Travelireland magazine
Volume 1 Issue 6 October 2014
Film and Jazz in Cork
The Sopranos are coming to Wexford Savouring the taste of Kilkenny
Bram Stoker wings his blood thirsty way to Dublin
Festival food in Dingle
Halloween at Westport House
contents... Welcome to our October issue, Whether this is your first time visiting these our shores, or whether 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. Whether it is myths and medieval castles, or craic and culture in the confines of a cozy pub and to the tune of a stray tin whistle, you are going to need a friendly hand to gently point you in the right direction. So from all of us here at Travel Ireland, a hefty and heart-felt Céad míle fáilte! And enjoy your stay!
Publisher/Managing Director John Carey Director Paul Daly Features Editor Anthony O’Keeffe Design and Art Direction Tim Evans Credit Control Manager Nichola Thomas nichola@ellenmediacom.ie Advertising John Carey john@ellenmediacom.ie 087 9113732 Bill Daly bill@ellenmediacom.ie 087 1533262 Sabrina Morris sabrina@travelirelandmagazine.ie Tel. 087 2020234 Contributors: Arran Henderson, John McCurdy, Paula Moore, Patrick O’Neill, Anthony O’Keeffe, Stephen Walker. We wish to record our thanks to Failte Ireland, The Office of Public Works and the National Monuments Service, Dept of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. And to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and The National Trust-Giants Causeway (NI), for their help and guidance in the production of this edition. And to Paddy Donovan, Ed Reeve, US Embassy Dublin, Carr Cotter and Naessens, jonandlauren. wordpress.com and10bestpubsingalway. 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 publishe’rs 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.
05 - WELCOME TO LEINSTER 06 - EXPLORE LEINSTER 08 - Bram Stoker Festival 10 - Fitzwilliam Card Club 12 - THEATRE 14 - Whitefriar Grill 15 - Glasnevin Cemetery 17 - Open House 2014 18 - LEINSTER PUBS 19 - Halloween 20 - LEINSTER RESTAURANTS 22 - Kilkenny Food Festival 24 - Wexford Opera 25 - WELCOME TO MUNSTER 26 - Dingle Food Festival 28 - Cork Jazz Festival 30 - Imagine Arts Festival 31 - EXPLORE MUNSTER 32 - Cork Indie Film Festival 33 - Louis Mulcahy Pottery 36 - Portmagee Sea Shanty 37 - Kinsale Gourmet Festival 38 - MUNSTER PUBS 39 - MUNSTER RESTAURANTS 40 - WELCOME TO CONNAUGHT 41 - EXPLORE CONNAUGHT 42 - Sligo Live 43 - Leitrim 44 - CONNAUGHT PUBS 46 - CONNAUGHT RESTAURANTS 47 - WELCOME TO ULSTER 48 - EXPLORE ULSTER 49 - ULSTER PUBS 50 - ULSTER RESTAURANTS
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Leinster - The east coast province
L
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
Dublin 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 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.
Hill of Tara
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 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 attraction. 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 Kilkenny Castle the RTÉ 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 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! OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 5
Explore Leinster
The National Stud The Chester Beatty Library The Irish National Stud has been producing winners on the racecourse since they sent out Minoru to win the Epsom Derby in 1909. But it is far more than just a centre of equine excellence. It is also home to some of Ireland’s finest natural treasures, in particular the breathtakingly beautiful Japanese Gardens, the finest of their kind in Europe. The gardens trace the passage of a soul from birth to death and beyond, at the same time providing a meeting place for the cultures of East and West. You can also savour the serene and spiritual experience provided by one of the Stud’s more recent additions, St Fiachra’s Garden, a stunningly raw representation of our country’s singular landscape. There are guided tours, a gift shop and restaurant. Tel: 045 521 617
Glendalough
This beautiful glacial valley in County Wicklow is renowned as the place where Cistercian monks settled in the sixth century, and the remains of the monastic priory including a round tower can still be seen today. Known locally as “the valley of the two lakes” , the locals also say it will still your mind, inspire your heart and fill your soul. The early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the “Monastic City”. Tel 0404 45325/45352. 6 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
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 3 and 4pm. Opening hours, 10-5 Mon-Fri, Sat 11-5, Sun 1-5pm. Tel 01 407 0750
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: 01453 5984.
