Earlier on Morning Ireland - state broadcaster RTE's take on what's happening in the country - they were waffling on about the decline of tourism numbers in Dublin, and how the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation suggested the capital could be marketed differently in order to attract new victims, sorry - visitors. It seems that 4.5 billion gullible mugs visited the capital in 2007, with only 4 million expected this year. That's still a lot of mugs.
The ITIC suggested promoting Dublin's rich literary heritage - no bad thing, considering the huge contribution Dublin's authors have made to English literature. Something lost on the gobshites at Dublin City Council who recently relegated the vernacular on tourist signage by making Gaelic more prominent - a language with little real historical or literal connection to the city for most people... and none at all for tourists. That's Irish alright.
The ITIC have also suggested that Dublin's outdoor amenities be promoted more vigorously- the Dublin mountains on its southern borders, for instance.
Funny that. I was out that way for a spin yesterday and took the pics you see here. They feature the closed car park at Tibradden Forest where people are forced to park around the mouth of a shut gate and at the sides or a narrow country road if they want to savour the area's rustic attractions.
I have driven past here on other weekdays and have seen far more cars clustered in this haphazard fashion, what you see in the pic is mild. My car, by the way, is not in shot - it's at the side of the road behind me.
The car park only opens during weekends, and even at then it closes at "5pm sharp". If you don't complete your circuit of the woods in time you will find yourself forking out €75 for your jalopy's release.
If you want to park on a weekday - and there are plenty of tourists around on such days - you have to take your chances as above. What do tourists think of this, I wonder?
Whatever about the Voluntary Rangers cited on the warning sign, the semi-state forestry body, Coillte, employed 1,021 staff as of 2009. Surely enough to open and close a few gates during a weekday in areas with sufficient demand for parking?
Apparently not.
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