Ireland: travel news and tips

Oktoberfest is coming to Dublin Docklands!

2008-10-09T18:02:00.003Z

It's the event everyone aspires to get to, and now it's coming to Dublin! Get set to experience the authentic Oktoberfest festival this month as the first Paulaner Oktoberfest comes to the Dublin Docklands, running from 9th - 19th October.

The traditional German market will feature over thirty German speciality food producers and German traders, visitors will be introduced to the very best of Bavarian food and specialities from sausages, meat, pastries, Käsespätzle (cheese noodles) to mountain cheese and ginger bread hearts.

You will also have the opportunity to experience Paulaner, a truly authentic Bavarian style wheat beer and one of only six beers permitted to exhibit at Munich's legendary Oktoberfest.

Learn to sing a yodel or dance a polka, as traditional Bavarian musicians, Die Alpen-show, will also play throughout the ten-day event.

General admission to the Paulaner Oktoberfest is free and corporate tickets are available from €52 per person. For further information, please log onto

www.oktoberfest-dublin.ie.

Corporate tickets include a full traditional buffet supper, complimentary Paulaner and entertainment by Bavarian host Sepp and Bavarian Brass and Dance band, Die Alpen show, tickets are available to purchase on

www.tickets.ie

Schedule of Events:
Monday to Friday:
Daytime 11:30a.m. - 6:00p.m.Browse the many authentic Bavarian food stalls and enjoy a free lunchtime concert of Bavarian Brass & Dance Music with Die Alpen-Show.

Evening 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.Enjoy traditional Oktoberfest activities, food and beverages including German Bretzels, Pastries, Black Forest sausages, Sauerkraut, Nockerln, Crepes, Love Apples and Ginger Bread Hearts. Meet our Oktoberfest German waitresses dressed in the traditional 'Dirndl'.

Saturday & Sunday:
Daytime 11:30a.m. - 7:00p.m.Browse the many authentic Bavarian food stalls and enjoy a free lunchtime concert of Bavarian Brass & Dance Music with Die Alpen-Show. Family Entertainment activities with our host Sepp, include face painting & creating balloon animals.

Evening 7:00pm - 12 Midnight (Sat) 8:00p.m. (Sun) Enjoy traditional Oktoberfest activities including; entertainment from the Bavarian Brass & Dance band Die Alpen-Show. Sample the many authentic German foods ranging from; German Bretzels, Pastries, Black Forest sausages, Sauerkraut, Nockerln, Crepes, Love Apples and Ginger Bread Hearts. And meet our Oktoberfest German waitresses dressed in the traditional 'Dirndl'.

Opening Times:

Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday to Friday: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Upstairs Area)

Saturday: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Corporate Event Times: 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. (Marquee Area)

Alpacas are a hit with tourists in Clare

2008-08-17T16:58:00.002Z

A herd of alpacas in Co. Clare is proving to be as big tourist attraction as such local sights as the Cliffs of Moher. Tour buses of US and European holidaymakers in the Burren region have been stopping off to take snaps of the animals, which are native to Peru but have been imported into the rugged limestone area. Academic-turned-farmer Damien Dyar now hopes to develop his farm to accommodate school trips. The psychologist wants to help schoolchildren to learn about the animals as well as the Burren landscape.

Guinness Tastes Better In Dublin

2008-08-11T17:41:00.002Z

Guinness Tastes Better In Dublin
By Elisha Burberry

Guinness is the world’s most popular dark stout and is named after Arthur Guinness - the man who first brewed his Irish ale over 250 years ago at the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin. Ask any Irishman and they’ll tell you that there is no place like the Irish capital in which to drink Guinness; not only does it taste better than anywhere else in the world, but you also get to experience the legendary Irish ‘craic’!

St. James Gate sits close to the River Liffey and is a big stone arch that has been the symbolic entrance to the Guinness Brewery for almost two and a half centuries. The brewery in the heart of Dublin now extends over 64 acres and not only does it provide Guinness for the whole of Ireland, but also the USA and many other parts of the World. It is so much more than a working brewery as it also includes a spectacular visitor centre boasting two restaurants, three bars and a shop.