The Book of Kells
The Guinness Storehouse
Formerly known as the Hop Store, the Guinness Storehouse is laid out over seven floors surrounded by a glass atrium that rises up through its centre. You make your way up on a self-guided tour, where you learn all about the beer’s history, the central part that the Guinness family played in the development of the city, and of the world famous advertising campaigns that did so much to help promote it. Tours are 16.50 Euro, which includes your pint of Guinness in The Gravity Bar on the 7th floor. Which might sound a bit steep for a self-guided tour, but it’s all beautifully laid out and the whole experience is richly rewarding. Tel 01 408 4800
The Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition in Trinity College Dublin are the first things that all visitors gravitate to when first setting foot in Dublin. Located in the heart of the city, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed. And upstairs, you’ll find yourself in the magical environs of the justly famous Long Room. Inside the Book of Kells itself is a 9thcentury gospel manuscript famous throughout the world for its lavish decoration. The manuscript contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum (prepared calfskin), in a bold and expert version of the script known as “insular majuscule”. Guided tours of the campus, including the Old Library, The Books of Kells, and the magnificent Long Room upstairs are 12 Euro. Opening hours: 9:30-5:00 (4:30 Sun) Tel 01 896 1661
Explore Leinster
The War Memorial Gardens
Avondale House and Forest Park
Phoenix Park The Phoenix Park in Dublin is one of the largest and most beautiful urban parks in any capital city in Europe. Stretching over 1,752 acres the park hosts an eclectic mix of beautiful landscapes and historic buildings, including the home of the President of Ireland and Dublin Zoo. It also has herds of elegant fallow deer roaming its pastures. The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre has a historical interpretation and an audio-visual presentation of the Phoenix Park throughout the ages. Tel 01 677 0095
Cultural and Historical Walking Tours The streets of Dublin have been home to the Vikings, Normans, Elizabethans, Georgians and Victorians. What better way to explore its secret nooks and crannies than to take one of the many cultural and historical walking tours that the city has to offer. At Dublin Decoded, Arran Henderson provides a wide range of fascinating insights into Dublin’s history, with particular emphasis on its art and architecture. From “How To Read A Painting:symbols and meaning at the National Gallery” to Architecture of Georgian Splendour, and an historic Medieval Treasure Hunt. Alternatively you can talk to him about designing your own tour. See www.dublindecoded.com
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. 01 475 7816
The National Museum of Ireland
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. Admission to the museum is free and there are numerous exhibitions, talks and tours. Tel 01 6777444.
Avondale House was the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), one of the greatest political leaders of Irish history. Set in a magnificent forest park of over 500 acres, there are tree trails and walks ranging in duration from one to five hours. Visitors are introduced to this wonderful historical house by a specially commissioned audio visual presentation. Other facilities include a licensed café, bookshop, picnic areas, children’s play area, three orienteering courses (maps can be downloaded at www. coillteoutdoors.ie) and a large car/coach park. 0404 46111 www.heritageisland.com
Casino Marino
The Casino was designed by Sir William Chambers as a pleasure house for James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont, and is one of the finest 18th century neo-classical buildings in Europe. The Casino, meaning “small house”, and notwithstanding its name, contains 16 finely decorated rooms, endlessly rich in subtlety and design. It is a remarkable building, both in terms of its structure and its history. The Casino is located at Marino, just off the Malahide Road and only three miles north of the centre of Dublin. Open 10-5pm, admission 3 Euro, 1 Euro for students and children. Tel 01 833 1618 OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 7
The
Bram Stoker Festival
B
ram Stoker was born in Clontarf on the northside of Dublin in 1847. But he spent much of his early childhood in bed with a mysterious illness. At seven he miraculously recovered, and he seems to have spent the rest of his life in a reasonably healthy state. Indeed, by the time he got to Trinity College Dublin in 1864 he had developed into a well regarded athlete. He studied Mathematics at Trinity, but quickly gravitated towards the arts. He became the auditor of the Historical Society and the President of the Philosophical Society, to which he’d been introduced by the former president, one Oscar Wilde. Stoker then went on to poach and marry 8 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
one of Wilde’s girlfriends, the renown beauty Florence Balcombe. But they later patched things up, and Stoker was one of the few to stay loyal to Wilde after the latter’s spectacular fall from grace. The newly-weds moved to London in 1879, and Stoker began writing fiction. There he met the famous Hungarian writer and traveller Armin Vambery, and it was his tales of Eastern Europe’s Carpathian mountains that inspired him to write him most famous novel, the Undead, as he called it, or Dracula, as he eventually decided to name it. The novel and its author will be celebrated in Dublin again this month with the third annual Bram Stoker Festival, which runs from Friday 24th to Monday 27th October. The festival
incorporates a range of events from large-scale spectacles including a gothic ball, to intimate performances in unusual spaces and a whole range of film and literary events. As the organizers explain, “The focus of this year’s festival is to bring the activities out into the public domain and to present events that will appeal to those wanting to get their inner Goth on, as well as aficionados of the work of Bram Stoker himself. Our aim is to (re)animate the city for a final supernatural party before the winter darkness descends!”
