Hmm, leased... Not a bad idea.
In 10 years, instead of ponying up again for the name, they can rename the ride Swingin' O'EmmEffGee.
Project 2019: Finnegan's Flyer (S&S Screamin' Swing)
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In 10 years, instead of ponying up again for the name, they can rename the ride Swingin' O'EmmEffGee.
Finnegan's Flyer is a fine name... For a gentle Irishman, mighty odd.
I think it is too. Just wish they had a very creative story for it.
I would think regional theme parks would have similar arguments, especially when they run ads in other states, and BGW does.
As we are all, though in different areas. Mine is not trademark law. Hugely informative, thank you.
Oh, Finnegan could have a creative story for sure....
James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake is arguably one of the most creative attempts of blending reality with a semi-conscious dream world ever written, certainly in the 20th century and amongst works by the author. The ride's setting in a hamlet steeped with mythological references and obviously one that may be linked to an ethereal flight through the hamlet could be a good starting point. Certainly better than a duel, which completely lacks any creativity for a ride with two swings, and of course invokes other issues especially when you paint them green and orange.
However, Joyce's blending of real and dream results in a complex structure with nonsensical combinations of letters, puns, portmanteaus, languages, and mythologies within an obvious Irish context. Due to the work's complexity, Finnegan's Wake remains fairly inaccessible to many readers, increasingly in this era. As such, I doubt many have heard of it, let alone actually read it, or still yet tried to interpret its meaning.
More likely however, guests probably have heard of the drinking song Finnegan's Wake. That guest awareness, coupled with the park's increasingly superficial and tone deaf manner of treating cultural references, meant my first reaction to the name Finnegan's Flyer was that clearly they were going for the song tie-in. On my list for future Killarney attraction tie-ins are also Whiskey in the Jar; Beer, Beer, Beer; Old Dun Cow; and of course The Orange and the Green if we do see a dueling theme.
Whack fol, de, dah, I just rode the Flyer and before continuing me flight on the Battle For "Ire," I'll throw back a pint and have me a Corned Beef sandwich at O'Tators! What's that you say laddie, Corned Beef isn't even Irish? And laddie is Scots? That's pure rameish!
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Very much agreed. But you don't even have to reference the book.
I put forth a page or two ago about a guy named Finnegan trying to make money off the Cliffs of Moher. Going in the the mythology thing you brought up. Finnegan was looking for a way to keep a mythical beast at bay, and found that feeding it fear kept it from terrorizing his town. The swing is a setup from Finnegan as a way to capture fear, to keep the people of Killarney safe from the beast. I know that sounds like the story of Doctor Dooms Towers in IoA but so what. LOL.
Yea....I think you hit on something there. Guest Awareness and, I know your being sarcastic there, but places have found that being a bit stereo typical without being offensive (I would put O'Tators in this area) is the quickest way to identify. The Battle for Eire, with what that ride story is, I have less of an issue with now.
But I'll put it like this, I'm half Italian. 3rd generation in born here in America. Do I roll my eyes at the picture of an Italian guy being a short fat bald guy with a thick mustache? Sure. But when you think Italian men, that's one of the first things you think about.
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That said there’s a difference between stereotyping and offensive....and this is one of those times they crossed it.
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Yeah, I'm being sarcastic. And really some references are indeed embraced by the Irish & Irish Americans due to a certain view on life, or in ways similar to how we Americans turned the insulting Yankee Doodle into a rallying cry--e.g. "brogue" (Irish accent) was meant to be an insult that the Irish spoke English so poorly it sounded like they had a shoe in their mouths, yet many Irish refer to their brogues. Corned Beef is definitely Irish American at least and a product of our melting pot, and inspired by the Irish even if corned beef isn't at all Irish.
Honestly, my main gripes are with being historically ignorant by invoking the troubles and strife of the relationship with the UK, so utterly lazy that you can't even spell or pronounce obviously-intended-to-be-Irish words correctly (and by doing the latter, Battle of "Eire/Ire" invoked the former, but I'm sure that goes over everyone's heads), and outright slurs that are commonly accepted for some reason with the Irish (and which fortunately the park is smart enough to stay way from, e.g paddy wagon, beyond the pale, etc.).