The founder of it all, Arthur Guinness, benefited from a £100 inheritance early in life and decided to invest that windfall in brewing. By the age of 31, he had established a successful brewery at Leixlip, just outside Dublin. However, the lure of the big city proved irresistible. Leaving the Leixlip brewery in the safe hands of his younger brother, Arthur Guinness set off for Dublin in 1759 with the ambition of hitting the big time. Seventeen years before the USA declared Independence from Britain, Guinness took out a 9,000 year lease on the St. James Gate brewery, providing an initial £100 deposit and promising to pay rent at £45 per year.

Arthur Guinness passed away in 1803 and his son Arthur Guinness II took over the reigns of running Ireland’s second most successful brewery. By the time Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the US flag in 1818, Guinness was already exporting barrels of its stout to Portugal, followed two years later by exports to Barbados, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Guernsey. By the 1830s, output from the St. James Brewery overtook that of Beamish in Cork, making it Ireland’s biggest brewery. By 1886 it had become the largest brewery in the world producing 1.2 million barrels annually. The rest, as they say, is history!

Perhaps it was Arthur Guinness’ hunger for the big city and extensive knowledge of brewing that enabled him to perfectly brew a beer containing the legendary spirit of the craic? But whatever his secret, you’ll find many visitors from all over the world trying to find a hotel in Dublin that is ideally located to enjoy both the best of the city’s hospitality and Arthur’s magnificent brewery.

Elisha Burberry is a freelance writer who loves her job and the occasional glass of red wine.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elisha_Burberry
http://EzineArticles.com/?Guinness-Tastes-Better-In-Dublin&id=639351

Spencer Tunick in Ireland

2008-06-21T14:45:00.003Z

Around 2,700 people in Dublin shed their clothes in the early hours of this morning in the name of art! They all get naked to have their photograph taken by American photographer Spencer Tunick.

He is recognized worldwide for his elaborately posed still and video images of multiple nude figures in public settings. His temporary site-specific installations have taken place around the globe in cities including Montreal, Melbourne, Lyon, London, Newcastle-Gateshead, Santiago, New York, Mexico City and Barcelona to name a few. Tunick gathers volunteers to participate in the making of his work which, in the past, have totaled anywhere from 100 - 18,000 participants. The photograph from his Greenpeace project on Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland was named Time Magazine's Picture of the Year 2007.

18,000 people in Mexico city

While most of the city was asleep the participants gathered at 3am at South Wall in Dublin Docklands. The shoot was then done on the Pigeon House Road at the Docklands. People of different age, shape and size showed up to be part of this art work. It felt just a little bit awkward at the beginning but when you have 2,700 naked people the ones that are dressed look different. Despite the cold morning weather all people patiently waited naked for over an hour when Spencer was preparing the set. It then began to rain, but that did not deter about 500 from wading out ankle deep into water for second shoot. It all lasted from 3am until 7am. That’s unusual way to spend your Friday night/Saturday morning!

Another group of over 1,000 brave Irish people had posed on early Tuesday morning in the historic surroundings of Blarney Castle.

Gulliver comes to Dublin Docklands

2008-04-13T20:52:00.004Z

The chosen book for this year's Dublin: "One City, One Book" is Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and the Docklands is the place to see Gulliver himself in form of a giant sand sculpture.

To celebrate Gulliver's visit to Dublin, sculptors Duthain Dealbh began carving in sand outside the chq building in the IFSC on April 2nd. Two weeks later and a 4-metre, giant Gulliver is resting under the arch on George's Dock.

Almost 20 events and exhibitions will be held throughout the capital in April for both adults and children. City Hall will play host to Gulliver's Dublin - Eamon Morrissey's acclaimed one man show which will run for four nights (15th - 18th April).

Other events taking place throughout April include adult's and children's film screenings at the Irish Film Institute; children's interactive theatrical workshops in Dublin City Libraries; academic talks on Swift and Dublin; and specially curated exhibitions in City Hall, the National Library of Ireland and Pearse Street Library and Archive.

For more information about these events, please visit www.dublinonecityonebook.ie

New car hire engine on Roadtoireland.eu!

2007-12-02T18:57:00.000Z

We have just launched on our Independent Guide to Ireland, new CarTrawler's AJAX car hire booking engine engine, giving you access to the best car hire rates in Ireland. By using the latest technology you are able to retrieve pricing, availability and also confirm bookings as close to one hour before pickup time. Now you can choose from over 450 car hire suppliers in 134 countries, with one click.