www.bramstokerfestival.com
236 Lower rathmines road, dubLin 6 teL: 01-4977057
Fitzwilliam Card Club
T
he Fitzwilliam Casino opened in Dublin in 2003, and is situated between Merrion and Fitzwilliam Square in the heart of the capital. There are basically five different games there for you to try your luck at. Probably the most iconic game on offer at pretty much any casino you care to visit is Roulette. Very simply, the dealer spins the wheel in one direction, and throws the ball in the other, and you bet on a variety of possible outcomes. Blackjack is reasonably straightforward, and most people will be familiar with the battle between you and the dealer as you both try to get as close as you can to the magic number of 21. Punto Banco is the most exotic of the games on offer, and is a version of Baccarat the game of choice for one Bond, James Bond. The dealer deals two hands, and you have to either bet on the player’s hand, the punto, or the dealer’s, the banco, or on a draw. The dealer then reveals which of the hands come closest to totalling 9, with pictures cards equal to 0, and aces equalling 1. Brit Brag, or Brag is a recent edition, and is basically 3 card poker. But the game that has really taken off, both here at the Fitzwilliam and across the globe is of course Poker. Texas Hold’em is by far and away the most popular form of poker played here, as indeed it is at most places. And viewers of late night television will be pretty familiar with how it’s played. There are nightly cash games (ie winner takes all) held at the Fitzwilliam beginning at 25 Euro a man. But the star attraction is the End of the Month Frieze Out which attracts around 130 regulars every month. Players buy in for 270 Euro, which produces a regular prize pool of 30,000 Euro and upwards which one lucky player gets to walk away with. And for the next few months there’s a special prize of a his and hers Rolex watches worth over 16 grand. Anyone who spends 100 Euro or more will be automatically included in the draw, which will take place the week before Christmas. And don’t worry if you’ll have gone back home to your own country by then. The Fitzwilliam has a long history of rewarding its foreign patrons. They’ll get your prize out to you wherever you live! Membership is free and can be done on the door or online.
01 6114677
www. Fitzwilliamcardclub.com
10 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
IRISH CRAFT SHOP Est. 1995
in Irish Knitwear, “ We SellSpecialists Traditional Aran Sweaters, Tweeds and Wool Products Wool & Tweed Products”
Open 7 Days Located on Top Floor of St. Stephens Green Centre
www.donegalshop.ie
Top Floor, St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2 Phone: 014754621 Website: www.donegalshop.ie
Theatre
The Abbey
Our Few and Evil Days by Mark O’Rowe
Adele and her parents have always been close. But recently, that closeness has been tainted by an increasing sense of mistrust. Tonight, a visit from a stranger will force them to confront the terrifying reality of their relationship. This chilling yet deeply human story about the limits of devotion is written and directed by Mark O’Rowe and stars Ian Lloyd Anderson, Sinéad Cusack, Ciarán Hinds, Charlie Murphy and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. 26 September – 25 October on the Abbey stage. Tel 01 878 722
The Gate
The Mariner
by Hugo Hamilton
1916 - A sailor with the Royal Navy returns home injured from the WW1, unable to speak or tell his own story. His wife welcomes him back with open arms, but the war has changed him and his mother begins to question whether this really is her son. As the mariner slowly relearns to speak, his true identity is gradually revealed. Following on from his huge success in 2011 with The Speckled People, the Gate Theatre presents the world premiere of The Mariner by renowned Irish writer Hugo Hamilton, which is directed by Tony Award winning Director Patrick Mason. Until Oct 25th. Tel: 01 874 4045
National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall is home to the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra, and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. But its cultural brief extends across all musical genres from Classical and Irish Trad, to jazz, folk and world music. Highlights this October include The Magic of Vienna on Tuesday 7th, the NSO Dvorak, Brahms and R Strauss on Friday 10th, the Genius of Mozart on Sat 11th, Faure Requiem on Wed 15th, Schubertreise VII on Sun 19th, Welcome to my World with Jim Reeves on Wed 19th, Hugh Masekela on Tues 21st, Cora Venus Lunny on Fri 24th and Elaine Page on Tues 28th and Wed 29th. Tel: 01 417 0000 Or go to www.nch.ie
