Travel Ireland Volume 6 Issue 68

Travelireland ireland Volume 6 Issue 68 December 2019

Abbey Theatre’s

magazine

Close Out the Decade with a Bang

Cool Winter Programme

Deck the Halls at Hillsborough Castle

Irish Christmas Traditions

by Pat Liddy

Keith Barry

on Injuries, Sceptics and New Show Insanity

Dine Out and Help Out

with StreetSmart

National Museum Exhibition Puts Ireland in Focus

CONTENTS

4

Welcome to Leinster

6

New Year’s Festival

8

Keith Barry

10

12 Irish Christmas Traditions by

Theatre – Dublin Pat Liddy

14

National Museum

16

Abbey Theatre

18

Explore Leinster

20

Leinster Restaurants

22

Leinster Bars

24

Welcome to Munster

26

Theatre – Rest of Ireland

28

Cobh Heritage Centre

29

Munster Restaurants

30

Munster Bars

Ellen Media Communications Ltd Suite 4, Talbot Business Centre, 19 Talbot St , Dublin 1.

Tel: 01 561 2431 / 087 911 3732 www.travelirelandmagazine.com Travel Ireland Magazine @traveliremag

Willkommen-Bienvenida-Bienvenue-Welcome to our December issue!

Whether this is your first time visiting our shores or you are returning once again to trace the steps of your distant ancestors, here at Travel Ireland we hope in some small way to be able to gently guide you as you plan your stay here.

In our latest issue, we shine a spotlight on some fantastic events happening across the country. These include magician and mentalist Keith Barry’s touring show Insanity, New Year’s Festival, Limerick Christmas Racing Festival and Hillsborough Castle in Co Down’s many seasonal offerings.

We also give readers the low down on the best theatre to see – including the Abbey Theatre’s wonderful Winter programme – as well as highlight the National Museum’s excellent exhibition Ireland in Focus. Meanwhile, Pat Liddy writes about Irish Christmas traditions and the magazine details how people can help those less fortunate during the holidays easily with StreetSmart.

Whatever you end up doing, we at Travel Ireland wish you a hefty and heartfelt céad míle fáilte and hope you enjoy your stay.

Taisteal sásta (Happy Travels).

32 Shopping

34

Explore Munster

36

Welcome to Connaught

37

Explore Connaught

38

Connaught Bars

39

Connaught Restaurants

40 StreetSmart

42

Limerick Christmas Racing Festival

44

Welcome to Ulster

45

Ulster Bars

46

Ulster Restaurants

48

Hillsborough Castle

50

Great Irish Writers

12 48

40

Published by Ellen Media Communications Ltd Publisher John Carey Features Writer Stephen Porzio (stephen@ellenmediacom.ie) Design & Art Direction Outburst Design Advertising John Carey (john@ellenmediacom.ie, 01 561 2431, 087 911 3732) Contributors: Pat Liddy, Angeline Le Mercier, Adam Patterson Photography, John McCurdy, Paula Moore, Patrick O’ , Stephen Walker, Ivan Donoghue, Joleen Cronin, Richard Eibrand, Padraig O’Donnell, Michael McLaughlin, Roma Keeley.

We wish to record our thanks to Michael Bates, Failte Ireland, The Office of Public Works and the National Monuments Service, Dept of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the National Trust-Giants Causeway (NI) for their help and guidance in the production of this edition.

We would also like to thank Paddy Donovan, Ed Reeve, Carr Cotter and Naessens, jonandlauren.wordpress.com and 10bestpubsingalway.wordpress.com for the use of their images.

Ellen Media Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Ellen Media Communications Limited does not accept responsibility for any advertising content. All unsolicited manuscripts will not be accepted or returned. No material may be used in whole or in part without the publishers prior consent. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of all the events information or recommendations on this site, no responsibility will be accepted by Ellen Media Communications Ltd, its editorial team, designers, authors or agents acting on their behalf for alterations, errors or omissions which may occur.

DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Leinster - The East Coast Province Leinster is the most easterly of the four provinces of Ireland, and is the most populated with the city of Dublin at its heart. The province is made up of counties Dublin, Louth, Meath, Carlow, Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Kilkenny and Wexford. These counties have a host of historic monuments, a picture perfect coastline and cities and villages thronged with things to do and see.

County Dublin is the home to the capital city. Dublin is the administrative, cultural, and economic capital of the country. It is one of the most exciting places to visit with a thriving arts, musical and theatrical nightlife.

All roads lead to Saint Stephen’s Green in the very centre of the city. You’ll find it at the top of Grafton Street, with Trinity College down at the other end. And just around the corner you can stroll around the cultural quarter of Temple Bar between Dame Street and the river that, famously, divides the North and the South of the city.

If you want to escape to the country without

GPO, Dublin actually leaving the city, then you can head north to Howth Head, or south to the charming and culturally vibrant villages of Dalkey and Killiney. Half an hour on the DART train will take you from the centre of the city to what feels like the heart of the country.

County Meath formerly known as the Royal County is the ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland who were based around the Hill of Tara. Meath is also one of the most archaeologically important counties on the island with its Neolithic sites at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. These ancient religious sites (built before the Pyramids) have been excavated and restored in recent years making them some of the busiest visitors’ attractions in the country. The sites are all only less than an hour’s drive out of Dublin and are accessible

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TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

Phoenix Park, Dublin through the Bru Na Boinne Visitors Centre.

The county also features the site of the Battle of the Boyne which was one of the great battles fought on Irish soil. For horse racing lovers, Meath has the wonderful Fairyhouse Racecourse, and there is also summertime horse racing on Laytown Beach.

County Wicklow has several world famous sites and attractions, from the Glendalough monastic settlement with its Abbey and Round Tower, to the fabulous Powerscourt House and Gardens. The Wicklow Hills rising majestically over the county and the seaside town of Bray are just some of its many attractions.

Offaly is situated in the centre of Ireland.

Nestling between the Shannon River to the West and the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the East, Offaly is one of the lowest lying counties in the country. Any visitor should travel along the Royal Canal where one can experience a peace and tranquillity little known in our busy world.

Kildare is the home of the National Stud, Newbridge Silverware and Maynooth College.

Couple all these with Mondello Park motor racing, Naas horse racing course and Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park and there is something for everyone.

Westmeath is a county which has at its heart the town of Athlone which is exactly situated in the middle of Ireland. It is home to the RTÉ

St Kevin’s Church, Glendalough

All-Ireland Drama Festival, the oldest pub in Ireland and some of the finest golfing, fishing and health spas on offer throughout the land.

Louth is known as “the wee county” as it is the

smallest county in Ireland but what it lacks in land mass it makes up for in places to see. It is the home of the Cooley Mountains, the Boyne river which is famous for its salmon fishing and the beautiful Carlingford area. If it is a leisurely drive you seek Louth is the place to go. Carlow is where you will find three of Ireland’s key national walking routes – the South Leinster, the Barrow and the Wicklow Ways. Carlow is blessed with hundreds of miles of excellent and varied walking trails, and hosts a wonderful arts festival every June.

Laois is where you can try your hand at a

Round Tower, Glendalough range of activities from paintballing in the Stradbally Woods to western-style riding at Fossey Mountain, bowls at the only indoor bowls stadium in the Republic or tie a fly at the unique Irish Fly-fishing and Game shooting Museum.

Kilkenny City was voted Ireland’s Top Tourism Town for 2013 by Failte Ireland which is Ireland’s main tourism body. It was voted Cleanest Town in Ireland at end of 2013 by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), and has also been voted 9th friendliest city in the world by readers of Conde Nast Traveler. The city was in addition voted Most Friendliest City in Europe. Couple all these awards with a huge countywide cultural heritage trail and it is a must see destination for any visitor.

Longford is situated in the basin of the River Shannon and the upper catchment area of the River Erne. It is ideally located in the heart of the Lakelands region within easy reach of many stunning and historic tourist attractions. The county’s accessibility to many of Irelands main towns and cities make it a prime location as a holiday base.

Finally, Wexford is famous for its glorious sandy coastline and together with County Waterford is known as ‘The Sunny South East’. You can also visit the oldest lighthouse in Europe which stands on the Hook Peninsula.

So now you know, whether you are a family group, a couple, or a single traveller, there is something for everyone in Leinster!

Are you free? so are we!

Free admission to the greatest collections of Irish heritage, culture and history in the world.

Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

Benburb Street, Dublin 7.

Turlough Park, County Mayo.

Outreach Events, Guided Tours & Lectures.

Museum Shops & CafĂŠs.

Open: Sunday & Monday 1pm to 5pm.

Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

Closed: Christmas Day & Good Friday.

For further information: Tel: +353 (0) 1 6777 444 Email: info@museum.ie Visit: www.museum.ie

Close Out the Decade with a New Year’s Festival Dublin is back and bigger than ever, expanding to two days to help ring in 2020 with style.

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TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

Bang

Speaking to Travel Ireland Magazine, Orla Carroll, Director of Product Development for festival organisers Failte Ireland, said: “Since we’ve been doing this, we’ve been trying to make every year better as we go along. What we’re doing this year is having a big moment at midnight but then also we’ll celebrate more on New Year’s Day” “We’re very conscious of visitors who come to the city that they’re here for a couple of days. It’s important to have things on and programme New Year’s Day as well.”

On December 31, the Irish capital will shine bright with the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment, as well as its familyfriendly equivalent, the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment Matinee. Both are making a highly anticipated return this year and are free to attend. However, tickets need to be booked in advance for the matinee at nyfdublin.com.

For the Liffey Lights Midnight

Moment Matinee, families and friends of all ages can ring in the new year together with entertainment starting at 6pm leading to the earlier countdown spectacle at 7pm. Kids can watch in delight and amazement as laser lights and aqua beams dance in perfect rhythm with music.

“Everyone thinks of New Year’s Eve as that midnight moment,” says Carroll.

“What’s special about Dublin is that we have a matinee earlier in the day for families. It’s really important that they – because they can’t go out at midnight if they have young kids – be included because it’s still a celebration.”

Later, one can celebrate the final moments of 2019 with a bang under a canopy of sparks with the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment. This lighting spectacle will be performed against the backdrop of the Custom House. It features up to 100 aqua beams, lasers and search lights dancing across the night sky, performing

in time with original music created especially for the countdown event. This will start at 11.30pm with excitement building to a crescendo as the clock strikes midnight.

In terms of music on offer, the festival is putting a spotlight on Irish music with Co Down rockers Ash and Co Kerry four-piece Walking on Cars. This is alongside Dublin pop-star Aimee and Fermanagh-based country singer Lisa McHugh.

Speaking to Travel Ireland about headlining, Paul Flannery – bass guitarist for Walking on Cars - said: “We’ve done the festival a few times before and to be asked to come back as a headliner is a great compliment. We are flattered.”

His bandmate and pianist for the group Sorcha Dunham added: “The Irish music scene at the moment is just unbelievable.

There’s so many amazing artists. It’s good to have this at the end of the year to celebrate Irish music all in one place.”

Aimee also expressed delight at being selected to perform: “I’m so excited. I don’t think there’s anything better that I could do to ring in the new year.”

Speaking about the opportunity the

festival is giving homegrown artists to showcase their work to wide audiences, the singer stated: “The fact that so many Irish acts are coming out of the woodwork is putting us on the map now again. We’ve so many talented musicians so it’s great that tourists will be able to see that.”

Originally hailing from Glasgow, Lisa McHugh told Travel Ireland she is very excited to spend New Year’s in the capital. “This is my first time performing such a huge calibre gig in Dublin City Centre. Dublin is always up for a party. I can’t wait.”

“When you mention Ireland to anyone abroad, they say: ‘Oh I love going to Dublin. It’s a great night out.’ Gigs like this are important to keep those people coming back and bring new faces. People want to ring in the New Year and make it a real enjoyable experience. I think it’s a great idea and I’m just delighted to be a part of it.”

Tickets to the Countdown Concert (which include entry to the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment event) are priced at €36.90. They are on sale from nyfdublin. com.

People can also kick-start 2020 with a free family-friendly New Year’s Day Concert in Temple Bar from 3pm to 8pm.

The gig will feature performances from some more of Ireland’s finest musicians including Brian Deady, Kila, Luz and Wyvern Lingo.

Speaking to Travel Ireland, Carroll says about the second day of the festival: “It’s really very much about the international visitors so that there’s something on for them. But obviously we’d hope Dublin people may want to start the new year not necessarily sitting on the coach but actually being out and about in their city.”

For additional information on all other NYF Dublin events, visit nyfdublin.com.

DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

7

arr y Keith B Talks Injuries,

Sceptics and

y t i n a s n I w o h S w e N

Keith Barry has hacked into my mind twice now.

While priding myself as a person of logic, I believe in his brand of magic.

T

he first time was at a press event a couple of months ago. Barry asked me to think of something completely random. Then by just staring into my eyes and telling me to imagine further objects related to my first thought, he correctly intuited what was in my head.

The second time was as Barry was promoting his upcoming show Insanity – touring across Ireland from December 27, 2019 to March 14, 2020. Heading into the

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TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

interview, I assumed he would not remember me as our last encounter was only in passing.

Instead, I’m greeted with: “We’ve met before.

Come in.”

A consummate showman, Barry has a magic trick ready for me. On the desk between us is a scrabble board. He asks me to spell a word with the letter tiles and to conceal it from him. “Focus on the word – the last letter,” Barry tells me. “Can you think of an animal starting with the last letter?

