Places To Visit
Galway Sea Festival June Bank Holiday Weekend
If you find yourself in Ireland on the June Bank Holiday weekend (May 31st- June 3rd) why not head to Galway, on the west coast where all things maritime will be celebrated in a new festival? The new four day festival is family friendly and all events are either affordable for families to attend or free. From beach safaris to seafood trails, sandcastle competitions & sand sculpting workshops to windsurfing, day cruises and tours of the Irish Naval vessel LE Aoife, there is something for everybody. Don’t miss the spectacular Parade of...
read moreAlong the beautiful Barrow towpath
Do you have a grá (Irish for love!) for the hidden gems of Ireland? Would you like to enjoy nature, scenic beauty, mystery & history, romantic ruins, cozy stone-built buildings, plus a nice cup of coffee & a bite to eat after a gentle bit of exploring? Then Graiguenamanagh & St. Mullins are for you!
read moreReading Rick Steves’ Ireland on the Kindle Fire – what I found
I bought my wife a Kindle Fire HD for Christmas, and until now I haven’t had much opportunity to use it. I used it to browse a couple of websites, checked Facebook on it, and watched a couple of Netflix shows on there, but until tonight I’ve never used it for reading books or magazines, which is probably one of it’s primary functions. I have to say, now that I have used it to read/browse a book, I am impressed by what I found. I downloaded the trial version of Rick Steves’ Ireland, and took it for a good test-drive....
read moreA unique view of the beautiful Aran Islands in video – you’ll fall in love
Ever since Sophie Moss sent me the first draft of her article for how the Aran Islands inspired her to write her 3 part series, I have grown a little fixated with the islands. YouTube video after YouTube video has been watched and rewatched. I’ve read personal accounts from recent visitors and long time residents of the islands. It’s amazing how whether it’s a first time visitor to the islands or someone who has lived there all their life, the Aran Islands truly do draw people in. If you’ve never been to the Aran...
read moreIrish festivals in May 2013
Back with another choice lineup of Irish festivals for the month of May. Keep in mind these are just a few of the festivals that you’ll find around the country this coming month. There’s many more out there to suit all tastes. You’ll find a few links to other festival resources below. Here we go… Irish festivals in May 2013 Ballymaloe Festival of Food and Wine, Cork May 3rd to the 6th http://www.litfest.ie/ Tullamore Arts Festival, Offaly May 3rd to the 6th http://www.tullamoreartsfestival.com/ Burren In Bloom Festival,...
read moreHiring a car in Ireland…a must for seeing the country
When my daughter picked us up from the airport in Dublin, speeding off onto the motorways of Ireland, my dad and I were second guessing our plans to hire a car on our own. First off if you’re not familiar with a right hand drive on the left side of the road, you may be a bit daunted but don’t be!! Hiring a car in Ireland was one of the highlights of our 3 week trip and we only wished we had done it sooner than during the latter portion of our stay. We decided on beginning our journey in Cork and hired the car from the airport. It...
read moreIreland Visitor Discounts – save money on top attractions
Holidaying can be an expensive past-time. Of course you have the credit-card-killers: flights and hotels, but outside of those the activities you’ll do at your destination really do start to add up, especially if you’ve got a few kids tagging along. There are deals to be found though which will save you money on top visitor attractions, food and more. I stumbled on a handy little site a while back and they had pretty amazing savings for Irelands top visitors locations in 2012. Luckily they have updated the discounts to give the...
read moreKilmacduagh Monastery, County Galway – The Leaning Tower of Kilmacduagh
A very fine example of an Irish Round Tower can be found making up part of Kilmacduagh Monastery near Gort, County Galway. Unlike most other surviving towers, this one has a very noticeable lean, most likely due to it’s shallow foundations.
read moreIrish festivals in April 2013
Wow! Into April already. Time really does fly. Here’s a variety of Irish festivals I’ve picked out for the month of April that you might find enjoyable. If you know of others, or have one that you think really shouldn’t be missed, please add it in the comments. Irish festivals in April 2013 The Pan Celtic International Festival 2nd – 7th April Carlow more info Clifden Traditional Music Festival 4th -7th April Galway more info Waterford Festival of Food 11th – 14th April Dungarvan, Co. Waterford more...
read moreAnd It’s Straight I Will Repair To the Curragh of Kildare
Often seen by visitors from their train seat or through their car window, Kildare is a county that rewards the visitor who stops and spends some time. Overlooked by the magnificent mountains of Wicklow to the East, the flat boglands of Kildare are rich with biodiversity. Here you will see the ancient craft of turf (peat) cutting, still done by hand using a ‘Sleán’ as well as modern mechanised cutting. Plants that grow here include Bog Cotton (Eriophorum vaginatum and Eriophorum angustifolium – Irish Ceannbhán) and the carnivorous...
read moreIreland Top 5 golf courses
Although Scotland is more commonly associated with world class golf, Ireland boasts some epic courses of its own and in some quarters it is actually considered to be the home of the best links courses in the world. Of course the sheer beauty of both the Irish coastline and the tranquil surrounds of the inland countryside lend themselves to the construction of some great golf courses and with so many up and down the Emerald Isle, we thought we’d narrow it down to five of the best. So from North to South, East to West, here are five Irish...
read moreWill My Cellphone Work In Ireland – Phone Travel Tips Part 1
To be quite honest, there’s no one simple answer to the question “Will my cellphone work in Ireland?”. It really depends on a few things – your service provider, the type of service you already have, and the type of phone you wish to take with you on your travels. Most major American cellphone service providers do have options for international roaming, and you can probably find out the information related to roaming, on their website. Extra fees You may be tied in to a plan or service in your home country, but when...
read moreHow Do I Call Ireland From Abroad – Phone Travel Tips Part 2
Congratulations! You’ve booked your flights to Ireland, and now you’re looking for places to go, things to see, and somewhere to stay. You may need to make a call or 2 across the pond, or up from down under, to get some details straightened out. You may have found a number you wish to call, you may even have tried it, and it’s not quite working. So you’ve found yourself asking “How Do I Call Ireland From Abroad”. Never fear… Irish Area Codes Most standard Irish area codes begin with the number zero...
read moreEmergency Phone Number in Ireland – Phone Travel Tips Part 3
Hopefully your holiday in Ireland will be jam-packed with fun, and there’ll be absolutely no need to look for any kind of emergency help during your stay. But if you do need help, then it’ll be good to know how to get it. Emergency Phone Number in Ireland In the United States, people call 911 to get through to the emergency services. In Ireland the number to call is 999. Alternatively you can use 112, which also works throughout the EU and some other countries. Here’s a list of where 112 supposedly works. Safe travels! More...
read moreDrawings of Irish Castles: Blarney Castle, Ross Castle, The Rock of Cashel
A couple of weeks ago, I had the unexpected pleasure of receiving some drawings of Irish castles via Facebook. Stephanie Castor uploaded the pen and ink drawings you see below, of 3 of Ireland’s most famous castles: Blarney Castle, Ross Castle and the Rock of Cashel. Stephanie was very modest about her talent when I asked her about her artwork, but I’m sure you’ll agree, she sure knows how to capture beautiful Irish scenery in a remarkable way. I just love these sketches, and felt they’d be a great addition to the blog....
read more