I expect corned beef, a bit of superficial and O'Tators-type references, and conflating things with the Scots, which in all honesty doesn't bother me at all, especially in a theme park attended by people with diverse backgrounds and far less knowledge of the Irish. And the park generally does Ok on average, I mean considering it is a theme park and not a historical attraction, e.g. Celtic Fyre was a good cultural counterbalance to many of these things.
The park should be a little more diligent however, for being fast and loose with sensitive topics could result in them being in a world of PR troubles depending on whom they cross, which is more likely perhaps with other current or rumored future hamlets than with an Irish/Irish-American group making a stink about Killarney.
Honestly, my main gripes are with being historically ignorant by invoking the troubles and strife of the relationship with the UK, so utterly lazy that you can't even spell or pronounce obviously-intended-to-be-Irish words correctly (and by doing the latter, Battle of "Eire/Ire" invoked the former, but I'm sure that goes over everyone's heads), and outright slurs that are commonly accepted for some reason with the Irish (and which fortunately the park is smart enough to stay way from, e.g paddy wagon, beyond the pale, etc.).
I expect corned beef, a bit of superficial and O'Tators-type references, and conflating things with the Scots, which in all honesty doesn't bother me at all, especially in a theme park attended by people with diverse backgrounds and far less knowledge of the Irish. And the park generally does Ok on average, I mean considering it is a theme park and not a historical attraction, e.g. Celtic Fyre was a good cultural counterbalance to many of these things.
The park should be a little more diligent however, for being fast and loose with sensitive topics could result in them being in a world of PR troubles depending on whom they cross, which is more likely perhaps with other current or rumored future hamlets than with an Irish/Irish-American group making a stink about Killarney.
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Killarney is really different from the other hamlets, though -- it's MUCH more fantasy-inspired. Except for Festa's messy theming, the rest have SOME kind of historical (Pompeii, fur trapping village) or realistic basis (Octoberfest). Ireland has never had talking trees and pots of gold; this puts quite a bit of distance between theming elements and actual Irish history and politics. Context matters!
Maybe...
Killarney is certainly different because it is the only hamlet that was rebranded. "Ire" is definitely [now] fantasy-inspired, but the rest of hamlet has always struct me as being roughly historically contemporary to the other "old world" European hamlets, to include Hastings, since really it's a rebrand of Hastings.
The only two that really strike me as stand-outs are New France, probably only themed that way specifically for the flume tie-in, and the hot mess that is Festa, of course.
Killarney is certainly different because it is the only hamlet that was rebranded. "Ire" is definitely [now] fantasy-inspired, but the rest of hamlet has always struct me as being roughly historically contemporary to the other "old world" European hamlets, to include Hastings, since really it's a rebrand of Hastings.
The only two that really strike me as stand-outs are New France, probably only themed that way specifically for the flume tie-in, and the hot mess that is Festa, of course.
killarney when first opened was fantasy themed, you had an animatronic leprechaun as the centerpiece for years, corkscrew hill is as fantasy as you get, it lik the rest of the place got toned down and left to rot into whatever it was post-BfE.
Yeah, hence maybe; I see what you're saying but view it differently. You can't have a hamlet themed to Ireland devoid of its rich literary and mythological past. You will always have those elements for Ireland, even if the hamlet is inspired by a real place, which it is here. There were also attractions and themeing with less of a mythological bent from the start and still are. When I think "fantasy," I think of a world that exists purely within fantasy or stories. Killarney is very real, and mythological references included, IMHO is really more contemporary and similar to the rest of BGW's hamlets (aside from the two noted) than say... Disney's FantasyLand or Pandora or something. Corkscrew HIll is also a very real place (I've driven it!), and its location (the Burren in Co. Clare) is a land filled with mythological and megalithic tie-ins. It's even near Killarney.