Don’t tell me.”

Looking at me intensely, he says: “This animal has four legs. It’s a large land-based animal. It’s grey. Are you thinking of an elephant?” I am. “Now. Focus on the word again. The scrabble pieces have numbers on them because you get points when you add them up. Do you know what yours adds up to?” I do. Running through the numbers from one to ten quickly, Barry correctly lands on six.

“Now in your mind say the word out loud over and over again.”

I comply. “More more more. Was it ‘more’?” It was. Flabbergasted once again by the mind hacker, I say: “Insane. That’s literally insanity,” to which I get reply: “Well in Insanity, I’m getting electrocuted and lobotomised. It’s a bit madder than that.”

A household name on account of his frequent appearances on TV and his 20 years touring, Barry is a different kind of magician. Rather than play up the mystical element of his profession, he is logic driven.

On this topic, Barry says: “There’s too many people willing to be deceitful for their own gain. I’m not one of those. I am an entertainer.

I use a whole load of different techniques. I use magic techniques, deceptive techniques and real techniques – hypnosis, NLP (neuro linguistic programming) – to create an evening of entertainment. I’m telling you I’m going to fool you and then I fool you. I’m not telling you I’m using any mystical powers.”

Speaking about how he developed Insanity, Barry says he landed on the concept thanks to a long-time fascination: “There’s a very thin line between genius and insanity. I investigated Edvard Munch, most famous for painting The Scream. He was in and out of mental institutions and asylums and was getting electric shock therapy. Some of his best paintings were born out of that. Your right hemisphere becomes ignited from the electricity.”

“I’m a terrible artist which means I can never really figure out drawings or pictures that people are thinking. My right hemisphere needs to be ignited. So, every night, I’m going to electrocute it on stage – both sides of my brain, both temples. Trust me, it hurts. That’s to help me hack into people’s brains and figure out what images they are thinking of. I will be using an easel and paints, based around Munch.”

The night of the interview, Barry debuted the above trick to a select number of press. It really needs to be seen to be believed, the uncomfortable squirms of the audience followed by their amazement at the successfully completed routine was practically palpable. Even sceptics were left dumbfounded.

On non-believers, Barry says: “I quite like seeing the transition of them being sceptics at the start to not necessarily believers at the end but knowing what they’ve seen is as genuine as it can get. There’s no stooges, actors, plants or camera tricks.”

Drawing inspiration from other historical figures such as Rasputin – known as ‘The Mad Monk’ – Barry will also perform a routine designed around lobotomies, an old controversial method of treating mental disorders. “They used to use ice picks. They’d drive them over people’s eyeballs into their brain. Every night I have an ice pick, a person on stage and me. I don’t want to say too much more. I want it to be a surprise. But you can figure out where that’s going,” he jokes.

I ask has he ever been hurt performing. “I passed out one time in the Olympia with 1,000 people watching in the middle of an escape.

I had my head wrapped in clingfilm. I got winded and when I went to breath, I inhaled a mouth full of clingfilm and passed out. Also, years ago I did a stunt on TV where I was frozen in a tub of ice for 47 minutes. I was really sick for three weeks after.”

There’s also a current, contemporary edge to Barry’s new show, which he spent four months developing. “We’re in a more insane world than ever right now for a host of different reasons,” argues Barry.

“I have a whole routine based around conspiracy theories. Every night

we create one in the show.” Meanwhile, like many of Barry’s other tours there will be lots of chances for participation.

“In the second half, I explain that everyone has about 400 impulsive intrusive thoughts per day, insane thoughts we are not in control of.

I get the audience consciously to think of weird wacky things that they’ve either done or they want to do or even dreams that they’ve had. Then I throw a catch box into the audience. Whoever catches it I must try and hack into their brain and figure out their crazy thought, much to the hilarity of everybody else.”

Sensing my next question, Barry states: “I know from previous experience people will say: ‘That seems really interesting but I’m never going to that show for fear of landing on stage’. This is where the Insanity show differs from anything I’ve done in 20 years. We’re going to have 500 meters of tin foil outside the front door. If you want, you can grab a metre and create your own tin foil hat.”

“Of course, that’s tongue-in-cheek. Tin foil hats don’t do anything.

But it means that you opt out. I won’t go anywhere near you. But if you are not wearing a tin foil hat, I might use you in a demonstration.

I quite like getting sceptics on-stage so I encourage them to come and not wear a hat.”

For the full list of dates and to purchase tickets for Keith Barry’s show Insanity – touring across Ireland from December 27, 2019 to March 14, 2020 - visit Ticketmaster.ie

DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Theatre Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Mamma Mia!

From West End to global phenomenon, Mamma Mia! is an ingenious musical, combining the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs with a sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads unfolding on a Greek island idyll. To date, it has been seen by over 60 million people in 50 productions in 16 different languages. It will be performed at the Bord Gais as part of a UK and International Tour celebrating 20 years since the show first premiered in London in 1999.

Dates: Dec 10 – Jan 5 Tel: 01 677 7999 or visit www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie Also at the Bord Gais this month: The Snowman Christmas Special Dec 6 - 8

The Abbey Theatre Drama at Inish

The Gate Theatre A Christmas Carol

Dates: Nov 24 – Jan 19 Tel: 0818 719 388 or visit www.gaietytheatre.ie Charles Dickens’ classic novella about an elderly miser visited by the ghost of his former business partner and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come is translated to the stage. This is in a new adaptation by acclaimed writer Jack Thorne (National Treasure, The Virtues).

Cinderella: The Story of Cinders and Her Fella

The Gaiety Theatre

Aladdin – Gaiety Theatre Panto

Dreamgun strike back with a whole new line-up of Christmas themed film reads for you to binge.

Expect classic movie scripts, rewritten with jokes and nonsense, read by unprepared comedians.

Die Hard, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, The Lion King and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy will be getting the Dreamgun treatment.

Dates: Dec 19 - 21 Tel 01 677 0014 or visit www.smockalley.com Also at Smock Alley this month: Gaslight Dec 3 – 7, This is NOT a Cult Dec 9 – 14, Baa Humbug! A Stocking Full of Show Tunes Dec 12 - 14

A major new Abbey production of Lennox Robinson’s play, which first premiered at the theatre in 1933, the story follows the inhabitants of a small seaside town in Ireland. Inish has never been on the map but it has been making headlines lately, and for all the wrong reasons.

Could the performances of the newly arrived De la Mare Repertory Theatre Company really be the cause of the town’s strange behaviour? For more information, see page 16.

Dlr Mill Theatre Robin Hood

The wicked Sheriff of Nottingham won’t stop raising the taxes of the town until the lovely Maid Marian agrees to become his wife. But this Maid Marian is not one to give up on a fight and, with our hero Robin Hood, sets out to overthrow the nasty Sheriff. There may be wedding bells . . . but for whom? Mill Productions’ One Hour Panto is perfect for families, featuring audience participation, songs, dancing and a host of crazy, zany and colourful characters.

Dates: Nov 21 – Jan 24 Tel: 01 887 2200 or visit www.abbeytheatre.ie

TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

Dreamgun Film Reads: The Christmas Binge

The Olympia Theatre

Dates: Dec 20 – Jan 4 Tel: 01 679 3323 or visit www.olympia.ie

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Smock Alley Theatre

Dates: Nov 15 – Jan 18 Tel 01 874 4045 or visit www.gatetheatre.ie

Classic fairy-tale Cinderella will be getting the panto treatment courtesy of the Olympia.

Directed by Irish film and TV star Simon Delaney, the show features Ryan Andrews (Fair City), James Patrice (Dancing with the Stars), Maclean Burke (Fair City), Erin McGregor (Dancing with the Stars), Nadine Reid (Xposé), Zoe Talbot (Riverdance), Dublin comedian Al Foran and Rob Vickers (Les Miserables on The West End)

Also at the Abbey this month: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Dec 10 – 28

taking audiences on a magical carpet ride with this year’s show Aladdin. An Arabian tale of true love, magic wishes and dastardly dealings, organisers say this 2019/2020 panto will excite and delight all ages with the extra helping of song, dance, slapstick and laughter that people have come to expect from the Gaiety’s festive extravaganza.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the Gaiety Panto. As such, the theatre will be

Dates: Dec 7 – Jan 5 Tel 01 296 9340 or visit www.milltheatre.ie

Irish Christmas Traditions

by Pat Liddy

It’s seldom Dublin lives up to the seasonal Christmas card image of snowy weather. In fact, in the last 60 years it only snowed around 10 times when the white stuff lay on the ground on December 25. Having said that, the atmosphere in both the city centre and in the suburbs is decidedly Christmassy with the public display of Christmas trees, festive shop windows, lights and decorations. As a visitor to Ireland during the festive season be warned and prepared of one thing though: the country is virtually closed on Christmas Day, probably the most-closed country in the world on that day!

T

he weeks leading up to Christmas can be delightful but also chaotic as everyone prepares for December 25. Carol singers at various vantage points will brave inclement weather for their selected charities. Meanwhile pantomimes play in theatres and concerts featuring seasonal music including the annual performances of Handel’s Messiah - take place in cathedrals, churches and concert halls. Retail outlets may offer the occasional

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TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

mulled wine; pubs and restaurants will provide a cheerful welcome from the winter darkness; and companies will hold parties as their staff prepare for a holiday which for many will last until the New Year. Most importantly families will gather for joyful reunions, welcoming home the relatives who live and work in, literally, every corner of the globe.

This might be a good opportunity to look back to pre-Christian times which suggest that the Irish may have been partly responsible for the whole idea of Christmas in the first place. At least 5,000 years ago the ancient peoples of Ireland celebrated mid-winter, a time when the harvest was gathered and one could look forward to the growing season again. The great monument of Newgrange in County Meath - 600 years older than the oldest pyramids of Egypt - was where the ancients gathered (and modern folk still do) on December 21 to observe (if fortune provided a cloudless sky!) a shaft of sunlight filling the burial chamber. This was thanks to its calculated alignment with the sun with the event triggering week-long celebrations.

The Celts in Ireland continued such mid-winter traditions for millennia but elsewhere such festivals were snuffed out in Roman-conquered territories.

The Romans themselves had the feast of Brumalia, or the ‘unconquered sun’, also around December 25. Vikings had their feast of Yule (meaning ‘wheel’ or the turn of the season). By the 5th century the Christian church was determined to stamp out these pagan rites and so instituted the feast of Christ’s birth to replace them even though Jesus was likely born in late September or October.

Christmas in my childhood was a special time in the otherwise harsh economic legacy left after the Second World War. Britain was still in the grip of rationing and I can remember what was called the annual Great Turkey Airlift when many tens of thousands of the birds were dispatched to emigrant relatives in the U.K. Also at that time charities spent endless hours collecting and delivering gifts to the thousands of impoverished families living in Dublin’s Dickensian tenements. While those terrible living conditions are long gone there are still people in distress from financial difficulties, homelessness, loneliness or bereavement who need and, thankfully, usually receive special help and support at this time of the year.

Up to 60 years ago very few people in Ireland had a Christmas tree in their house but rather a crib showing the nativity scene and a candle burning in the window, symbolising that you welcomed the Christ-child or indeed any weary traveller into your home.

Incidentally, Dublin boasts the world’s oldest hand-made candle factory; that of John G Rathborne, founded in 1488. The Christmas tree was first introduced into England in the 1840s by the German Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, and no household or prominent public place today would be without one. The idea of the crib has not entirely died out and one famous example, complete with live animals (they are stabled at night-time), stands every December in aid of charity in front of the Lord Mayor’s house on Dawson Street.

Customs of times past included Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve which is still celebrated but is now usually around 9.00pm. Christmas Day, in an increasingly secular society, is still thought of in a special way from a traditional religious point of view or as a day for visiting family graves.

One unusual tradition in Dublin for the morning of December 25 is the charitable swim at the Forty Foot in Sandycove when hundreds of hardy souls take the plunge into the sea regardless of the weather.

While the Irish didn’t exactly invent Christmas, we have certainly made it our own. There could also be a grain of truth in an old legend that the saint associated with Christmas and the very spirit of Santa Claus, St Nicholas of Myra, is buried in Ireland! Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra (in modern Turkey) was buried there in the 3rd century. His remains, in the face of the advancing Muslim army, were lifted by a number of crusading knights and brought to be reburied in Bari, Italy. Two Irish knights then took some of his relics (a few bones perhaps) to Jerpoint Park, near Jerpoint

Abbey in Co Kilkenny. You can still see the ancient gravestone there.

Check with local tourist offices for other Christmas events.

In a short article I can but hint at just a few of Jonathan’s Swift’s attributes. But if you are in Dublin for the Swift Festival (November 21 - 24) you can attend one

of the many events which will help to bring Swift, his life, his work, his extraordinary genius and his legacy to life (https:// jonathanswiftfestival.ie/calendar-of-events).

During the festival this author also has a series of tours to present Swift and the Dublin of his time (www.walkingtours.ie).

dodublintours

TED VO

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O

TR

IP

Whether you want to sit back and soak up the culture at Dublin’s historic sites or get out there and explore the streets, meet the people and sample the Guinness, our guides can help you make the most of your holiday and see the city like a local.

