New Lonely Planet guide slams Ireland for being too modern

@ColeenUSA you know you don't make sense, right? unless you lived in Ireland, you have NO IDEA what you're talking about.

Everything said may be true, but how could anyone expect Ireland to remain as it was in the days of our fathers. That ideal place to which he was eluding does not exist and has not for a very long time, except in the few places where the English influence was slight. As I traveled about the country I found the Irish to be both plesant and hospitable. I would not trade that visit for any other spot in the world. Now if only the dollar would strenghten vs. the euro, then I could go across the waters again.

Seems like they would prefer that we were a Third World backwater still reeling from the damage the English did and blindly following a church that had very much it's own agenda. I, for one, am ecstatic that times have changed. Long Live the New Ireland, I say.

I agree that Ireland has changed since my first trip in 1951, and many subsequent trips showed progress into the 20th century--thank God!!! I just went to the bookstore and read the Lonely Planet guide and it seems to me the lead writer was a very disgruntled person who only looked for negative things instead of using the good things about Ireland. True..there are drug problems in any major city and the writers could have put warnings in their descriptions instead of making major points. Travelers are not stupid and most are well aware of potential problems and take care. Ireland suffers the woes of multi-cultural immigration just as other small countries do, but, because it is a small country these problems are magnified. Irish Heritage and Culture is alive and well in spite of the 20-21st century progress. LONELY PLANET..I challenge you to do a guide on the USA with the same narrow focus you presented on Ireland! has changed since my first trip in 1951, and many subsequent trips showed further progress into the twentieth century--thank God for that!

I would tend to agree that Ireland has changed a lot. I still love it. Things are going to change. You cna't stop that. There is so much beauty in Ireland that i hope I can go back again. We lived there for 12 yrs and I get back as often as I can. My heart is there. Dublin is not Ireland, It just happens to be there. Fly into Shannon and do kerry and Clare, mayo and Galway. You will love it

Like I said some time earlier Dublin is not Ireland it's a town nor is Belfast Northern Ireland. Don't fall for all the crap, if you have family or friends in Ireland as them to suggeset the best places to see.

Pretty bad comments indeed by Lonely Planet... I suspect they are out of date by about 18-24 months. Except in a few urban areas, the pub trade nationally has all but collapsed – some pubs don’t even open until the weekends or late evening – so the vomit the Planet speaks of must be of tourists who think the thing to do in Ireland is get drunk in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Silly twits, those tourists. The Planet is right about drug addicts on the make in certain streets of Dublin but tell me, what cosmopolitan city in the world doesn’t? I’ve travelled quite a bit and see it all the time abroad. A lot is unfair in LP’s comments as described in Donal’s article above. So that makes me ask – why did Donal write it, spreading bad stuff about Ireland? Where was the astute IrishCentral editor of Donal’s article? Sometimes it’s better to keep the poison pen from your hand or pages.

That is terrible - that is disgraceful. They are entitled to their opinions but with an influence like that.....my goodness they should be shot. they will cost the Irish Tourist Board millions of millions. they can't influence people like that!