Smithfield on ice

2007-11-01T19:38:00.000Z

Apparently Smithfield on ice is no more! Dublin City Council announced yesterday that the popular ice-rink event, which has been held in Smithfield, Dublin during Christmas for the past five years, will not go ahead this year. The partnership which ran the event has dissolved and the remaining interest, RSVP Event Management, is not in a position to deliver the project, the council announced.

Adidas Dublin Marathon

2007-10-31T22:37:00.000Z

Today, once the worst pain is hopefully gone, and our knees are bending again we can write few words about last Monday’s experience!

Before start

Eleven thousand people, a couple of comedians, few leprechauns, Blues Brothers and Donald Duck took to the streets of the city on Monday to be part of the 28th Adidas Dublin Marathon, and among them us. It may sound a bit mad – who, in their right mind, would want to rise early on Bank Holiday and run 26 miles through streets of Dublin? In realty we run Dublin Marathon for the same reasons other climb a mountain – because it’s there! The goal was simply to get to the top, to cross the finish line.

Start

Of course there is, within every city marathon, another event altogether, for competitors and athletes. But this is strictly minority affair of the concern to no more than 10%. The real hart of this spectacle were thousands of participants, all shapes and makes of ordinary people, running for as many different reasons, as there are participants.

The General Post Office
Dublin O'Connell Street

This year’s race started on Baggot Street, at 9am – 15 minutes before the start – the street was completely filled with marathon runners. We were somewhere at the end so we’ve started five minutes after the official start! The first few miles were nice and easy, everyone was in a good mood! It was more of a sightseeing trip around Dublin tourist attractions than anything else, running up O’Connell Street by The General Post Office, the focal point of the Easter Rising of 1916. We hit Phoenix Park around the four mile mark, and we got onto Chesterfield Avenue – over a mile long, straight and slightly uphill part of the course. The fact you can see so far ahead makes you fill less comfortable - but it was nothing comparing to the pure torture of a long, steady climb of the Crumlin Road!

Nearly there...

We saw, especially after the half way mark, parts of Dublin, we’ve never been to. It got really though on the last six miles, and only around the Trinity College, with the support of crowds on both sides of the street legs become a bit lighter, and the last 195 meters were pure pleasure! And in the end one great purpose of the marathon is to prepare you for one of the best pints of Guinness of your life!

Comedians Ed Byrne and Tommy Tiernan completed the course, with Ed coming first. We finished somewhere between them – we bit you Tommy!

Ireland top list for friendliness

2007-10-17T21:10:00.000Z

According to Lonely Planet travel guide, Ireland is now the friendliest nation on planet!
“Centuries of turmoil, conquest and famine – and subsequent immigration – have certainly taken their toll on the Irish; it’s left them with a delicious dark sense of humor and a welcoming attitude towards strangers” claims the guide.
That famous ability of the Irish to find the craic (fun times with convivial company ;-) ) in bum or bust times – means you’re always in for a treat.”
And it isn’t just the lack of food or abundance of invaders, that according to the book, has made Irish so happy – the sorting out of that unfortunate business up north has boosted Irish moods to an all-time high.
“These days, after the end of “Troubles”, a cautious optimism reigns supreme, infecting the land once again with the sense that anything’s possible” it adds.
The tip-driven smiles of the Americans have landed the US in second place, though residents of few nations may not agree.
“Blamed for the coming of World War III, the Anti-Christ, Bon Jovi, Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, rampant street crime, and noise pollution through overloud talking, Americans just take it all in their stride” says the guide, claiming Americans will do anything to make you feel welcome.
Poverty stricken Malawi was third on the list (they can’t afford not to be) while Scotland, Turkey, Samoa, Thailand, Fiji, Indonesia and Vietnam made up the rest.
Needless to say Ireland also made it into the top ten on the Best Brews Bluelist – cheers for that, Guinness!

Festival of World Cultures - Dun Laoghaire

2007-08-26T00:22:00.001Z

The Festival of World Cultures 2007:

49 surfers on a single wave!

2007-08-23T18:58:00.000Z

We were so excited about the Saturday’s race that we nearly missed it! On Saturday, surfers in Lahinch in County Clare once again smashed the world record for the largest number of people to ride the same wave simultaneously.

At about 5.45pm, 49 surfers managed to stay in formation for the required five seconds, thus breaking the previous record of 44, set on the very same beach a year ago. Lahinch will host another attempt to break it’s own record in May next year.