ON

AS

Dublin’s No.1 Bus Tour A D VIS

FREE Kids FREE Hotel Shuttle FREE Walking Tour FREE Little Museum of Dublin

Book a Tour

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Buy in person at Dublin Bus Head Office 59 Upper O’Connell St, Dublin 1 Hop on and pay driver

dodublin.ie DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Ireland in Focus

The National Museum’s New Photography Exhibition A major exhibition of important photographs taken in 1950’s Ireland is currently on display at the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History in Collins Barracks.

Titled ‘Ireland in Focus: Photographing Ireland in the 1950s’, the exhibition explores the way in which three photographers – Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Cresswell – saw and portrayed Ireland through the people they photographed and the places they visited. This was during what is generally regarded as one of the more challenging decades in 20th century Ireland.

Speaking to Travel Ireland about how the exhibition came about, curator of Ireland in Focus Dr Fidelma Mullane says: “I was aware of Cartier-Bresson’s visits to Ireland and that he had taken quite a few photographs but there didn’t seem to have been any major exhibition of his work here. So, I went about investigating. Out of that came the whole notion that people were coming to Ireland to photograph it, particularly in the 1950s.”

The exhibition features 50 images taken across the country by the French CartierBresson, considered the most important photographer of the 20th century, 30 of which have never been exhibited previously.

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TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

He first came to Ireland in 1952 as part of an assignment for Harper’s Bazaar magazine, before returning for a holiday in 1962.

“Cartier-Bresson was an ardent admirer of James Joyce,” says Dr Mullane. “I feel that when he came back in 1962, it was to revisit the sites associated with Ulysses - Belvedere College, Clongowes College, Mulligan’s Pub

and the Martello Tower in Sandycove.”

Also included in the exhibition is 20 images by renowned American photographer Lange, taken in Dublin and Co Clare in 1954 while on an assignment for Life magazine, and 30 images by Cresswell, a Paris-based American anthropologist who spent over a year living in Kinvara, Co Galway in 1955 and 1956, with

return visits in 1957 and 1958. The latter came to Ireland to write a study on the country’s rural communities.

The photographs included in the exhibition give a rare insight into everyday life in 1950’s rural Ireland. Amongst them are images of families working together shearing sheep and killing pigs, Corpus Christi processions and punters at the racecourse.

Speaking of Cresswell’s work, Dr Mullane says: “I knew Cresswell. He was a gentle person. I think the people of Kinvara liked him very much and he liked them. I feel a lot of the people there were at ease when he was taking photographs, that he was unassuming and maybe didn’t impose himself on the community.”

“He was living among them and the photos are like that. You don’t see in his presence him having an agenda to take any particular type of photograph. He photographed life as it was in Kinvara at that time.”

The 1950s were a bleak part of Irish history as post-Civil War economic hardship and various other factors led to the country’s highest rates of emigration since the Famine. However, in certain aspects, the photos on display in the Ireland in Focus exhibition highlight some of the positives of the decade’s older antiquated style of rural living.

As Dr Mullane notes: “Cresswell’s emphasis was on rural life. Kinvara was a small rural town and all the hinterland was agricultural. People at that time living there were almost self-sufficient. They made everything.

They grew their own food.They sourced a lot within their own community, which of course is very sustainable.”

“If you look at Lange’s photographs, you can see there’s marvellous order in the landscape. All the rows of crops are growing in perfectly neat rows. The fields are ploughed wonderfully in straight lines. The work that was going on was very skilled, very experienced. People had been doing this for a long time. The scale of the order in the landscape could not have been organised for photographers to look nice. This was daily life and they captured it as it was. People appear from the photographs and it seems like despite the difficulties, society was functioning.”

Speaking at the exhibition’s launch on November 20, President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said: “We’re reminded this evening of the power of photography, its capacity to not simply capture unique moments in time but connect us to the past. These photographs are an invaluable gift to society, giving us a bridge in time to landscapes neglected and people forgotten.”

“Celebrating the gift we have here this evening from these three great

artists is something that is critical when on occasion the arts are viewed as something peripheral, something that belongs on the fringes of society, a luxury for those who can afford it. That is a view I tried more than 30 years ago to put an end to when we made the decision to take this building [Collins Barracks] and try and use it for a public purpose. We must support and cherish our national museums and galleries, our libraries and our local theatres.”

Dr Mullane also echoes President Higgins’ comments: “I would suggest that maybe it’s only a National Museum that can do this type of work. It’s very painstaking, long and challenging. But the National Museum has that kind of long-term vision and dedication. I must compliment them.”

Having taken nearly a year to put together, Ireland in Focus is expected to be visited by 100,000 people. Like all the museum’s exhibitions entry is free. It will be on display until April 2020.

For more information about the Ireland in Focus exhibition, see www. museum.ie/Decorative-Ar ts-Histor y/Exhibitions/Current-Exhibitions/ Ireland-in-Focus-Photographing-the-1950s-(1). Meanwhile, visit www. museum.ie for details of the National Museum’s other ongoing events and activities.

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The Abbey Theatre’s

Cool Winter Programme he Abbey Theatre are delighting audiences this Winter season with two terrific plays – Drama at Inish and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.

T

The first is a major Abbey production of Lennox Robinson’s play, which first premiered at the theatre in 1933. Being performed now until January 24, this new staging takes the acclaimed farce and transplants it into 1960’s Ireland.

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The story follows the inhabitants of a small seaside town in Ireland. Inish has never been on the map but it has been making headlines lately, and for all the wrong reasons. Could the performances of the newly arrived De la Mare Repertory Theatre Company really be the cause of the town’s strange behaviour?

The show features some of Ireland’s best loved actors. These include Anthony Moriarty, Aoibhinn McGinnity, Breffni Holahan, Helen Norton, Marcus Lamb, Marion O’Dwyer, Mark O’Regan

and Nick Dunning. It is to be helmed

by Belfast-born director Cal McCrystal in his Abbey Theatre debut.

McCrystal is the acclaimed comedy director for the National Theatre’s West End and Broadway hit show One Man, Two Guvnors. He also directs productions for English National Opera, Gifford’s Circus and large-scale cabaret shows in Las Vegas.

On top of this, he has created comedy sequences for Cirque du Soleil and for various films including Paddington, Paddington 2,The Amazing

Spider-Man 2 and the forthcoming movie adaptation of Cats. Joining him behind-the-scenes is a strong line-up of leading Irish creative talent including Sarah Bacon (set and costume), Sinead McKenna (lighting design) and Carl Kennedy (sound design).

Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, directors of the Abbey Theatre, said in a statement of Drama at Inish: “The renowned literary tradition of the Abbey Theatre is a symbol of Ireland’s strength within the performing arts and on the world stage. For the past two years we have paid homage to the Irish canon with productions such as Teresa Deevy’s Katie Roche and Marina Carr’s On Raftery’s Hill.”

“This winter, we’re delivering the work of another master Irish playwright with a new production of Drama at Inish, Lennox Robinson’s hysterical riot that proves its endurance across the decades. We invite audiences to see some of Ireland’s finest actors perform in this unique Abbey Theatre collaboration with the brilliant comedic director Cal McCrystal.”

On the Peacock Stage, the Abbey Theatre presents A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. This recently premiered at Dublin Fringe Festival to a rapturous audience and critical reaction, winning the festival’s award for Best Design.

In a kitchen, in a theatre, two storytellers and their audience find something remarkable — a very old man with enormous wings. The wise neighbour woman tells us he’s an angel. The priest says he’s an imposter. Pilgrims

flock to see him, hoping to be healed by him, hoping for a gawp. They leave with something different than what they expected.

Adapted from Gabriel García Márquez’s tale of the same name, Collapsing Horse, one of Ireland’s most exciting theatre companies, brings a classic piece of magical realism to the stage in search of its beautiful, strange, emotional richness. Running from December 10 - 28, this production is one for the family to enjoy and is suitable for ages 8+.

McLaren and Murray added: “Showcasing bold new creative voices and local performers is key to the mission of the Abbey Theatre, and this presentation of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is a thrilling example of the fresh and exciting talent within Irish theatre.”

“This show will captivate Abbey audiences, building further upon its recent successes at the 2019 Dublin Fringe Festival. It made a huge impression on us and we were keen to extend its reach as quickly as possible. We hope to see both young and old(er) theatre lovers join us for what will be a highlight of our winter season.”

To book tickets to these shows, visit abbeytheatre.ie or call 01 87 87 222.

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Explore Leinster

The Chester Beatty Library

The War Memorial Gardens When you are visiting IMMA in Kilmainham, you should walk on over to Islandbridge about half a kilometer further on. The gardens there are dedicated to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1st World War. The names of all the soldiers are contained in the beautifully illustrated Harry Clarke manuscripts in the granite bookrooms in the gardens. Not merely a place of remembrance, they are also of great architectural interest and beauty. They are one of only four gardens in this country designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944). The others being Heywood Gardens, Lambay Island and those in Howth Castle. The sunken rose gardens, herbaceous borders and extensive tree planting on view here make it well worth that extra bit of a walk.

Open all year round. Tel: 01 475 7816

Glasnevin Cemetery Museum & Guided Tours Located 2.5km from Dublin city centre, Glasnevin Cemetery is one of Ireland’s most popular attractions - a breathtakingly gorgeous Victorian Garden cemetery where over 1.6 million are buried. Guides are passionate about sharing their love of history and recount the stories of Ireland’s fascinating past through daily walking tours, resulting in history lessons made fun and memorable by professionals who know their stuff. Awarded TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Award 2018, Glasnevin is a cemetery of historic importance. Museum, genealogy, gift shop and café on site.

Open daily for guided tours, re-enactments and the O’Connell tower. museum@glasnevintrust.ie (01) 882 6550 www.glasnevinmuseum.ie

Pat Liddy Walking Tours of Dublin

If you really want to get to know the city, then walking around with an entertaining and professional guide is the best way to discover its history and hidden treasures. Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours of Dublin have been offering their famous tours for over a decade. The tours are described as entertaining and full of history. Even for someone who lives in Dublin, the tours surprises with loads of hidden facts. You can choose from a wide range of scheduled tours (all year round), including three brand new tours designed to get you off the beaten path. Docklands – The New Old Dublin, Hidden Gems of the Northside and The Tempting Whiskey Trail around the historic Liberties. Private tours can be arranged at any time geared to the topic of your choice. Tours are offered in main European languages.

Find Out More Book at: www.walkingtours.ie Contact: Info@walkingtours.ie or 00353 10832 9406

The only museum in Ireland to win ‘European Museum of the Year’ and described by the Lonely Planet as not just the best museum in Ireland, but one of the best in Europe, the Chester Beatty Library opens a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world.

Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur’an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts are among the many highlights that you’ll find on display here. And be sure to avail of the excellent guided tours that the loquacious and extremely well-informed guides provide there, free of charge. They take place on Wednesdays at 1pm and on Sundays at 3pm and 4pm.

Opening hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, Sat 11am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm.

Tel: 01 407 0750

The National Museum of Ireland

Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) Kilmainham Gaol may seem like an unusual place to spend a morning or afternoon but despite its sometimes grim past it makes for a fascinating visit.

Built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol served as a prison for 128 years, and tours detail some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland’s emergence as a modern nation. The tour of the prison includes an audio-visual show. Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and cannot be booked in advance.

Tel: 01 453 5984

The Museum is recognised as Ireland’s premier cultural institution and home to the greatest collections of Irish material heritage, culture and natural history in the world. With three locations in Dublin covering Archaeology, Natural History, Decorative Arts & History, and one location in Mayo covering Country Life, you can lose yourself for hours in the many exhibitions.

Free admission Tel +353 (0) 1 677 7444 www.museum.ie

Baggot Street welcomes a beautiful modern Italian restaurant!

Open for lunch from 12pm to 3pm, Dinner 5pm 'til late, Mon- Sat www.cirillos.ie

Phone | +353 1 676 6848 Location | No. 140, Baggot St., Dublin 2 18

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Recommended Restaurants in Leinster Camden Kitchen

A culinary gem in the heart of Dublin, Camden Kitchen is the place to go to for lunch or dinner. Their menu changes daily to reflect the best seasonal ingredients available, meaning you know that you’ll be served fresh, seasonal food every time. Diners can choose from beautiful starters such as Irish Line Caught Mackerel, Connemara Crab Meat or Whipped Goats Cheese and then move on to delicious main courses, like Breckland Duck Leg, Irish Rib Eye Beef and Smoked Haddock Risotto, all served up in a wonderful cosy atmosphere by the friendly staff.

3 Camden Market, Grantham Street, D8 Tel: 01 476 0125 www.camdenkitchen.ie

Le Bon Crubeen

Silken Thomas

Silken Thomas is a family operated business, established for over 40 years. Focussed on giving that warm Irish welcome, Silken Thomas has a proven record in quality and service. Silken Thomas is where you can eat, drink, dance and sleep.

Silken Thomas brings to you the traditional Irish Pub Lils, the more sports-orientated Squires and the contemporary Flanagan’s Lounge. For whatever occasion you are celebrating or a place to simply relax for a drink, Silken Thomas is the choice for you.

The Square Kildare Town Co. Kildare +353 (0) 45 522232 info@silkenthomas.com

PRADO This is one of the best value restaurants in Dublin, with a brasserie menu to suit all tastes.

It has won Best Value Restaurant Dublin in the Dubliner, Best Pre-Theatre listing in Hot Press and Best Casual Dining in the Restaurant Awards Value and Quality.

