Gabriel Byrne says his description of The Gathering as a ‘shakedown’ was too harsh

The Grovelling is a disgrace!! Show me the money but please don't come back here to live as you might take my money.

Portia - what a really stupid and insensitive comment. I typically try to avoid personal comments but in your case made the exception.

@Oneill, most of those boats did not make it, the English stole it from them like everything else. What a Dickhead. Your mother must be very disappointed in you. You Prat. What a waste of space.

Irish Americans might want to send a boat load of corn to Ireland like their ancestors did during the famine instead of attending a gathering.

Still feels cheap and crass to me. And yes, Bobby, I was there only a few weeks ago. For those of us gone a long time, there is an awareness of how little we were missed. Now we are suddenly part of a convenient 'diaspora'! Really? Just bring your $€£¥ and all will be well. Anyway I really do wish them luck with it.

While the idea of the Gathering may be a good one, steps should be taken to prevent rip-offs of tourists: like a complaints hotline. Example: We booked a car over the phone with Enterprise. The trip involved crossing via car ferry to Scotland and back. The extra fee was 100 Euro. Agreed. When we got to the Enterprise office in Dublin (all bags transported, family waiting, etc.) we were informed that it would be 200 Euro extra. Take it or leave it. What to do? No compaints hotline. We were not warned about this. We were, however, warned that Enterprise would--at the end of the trip--try to claim damage to the car. Sure enough, they did! In that aspect of the rip-off, they failed. I understand that these practices are widespread in the Irish car-hire trade. So, tourists beware! There should be a hotline to register these abuses. It should be prominently displayed at every airport. And a Better Business Bureau.

The majority of car rental companies in Dublin airport have an office or desk in the terminals. I would complain to them. Or call the customer service number and make a complaint or email. Better still tell them to keep the car and go to another company. I find Hertz the cheapest. Also i woild take pictures of the car inside and out before you leave the carpark.

There ought to be a hotline for tourists in Ireland to report rip-offs. It should be posted in all airports and points of entry, much as warnings about pickpockets are posted in other countries.

I wanted to rent a car at JFK last september, i was quoted $596 for a week, taxes included. When i got to car company they wanted an extra $185 they said for additional surcharges and some local taxes. I laughed at him and walked away. I did get as car with another company, it cost $495 all included. It is expensive to rent a car.

@an seabhach i would have told then to shove it. Go to another company at the airport, Hertz, Europcar, AVIS, Alamo, Thrifty, Budget, Argus to name a few.

While the idea of the Gathering may be a good one, steps should be taken to prevent rip-offs of tourists: like a complaints hotline. Example: We booked a car over the phone with Enterprise. The trip involved crossing via car ferry to Scotland and back. The extra fee was 100 Euro. Agreed. When we got to the Enterprise office in Dublin (all bags transported, family waiting, etc.) we were informed that it would be 200 Euro extra. Take it or leave it. What to do? No compaints hotline. We were not warned about this. We were, however, warned that Enterprise would--at the end of the trip--try to claim damage to the car. Sure enough, they did! In that aspect of the rip-off, they failed. I understand that these practices are widespread in the Irish car-hire trade. So, tourists beware! There should be a hotline to register these abuses. It should be prominently displayed at every airport. And a Better Business Bureau.

While the idea of the Gathering may be a good one, steps should be taken to prevent rip-offs of tourists: like a complaints hotline. Example: We booked a car over the phone with Enterprise. The trip involved crossing via car ferry to Scotland and back. The extra fee was 100 Euro. Agreed. When we got to the Enterprise office in Dublin (all bags transported, family waiting, etc.) we were informed that it would be 200 Euro extra. Take it or leave it. What to do? No compaints hotline. We were not warned about this. We were, however, warned that Enterprise would--at the end of the trip--try to claim damage to the car. Sure enough, they did! In that aspect of the rip-off, they failed. I understand that these practices are widespread in the Irish car-hire trade. So, tourists beware! There should be a hotline to register these abuses. It should be prominently displayed at every airport. And a Better Business Bureau.