Adidas Frank Duffy 10 miles run

2007-08-21T21:49:00.001Z

For those training for the Dublin Marathon in October Adidas organised series of races that offer opportunity to test you at short distances ahead of October's race. Last Saturday we took part in Frank Duffy 10 miles run, second race of the series.

10 miles = 16.09344 kilometers. If in the beginning of July someone would have told me that I’ll be able to run 10 miles I would laugh at him (or her). It all started few weeks ago, on 12th July, when we signed (with no training - I know a bit irresponsible) for the 5 mile run and ……… we did it! From then we were preparing to the 10 mile race.

We arrived at the race HQ in Castleknock College at 9am (the race commenced at 10am), the college gym was already completely filled up with people patiently waiting in queues to collect race number and goodie bag. One could see runners of all ages – impatient and eager to run teenagers and full of energy older athletes – it proves that running is a sport for everybody! 20 minute walk to the start line was a perfect opportunity for a warm up. As soon as we left the college, we were carried by the wave of participants, all heading in the same direction.

Race was run in the Phoenix Park - the largest urban enclosed park in Europe. The main entrance is only about 3 km (2 m) from Dublin’s city centre. It contains large areas of grassland, tree-lined avenues and many areas of dense forest. On every sunny weekend park is full of families relaxing after hectic week and tourists admiring parks’s attractions. Park is home, among other things, to Dublin Zoo and Áras an Uachtaráin (Irish White House) occupied for last 10 years by Mary McAleese – current President of Ireland.

We’ve reached Chesterfield Avenue, which was already completely filled with runners, 10 minutes before the start. The attendance was overwhelming; over three thousand runners signed up for the race. Unfortunately organisers didn’t foreseen that many participants and queues to toilets were gigantic – and as we all know you need to hydrate before the exercise – unfortunately not all water want to stay in ;-).

Phoenix Park is home to a herd of wild Fallow deer. We’ve met quite often during training those dignified animals proudly presenting their antlers. Deer were always curiously looking at us, two leg mammals running around park with no purpose. I wonder what they were thinking… The deer have right of way on the roads through the park, however last Saturday they must have been intimidated by the number of uninvited guests and decided not to show themselves, so we didn’t have to let them through ;-)

Finally after one hour and thirty five minutes finish! Now only to collect well earned Adidas T-shirt, an hour long walk back home, and rest of the weekend spent on the couch watching TV ;-).

And from Monday we’re training for the half-marathon, which will take place in September.

Vikings finally arrived

2007-08-15T21:27:00.000Z

They finally arrived. A full size reconstructed Viking Warship “Havingsten”, known also as Sea Stallion of Glendalough, has arrived to Dublin yesterday around lunch time. Before one could see the boat, one could hear warning sirens of ships docked on the Liffey and bells in local churches – like almost 1000 years ago they were trying to warn citizens against the Viking invasion! There was no panic today, like more there would be in medieval times. Crowd of tourist on both sides of the river, reinforced with curious office workers that have just gone out for lunch, freezed in excitement.

First one could see port authority and fire brigade ships; only then between them there was Havingsten sailing proudly powered only by big orange and yellow sail. The After few minutes the sail was lowered and the sailors, encouraged by the crowds, started to row.

The Sea Stallion is docked on the Liffey close to IFSC and will be moved tomorrow overnight to the National Museum in Collins Barracks. On Friday at 6.30pm the National Museum will officially open the exhibition about the Sea Stallion and the Viking Age. It will run until summer 2008.

A stamp celebrating the arrival of the Viking Warship in Dublin was issued by An Post. The 55c stamp features the Sea Stallion of Glendalough, a reconstruction of the Skuldulev 2 Viking ship built in Dublin in 1042. Researched and illustrated by leading Irish philatelic artist Vincent Killowry, the stamp is available from the main post offices.

Flights from Knock to New York & Boston

2007-08-12T22:39:00.000Z

From the end of May Ireland West Airport Knock is connected with FK Airport New York and Boston Logan International Airport. It's a first scheduled transatlantic service with a low cost carrier flyglobespan.com from Knock, located midway between Galway and Donegal. The Scottish carrier operates three services a week from Knock to New York, and two services weekly to Boston. Seat fares starts at just €157 plus tax each way.

Where are the REAL Vikings?