81-2 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Tel: 01 704 0126 www.leboncrubeen.ie

Zaytoon

Zaytoon gives you the chance to choose a healthy eating option and indulge in the guilty pleasure of treating yourself to a scrumptious kebab. More a casual diner than a fast food place, they offer the very best of Persian cuisine. And as well as the one in Temple Bar they’ve opened a second one at the top of Camden Street.

14/15 Parliament St., Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 3595 www.zaytoon.ie 20

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Peploe’s

Peploe’s Wine Bistro is a chic and ambient restaurant located in the heart of Dublin City Centre. With it’s cosy lighting and comfortable spacious dining area, it is the perfect place to enjoy a fine meal in a relaxed atmosphere. All produce is sourced from only the best Irish suppliers and prepared to the highest standard. Located opposite St Stephens Green, Peploe’s is the perfect place to visit for a glass of wine to greet the evening after a twilight stroll in the park.

16 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 676 3144 www.peploes.com

Cliff Townhouse

Fine dining in Dublin city centre with seafood focused menus, including the innovative Afternoon Sea. The Cliff Townhouse restaurant serves brilliantly executed Dublin classics, menus are equally suited to a threecourse celebration or a light bite in the middle of the day. Staples include generous salads, eggs Benedict, Galway oysters, Irish lobsters, dressed Yawl Bay crabs, wild sea trout and 10oz Hereford rib eye steaks.

22 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 +35316383939 info@clifftownhouse.ie

Located by the gorgeous coastal area of Clontarf, Prado offers locally sourced food, cooked in a Mediterranean style over an open fire of Irish hardwoods. With its smart yet relaxed dining spaces, the restaurant is perfect for everything from a casual lunch or brunch to a night out with friends. A warm welcome is guaranteed in this beautiful restaurant by the sea.

Opening Times: Mon: CLOSED Tues - Fri: Lunch12:00 - 15:00 Dinner17:00 - Close Sat: Brunch 10:00 - 15:00 Dinner17:00 - Close Sun: Brunch10:00 - 12:45 All Day Menu Address: 9 Vernon Ave Clontarf Dublin 3 Tel: 01 6932299 Email: bookings@prado.ie Web: www.prado.ie

Mexico to Rome

Located in the heart of Temple Bar, Mexico to Rome, Bandito’s Grill House offer a new twist on Mexican dishes such as sizzling Fajitas, their unique Burritos, Tacos, Chili Con Carne, and Tex-Mex Baby Back Ribs in a Southern Comfort BBQ Sauce. They also offer a range of European and Asian dishes. They boast one of the best value earlybird menus in Dublin at €13.50 for a starter and main course, while their lunch special of a starter, main course and a soft drink or a glass of wine for €9.95 is superb value.

23 East Essex Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 2727 www.mexicotorome.com

Recommended Restaurants in Leinster Kafka Restaurant

Whether it’s for an Italian coffee, a sweet or savoury snack or a full meal with wine, you can call in here for continental cuisine, exemplary service and great value. They serve lunch, brunch and dinner, offering a fresh healthy menu of delights including Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Ravioli, Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Tiger Prawn Risotto and as they’re just a short walk from the City Centre, it’s the perfect place to start your night out.

236 Rathmines Rd Lwr., Dublin 6 01 497 7057 www.kafka.ie

ASADOR

Café Topolis

The Left Bank Bistro is 23 years in business, a true testament to its popularity. This modern restaurant is situated in the heart of Old Athlone, a stone's throw from the Athlone Lock on the River Shannon with views of the Norman Castle and its ancient architecture.

The food is exciting and innovative. You can savour fresh fish and dishes such as beef carpaccio, chicken satay and an array of decadent, delicious desserts.

Fry Place, High St, Athlone, Co. Westmeath Call (090) 649 4446 Email: info@leftbankbistro.com Situated on Parliament St, Café Topolis is one of the best Italian restaurants in town with an extensive menu offering superior Italian cuisine.

Best of all, it’s one of the very few places where they cook their pizzas in the traditional wood fired oven.

ASADOR, the balance of flames, flavour and food.

1 Victoria House, Haddington Rd, Dublin 4.

Tel: 01 254 5353 www.asador.ie

La Ruelle Wine Bar

37 Parliament St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 670 4961

Cirillo’s

‘ASADOR’ A Spanish word meaning barbecue, grill or spit. ASADOR Haddington Road opened its doors in November 2012 to great critical acclaim. The idea behind ASADOR is simple; take the best meats our fields can provide, the freshest seafood landed on our shores and cook this great Irish produce over a bespoke built 7 foot barbecue or ‘Asador’.

ASADOR was the first restaurant operation to bring premium level barbecue to the Dublin dining scene. Customers flocked to sample signature dry-aged steaks, lobster, fish and game cooked in the most ancient of ways. Guests can expect the best of old and new world wines, craft beers and of course a range of cocktails from the experienced team of mixologists - the perfect partner for premium barbecued food.

The Left Bank Bistro

Tucked in opposite the Mansion House, on Joshua Lane, La Ruelle is the ideal venue for an intimate drink, with over 100 different international wines of which 40 are served by the glass. Their menu includes a variety of mouth watering nibbles, tapas and bites served small or large to accompany your wine of choice. Catering for private parties with free car park facilities in R.I.A.C for all customers.

Perfect for the festive season or any events.

3/4 Joshua Lane, Dublin 2 laruelleadmin@laruelle.ie www.laruelle.ie

Salamanca

Cirillo’s have gone to great lengths to ensure that their customers enjoy an authentic Italian meal.

All of their pizzas are made to the traditional Vera Pizza Napoletana standards, using San Marzano tomatoes, 00 flour and fresh mozzarella all finished in a wood fire oven that they imported from Naples. All of their pasta, bread, pizza dough and ice creams are made in-house every day and they offer a wide variety of Italian wines, craft beers and aperitifs that beautifully compliment their seriously tasty meals.

Located on Andrews Street, near the new home of the Molly Malone statue, Salamanca was one of the first Tapas Bars in the city and remains one of the best. Their Tapas dishes are served by authentic Spanish chefs and they use only the finest quality fresh ingredients. Diners can choose from a wide range of quality Tapas and carefully selected Spanish wines for a truly authentic taste of the Mediterranean in the heart of Dublin City.

140 Baggot Street, Dublin 2 +353 1 6766848 www.cirillos.ie

1 St. Andrew’s Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 4799 www.salamanca.ie DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Recommended Bars in Leinster

The Duke

Sin É

Sin É on Ormond Quay is Dublin’s original late night alternative music venue. Whether it’s bluegrass, ska, alternative rock or open mic night’s that you’re looking for, Sin É caters for a range of eclectic tastes. The staff are warm and friendly and will serve you a range of incredible craft beers and cocktails at agreeable prices. If you’re looking for a great atmosphere and some of the best musicians in Dublin then Sin É is definitely the place to be.

14 -15 Ormond Quay Tel: 01 555 4036 & 01 555 4037 www.sin-e.ie

Grogan’s

Dingle Whiskey Bar

The Dingle Whiskey Bar is a delightful bar nestled beside Porterhouse Central on Nassau St. Walking into the bar, you are welcomed by a beautiful oak interior and a warm welcoming feel. The bar staff are very helpful, recommending many whiskeys and offering samples. And every Tuesday they host a Whiskey Tasting Class from 7pm with whiskey guru Fionnán O’Connor.

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about the brown stuff and enjoy some delicious whiskey.

Tickets available at the bar for €18.

Photo Ros Kavanagh

Ideally situated close to Grafton Street, this old watering hole has been providing liquid refreshment and sustenance to the people of Dublin since 1822. They have a great selection of craft beers, whiskeys and gins for you to try, along with amazing food. The Duke is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of busy Grafton Street.

9 Duke St, Dublin 2 016799553

44 Nassau Street, Dublin 2 01 677 4810 www.theporterhouse.ie

This is the regular hang-out for Dublin’s finest writers and painters, or the great unwashed, and the walls inside are decked out with paintings and drawings which can, for a small sum, be purchased. Improbably, it is also part of one of the most fashionable mini crossroads in the city centre. And at weekends, the place is humming.

15 S William St., Dublin 2.

Tel: 01 677 9320

J.P. Mooney’s JT Pim’s

Located in the heart of the Dame District, JT Pim’s is styled as a local bar in the city centre.

They offer quality drinks in comfortable surrounds. From local craft beers such as the 5 Lamps and Galway Hooker ranges, to fine wines and signature cocktails such as their twist on the classic Old Fashioned, they have all tastes covered. Their bartenders are happy to take requests and guide you through the list. Relax in their bespoke armchairs or leather couches, or when the sun is shining, soak up the atmosphere in Dame Court.

4 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2 (01) 672 4645 22

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On the historical corner of Nassau and Kildare Street, directly opposite Trinity College, you will find J.P. Mooney’s, a traditional Irish pub with a modern twist.

Boasting a vast selection of whiskeys and gins, a wide range of Irish and international craft beer and one of the creamiest pints of Guinness around - you will surely find something to tickle your fancy.

Big screens to watch the sport, live traditional music several nights a week, and a cosy snug in which to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

Traditional Irish food served all day long.

2 Nassau Street Dublin 2 (01) 551 3725

The Confession Box

One of the smallest bars in Dublin, The Confession Box is situated in the heart of Dublin City near the Spire. During the War of Independence rebel volunteers sought refuge here and received the sacraments from local sympathetic clergy.

Recently, this iconic part of Dublin’s history was renovated. Now run by the capital’s friendliest bar staff, the spot offers great live music from Thursday to Sunday, as well as coverage of major TV sports events. Catering to all tastes, it’s no surprise The Confession Box has picked up much deserved awards.

88 Marlborough St, Dublin 1.

01 828 0028

Welcome to Munster Munster is the most southerly of the four provinces of Ireland and stretches from Tipperary in the South Midlands to Waterford in the South East, and from Clare, Limerick and Kerry down to Cork in the South.The entire area is famed for Irish traditional music, song and dance. There are many ancient castles and monasteries in the province, and coupled with the vast green countryside and its three cities (Limerick, Cork and Waterford) Munster is a must see destination for tourists.

Cork at night

Lismore Castle Bunratty Castle in County Clare is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour and now contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art which capture the mood of those times.

Travelling down the coast, Limerick is the next port of call which this year has been designated as Ireland’s first City of Culture.

From theatres to outdoor music events, museums to festivals, Limerick has an eclectic mix of sights and sounds to suit all tastes.

County Limerick also incorporates the Foynes Estuary with its world famous Foynes Flying Boat Museum. The museum tells the story of the Pan Am Clipper aircraft which brought commercial flights from America to our shores, landing in the estuary itself. It includes the only full-scale model of a Boeing B-314 Flying Boat anywhere in the world.

The Rose of Tralee is the most famous Festival in Kerry and this internationally acclaimed festival comes with all the bells and whistles Reginald’s Tower

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you would expect from a truly Irish experience.

The festival celebrates its 55th year this year and commences with the International Rose Ball on the 15th of August before culminating with the selection of the 2014 Rose of Tralee in the magnificent dome four days later. There is a packed programme of events during the week for all to enjoy.

One of Munster’s most famous landmarks the Rock of Cashel, in County Tipperary is the historical seat of the Kings of Munster. The outcrop on which the Castle and grounds stand is one of the most photogenic spots in all of Munster. The spectacular group of medieval buildings are set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale and include the 12th century round tower, the High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, the 13th century Gothic cathedral, the 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral.

Tel: 062 61437 Email: rockofcashel@opw.ie County Cork is well worth the drive as it has sandy beaches, the wonderful Blarney Castle, Foto Wildlife Park and golf course, wonderful coastlines and a city nightlife to rival any of that in Europe. Travel from east to west or north to south in this sprawling county and

there is a view, an historical point of interest or an adventure to explore.

Finally at the extreme South East of the island of Ireland is Waterford. Waterford is the capital of the ‘Sunny South East of Ireland’ and Ireland’s oldest city. The city and county is famous throughout the world as the home of Waterford Crystal. A visit to the House of Crystal visitor centre includes an opportunity to choose from the world’s largest selection of Waterford Crystal. The factory tour offers first hand access to all areas of traditional crystal production.

County Waterford offers a dazzling 147 kilometres coastline, with 49 beaches, beautiful river valleys, lakes and two dramatic ranges of very accessible mountains.

Theatre Cork Arts Theatre Showtime Memories

Featuring a vivacious miscellany of songs from 20th century musicals, Showtime Memories will see a quartet of classically trained singers perform tracks like Showboat’s ‘Ol’ Man River’, My Fair Lady’s ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ and West Side Story’s ‘Tonight’. The programme comprises a mixture of solos, duets and quartets which move seamlessly from one to the other, interrupted only by highly informative narration introducing the songs.

Dates: Dec 6 – 8 Tel: 021 450 5624 or visit www.corkartstheatre.com Also at Cork Arts Theatre this month: Funsize Dec 11, Aladdin – the panto Dec 12 - 13

Grand Opera House, Belfast

classic Juno and The Paycock for this intriguing new play from the pen of Eddie Naughton (Inishfallen Fare Thee Well). Here we see Joxer Daly’s journey from respectable member of The Foresters Association to a vagabond scraping by with only his wit to use as collateral.

