The long awaited day had come, our day trip to the Cliffs of Moher, the iconic tourist symbol of Ireland, excluding Guiness and leprechauns. It was such an amazing sight, reminding me of the Hopewell Cape in Canada, with its sheer right angle cliffs, but the Cliffs of Moher were on another level, at least ten times as tall. While we were walking around both the Cliffs of Moher and Galway, what surprised me was the amount of tourists. It makes sense, thinking about how we went to the busiest tourist destination and the biggest tourist town in the west side of Ireland respectively, but to me, it was kind of a sad reality. It is common for historic sights or famous places to attract visitors, and with that, the touch of modern capitalism and many outside influences, like foreign businesses, that really detracts from the experience as a whole. On one hand, it is great for the local townspeople to see all these businesses coming in and tourists spending money, but on another hand, it ruins the true authenticity of a local town and its history. It depends on the situation, but sometimes it is handled poorly to the extent that it feels more like a historic site on top of a modern city, rather than a modern city on top of a historic site. Looking at Kilkenny and Galway, both, to me, felt heavily tourist-oriented, but one thing that stood out between the two was that Kilkenny had more of a solid historical background and sites compared to Galway. Galway is indeed historical, but seeing the Cathedral and Castle at Kilkenny makes Galway pale in comparison. Thus, there is more of a need for Galway to modernize, and seeing how it is a beach city near the Cliffs of Moher, and without the restrictions of ruining cultural heritage, it is able to freely invite companies. Meanwhile, Kilkenny has these valuable historical sites, so it is vital to balance the modern touch and the medieval feel so that the historical sites do not feel completely out of place. It may be comforting for foreign tourists to see familiar restaurants, tastes, and stores, and it may be reassuring to the local people to see a steady stream of revenue, but I hope that they are not blinded by greed and forget the rich cultural history that their ancestors had created over centuries.
But, regardless of the balance of the modern tourists and the historical sites, I believe that Ireland has many good things which appeals to tourists, no matter the experience or interest. If I had to highlight a few important points, they would be the beautiful nature, rich history, and cultural ease of Ireland. The nature in Ireland is beautiful, but especially Glendalough and its beautiful two lakes, shimmering blue contrasting beautifully with the rich and vibrant green forest, was my favorite part of the entire trip so far. With its hiking trails along the lakes and up the mountains, you are truly able to experience the nature of Ireland firsthand. For those that may be more interested in history, look no further than the beautiful cathedrals of St. Canice, Christ Church, and St. Patrick, the monastic city of Glendalough, the historic city of Kilkenny, and in general, Dublin as a whole. There is so much history, dating back centuries, spread out across the country that it is hard not to find some history wherever you are. Finally, with the cultural familiarity that Ireland has with the US, it is easy for tourists to come and feel at home, yet abroad. Especially for first-time tourists, Ireland will be a great place to travel because you will feel right at home with English being a national language, familiar foods and culture, and overall a friendly city that is not completely different from life in the US. It is a great start for American tourists looking to dip their toes in the water, not jumping into the deep end.