If BGW was going for a pure Irish "fantasy" theme, they could have gone for naming it Tír na nÓg (the otherworldly "Land of the Youth") for example, not Killarney. That would have made sense, to me at least, as I understand the reference. The park obviously doesn't believe people know or care how to properly pronounce or spell the actual real country's name in its own native language that inspired the hamlet, so they certainly weren't going to invest the time/expense in explain what this otherworldly reference would have been for a non-Irish guest population and use it for an entire hamlet--especially one that was basically a quick and dirty rebranding of Hastings to capitalize on what was an all-things-Irish fad at the time.
edit: speaking of Tír na nÓg...I've always thought Tír na nÓg would be a great theme to use for the EitA redo...but as you see we wound up with a much more pedestrian "Battle for Ire."
If BGW was going for a pure Irish "fantasy" theme, they could have gone for naming it Tír na nÓg (the otherworldly "Land of the Youth") for example, not Killarney. That would have made sense, to me at least, as I understand the reference. The park obviously doesn't believe people know or care how to properly pronounce or spell the actual real country's name in its own native language that inspired the hamlet, so they certainly weren't going to invest the time/expense in explain what this otherworldly reference would have been for a non-Irish guest population and use it for an entire hamlet--especially one that was basically a quick and dirty rebranding of Hastings to capitalize on what was an all-things-Irish fad at the time.
edit: speaking of Tír na nÓg...I've always thought Tír na nÓg would be a great theme to use for the EitA redo...but as you see we wound up with a much more pedestrian "Battle for Ire."
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:shrug: I think at this point the park might as well go all in on the 'fantasy' aspect. Griffin, Nessie, Alpie, BfE, Bolt....all based on myths and the mythical.
If BG ever did a 'rebranding' of it's two parks, I would enjoy seeing BGW become this land of the fantasy hidden under the real. Busch Gardens: Mythical Europe. In Tampa they can embrace the animal side that they have and Busch Gardens: Wild Africa.
Because personally, I have 0 problems that you're having with Killarney.
If BG ever did a 'rebranding' of it's two parks, I would enjoy seeing BGW become this land of the fantasy hidden under the real. Busch Gardens: Mythical Europe. In Tampa they can embrace the animal side that they have and Busch Gardens: Wild Africa.
Because personally, I have 0 problems that you're having with Killarney.
But back on to Finnegan... and if "battle" was what they wanted with Ire, or a duel with Finnegan, why not the fight between Finn McCool & Benandonner as theme?
So many opportunities squandered in Killarney... granted Finn McCool is less familiar to Americans, but so? Themeing! And they don't even need to make up the story!
I'll reserve final judgement on Finnegan as I haven't seen/ridden the final product...but I'm expecting superficial...and honestly Finn McCool is probably more story and explanation than a simple swing needs.
So many opportunities squandered in Killarney... granted Finn McCool is less familiar to Americans, but so? Themeing! And they don't even need to make up the story!
I'll reserve final judgement on Finnegan as I haven't seen/ridden the final product...but I'm expecting superficial...and honestly Finn McCool is probably more story and explanation than a simple swing needs.
I still think they missed a great opportunity when they went with "Invadr" instead of "Sasquatch".
Exactly my point. Contemporary to the others. So because Killarney opened with a leprechaun doesn't make it "fantasyland."
Not a bad idea.
All I'm highlighting is what others have noted similarly--some tone deafness and laziness on behalf of the park. It is a theme park afterall, so I keep it in context. But they run some risk here, and yes, a basic thing like butchering someone's (or country's) name irks me. I'm sure someone horribly mispronouncing your name IRL would grow old. I'll also note that I wasn't the one who brought up the inadvertent references to the Troubles with the dueling orange and green for Finnegan.
I've always also caveated that most of what I've raised on the topic would go over the heads of the average guest. Like I've said, do you think the average guest knows or cares how to spell the country's name it its native language? Or and that by misspelling it as the park did they are sloppily referring to Ireland as a "burden" as the UK did, and invoking a topic of what to call the Republic post-independence that was tied to the strife of the last century? Of course not. The orange and green thing is much easier to see however, which is why maybe it drew more attention.
Anyway, back to Finnegan... didn't mean to go off into tangents on Ire or the hamlet.
They need to play up the ravine somehow...cliffs, causeway, whatever. The (west/north) coast of Ireland is too dramatic not to some how theme or landscape accordingly.
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