Dates: Dec 13 Tel: 061 953 400 or visit www.limetreetheatre.ie Also at Lime Tree this month: For the Love and Honour Dec 6 – 7, Swan Lake Dec 6 – 7, Baby’s First Xmas Dec 11, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Dec 13 – 14 Beauty and the Beast Panto Dec 27 – Jan 5

Dates: Dec 10 – 22 Tel: 028 9024 1919 or visit www.goh.co.uk Also at the Grand Opera House this month: Beauty and the Beast Nov 30 – Jan 12

Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick Joxer Daly Esq

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Cork’s favourite panto is back – and it’s full of beans – oh, yes it is, giving English fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk the pantomime treatment.

Organisers say the show will climb to brand-new heights while still appealing to all generations of panto lovers – old and new.

Dates: Nov 30 – Jan 12 Tel: 021 450 1673 or visit www.everymancork.com

Town Hall Theatre, Galway ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Heart of Winter / Swan Lake

The town is preparing for Christmas. Houses are being decorated, cards are being written, presents are being wrapped and stockings are being hung. Inspired by the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore, this joyful journey through the most magical night of the year combines storytelling, original live music and puppetry to create a fun festive show for audiences 5+ and upwards.

Dates: Dec 19 - 21 Tel: 091 569 777 or visit www.tht.ie Also at the Town Hall this month: Aladdin Dec 29 – Jan 12 There are two great shows coming to the Mermaid this December. The first is Heart of Winter, a new musical. Christmas is coming and Sally can’t sleep – it’s far too hot! No-one can remember the last time it snowed, or even rained. To help her sleep, Sally’s dad reads a story about the last snowflake. That night the young girl has a dream that changes everything. A mysterious silver spark transforms her bedroom into a glistening white field.

Following Heart of Winter’s run, Ballet Ireland’s production of classic Swan Lake will pirouette into the Mermaid, telling the story of Odette, a beautiful princess, who is turned into a swan by day by evil magician Von Rothbart, only to regain her human form at night. Out hunting by the lakeside, Prince Siegfried encounters her and falls madly in love with her. But will he be able to break Von Rothbart’s spell?

Dates: Dec 17 - 18 / Dec 20 - 22 Tel: 01 272 4030 or visit www.mermaidartscentre.ie

Phelim Drew returns to the stage reviving Sean O’Casey’s playful scrounger from the

Jack and the Beanstalk

Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow

Xmas for Dummies

Following the success of last year’s sell-out hit On the Shelf, Tara Lynne O’Neill (Derry Girls) and Chris Robinson (Counsel) are back with another darkly comic antidote to all the usual Christmas schmaltz. It is Christmas eve. Tracey is working late to get the shop window ready for the Boxing Day sales. Suddenly, finding herself locked in, Tracey, is all alone … or is she?

Organisers describe Xmas for Dummies as ‘the 80s movie Mannequin set in Castle Street…with cheaper actors.’

The Everyman

Also at the Mermaid Arts Centre this month: Baby’s First Xmas Dec 9

Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny Christmas Gothic

Come in from the cold and enter into the Christmas spirit as a dark and spectral woman tells haunting tales of the festive season, lighting a candle to the frailties of human nature and illuminating the chilling depths of the bleak, wintry dark. Following the international touring success that was Female Gothic, Dyad Productions resurrects a Victorian tradition by presenting three seasonal tales of terror to scintillate the gooseflesh for dark Christmas nights.

Dates: Dec 7 Tel: 056 7761674 or visit www.watergatetheatre.ie Also at the Watergate this month: Heart of Winter Dec 5, The Bockety World of Henry and Bucket Dec 9 – 10, The Man in the Woman’s Shoes Dec 12, Santa’s Fairytale Christmas Dec 22

Cobh Heritage Centre

The Queenstown Story

Cobh, or Queenstown as it was known at the time, has very close connections with the two great liners of the 20th century, The Titanic and The Lusitania - discover the human stories behind these tragic events.

T

he exhibition at Cobh Heritage Centre, known as The Queenstown Story, is inventively situated within Cobh’s restored Victorian railway station, a building with its own historic story.

The Queenstown Story will engage the visitor in a journey through time, recalling Irish emigration with real stories about real people. From the indentured servants of Virginia and the West Indies plantations in the 17th century, the early settlers in upper Canada, the famine victims of the 1840s to the large-scale emigration of the 19th and 20th centuries. The visitor will also discover the hardships endured by the convicts who were transported to Australia.

The present town of Cobh has its origins as a small village nestled in the hillside on the southern shores. The village was known as Cove, being situated in the cove, or harbour, of Cork.

The town did not begin to grow until the early nineteenth century, but its strategic importance was realised in the late eighteenth century during the American War of Independence. Vital shiploads of troops and supplies were needed by the British forces fighting in America between 1775 and

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1781. The entry of France into the war in 1778 heightened the danger of these ships being attacked at sea. This large and safe harbour provided ideal conditions in which the ships could assemble and be protected.

The wars against France from the 1790s to 1815 were to prove the catalyst which led to the future prosperity of the town as Cove and its harbour played an important role in this war at sea.

Cove went on to become a major port with both naval and merchant shipping and was one of the major ports of emigration.

Cobh, or Queenstown as it was known at the time, has very close connections with the two great liners of the 20th century, The Titanic and The Lusitania - discover the human stories behind these tragic events.

The exhibition is a self-guided tour with audio tours available in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Chinese.

It is not just interesting and educational, but very emotive and thought-provoking.

“Take a glimpse into our storied past and walk in the footsteps of our emigrant ancestors”.

Recommended Restaurants in Munster The Munster Room Restaurant

The Lobster Bar and Restaurant

options, qualifies La Boheme as a hidden gem in the heart of Waterford City.

Open Monday - Saturday 5.30pm until late (Open Bank Holiday Sundays) 2 George’s St., Waterford. Tel: 051 875645 www.labohemerestaurant.ie

The Smuggler’s Inn The 2-AA Rosette Munster Room Restaurant is located on the idyllic private island of Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Resort. The Island is just minutes by car from Waterford city centre and accessible by complimentary Resort ferry.

The Castle culinary team work passionately to create dishes with sublime flavour using high quality produce sourced from local suppliers, the kitchen’s vegetable patch and by foraging for what grows naturally on the 310-acre Island. The menu changes seasonally so guests can always savour the freshest ingredients.

The Munster Room Restaurant’s oak-panelled walls, Waterford Crystal chandeliers and ornate ceilings match the luxurious surroundings of the 16th Century Castle hotel. Home to a fine Irish whiskey collection, an impressive wine cellar and signature cocktails, the elegant Fitzgerald Room bar is perfect for an aperitif or post-dinner drink.

During the day, the Castle serves Afternoon Tea in the bright conservatory overlooking the lawns, with homemade pastries and desserts prepared by dedicated pastry chefs.

The restaurant and hotel have made the lists for both McKennas’ Guides 100 Best Places to Stay 2019 and 101 Great Irish Restaurants 2019.

They have also won Luxury Hotel of the Year 2019 and Munster Fine Dining Hotel of the Year 2019.

Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort The Island, Ballinakill, Co Waterford X91 Y722 info@waterfordcastleresort.com 00353 (0)51 878 203 www.waterfordcastleresort.com

The Strand Inn

Delicious food and friendly service are what makes The Lobster a must visit on the Ring of Kerry. Established over 60 years ago, it’s a family run business steeped in history. On the front of the restaurant is a giant lobster holding a pint of Guinness which can’t be missed.

Inside a warm welcome, a relaxing atmosphere and award-winning food awaits. The restaurant prides itself on its seafood, with whole poached lobster, beetroot cured salmon, local mussels and seafood chowder some of their signature dishes.

Waterville, Co. Kerry. Tel: 066 947 4629 www.thelobsterwaterville.com

Out of the Blue

Cliff Road, Waterville, Co. Kerry Tel: 066 9474330, www.thesmugglersinn.ie

Momo They serve only the freshest, most succulent fish and shellfish here, which they have delivered every day, literally, from the sea outside their front door. And if there’s no fish on a particular day, then they won’t open the restaurant. A certain Mr. Paul Hewson, aka Bono is a fan. So book early to avoid disappointment.

Dingle Harbour. Tel: 066 915 0811

La Boheme

Overlooking Hook Head, The Strand Inn is the perfect place to enjoy lingering breakfasts, relax over a long lunch or enjoy intimate, romantic suppers. Diners can look forward to the finest Irish beef, lobster and line caught seafood in a luxurious setting, characterised by beamed ceilings, original stone walls and planked floors.

Dunmore East, Co.Waterford.

Tel: 051 383 174 www.thestrandinn.com

This ocean front family run (2nd generation) establishment opened in 1980. The restaurant has been praised by gastronomic writers worldwide. It’s not hard to see why as the Chef/Proprietor, Henry Hunt, takes pride in serving fresh local produce. Panoramic views from the dining room, and friendly service, will give you the perfect dining experience.

For total relaxation why not have an overnight stay in one of the comfortable guest rooms.

La Boheme offers a unique experience for lovers of fine dining, with its location in the basement of one of Waterford’s foremost prestigious buildings. Head Chef Eric Theze uses fresh locally sourced produce, providing guests with exquisitely presented delectable dishes. Christine ensures that all are greeted with a warm welcome, with the belief in treating each guest as if they are being welcomed into their own home. A blend of fine dining and wine bar with bistro menu

Momo is a multi-award-winning restaurant in Waterford City, Ireland. They pride themselves on their fresh and healthy menu featuring ingredients from the local food producers of Waterford County. You will enjoy a wide range of international dishes including lots of vegetarian/vegan options as well as delicious meat and fish dishes. Momo featured in the McKennas’ Guides Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland 2018, 2017 and 2016, and won ‘Best Casual Dining’ in Munster at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2017.

47 Patrick Street, Waterford, Ireland.

Call (051) 581 509 kamila@momorestaurant.ie

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Recommended Bars in Munster

Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder, Irish Whiskey Experience

Ryans Bar

Developed by whiskey lovers as a first class destination for whiskey enthusiasts and novices alike. Guests will be amazed by shelf upon shelf of Irish, Scottish & international whiskies and a wide variety of Irish craft gin & vodka, craft beer and cider, eclectic wine list, and creative cocktail menu. Fresh, locally sourced food served daily. Irish Whiskey Experience offers the chance to discover more about the history, production & renaissance of Irish whiskey, with 10 masterclasses to choose from, running every day.

93 New Street Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: +353646635700 www.celticwhiskeybar.com www.irishwhiskeyexperience.net

The Roaring Donkey

Perched up on “Top of The Hill” the Roaring Donkey is Cobh’s oldest traditional pub. Still original and oozing charm and authenticity the pub has been operating since 1880. It is known locally as the rugby pub but they do their best to accommodate most sports. A traditional music session has been running for nearly 40 years and is on every Wednesday night. Great craic guaranteed or enjoy a quiet pint in one of the finest beer gardens in town.

The Roaring Donkey Tiknock, Cobh, Co. Cork Phone: (021) 481 1739

The Friary

Located by the river on the corner of Cork’s historic Shandon Street and North Mall, The Friary is a unique combination of old, new and eccentric. It's a homely craft beer bar with delicious gins and tonics.

Look out for its astonishing range of special events; music, art, quizzes, the famous Drunk Spelling Bee, weird films, Penguin parties (really) and more!

62 Shandon St, Cork Tel: 087 668 0941

The Bierhaus

There are over 220 different beers to choose from here, including 6 rotating guest draught taps and a cask. So whether you are looking for a bottle or draught, an international or an Irish beer, there’s a reasonably good chance you’ll find it here. And they spend as much time on getting the atmosphere right as they do on choosing their beers.

Pope’s Quay, Cork Tel: 021 455 1648 A friendly, family-run traditional Irish spot, Ryans Bar is one of Cobh’s most popular pubs, located right in the heart of town. Owned

by Paul and Gemma O’Halloran for the last 21 years, the venue shows all live sports and features live music on the weekends, as well as occasional sessions midweek. On top of this, it boasts a real cozy feel in the Winter. This is thanks to its gorgeous, rustic open fire.

12 Casement Square, Cobh, Co. Cork (021) 481 1539

Dolan’s Pub and Restaurant

Dolan’s is made up of three venues, two outdoor areas, a traditional Irish pub and a restaurant. So there’s music here every day of the week, and they’ll serve you your breakfast, lunch and dinner as you require. Some of the many guests who’ve enjoyed their hospitality include Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Sharon Shannon and Imelda May. 3-4 Dock Rd, Limerick Tel: 061 314 483 (ext 1)

The Original Durty Nelly’s

Durty Nelly’s can truly be described as one of Ireland’s landmark pubs. Nestling in the shadow of the magnificent Bunratty Castle, it is the first stopping off point for generations of visitors to Ireland arriving at nearby Shannon Airport. Apart from the warm Irish welcome that you’ll find at Nelly’s, you’ll also enjoy the finest, freshest local produce – whether you’re just dropping in for a snack or staying for a fine dining experience.

The Original Durty Nelly's Bunratty West, Bunratty, Co. Clare +353 61 364 861 info@durtynellys.ie

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An Unmissable Experience!

Cobh, The Queenstown Story An informative and emotive story of Irish emigration.

Learn about Cobh’s connection with Titanic and the Lusitania.

Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland.

Open 7 days 9.30 – 5.30 (Sundays 11am) Tel 353 (21) 4 813591 Find Cobh the Queenstown Story on Facebook 237664_Cobh Heritage_AC_SCIT.indd 1

Email: info@cobhheritage.com Web: www.cobhheritage.com 01/12/2015 14:08

Recommended Shopping Powerscourt Centre

Located in Dublin’s Creative Quarter on the bustling South William Street is the Powerscourt Centre. Housed in a stunning Georgian townhouse, the Powerscourt Centre has over 40 shops and restaurants and offers shoppers a wonderful city centre shopping experience.

