BUILDING THE FUTURE

Ulster

ULSTER AMERICAN FOLK PARK

Location: Castletown, Omagh, Co Tyrone Tel: + 44 (0)845 608 0000 Website: www.nmni.com

An open-air museum just outside the town of Omagh, the Ulster American Folk Park brings the story of three centuries of Irish emigration to life, from the thatched cottages of Ulster to the New World across the Atlantic Ocean. Open six days a week (Tuesday to Sunday), the park includes costumed characters demonstrating traditional crafts, a full-scale emigrant ship and a host of other exhibits and experiences.

CLEARSKY ADVENTURE CENTRE

Location: Castle Ward Demense, Strangford, Downpatrick, Co Down Tel: +44 (0)28 4372 3933 Website: clearsky-adventure.com

An outdoor pursuits centre located on the Old Castle Ward Demense on the shore of Strangford Lough (shooting location for Winterfell in Game of Thrones), Clearsky Adventure Centre offers a choice between instructed activities on land or water, or hireing mountain and kids bikes, toddler trailers, canoes and kayaks if you’d prefer to head out on your own. Learn to climb rocks, develop your kayaking skills, enjoy an archery session or take in a voyage on Strangford Lough.

GLENVEAGH NATIONAL PARK

Location: Church Hill, Letterkenny, Co Donegal Tel: +353 (0)76 100 2537 Website: www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie

Home to some truly spectacular scenery, Glenveagh is Ireland’s second-largest national park, set on around 16,500 acres of lakes, mountains, glens and woods with walking and cycling trails to help you explore. The visitor centre is located at the northern edge of Lough Veagh near the boundary of the park, featuring displays that provide information on walking trails, events and the history of the park. You can also take in the 19th-century Glenveagh Castle and its gardens on the shores of the lake. Check their website for up-to-date opening hours (may vary by season).

Photo courtesy Glenveagh National Park

CAVAN COUNTY MUSEUM

Location: Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan Tel: +353 (0)49 854 4070 Website: www.cavanmuseum.ie

Cavan County Museum is a collection of the heritage and culture of the Breffni county. Alongside a collection of materials spanning over 6,000 years and exhibitions on topics ranging from folk life to the Great Irish Famine, younger visitors are catered for by a playground, gardens and interactive features.

TITANIC BELFAST

Location: Queen’s Road, Titanic Quarter, Belfast Tel: +44 (0)28 9076 6386 Website: titanicbelfast.com

There’s a certain lure or mystique about RMS Titanic and its grim fate – an impressive cruise liner boasted as ‘unsinkable’ that nevertheless sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic in April 1912, with 1,503 people losing their lives. That story is brought to life magnificently at Titanic Belfast, which gives visitors the chance to experience work in the shipyards, life on board the White Star cruise liner, and the ocean exploration that followed decades later in search of the wreck. You can also take the chance to stroll onboard the SS Nomadic, the world’s last remaining White Star vessel.

ARMAGH PLANETARIUM

Location: College Hill, Armagh, Co Armagh Tel: +44 (0)28 3752 3689 Website: www.armaghplanet.com

Armagh Planetarium is dedicated to educating people of all ages about astronomy, demonstrating the amazing facets of the cosmos with various exhibits open on Saturdays and during school holidays for the kids. Visitors can take a stroll through the beautiful grounds of the Astropark, home to a scale model of the universe where you can walk through the solar system, through the Milky Way and beyond. Make sure to climb the Hill of Infinity and enjoy the views over Armagh and the surrounding countryside.

TOLLYMORE FOREST PARK

Spinkwee cascade Credit: Forest Service

Location: Bryansford Road, Newcastle, Co Down

Another filming location for Game of Thrones, Tollymore Forest Park sits at the foot of the Mourne mountains with stunning views over the sea at Newcastle. Alongside fabulous views, a range of follies, walking trails and camping facilities, there’s a great play area for kids that includes the Big Deer, a wooden play space designed for four to 11-year-olds with a castle turret, climbing frame, slide and rope bridges. The park is also home to Tollymore National Outdoor Centre.