2007-07-17T19:39:00.000Z

The crew of replica Viking longship dropped plans to sail across the North Sea because of unfavourable winds and decided to take a tow to Orkney. The Sea Stallion of Glendalough, billed as the biggest ever Viking ship reconstruction, will be towed by a support ship before continuing its voyage to Dublin, where it is set to arrive on 14th August. You can find more info in this post. The plan was to travel from Roskilde to Dublin using only oars and sails - like Viking warriors did 1000 years ago.

Pub where you can serve yourself pints!

2007-07-13T18:41:00.000Z

It’s every drinkers dream! The Baggot Inn, one of Dublin’s oldest pubs reopened last week after eight years offering the chance to pour your own pint of Guinness.The act of pouring a good Guinness has become an art-form and bartenders are specially trained by Guinness to pour the black stuff.

But now customers can sit around a table with six to eight friends and pour Guinness from a tab, the first time it has been done in the world. Bartenders have been trained to teach customers how to pour pints, while instructions on each table, “the six steps to perfection”, will help amateur pint-pullers.

The Baggot, the oldest pub on Dublin’s Baggot Street and steeped in musical history, was first licensed in 1700 but closed its doors eight years ago. In the Baggot Inn:

- Bono was once turned away from its doors for looking to young until he told the doorman he was the lead singer of the band for the evening

- Tracy Chapman launched her career here

- Bob Geldof had to beg for a month before he was allowed to play a gig

- Fresh from recording studio, David Bowie performed here just to try out new material on a live audience.

Riverdance returns to Dublin!

2007-07-04T20:59:00.000Z

Riverdance, the internationally-acclaimed celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has thrilled millions around the world returns to the city where it all began in 1995.

Following the success of 3 sell-out seasons in 2004, 2005 & 2006 Riverdance returns for a fourth summer season to the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. The theatre has re-opened to the iconic strains of Riverdance in June, after five months of extensive renovations. The refurbishment programme include a larger stage, increased orchestra accommodation, the improvement of production and artist facilities, and renovation of the front of house areas.

iWalk guides in Dublin

2007-06-28T19:45:00.000Z

Christchurch Cathedral Dublin

Dublin's landmarks like Christchurch Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the walls of the ancient city will be laid bare by a modern gadget - iWalks MP3 Players.

By the end of July, visitors will be able to pick up the credit-sized electronic guides in hotels and use them to listen to the history of the city. The guide has a built-in speaker and comes with a map, information card and wrist strap. At a cost of Euro 18 each the iWalks will include atmospheric sound effects and music such as the sound of horse shoes at Dublin Castle. It has a battery lifespan of 12 to 14 hours and when they are finished you can just replace them and use it as a souvenir.

Leonardo da Vinci's Codex on display in Dublin!

2007-06-12T13:08:00.000Z

The Chester Beatty Library in the grounds of Dublin Castle is among handful of world museums chosen to display Codex Leicester notebook, written by Leonardo da Vinci. The 36-page document, that contains more than 300 drawings, diagrams and sketches, is owned by the world’s richest man, Bill Gates. The notebook includes inventions such as designs for strengthening bridges and for flood control.

The Codex was acquired by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester in 1717. It was owned by him and his descendants for more than two centuries. It was acquired by Gates in 1994, and is the only manuscript by Leonardo in private hands.

Additional material in the exhibition comes from TCD, the Library of the University of Cambridge and the Museum of the History of Science in the University of Oxford. To conserve the delicate manuscript, the pages are displayed in climate-controlled cases that regulate the amount of light it is exposed to.

Admission is free but booking on the cbl.ie website is advised. The Chester Beatty Library predicts a record number of visitors. The exhibition is open to public from 13 June to 12 August.

Four popular bathing spots fail water quality tests!

2007-05-12T11:35:00.000Z

Four of the Ireland’s leading bathing spots have failed to meet the minimum EU standards for water quality, with high levels of faecal coliforms detected by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests. Swimming areas at Balbrigan and Malahide in Fingal, north Dublin, Clifden, Co Galway and Dunmore East Main Strand, Co Waterford, all failed the minimum cleanliness standards, with Clifden failing for the second year in a row. The presence of the faecal coliforms at the four sites indicated that inadequately treated (or worst, not treated at all!) was spilling into the bathing areas.
Overall water quality levels were high with 127 out 131 sites tested reaching the required EU standards.