The centre offers a range of fashion stores, such as All Saints, French Connection and Mary Grant and if antiques are your thing then the Powerscourt Centre is the place to go. There are a number of antique stores in the centre, including Courtville Antiques, Delphi Antiques, Lilly Fine Art, The Silver Shop and Monte Cristo. If you’re planning a wedding in the near future, the Centre also offers a number of superb wedding outlets www.powerscourtcentre.ie

Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre Located at the top of Grafton Street, in the heart of Dublin city centre, Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre hosts a wide variety of top retailers. Household names such as Dunnes Stores, Argos, Boots, Eason, United Colors of Benetton, Mothercare, Elverys, Golden Discs and TK Maxx can be found here. When you’re finished shopping, you can relax in one of the many lovely cafes, head for a pint in one of the many nearby pubs, or take a stroll across the road in St Stephen’s Green. www.stephensgreen.com

Jam Art Factory

Courtville: Antique & Vintage Jewellers

Courtville is a traditional Dublin shop with a friendly atmosphere, in business over 50 years and based in the Antique Gallery within the Historic Powerscourt Townhouse. Their collection of vintage, antique and estate jewellery are sure to capture your imagination.

They are envisioning a more personal, accessible and enjoyable world to trade fine jewellery and engagement rings. Authenticity is guaranteed on every piece.

Instagram: @matthew.weldons Antique Gallery - Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, 59 South William Street, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 (1) 6794042

Tights Department Tights Dept. is an Irish owned store specialising in Italian legwear.

They offer a full range of classic and fashion hosiery: tights, socks (men and women), hold-ups, stockings, leggings and more, they also stock a collection of tops and vests. Top brands: Omsa, Emilio Cavallini, Trasparenze, Omero and Happy Socks.

Celtic Whiskey Shop

Ireland’s premier Irish whiskey specialists with a remarkable selection of beloved, rare and hard to find bottlings and shop exclusives. It boasts a knowledgeable and friendly staff who are proud and passionate about products, and are always on hand to offer advice. Feel free to pop in where we serve up in-store whiskey tastings all day everyday! If you're travelling, our staff can either wrap your purchases in protective wrapping or arrange shipping to national and international destinations.

27 – 28 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6759744 www.celticwhiskeyshop.com

Mourne Antiques

Unit 108, 1st Floor, Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2, Ireland D02 VF67 Shop online: www.tightsdepartment.ie (deliver worldwide)

Designer Exchange

Jam Art Factory was set up in 2011 by brothers John and Mark to showcase the work of Irish artists and designers. It specialises in digital art prints, street art, ceramics and some witty Dublin themed work. It has been shortlisted in The Irish Times “Best Shops in Ireland” 4 years in a row.

64 Patrick Street, Dublin 8 14 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 616 5671 www.JamArtFactory.com and www.JamArtPrints.com 32

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Ireland’s only dedicated pre-loved and authentic designer handbag and accessory store, Designer Exchange stock all the leading designer brands such as DKNY, Louis Vuitton and Chanel. They offer incredible savings on these top designer brands.

53 Dawnson Street, Dublin 2.

35 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01 612 8080 www.facebook.com/DesignerExchangeLtd

Mourne Antiques have been operating in the thriving town of Letterkenny for 25 years.

They offer a range of beautiful antiques, such as ceramics, silver, furniture and collectables, all with their own particular history and charm. You could find anything from a rare book to a mink coat!

They specialise in a wide range of jewellery.

From Victorian gold and precious stone pieces to Contemporary diamond and Engagement rings to 1940’s costume jewellery, their stock is sure to please.

38 Upper Main Street, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 074 9126457 www.mourneantiques.com

Recommended Shopping The Donegal Shop

The Donegal Shop is an independently owned and family run Irish business. They are specialists in Donegal homespun tweeds and knitted products. The store offers a range of knitwear, aran sweaters and accessories for both women and men, all crafted using techniques handed down through generations of Donegal artists.

Mention Travel Ireland to get a 10% discount 2nd Floor, St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2 01 475 4621 www.thedonegalshop.com

James Fox

Puro

Puro offers innovative collections of contemporary urban-wear and luxury sneakers from emerging talents as well as world renowned designers. Brands include Pal Zileri, Joop!, Baldessarini, Guess, Philippe Model, Gold Brothers, Android Homme, Mallet and many more.

Puro is the only Irish stockist of many of these brands and while we feel a visit to this beautiful store is a must to truly appreciate the collections, you can also shop or browse first online at puromenswear.com 34 Wicklow Street, Dublin, Ireland info@puro.ie Call (01) 558 1406

The Kilkenny Shop

Amelia’s is home to a selection of beautiful gallery pieces that are perfect for the home or a present for someone special. They stock a range of art and studio ceramics lovingly handcrafted by makers from all over the country, specialising in local makers from the North-West of Ireland.

There are little gifts and keepsakes for the everyday too! All pieces are handpicked by owner Frances Spears. She has over 20 years experience in the design and antiques business so you know you’re in good hands when you pay a visit to Amelia’s Irish Design.

29 Upper Main Street, Letterkenny Co. Donegal 087 2434060 www.amelias.ie

Mackintosh by Francis Campelli

Mackintoshes were first produced in Ireland in 1889 and Francis Campelli has been involved in the production of them for almost 40 years so you know you’re in the most experienced hands The Kilkenny Shop is Ireland’s largest emporium when you visit this store. for Irish designed products; from fashion and They offer the finest quality, waterproof jewellery to homeware, handmade crafts and crystal. For over five decades, the Kilkenny Shop has Mackintoshes for men and women from stock or made to measure been supporting Irish design talent, stocking top designers like Waterford Crystal, Orla Kiely, Aideen from €485, as well as a range of leather bags, satchels and accessories.

Bodkin, Nicholas Mosse and Stephen Pearce.

6 Nassau Street, Dublin 2 01 6777066 www.kilkennyshop.com

Irish Linen House

For over 135 years, James Fox Cigar and Whiskey Store has been Dublin’s focal point for lovers of Irish whiskey and premium Cuban cigars. Here you will find Ireland’s largest selection of handmade Cuban cigars, including rare and vintage stock.

James Fox also stock a large range of premium Irish whiskeys and spirits to satisfy the most discerning palates. Tax-Free shopping available in-store and online.

119 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Tel: (01) 677 0533 Email: info@jamesfox.ie Website: www.jamesfox.ie

Amelia’s Irish Design

Irish Linen House create handmade tablerunners, placemats and napkins made from the finest Irish linen. Each piece of the collection is uniquely made, fusing historical elements with a modern, contemporary edge and has caught the attention of worldwide stores including Barneys of New York. Just up the road from the Jameson Distillery, their Smithfield store is the perfect place to pick up a unique piece of Ireland.

Nr. Jameson Distillery, Bow Street Smithfield Village, Dublin 7 www.irishlinenhouse.com 01-5329572 / 083-3010502 01 820 8774

46 South William Street, Dublin 2 01 6088608 www.franciscampelli.com

Article

This charming store in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre is the perfect place to pick up a unique souvenir of your time in Ireland.

They stock homeware from around the world, including Irish designers - with everything from Irish woollen throws, glass vases and stationery on offer and the friendly staff are always on hand to offer help and advice.

Powerscourt Townhouse, South William Street, Dublin 2 01 679 9268 www.articledublin.com DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Explore Munster

The Hunt Museum Cliffs of Moher Loop Head Lighthouse This popular tourist attraction is located at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary on the Loop Head Peninsula, which is one of two “Signature Discovery Points” in County Clare along the route of the Wild Atlantic Way. It also is a landmark location on the Loop Head Heritage Trail and is one of 12 Great Lighthouses of Ireland. The lighthouse is steeped in history and rich in maritime heritage with its origins dating back to the 1670s. The existing tower style lighthouse was constructed in 1854 and was operated and maintained by a keeper who lived within the lighthouse compound. In January 1991, the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation, and today is monitored by the CIL.Open daily (10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.) until 5 November.

The Hunt Museum has artefacts from Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Olmec civilisation. There is also an important collection of Irish archaeological material ranging from Neolithic flints, Bronze Age material, and Christian art.

One of the strengths of the collection is the medieval material, which include statues in stone and wood, painted panels, jewellery, enamels, ivories, ceramics, crystal and crucifixes. Plus work from Picasso, Renoir, Roderic O’Conor, Jack B. Yeats, Robert Fagan and Henry Moore.

Stretching for eight kilometres along the coastline and standing at 214 metres at their highest point, the Cliffs of Moher give the visitor a panoramic view out onto the Atlantic Ocean. It is said that on a clear day you can see the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, over the twelve pins and the Blasket Islands off the coast of Kerry.

When there you really should ascend O’Briens Tower which has been used as a viewing point for centuries past.

Bunratty Castle

Tel: 061 312 833 www.huntmuseum.com

Titanic Experience Cobh

The Burren

Bunratty Castle in County Clare is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour and now contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art which capture the mood of those times. Browse the castle and marvel at the finest collection of medieval furniture in the country which brings to life a vital part of our Medieval past.

Blarney Castle

The Burren, from the Gaelic word Boireann is an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams. With its innate sense of spiritual peace, extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, and megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt’s pyramids, the Burren creates a tapestry of colour and a seductively magical aura which few people leave without wanting to experience again.

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Titanic Experience Cobh is located in the original White Star Line Ticket Office in the centre of Cobh town (formerly known as Queenstown) the departure point for the final 123 passengers who boarded the Titanic. The visitor experience is presented in two parts. The first is an immersive audio visual tour retracing the steps of the 123 passengers who boarded Titanic from Queenstown on April 11th 1912. The second part of the Titanic Experience examines how it all went wrong. The unbelievable and “almost” impossible sequence of events that occurred to cause Titanic to sink.

Blarney Castle was built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, and has been attracting visitors from all over the world ever since. Over the last few hundred years, millions have flocked to Blarney, making it a world landmark and one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. This is probably because of the famous stone you will see at the top of the tower. People from all over the world have climbed up there to kiss it in the hope of acquiring the gift of the gab.

www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie

Tel: 021 438 5252

MATTHEW WELDON

Antique, vintage and estate jewellery

Matthew.weldons Courtville - Matthew Weldon Antique Gallery, Powerscourt Townhouse, 59 South William Street, Dublin 2 Website - www.matthewweldon.ie | Telephone 00353 (1) 6794042

Welcome to Connaught

Macnas Festival Parade This Fierce Beauty

The province of Connaught lies in the West of Ireland with its coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. The counties of Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Galway and Roscommon make up this geographically diverse region with the Atlantic Ocean to its westerly boundary, and the midlands of Roscommon to the East. It is the least populated with a population of just over 400,000.

Historically, Connaught has retained its rich Gaelic heritage and today still has communities where the Irish language only is spoken amongst them. But English is the primary second language. These regions are collectively called the Gaeltacht. The remote and beautiful Aran Islands off the mainland of County Galway are also part of the Gaeltacht.

The primary business centre of Connaught, and the most densely populated area is the thriving city of Galway to the south of the province. Although Sligo City, Carrick on Shannon, and Boyle are all fine business and shopping centres in their own right.

Galway city

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Connaught has some Carrick on Shannon of the most scenic and unspoilt countryside to be found in Ireland, including the spectacular mountainous landscape of Connemara, the lock gates and river banks of the Shannon Waterway, the famed Galway Bay and the historic glens of County Leitrim.

Couple these with the beautiful Ashford the holiest mountain in Ireland. The tradition Castle in Mayo near to Cong where the of pilgrimage to this holy mountain stretches film The Quiet Man was filmed, and the back over 5,000 years from the Stone Age to natural serenity of Lough Key Forest Park the present day without interruption. Croagh in Roscommon, and a tour of this region is a Patrick is renowned today for its Patrician must for all.

Pilgrimage in honour of Saint Patrick, For those interested in a religious experience Ireland’s patron saint. It was on the summit Mayo is famed for Knock Shrine where on of the mountain that Saint Patrick is said to the 21st August, 1879, at about 8 o’clock, Our have fasted for forty days in 441 AD, and the Lady, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist custom of trekking up the mountain has been are reputed to have appeared. The apparition faithfully handed down from generation to was seen by fifteen people whose ages ranged generation. Croagh Patrick is 5 miles from the from six years to seventy-five and included picturesque town of Westport, and its conical men, women and children. The shrine has shape soars majestically above the surrounding become so popular in modern times that the countryside with magnificent views of Clew Ireland West International Airport was built Bay beneath. especially in 1985 to cater for the hundreds So, whether it’s water activities on the Atlantic of thousands of pilgrims and visitors to coastline, cruising on the Shannon Waterway, Connaught. religious pilgrimages, chilling out amongst The county also features the pilgrimage site an unspoilt landscape or driving along roads known as Croagh Patrick, which overlooks where motoring is still a pleasure, Connaught Clew Bay in County Mayo. This is considered has it all.

