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Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

The most economically depressed town in Ireland is...

The results are in…Teagasc has ranked every town in Ireland.

Updated 10.51pm

BUNCLODY IS OFFICIALLY the most economically depressed town in Ireland, a new report by Teagasc shows.

The County Wexford town, classified as Bunclody-Carrickduff in the report, is the worst performer out of 302 towns included.

Using an index based on unemployment rate and inward migration figures, the food and agriculture development agency ran the rule over all towns with a population of more than 1,500.

The top five best performing towns were:

  • Bearna, County Galway
  • Rathmore, County Kerry
  • Balraheen, County Kildare
  • Bantry, County Cork
  • Whitechurch, County Cork

Bunclody was joined in the bottom five by Robertstown in Kildare, Rathkeale in County Limerick, Carrick-on-Suir in Tipperary and Abbeyfeale in Limerick.

Sligo and Cork were the best performing counties, with Offaly and Carlow performing worst overall.

In one of the most complete portraits of rural Ireland ever compiled, huge variances in the fortunes of Ireland’s rural town-dwellers were uncovered, including:

  • There is a 40 percentage point difference in the levels of tertiary education between the strongest and weakest towns.
  • Weaker towns have more empty houses than the average.
  • Weaker towns are located on the edges of the commuter belts associated with cities

Teagasc cautioned that a one size fits all solution wouldn’t work when trying to address the myriad issues facing small towns.

Head of rural economy and development Cathal O’Donoghue said despite the fact that one third of the Irish population live in rural towns and their immediate hinterlands, they are often ignored at a strategic planning level.

“These rural towns have a lower focus in national development strategies over the past decade and a half.”

Originally published 2.17pm

Column: It’s time to tackle decline in rural Ireland>

Do we need a junior minister for rural development>

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139 Comments
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    Mute Brian Casey
    Favourite Brian Casey
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    Jun 5th 2014, 5:24 PM

    Ah The Ard Ri. Welcome to Waterford !

    102
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    Mute Shane Walsh
    Favourite Shane Walsh
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    Jun 5th 2014, 5:46 PM

    It’s a giant billboard now ain’t it?

    36
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    Mute Rob Cunningham
    Favourite Rob Cunningham
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    Jun 6th 2014, 12:30 AM

    The hotel industry along with other private businesses need to join forces to fight the extortionate rates and leases. Then you will be in a position to survive.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:02 PM

    Here’s why hotels in Ireland are doing shite!

    They’re over priced and have little to offer in standards, food or service!

    End of!

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    Mute Mark D
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:09 PM

    comments aren’t exactly accurate there.. Hotel industry has been growing steadily over the past 18 months and the Irish approach to customer service is famous worldwide.. No?

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    Mute El Pat Grande
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:25 PM

    Somewhere in between I think.

    The Malton is one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed in, end of.

    Stayed in the Gresham a couple of times and I’m not a fan. For those prices, you’d want better service.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:25 PM

    Mark D

    Couldn’t have said it better myself!

    CORRECTAMUNDO!

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    Mute King Olaf
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:49 PM

    I travel between Ireland and elsewhere in Europe fairly often and the one thing tourist mention a lot negatively is specifically the oversold Irish welcome.

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    Mute Edmund Dantes
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:46 PM

    I actually owned a Dublin Hotel for 10 years & I can tell you that there are many reasons why so many are in financial trouble.

    Many Hotels indeed are the creators of their own problems, however, you also have the enormous fall off in tourists from 2008 to 2012, the smoking ban, random breath testing, cheap booze in Supermarkets & Off-Licences, enormous fees for Late Licences, Excise Duty increases, Commercial Rates increases, Insurance Premium increases, high Water Rates, Energy price increases and so on all at the exact same time as Revenues were plumetting like a stone.

    Here’s a quick Economic analogy ! Think of it like a boxer in a ring ; if he gets hit with 1 big punch, he can probably get over it, 10 big punches over a long period of time, maybe he can survive it. BUT, he gets hits with 10 big punches one after another and he get’s knocked out. That’s what happened to the Hotel Industry !

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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
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    Jun 5th 2014, 6:22 PM

    Offer good deals and people will come.

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    Mute Jimmy Coughlan
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    Jun 5th 2014, 7:32 PM

    The day to day running costs of a hotel or restaurant.!!! Crazy money
    You can only offer a deal when your sure you can get people to spend in the hotel, but with the price of a pint and a glass of wine in dublin, it’s madness.

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    Mute Pedro deluvio
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    Jun 5th 2014, 8:11 PM

    Hi jimmy
    I get what your saying, I’m in the trade 25 years.

    We also travelled for years around the country before we had kids and after.

    It’s negative staff, under kept rooms, bars and amenities, lack of sincere welcomes….and thanks for that matter!

    Usually underage staff that have not been trained to do what they’re doing… Managers included.

    And stiff prices! Our hospitality sector has had little development since before the tiger.
    Our hoteliers need to travel to America to see what can be done with it’s depleting customer base!
    Swiftly.
    There are answers!

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    Mute Patrick O' Donoghue
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    Jun 6th 2014, 1:32 PM

    Service in the industry has fallen well behind no basic training all theory the day of good morning please and thanks and is everything ok are gone

    5
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