Old enemies sign up to new dawn for the North

2007-05-10T13:25:00.000Z

Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, once the deadliest enemies, stood shoulder to shoulder in Belfast on Tuesday to consign generations of bitterness to history and clear the way for a spectacular new era of cooperation in the Northern Ireland. Nearly 10 years after the Good Friday Agreement, we witnessed history as DUP leader Dr Paisley and Sinn Fein’s Mr McGuinness pledged themselves to a power-sharing government. On an occasion unlike any other inside Parliament Buildings, Stormont, full of emotion and high on drama they signed up to a deal of a lifetime. Taoiseach (prime minister in Ireland) Bertie Ahern expressed hope that no one in the island of Ireland would ever again feel the anger and pain of old quarrels.

Ireland had its warmest and sunniest April in history!

2007-05-03T17:34:00.000Z

Ireland had its warmest and sunniest April on record this year. Irish weather stations at Birr, Malin Head and in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, where records began more than a century ago, reported the warmest April ever. Met Eireann says that the average temperatures varied between 10C and 11.50C – nearly three degrees higher than normal for May, never mind April! It was also the sunniest April on record almost everywhere, with monthly totals around 50% higher than normal.

Despite the very high monthly values, minimum temperatures fell sharply on several nights under clear skies and there were between 12 and 18 ground frosts recorded at inland stations, around a third more than normal for April.

Monthly rainfall totals were well below normal except in the northwest, with the driest April on record at Shannon Airport. The soil was very dry: soil moisture deficits increased significantly during the month – with the very dry conditions leading to outbreaks of gores fires in many parts of the country.

Ireland is larger!

2007-04-24T15:15:00.000Z

Ireland has got bigger since the last time you saw it on the map. The country almost doubled in size after the United Nations agreed to give Ireland ownership of a significant slice of the Atlantic Ocean. The 56.000 sq km stretch of water is equivalent to 80 per cent of the land area of Ireland and is located off of the coast of Kerry and Cork. Under international maritime laws, Ireland can now legally explore and exploit the natural resources of the seabed and subsurface in the area. All the mackerels and salmons - better watch out!

The Dublin City Soul Festival

2007-04-23T12:20:00.000Z

On May 24th - May 27th Dublin will host its first soul music festival. Soul ain't nothing but a feeling" and that's what the Dublin City Soul Festival is all about. During those four days we'll enjoy live music, top European djs, the best local talent, International soul gospel stars and the world’s first ever ‘Soul Picnic’ in the beautiful surroundings of Merrion Square Park. More details on: http://www.dublincitysoulfestival.ie

Viking Dublin now on roadtoireland.eu

2007-04-19T21:48:00.000Z

We have added a page on Viking Dublin, feedback is very welcomed!

Titanic

2007-04-17T20:16:00.000Z

On 15 April we marked 95th anniversary of sinking of the famous liner Titanic. Everyone knows the story of RMS Titanic, yet few realise the ship was built in Belfast. In fact, no other city in the world can lay claim to having lived beneath its magnificent shadow for so long. The emerging superstructure dominated Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard for just over two years, from the moment its keel was laid in March 1909 to its launch on 31 May 1911. Only the cold, Atlantic seabed has been its home for longer. Full story of the Titanic and its Belfast connections available here.

Viking Dublin

2007-04-15T22:12:00.000Z

To prepare for the arrival of the Viking warship Havhingsten in August to Dublin roadtoireland.eu team visited Dublinia - a multi-media presentation of Dublin's Viking and medieval history. As always to bring you the first hand experience we had to test everything (see photo below). This Medieval heritage centre, located beside Christ Church Cathedral, tells the story of the development of Dublin from the arrival of Vikings to the 16th century.
You can walk through reconstructed streets, visit the Merchant's House or observe the quayside activities. On the last floor you will find very informative display on Vikings. Dublinia & The Viking World recreate the lifestyle of Vikings and medieval Dubliners. The exhibition provides a unique insight into their everyday lives and reveals how their influence can still be felt today.The visit was highly enjoyable!

Belfast - city on the rise

2007-04-13T11:04:00.000Z

The Lonely Planet endorsement of Belfast as "city on the rise" was confirmed yesterday with record numbers of visitors reported in 2006. Numbers rose by 6% to 6.8m, with tourists from outside Northern Ireland rising by 11%.
Travel Lonely Planet have included Belfast as a City on the Rise in their Blue List, and say Northern Ireland is a Must See Destination for 2007.

