Madam, - I picked up The Irish Times in this hotel and read about the need to revitalise the tourist industry. Also, beautiful gardens are not visited, according to Jane Powers.
We are flying home tomorrow after 19 days in this wonderful country. We would have seen more, and spent more, had we been able to find the attractions. Your signposting is abysmal. On minor roads signs are non-existent. We stayed in seven hotels in all, finding every one of which required many stops to ask directions. One-and-a-half hours were needed to locate a hotel in Portlaoise. Several hotels offered no information regarding meal times, menu choices or local attractions. We had to ask.
What is going on? Is Ireland one vast treasure hunt? Visitors miss restaurants, boat trips, gardens, stately homes, etc, etc, etc. Even a placename for a village or town would help travellers pinpoint a place on the map. We were so glad to have a pocket compass which we relied upon greatly.
Your wonderful country, and people deserve better. Go on! Share it. - Yours, etc,
G HURLEY, (c/o Holiday Inn, Dublin airport), Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.