Munster

BLARNEY CASTLE AND GARDENS

Location: Blarney, Co Cork Tel: +353 (0)21 438 5252 Website: www.blarneycastle.ie

While Blarney Castle is famed the world over for the stone that gives the gift of the gab, the castle’s gardens are also well worth an exploration. The extensive gardens cover over 60 acres and an additional 1,500 acres of woodland and farmland. Dating back to the 1750s, they contain a remarkable collection of trees and plants, natural limestone outcrops, caves, stone follies and wishing steps. New areas include a Poison Garden, Fern Garden, Pinetum and even a Neolithic stone circle, and several projects are currently underway such as the electronic tagging of trees and the Irish Heritage Plant collection in conjunction with the Irish Garden Plant Society. You’ll also find unusual plant species from countries such as Vietnam – Blarney Gardens is a member of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and works with other foreign organisations to create ex-situ collections of endangered species. It’s also the perfect spot for wildlife spotting – the native woodlands, meadows, rivers and lakes within the estate and around the village are home to species including otters, red squirrels, barn owls, river lampreys, trout, salmon and kingfishers. Bring your binoculars.

TRALEE BAY WETLANDS

Location: Ballyard, Tralee, Co Kerry Tel: +353 (0)66 712 6700 Website: www.traleebaywetlands.org

A mixture of vibrancy and tranquillity, Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre and Nature Reserve is popular with all ages, combining outdoor activities (pedalo boating, rowing boats, water zorbing and climbing wall) with nature exploration (wildlife exhibition, guided boat tower, viewing tower, bird hides and a nature boardwalk). The Wetlands Centre overlooks the adjoining greater Tralee Bay – over 8,000 acres of pristine nature reserve.

ARDMORE OPEN FARM

Location: Ardmore, Co Waterford Tel: +353 (0)24 87600 Website: www.ardmoreopenfarm.ie

Ardmore Farm and Mini Zoo is located just minutes from the seaside village of Ardmore, Co Waterford and overlooks Whiting Bay. The farm combines an open farm (with an emphasis on rare animal breeds such as mammoth donkeys, rare owls and marmoset monkeys) with a large indoor play centre, a haven for children with hours of fun and activities on hand in the playground, indoor play centre, go-kart track, zipline, soccer pitch, maze and more.

BLACKROCK CASTLE OBSERVATORY

Location: Blackrock, Cork Tel: +353 (0)1 432 6120 Website: www.bco.ie Explore history, space and aliens at Cork’s Blackrock Castle Observatory, with castle tours, planetarium shows, and an award-winning exhibition on the discovery of extreme lifeforms on Earth (and the implications for life beyond our planet’s borders) among the treats on offer. It’s also a quite spectacular backdrop for birthday celebrations – space-themed parties for those aged between 5-12 years old are on offer.

KILLALOE RIVER CRUISES

Location: Ballina/Killaloe, Co Clare/ Co Limerick Tel: +353 (0)86 814 0559 Website: www.killaloerivercruises.com

Killaloe River Cruises is a great way to enjoy and experience the River Shannon onboard the Spirit of Killaloe or Spirit of Lough Derg. The one-hour tour heads north along the Shannon and Lough Derg, with commentary provided as you pass interesting sights, scenery and breathtaking views. And, when you’re finished, pop up the road to Béal Ború, Brian Boru’s fort which dates back more than 1,000 years and overlooks Lough Derg below.

MUCKROSS HOUSE

Location: Killarney National Park, Killarney, Co Kerry Tel: +353 (0)64 667 0144 Website: www.muckross-house.ie

Located in Killarney National Park and close to the bustling town of Killarney, there’s plenty of magic on offer at Muckross House. The house itself is well worth touring (with lots of interesting tidbits over the course of an hour), but you can also take a stroll through the extensive gardens (no charge), visit the traditional farms and small farm animal petting area, or enjoy something to eat or drink at the Garden Restaurant, with the Torc and Mangerton Mountains in the background.