Airport and bus station information desks show lack of joined-up thinking

THE cult of Irish exceptionalism is a belief system whose central tenet I try to disbelieve.

Recently I had to rent a car and, when the rental period was over, return the vehicle to the rental company at Cork airport.

Briefly carless, I then needed to travel by bus into Cork city and onwards by suburban rail to Glounthane.

I approached the “Information Desk” at the airport and enquired when the next bus left for the city, which question was promptly answered. However, upon enquiring what times trains left Cork for Glounthane, I was told they didn’t have that information.

I got the bus to Cork and there in the bus station I repeated my train timetable query, firstly at a ticket desk and then, seeing that part of the station was specially designated with the large words “Information” and “Travel Centre”, also at a desk inside there.

Both these queries were met with the reply that they didn’t have access to that information — my questions being answered without any signs of irony that I could detect.

Now, let’s think about the many visitors to our island’s shores. We naturally want them to take away exceptional and happy memories of their time in Ireland. Yet I cannot help but think this laudable ambition could be helped if some of their experiences — likely pretty immediate experiences upon their arrival here — were perhaps slightly less exceptional.

Stan Reynolds

The Old Schoolhouse

Toames West

Macroom

Co Cork