“’They're an incredibly complex group. Emigrants have a tremendous spiritual connection to this country. If you're going to have a relationship with the diaspora, you have to nurture it, you have to take care of it, you have to tend it, you have to pay attention to it.’” He’s spot on – the whole gathering has the vulgar feel of being a mass produced continuation of the toxic industrial estate Ireland vision of the anglo oriented Dublin establishment.

In reading comments concerning the relationship of the Irish Diaspora to the Government, I suggest they are missing the core feeling behind the Gathering. Surely one should participate due to a love of Ireland and its people. Even to help our people in these dire times would be more appropriate thinking. In short, feeling for our country and its people goes beyond any relationship with government.

Good man Gabriel,but it looks like someone got to him,he must have been under a lot of pressure from whatever sources to back track on his previous shakedown statement,seeing that both North and South tourism are spending double figure millions on promotion,it looks for all the world like a damage limitation effort,time will tell if it succeeds.

Maybe it's time for you to visit Smyrnian, Feel the love.

Strange that I never got the feeling the Irish government ever cared one iota once I left. Now all of a sudden there is a'diaspora' and we are all invited back. How could one NOT by cynical?

@Oldwildrover, i never said they were the cheapest airline in the industry. I said they are the cheapest airline into Ireland from the US.

Byrne is right....a shakedown....starting with fares from JFK and Boston around $700.00 for January...the off-season..only a few years ago I paid $300.00....by the way, Bobby, EI is not the cheapest...in the industry, EI is known to have the highest paid employees in the world...thanks to the unions!!

The so called "gathering" and other calls to the faithful to Ireland are really one way deals in favor of the Irish govt, and Aer Lingus. The business end of Ireland just cultivates these things and relies on the emotion and sense of identity with a certain group. After the first Dublin traffic jam and over priced hotel accomodation, the next likely vacation might be in Milwaukee.

I say, if you cannot afford to go Don't. Stop complaining. AA, Delta, US Airways and United are all alot more expensive to fly to Ireland than Aerlingus. Aerlingus is not a charity it is a business like all other airlines. And they are the cheapest airline to fly to Ireland.

"The Gathering" will bring few from the States if AerLingus is unwilling to offer families some sort of reasonable fares. It is impossible for a family of three or more to consider such a trip with current fares. Why not consider a break even price for these events and put aside airline profits for a specific period of time? Few of us have the sailing skills of St. Brendan.

Byrne was cynical, elitist, and antibsiness when he clled the gathering a shakedown. but he deserves a bit of credit for moderating in the face of strong feedback. shows he's not totally entrenched in his own viewpoint. actors seem so untouchable; glad to see some connection to the street beyond his own...

@AHealy, on the Aerlingus website a ticket from Boston to Shannon on Aug 3 - Aug 28 is $1,081.62 Return.

@AHealy, on the Aerlingus website a ticket from Boston to Shannon on Aug 3 - Aug 28 is $1,081.62 Return.

@AHealy, on the Aerlingus website a ticket from Boston to Shannon on Aug 3 - Aug 28 is $1,081.62 Return.

@AHealy, on the Aerlingus website a ticket from Boston to Shannon on Aug 3 - Aug 28 is $1,081.62 Return.

January 22, 2013 Today, based on an email from Aer Lingus, I checked the cost of flights to/from Ireland for August 2013 (the Year of the Gathering). I want to travel for vacation in August and I have a brother who is thinking of visiting me in September. From Boston to Shannon (Aug 3 - Aug 28) return showed $2,136 From Shannon to Bostin (for the same dates) showed Euro1331 = $1,777 (using Google's currency converter) That's a $359 difference! Every year I pay a lot of $ to get myself and my daughter to Ireland. When I then hear about encouraging the Irish diaspora to return to Ireland for vacation, I empathize somewhat with Gabriel Byrne's sentiments! Angela

What a pity. He was right the first time. He should have stuck to his guns. Now he looks like just another wimp that tells it like it is and then contradicts himself when there's a bit of disapproval. Society can go on fooling itself and everyone is happy.

He's absolutely right. The "Gathering" is a scam designed to squeeze money from those of us who left Ireland. Shame.