Vikings are coming back to Dublin

2007-04-12T13:20:00.000Z

Dublin is to be invaded by Vikings this summer as the warship Havhingsten storms the River Liffey under the power of 65 oarsmen. The Viking ship will arrive on 14 August at the end of an arduous seven-week 1,000 miles voyage from Roskilde in Denmark via Norway and the Orkneys. The ship, also known as the Sea Stallion of Glendalough, will be displayed at the National Museum until its return journey to Denmark next year.

The arrival in Dublin will be a homecoming of sorts, as the Sea Stallion is a reconstruction of the Skuldelev 2 ship, built in Dublin in 1042, when the city’s links to the Viking world were at their strongest. The Skuldelev is believed to have sunk in Roskilde Fjord near Copenhagen 30 years later.

Irish castle king of Europe

2007-04-10T14:13:00.000Z

An Irish castle has been named the best-stonewalled accommodation in Europe. Ashford Castle in Cong, Co. Mayo, topped the list compiled by TripAdvisor. The castle is located just ½ hour from Galway on the shores of Lough Corrib, Ireland's second largest lake. Built in 1625 Ashford is described as having opulent rooms and endless hallways. Book a room in Ashford Castle today!

Is the era of Guinness coming to an end?

2007-03-28T13:34:00.000Z

Lent, finishing next week, is a time when many people in Ireland make sacrifice until Easter Sunday. Quite few gave up drinking alcohol for several weeks, though some made exception for St. Patrick’s Day.

But that’s not the main reason of falling Guinness sale (the 2006 figures for Ireland and Britain show a drop of 7%, continuing a trend that began years ago). The scale of the shift from drinking Guinness, which takes its dark colour from the roasted barley, appears even more dramatic given that Ireland has the fastest growing population in the European Union.

Some people blame the trend on the Irish Republic's smoking ban in pubs; others say it has to do with a crackdown on drink-driving. The main reason however is changing life-style as new wealth, new opportunities and immigration transform tastes and drinking habits in Ireland.

Alongside the decline of Guinness is an increasing appetite for wine, spirits, cider and imported beer. People are drinking more alcohol at home and are mainly choosing wine.

Is the era of Irish pubs filled with Guinness drinkers coming to end? Probably yes, but let’s hope that even when serving wheat bears from Czech Republic or …… Chardonney pubs won’t lose their unique and friendly atmosphere.

Lies about the Battle of Thermopylae. Why we should call it “1000” and not “300”

2007-03-23T13:41:00.000Z

The recent movie “300” is based on the comic book and shouldn’t be treated as historically accurate. Unfortunately newspapers and TV are using “300” as a valid source of information about the battle! We can read that: “300 Spartans held out against the armies of the Persian emperor Xerxes” or “King Leonidas, who leads just “300” Spartans against Xerxes and his massive army of decadent Persians – all to protect Western democracy.” Hold on a second! Do not mix what is promising to be a great movie with history! Have we all forgotten about 700 Thespians and 6,000 other Greek allies fighting in the battle! OK out of the initial 7,000-strong Greek army, all but over 1,000 were dismissed on the third day. Why?

Late on the second day of battle Leonidas received a windfall: a Malian Greek traitor offered to guide the Persian army through the pass around Thermopylae. King had stationed 1,000 Phocian volunteers on the heights to guard that path. Unfortunately they were surprised by the Persians and had not held. Council of war was called. During the council some Greeks argued for withdrawal in the face of the overwhelming Persian advance, while others pledged to stay. After the council, many of the Greek forces did choose to withdraw.

Spartan and Thespian Hoplites

The Spartans had pledged themselves to fight to the death, while the Thebans were held as hostage against their will. However, a contingent of about 700 Thespians refused to leave with the other Greeks, but cast their lot with the Spartans. So the King of Sparta had nearly 1500 soldiers. Until today we don’t know how many Thespians and Thebans died in the battle. Unknown and unremembered by most: 1,000 to 2,000 Helots (Spartan slaves) died fighting alongside their masters in the last stand.

And what about clashes of civilisation and protecting Western Democracy? I don’t think so. Persian empire hired and paid people regardless of their sex or ethnicity, whereas in fifth-century Greece less than 14% of the population participated in democratic government, and nearly 37% of the population were slaves. Sparta was a military monarchy, not a democracy, and collectively owned slaves (the Helots).