Explore Connaught

Westport House

Kylemore Abbey Few places on earth have the tranquillity and beauty of Kylemore Abbey and its majestic Victorian walled garden, which won the prestigious Europa Nostra Award in 2002.The garden comprises of roughly 6 acres and is divided in two by a natural mountain stream. The eastern half comprises of the flower or pleasure garden, glass houses and gardeners’ houses. While the kitchen garden makes up the other half of the garden and is predominantly given over to the growing of food.

Glencar Waterfall Glencar Waterfall is situated near Glencar Lake, 11 kilometres west of Manorhamilton, County Leitrim. It is particularly impressive after rain and can be viewed from a lovely wooded walk. The most dramatic waterfall descends from a 50ft rocky headland into a deep pool below in a haze of white spray. A paved path to the viewing area provides a wonderful vantage point from which to view the waterfall which is particularly spectacular during wet conditions.

Arigna Mining Experience Discover what coal mining life was like for coal miners in the Arigna Valley in Roscommon from the 1700’s until its closure in 1990. Visit the exhibition area to discover the history of the mine and then take an underground tour of the mine, where the methods used to extract coal are demonstrated, with lighting and sound effects added for authenticity.

Mullaghmore

www.WestportHouse.ie

Dún Aonghasa National Museum of Ireland - Country Life The National Museum of Ireland - Country Life in Turlough Park, Castlebar houses exhibits showing how rural people in Ireland lived from the time of the Great Famine right up until the 1950s. The museum features four levels of interactive displays and exhibitions that offer a fascinating insight into the lives of the rural Irish people in years gone by.

Connemara Mullaghmore is one of the surfing capitals of the Irish Atlantic coastline, and is recognised as one of the top surfing destinations in the world. Surfers and windsurfers from all over the world have ridden waves up to 15 metres (49 ft) high off Mullaghmore Head. The area is also safe for bathing, and has all the modern facilities that you could wish for to make your stay enjoyable.

Westport House is one of the finest country houses in Ireland and since it opened to the public in the 1960s, over four million visitors have passed through its doors.

There are over 30 rooms on show, where visitors can immerse themselves in over 500 years of history, going back to the time when the Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley ruled the estate. There is loads for the whole family to enjoy on the estate, including the Pirate Adventure Park, the Birds of Prey Centre and the Westport Train Tour.

Connemara is a world of unspoilt natural beauty, rolling hills, leafy glens and crystal clear mountain streams all overlooked by towering majestic mountains. Travel from the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog, to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean. This wondrous landscape is bounded on the West, South and North by the Atlantic Ocean.

Located on Inismór in the Aran Islands, Dún Aonghasa is one of the best examples of a semi-circular stone fort in Europe.

Located on the 300ft cliffside on the south of the island, it is one of Ireland’s most visited attractions and offers stunning views that stretch the length of the island.

Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick is 5 miles from the picturesque town of Westport, and its conical shape soars majestically above the surrounding countryside, offering spectacular views of Clew Bay and the surrounding countryside. It was on the summit of this mountain that Saint Patrick fasted for forty days in 441 AD, and the custom has been faithfully handed down from generation to generation. On the last day in July 25,000 pilgrims climb it, and over a million people visit Croagh Patrick every year.

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Recommended Bars in Connaught Tigh Neachtain (Naughtons)

Monroe's

Just across the road from Galway’s justly celebrated Druid Theatre, the Neachtain family have been running this pub here since 1894. And the artsy crowd that congregate here are as likely to be treated to a live jazz trio as they are to the best in Irish trad.

This famous venue in the heart of Galway city is renowned as one of the best live music venues in the city. Across two stages, they host regular National & International acts. The friendly staff will assure you of a warm welcome and they serve great food in the Tavern along with free live music seven days a week.

17 Cross st, Galway Tel: 091 568 820

The Front Door

Dominick Street, Galway 091 583397 www.monroes.ie

Bosh Bar and Restaurant

Whether you are looking for a bit of good quality food, hoping to catch some live music, or just want to watch the match, this is the place you’re looking for when you find yourself in Castlebar.

Linenhall St., Castlebar, Co Mayo Tel: 094 925 0534

Matt Malloy’s One of Galway city’s most popular watering holes, The Front Door is a contemporary Irish bar with a late bar, live music and an extensive drinks menu. Located in Galway’s bustling Latin Quarter and spread across two floors The Front Door features five bars, including a stylish cocktail lounge and Sonny Molloy’s Whiskey Bar. The Front Door is the perfect spot to sample Galway’s nightlife.

8 Cross Street Upper, Galway, H91 YY06 Tel: (091) 563 757

This is exactly the kind of pub you’d expect the flute player with the Chieftains to have opened. And when he’s not on tour with them, you can expect to see Matt Malloy here in person, joining in on the sessions that take place within.

Bridge St., Westport Tel: 098 26655

The Quays Bar Galway

Roísín Dubh

It might have changed hands a few years ago, but the Roísín Dubh is still the premier music venue in the West. In the past they played host to Ray Davies, The New York Dolls and Townes Van Zandt and, more recently the XX, DJ Shadow and Dinosaur Jr. The only difference is, they’ve got a beer garden on the roof now!

Lower Dominick St., Galway Tel: 091 586 540 38

TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

Located in the city centre in Galway’s vibrant ‘Latin Quarter’ The Quays Bar Galway is one of Galway’s most famous and historic drinking establishments. For close on 400 years The Quays has catered to both Galwegians and visitors to the city of Galway. The restaurant offers a carvery lunch and evening a la carte dinner. The Quays was awarded IMRO Connacht Live Music Venue of the year 2017.

11 Quay St, Galway Tel: (091) 568 347

Recommended Restaurants in Connaught Venice Italian Restaurant

This is somewhere special to spend the evening, with a relaxing atmosphere and fine dining at its best. Experience Venice’s fine Italian cuisine, with their distinctive taste and beautiful aromas you’ll be sure to have those tastebuds tickled. With stylish facilities, they offer an elegant dining experience that their attention to detail and exceptional service will ensure. Venice is the best Italian restaurant in Galway City Centre and boasts a wide range of tasty Italian dishes.

11 Lower Abbeygate St, Galway City Phone: 091 530-751. Email: restaurantvenice@yahoo.ie

Eala Bhán

Péarla na Mara

Péarla na Mara offer Irish-inspired cuisine with a Mediterranean touch in their restaurant in Oranmore. Using only the finest ingredients, locally sourced in the West and delivered daily specialising in fish, seafood, meat and poultry dishes, along with mouth-watering vegetarian dishes. Pair your meal with wines chosen from the carefully selected wine list. You are welcome to bring your own bottle of wine for a nominal corkage fee of €5 for any amount of wine bottles.

Unit 10, Howley Square, Dublin Road, Oranmore Tel: 091 483900 Email: info@pearlanamara.ie

Brasserie on the Corner

Rockwood Parade, Sligo Town Tel: 071 914 5823

Brasserie on the Corner on Galway’s Eglinton Street specialises in delectable seafood and steak dishes. They serve lunch and dinner and both menus are created with local, seasonal produce at their heart. These delicious offerings are created using produce from local suppliers. You will also be treated to an extensive and delicious wine and cocktail menu.

You will truly find pride and passion on the plate!

The Yew Tree Restaurant

Brasserie On The Corner, Eglinton Street, Galway, Ireland Tel: +353 91 530333

If it’s fresh seafood or a prime steak you’re looking for, this is the place for you. Situated in the heart of Sligo this restaurant is warmly recommended by one and all, including Lucinda O’Sullivan and Georgina Campbell.

Half way between Athlone and Roscommon, and a quarter of an hour’s drive from either, Aidan Murray has been head chef here for over 20 years. Superior bistro food.

Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon Tel: 090 666 1255

An Port Mór Restaurant

Roasted pig cheeks with black pudding, and apple and vanilla sauce is just one of this award winning restaurant’s specialities. One of the finest restaurants in the West.

1 Brewery Place, Bridge St, Westport, Co. Mayo Tel: 098 26730

Ashford Castle

Dating all the way back to 1228, this is one of the most imposing castles on the island. And where better to dine than in the George V dining room, built specially by the Guinness family when they hosted the Prince of Wales in 1906.

Cong, Co. Mayo Tel: 094 954 6003

Upstairs @ West Restaurant

Situated in the luxury 4 star hotel The Twelve in Barna, minutes away from the city centre, this is one of Galway’s best kept secrets and is well worth a visit.

The Twelve, Barna, Galway City Tel: 091 597 000 DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Dine Out and Help Out

This Christmas

F

ood is the ingredient that binds us all together and the small change in your pocket can make a big difference.

Those are the two ideas which drive StreetSmart. Each year, at a time when many will enjoy fantastic food with family and friends, the StreetSmart campaign remembers the men, women and children across the country who cannot afford a nice meal or even a roof over their heads.

Through StreetSmart people can dine out, as well as help out in the fight against homelessness this Winter.

The beauty is in the project’s simplicity.

In some of the best restaurants in Dublin and beyond, a voluntary €2 donation is added to each tables’ bill during November, December and into January. This money will then be used to support the organisations providing services, housing, advocacy and solutions to those sleeping rough.

“What StreetSmart is trying to

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do is bring together the restaurant industry to address the biggest social crisis for a generation,” says founder Brian Cuddy in a statement. “Feedback from staff and customers has been overwhelmingly positive. Homelessness on our streets is hard to ignore and during the lead-up to Christmas, most are very happy to give a little something back after enjoying their meal.”

With more than 35 restaurants around Dublin taking part, there is something for everyone. For those who like Asian food, all the Yamamori restaurants, as well as Hang Di, are part of the StreetSmart community – as are Dylan McGrath’s food venues including Fade St Social and the Shelbourne Social.

For fans of Mexican food there is 777; for Indian there is Vermillion and Veda; for seafood there is any of the Klaw venues run by Niall Sabongi; and for great steaks there’s Dillingers,

Butchers Grill, Darwins and Bow Lane Grill.

Meanwhile, joining the StreetSmart family in 2019 is Italian restaurant La Cucina; French restaurant Le Perroquet; the Malahide based Old Street Restaurant; all three of the Fish Shack restaurants; Ukiyo bar and restaurant; and the Porto House group. For a full list of participating establishments check out www.streetsmartireland.org/ restaurants-list/.

In the last five years the StreetSmart community of restaurants has successfully fundraised over €120,000.

All of the proceeds have gone on to help various homeless charities including the Peter McVerry Trust, Focus Ireland, Stepping Stone, Novas, Inner City Helping Homelessness and the Irish Soup Kitchen Centres.

This year, StreetSmart’s campaign is running on just 10 per cent of what it normally costs. This is thanks to the tireless efforts of Cuddy, as well various

organisations generously donating their time and skills for free.

Speaking about this, Cuddy says in a statement: “We want to donate 100 per cent of all money raised through StreetSmart and are seeking corporate sponsorship to help us do that. If you know of a company who would like to sponsor the StreetSmart campaign, and have their name and logo feature on our table cards, visible to over 250,000 diners during the festive period, then please do get in touch as we want to work with them.”

“Taking part in this feel good campaign will build relationships, as well as strengthen us as a community. At the end of it, we can all give each other a pat on the back for being more pro¬active about homelessness in our city.”

To contact StreetSmart, email info@ streetsmartireland.org or call +353 87 775 9614. Meanwhile, for more information about the campaign, visit its website at www.streetsmartireland.org.

DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Cork Airport Wins

National Digital Marketing

Award

C

ork Airport, Ireland’s fastest growing and most punctual airport, took home the accolade for Best B2C (business-toconsumer) Campaign at the 2019 Spider Awards.

Cork Airport, Ireland’s fastest growing and most punctual airport, took home the accolade for Best B2C (business-to-consumer) Campaign at the 2019 Spider Awards.

Cork Airport picked up the prize at the prestigious digital awards ceremony – which took place on Thursday, November 21 at the RDS Concert Hall in Dublin - for its most recent drive to increase brand awareness and maximise bookings.

This was through its digital marketing campaign Love Taking Off. The campaign focused on a selection of the over 50 routes on

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offer from Cork Airport across the UK and continental Europe. This was along with an emphasis on the key European hub airports that connect Cork Airport passengers to further destinations around the globe.

Commenting on the award, Head of Communications at Cork Airport, Kevin Cullinane said in a statement: “We are delighted to be awarded with Best B2C Campaign for our most recent campaign Love Taking Off at the Spiders. The objectives of this campaign are to build route awareness, grow passenger numbers by 7 per cent year-on-year and increase Cork Airport’s market share in the south of Ireland. Using a mix of pre-planning and customer research, creative workshops and strategic and targeted online and traditional advertising, the campaign has been a huge success.”

“This is due to the hard work and dedication of the whole team at Cork Airport including the digital department. We would also like to thank our creative agency Totem, our media buying agency Spark Foundry and our communications agency Springboard PR & Marketing, whose combined efforts have helped shape the success of this campaign. We are delighted to be honoured with this Spider Award.”

The win is further great news for Cork Airport who announced in October that their passenger numbers have increased by 9 per cent to just over 2 million in the first nine months of 2019. As a result, this is the airport’s fourth consecutive year of growth.

Passenger numbers at Cork Airport are estimated to hit 2.6 million by the end of the year, which would be an

8 per cent increase for the full 2019.

Traffic has already risen by 16 per cent over the past three years. So, this year’s stellar performance means that passenger numbers will have improved by nearly 25 per cent since 2015, going from 2.1 million to what’s expected in 2019.

