Atlantic Drive. Kilkee products are also highlighted in the adventure and watersports section.
“Kilkee is featured in the Blue Flag Beaches section.  It also features under the family fun section, golf and cycling sections. 
“It is proposed to republish the guide in early 2012, when we will have an opportunity to review and update content,” the Shannon Development spokesperson concluded.