Having this in mind enjoy the movie!

Skyfest Dublin

2007-03-18T22:49:00.000Z

Unfortunately, due to extreme winds and bad weather conditions see snow in the last post!!! the skyfest was cancelled this evening. I finished in pub for the night ;-)

It was supposed to be one of Europe's biggest explosive displays of fireworks. A one-meter swell on the river and strong wind (up to 60 kmh) meant that barges used to rig the fireworks could not operate safely. This time even St. Patrick could not change the weather to accomodate the Skyfest being held in his honour. Maybe next year...

Below photos from 2005 Skyfest.

Custom House by night

St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin

2007-03-18T14:38:00.000Z

As one could expected… it rained yesterday, fortunately it never poured! People start to arrive to O'Connell Street as early as 10am to secure a good vantage point (parade began at 12 noon). Parade was breathtaking, three thousand performers, ten marching bands (one without instruments as they were lost in transit ;-) – big cheer for courage to march without instruments!). Themed “legendary” the spirits of Irish, European and worlds myths and legends came alive through magnificent and colourful costumes and platforms. The parade was very multicultural as today’s Ireland is. We could admire Brazilian maracatu dancers; Liberties samba band from Dublin; brightly coloured Sikh; marching bands from USA; musicians from Spain and Germany; Lithuanians, Poles and many others.
According to Irish Times over 650 thousand people attended the parade; you could really see an ocean of green all over city.

More photos available here.

Now I’m looking forward to the Skyfest in Docklands this evening (the best viewing locations are along North Wall Quay and Rogerson's Quay). Now I'm not kidding - it's snowing now in Dublin!!! I think I'd rather stay at home and watch the Skyfest on RTE ;-)

St. Patrick's Day Festival in Dublin

2007-03-16T12:45:00.000Z

One of the highlights of the festival in Dublin is of course Skyfest on Sunday evening at 7.30pm. This huge display of fireworks and laser lights will light up Dublin’s sky. The best viewing points are Liffey’s north and south quays – make sure to get there early or you’ll se little more than the heads of those in front of you.
Merrion Square hosts a funfair throughout the festival – check out the view from 45 meter high Jubilee Wheel. Also on Monday the square will host the best of Irish and International street theatres.

St Patrick's Day

2007-03-13T21:52:00.000Z

Nearly here! Only few days left to the most important holiday in Ireland - St Patrick's Day. It all began only in the mid-1990s that the Irish government began a campaign to use Saint Patrick's Day to showcase Ireland. Now on 17th March everyone is Irish. The biggest parade in Ireland will be held in Dublin. I promise to put up some photos on both blog and the website as soon as I recover from celebrating Paddy's Day and watching Italy - Ireland rugby game (probably Sunday ;-)) I just hope the weather will be nice.

St. Patrick's Day Parade 2005

Carlingford

2007-02-11T12:54:00.000Z

It's cold, cloudy and rainy - typical Irish winter, no snow, just rain, so I thought I'll add a page about Carlingford to my website; Carlingford is a small medieval town in between Dublin and Belfast. It's nicely located on the footsteps of Mourne mountains and the shores of Carlingford lough. Town is dominated by the castle which rises above the lough and offers magnificent views to the north, south and east. If you are looking for relaxing break it's a place for you. You can stroll the medieval streets, walk the mountains or fish for the sea-trout, bass and other.

Blarney Castle

2006-11-08T15:22:00.000Z

Hi,

We've just published a page on Blarney Castle. We've paid a short visit to Blarney in mid 2005. To be honest the castle is a little bit pricey and the Stone of Eloquence is nothing more than a good marketing (we've kissed the stone just in case we're wrong!!! ;-)), but even though it is worth visit. Just a little warning - it gets really crowded in high season!!!

Important changes to EU hand baggage restrictions

2006-11-06T11:05:00.000Z

The European Union has adopted new security rules that restrict the quantity of liquids, gels and pastes air passengers may carry through airport security search points in cabin bags.

The new rules apply to all air travellers travelling from any EU airport, as well those travelling from Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, regardless of their destination. The changes will be effective from November 6, 2006.

Gaelic football and hurling

2006-11-05T14:30:00.000Z

Hi,

We've just posted a new article about Gaelic football and hurling, two uniquely Irish sports which have passionate support throughout the country.