“Passenger numbers at Cork Airport are thriving and it is the fastest growing airport in Ireland in the first three quarters of this year,” said Cork Airport Managing Director Niall MacCarthy in a statement at the time. “We have already announced six new routes and service expansions for 2020, which will further increase consumer choice into and out of Cork.”

“Airlines are increasingly choosing to place new business at Cork Airport as they see a commercial return from

an efficient and strong airport. We intend, with our experienced and professional local management team working with the strong backing of daa group, to retain the mantle of Ireland’s fastest growing airport into 2020.”

As mentioned above, there are over 50 routes on offer from Cork Airport to the UK and Continental Europe.

This, alongside multiple daily long-haul connections worldwide through major European hub airports, continues to drive Cork Airport’s growth.

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Welcome to Ulster

The Giants Causway Photo: @storytravelers The Ancient Irish province of Ulster, made up of 9 counties, was partitioned in 1921 and six of the counties in it now make up Northern Ireland. These are Fermanagh, Antrim, Down, Derry/Londonderry, Armagh, and Tyrone.

The other three counties are Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland.

County Fermanagh has over 300 square miles of water, 365 islands, breathtaking scenery, the mystical Marble Arch Caves Geo Park, world class fishing and more historic monuments than you could shake a stick at. In short, Fermanagh is a Lakeland Paradise.

County Donegal is in the northwest of the

‘Hills of Donegal’ consist of two major ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and the Bluestack Mountains in the south, with Mount Errigal at 751 metres the highest peak.

The Slieve League cliffs are the second highest sea cliffs in Europe, while Donegal’s Malin Head is the most northerly point on the island of Ireland.

new Titanic Quarter and the Odyssey Arena to name but a few. This vibrant city has a culture all of its own and its restaurants, theatres and nightlife are amazingly good value.

Mount Errigal

Belfast Republic of Ireland. The name “Donegal” comes from the Irish, meaning “the fort of the foreigners”. The county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply indented coastline forming natural loughs, of which Lough Swilly is the most notable. The famous mountains or 44

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County Antrim with its beautiful coast road and famous glens is the most north easterly county on the island. On a worldwide scale Antrim’s most famous attraction is the Giants Causeway. However the renowned ‘Glens of Antrim’, the Bushmills Distillery and Carrickfergus Castle are well worth visiting as well.

Belfast City too has many things to see including the grandeur of the City Hall, the

Linsfort Church, Co. Donegal

Recommended Bars in Ulster The Crown Liquor Saloon

Located in Belfast’s Cathedral district, very unusually this pub is owned by the Belfast Unemployment Resource Centre, which was opened by local poet, socialist and Freeman of the City, John Hewitt. Hence the name. They’ve an extensive range of craft beers, both on tap and in bottles. And if that’s not enough, they even have a genuine gin palace!

Which includes locally made Shortcross Gin. 51 Donegall St., Belfast Tel: 028 9023 3768

White’s Tavern

Dating all the way back to 1630, this is the oldest tavern in Belfast, and one of the oldest anywhere on these islands. You can warm yourself by the fire downstairs where you’ll find the original pub, whilst upstairs they’ve opened a second bar where more livelier fare goes down.

2-4 Winecellar Entry, Belfast Tel: 028 9024 3080

Kelly’s Cellars Now owned by the National trust, this is one of the most justly famous pubs to be found anywhere in Britain or Ireland, with its mixture of oak panelling, leather chairs and its exquisite, ornate Victorian tiling. And, just as you’d expect, they’ve a wonderful selection of real ales and home made food.

46 Great Victoria St, Belfast Tel: 028 9024 3187

This is the oldest pub proper in Belfast, dating back to 1720. Stone floors, white washed walls, and traditional Irish music rings through its low ceilinged rooms. It’s like finding a country pub in the middle of the city.

30-32 Bank St, Belfast Tel: 028 9024 6058

The Duke Of York

The John Hewitt

One of the liveliest pubs in town, its walls are busy with paraphernalia and whatnots, and the place is hopping with (mostly) young people who fill the place up all weekend and most of the week. And if you are looking to treat yourself to a sneaky, antique whiskey, look no further.

7-11 Commercial Ct, Belfast Tel: 028 9024 1062

Peadar O’Donnell’s

There are three bars to choose from here at this famous Derry pub, and music to suit any and all tastes. You can move from an impromptu session that might have materialised magically in the corner of the traditional bar downstairs, to a gig proper upstairs in the Gweedore.

Before coming back downstairs to what they swear is the best pint in Derry.

59-63 Waterloo St., Derry Tel: 028 7126 7295 DECEMBER 2019 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Recommended Restaurants in Ulster Ox

Having won the Best Newcomer Award in 2013, Ox took Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Wine Experience in Antrim for 2014.

Chic, smart and very good.

The Ginger Bistro

Coco

1 Oxford St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 4121

55 Degrees North Located in Belfast’s historic Linenhall Street just behind City Hall, this is one of the best dining experiences you will find here in the city centre in Belfast. Its chic boutique surroundings make it very much the place to see and be seen.

This family run business has been open since 2005. And this stylish restaurant has been receiving plaudits ever since, both for the quality of its food, and the spectacular views of the Atlantic that it offers.

1 Causeway St, Portrush, Co Antrim Tel: 0044 28 7082 2811

The ginger in question is owner chef Simon McCance, and since relocating here closer to the centre his reputation for producing quality food at surprisingly reasonable prices has got even stronger.

7-8 Hope St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9024 4421

Deane’s Restaurant

7-11 Linenhall St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 1150

Shu

They serve deliberately simple, Frenchinfluenced food here using only the best seasonal ingredients, and all served at a reasonable price in an elegant location. And you can have a drink in the cocktail bar in the basement while you are waiting for your table.

253 Lisburn Rd, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9038 1655

Vanilla Restaurant

Local man Darren Ireland opened this smart new establishment here in 2009, and it’s one of the best quality bistros on the East coast.

Telfords Restaurant

Overlooking the river Lagan and situated in a maritime building that dates back to 1843, Telfords operates on three levels and is in walking distance from the Waterfront Hall, the Odyssey complex and the Ulster Hall.

67 Main St, Newcastle Tel: 0044 28 4372 2268

Lough Erne Resort

5 Donegall Quay, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9043 4000

Sun Kee Restaurant

One of the best Chinese restaurants in Belfast, the Lo family have been producing impressively adventurous and authentic Chinese cuisine here for years.

42-7 Donegall Pass, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 2016 Michael Deane trained at London’s prestigious Claridges and since returning to Belfast he has opened up a number of top quality restaurants across the city. And losing the Michelin star he had in 2011 has he says liberated him, allowing him to concentrate on the food without having to worry about critics.

36-40 Howard St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9033 1134

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Sakura

In the city’s busy Botanic Avenue, this is one of the city’s few authentic sushi bars, but they also serve a variety of fusion dishes if sushi is not your thing. A superior Japanese restaurant.

82 Botanic Av, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9043 9590

Speranza Restaurant

This 5 star hotel just outside the town of Enniskillen is quite simply one of the most spectacularly situated hotel resorts you will find anywhere in Europe.

Lusty Beg

This island spa is set on 75 acres in the heart of the lakes of Fermanagh, and where better to unwind than in its award winning restaurant.

Hand made oven baked pizzas are one of the specialities here, but there is a wide choice of all types of Italian food on offer here in one of Belfast’s finest Italian restaurants.

Belleek Rd, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh Tel: 0044 28 6632 3230

Boa Island, Kesh, Co Fermanagh Tel: 0044 28 6863 3300

16-9 Shaftesbury Av, Belfast Tel: 044 28 9023 0213

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café-bar

236 LOWER RATHMINES ROAD, DUBLIN 6 TEL: 01-4977057

Deck the Halls at Hillsborough Castle H

illsborough Castle in Co. Down is transforming into a Winter wonderland this December..

The historical landmark will play host to a range of events, designed to put attendees in the seasonal spirit. Boasting fun for the whole family, live music, festive food and a visit from Father Christmas himself throughout the month, it really is the most wonderful time to see Hillsborough.

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From December 2, 2019 to January 5, 2020, one can explore the castle’s stunning state rooms and discover 12 special installations decorated according to the traditional song ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’. Each has been designed by local craftspeople to re-imagine the verses of this time honoured classic and its connection with the Hill family, the people who gave the residence its name.

Guided by expert explainers discover another side to this elegant Georgian home in this 45-minute tour. Attendees can also explore the 100 acres of the castle’s beautiful gardens, which are included in the ticket price. Adults pay £11.40, while children aged 5 – 15 can enter for £5.70. The concession price is £9.10

From December 14, guests can discover the castle adorned with festive cheer as the state rooms come to life with live music, historic characters and an extra-special visit from Father Christmas. Children will also receive a sugar mouse, a Christmas treat in the 19th century.

This enhanced Christmas tour is available on weekends and the following dates during the holidays - December 14 - 15, December 21 - 23 and December 27 - January 5. Christmas tours are included in a combined castle and gardens ticket.

Enjoy some festive and traditional tales of the season at Hillsborough Castle with renowned Northern Irish storyteller Liz Weir. She will be spinning yarns on December 15, 22 and 29, as well as on January 5 at times 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm and 3.00pm. Places are allocated on a first-come-firstserved basis, with the event included in admissions to gardens.

From December 27 – 31, visitors can attend a Georgian dance workshop. See ladies dancing and lords a’ leaping and prepare for your own Twelfth Night ball by practicing some old school steps with an expert tutor. Happening every day at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm on the dates listed, aside from December 29, places are allocated on a firstcome-first-served basis with the classes included in admissions to gardens.

There’s also a Christmas wreath making tutorial taking place in the castle on December 13 – 14. Under the expert guidance of resident florist Lorna Brownlee, one can create their own handmade festive ornament.

Located in the Clore Learning Centre on the castle grounds, this workshop will include a mince pie and hot beverage upon arrival. Early booking is advised to secure a place for this popular tutorial, scheduled both days for 11:00am - 1.00pm and 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Adults can attend for £45. The concession price is £40.

Another workshop happing at Hillsborough this Winter is focused on drumming. On January 1 – 2, join the 12 drummers drumming and participate in this fun family event run by drum circle facilitator Joe Loughlin.

No drumming experience is necessary. It takes place both days at 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm 1.30pm and 2.15pm. Places

are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, with the event included in admissions to gardens.

On December 14, meanwhile, jazz percussionist David Lyttle and his band will perform new music inspired by the carol ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ alongside his renowned Dickensinspired seasonal suite.

This event will take place in the Throne Room, with a complimentary festive drink on offer upon arrival at 7pm. Adult tickets cost £15. The concession price is £13.50.

Newly opened to the public from last year, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has been completely transformed by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces. This was after five years and a £24 million investment, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other donors. Greeting guests upon arrival is a new visitor centre complete with a café and shop.

Booking is recommended for all activities mentioned with limited spaces available. For more information on dates and times and to book tickets visit hrp.org.uk/hillsboroughcastle.

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Great Irish Writers EDNA O’BRIEN

W

hile she may now be regarded as one of modern Ireland’s greatest writers, there was a time when Edna O’Brien was not quite as revered in her home country.

O’Brien first came to prominence in the 1960s, a period when the Catholic Church still held huge influence over life in Ireland. Her work proved controversial as it broke the silence on sexual and social issues that were not often publicly acknowledged.

She found her books banned in Ireland and she was denounced from the pulpit. However, a more enlightened Ireland has now come to view O’Brien as the national treasure that she is, a writer continuing to produce brilliant and critically acclaimed work well into her eighties.

She was born in Tuamgraney, Co. Clare in December 1930. O’Brien later described her childhood as lonesome, telling the Irish Times in 2015: “I was always a lonely person...I had that sense of being cut off from the dance of life.” Her mother was extremely strict and religious and strongly disapproved of literature. She once tried to burn a Sean O’Casey book that she found in Edna’s possession.

O’Brien later moved to Dublin and married the writer Ernest Gébler, much to her parents’ disapproval. The couple moved to London - where O’Brien still lives

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today - and had two sons, Carlo and Sasha but the marriage was not a happy one and they broke up in 1964. According to Carlo, one of the main reasons for the couple’s separation was that Gébler became jealous of his wife’s literary success.

Her first book The Country Girls was released in 1960 and focused on two young women who leave the safety of their convent school in search of life and love in the big city. It was a huge success internationally. However, it caused scandal in the author’s native country and was banned for its portrayal of the sex lives of its main characters.

Nevertheless, her success continued and she released The Lonely Girl in 1962 and Girls In Their Married Bliss in 1964. These would later be collected as The Country Girls Trilogy and would be credited in helping launch a new generation of Irish writers - such as Anne Enright, Nuala O’Faolain and Colm Tóibín - who confronted issues that affected modern Irish society.

She has continued to write prolifically, releasing 18 novels, as well as several short story collections, plays, biographies and a memoir entitled Country Girl in 2012. Meanwhile, 2019 was a big year for O’Brien too. Not only did the writer adapt The Country Girls for the stage, but her trilogy was selected to represent the capital in the Dublin: One City One Book Festival – an initiative started by Dublin City Council Public Libraries to encourage people to read a book associated with the city.

O’Brien also published her latest novel Girl last September. Set in the deep countryside of northeast Nigeria, the book is a harrowing portrayal of the young women abducted by Boko Haram.

As socially engaged as ever and unafraid to tackle themes that others may think controversial, Edna O’Brien is still producing amazing writing that has inspired this generation and no doubt many more to come.