The Gaiety
Brendan Behan’s Borstal Boy For the first time in 25 years, Brendan Behan’s BORSTAL BOY returns to Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre. The critically 12 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
acclaimed and commemorative play marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Brendan Behan (20th March 1964), and tells the story of the legendary Irish author. Starring Peter Coonan (Love/Hate, What Richard Did, Quirke) and Gary Lydon (Calvary, The Guard, War Horse) as the younger and older Brendan Behan. This production of Borstal Boy was adapted for the stage by Frank McMahon, directed by Conall Morrison and produced by Donal Shiels. Until Oct 11th. Tickets from €24.50 including booking fee on sale now from Ticketmaster outlets and The Gaiety Theatre box office. Tel: 01 679 5622
Bord Gais Energy Theatre Blood Brothers by Willy Russell
Written by Willy Russell, the legendary BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences. The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True, with REBECCA STORM reprising her role as the tragic Mrs. Johnstone. Until Oct 11th.
An evening with Elvis Costello Oct 16th.
Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. Tickets 49.50 Oct 18 and 18th.
Shrek the Musical Tickets 20-55 Euro. From Oct 21st Tel: 01 677 7999
Whitefriar Grill
W
hen head chef Geoff Nordell and his business partner Nigel Smith opened the Whitefriar Grill on Aungier Street in Dublin a little over three years ago it was a particularly challenging time to be opening a new restaurant. So they needed to be very clear about the kind of restaurant that they were opening, and about the kind of customers they were hoping to be catering to.
“The idea behind the restaurant was to create a quietly exciting place where people would feel good again about spending a small amount of money. There were only a couple of places then that were doing brunch, Dillingers, the Odessa obviously, and we thought it was an interesting area to move in to. It’s all about discovering a niche and making your mark there.” “Years ago most of the activity around quality restaurants centred around the golden square in or around Stephen’s Green. But over the last few years there have been all sorts of niche restaurants that have sprung up, on Exchequer Street, South William, Georges street, Fade street. And of course up on Camden street. We’re right in the middle of all that. And it’s really exciting.” It’s not just brunch of course that they serve up at the Whitefriar. They 14 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
are as keen on value as they are on quality. So the Early Bird menus that they offer, two courses for just 19.50 and three for 24.50 are available throughout the evening Sunday to Thursday. They are only restricted to being early over the weekend. And the fact that they are available over the weekend and not just earlier on in the week is also fairly unusual. Their latest innovation is their Ribs ‘N’ Rump offer that they’ve just launched for Sunday nights. Two people share a 14oz char-grilled rump steak and a selection of BBQ and honey glazed ribs, plus a choice of two sides for a very reasonable 40 Euro. So having reclaimed the neglected meal of Brunch and made it their own, they are now hoping to do the same for the Sunday night meal.
01 475 9003 www.whitefriargrill.ie
Glasnevin Museum & Cemetery Tours
G
lasnevin Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Ireland and was first opened in 1832. It was established by Daniel O’Connell as a place where people of “all religions and none” could bury their dead with dignity. The cemetery there has grown to become a national monument, and is a vital part of the Irish Heritage story. And the exhibitions you can see there show the social, historical, political and artistic development of modern Ireland through the lives of the generations buried in Ireland’s Necropolis. More than 1.5 million people have been interred in Glasnevin since it opened. The rich and famous, paupers and politicians, artists, warriors and heroes, all resting side by side in this renowned Victorian Garden Cemetery. The award-winning museum and the guided tours there chart the fascinating history of this hallowed place, telling the stories of grave diggers and grave robbers, cholera epidemics, and world wars. Between them, the Museum and tours tell the story of modern Ireland through interactive exhibitions, dramatic re-enactments, lectures and daily walking tours, which offer up a window on some of the famous figures who have helped shape the country we live in today. From Charles Stewart Parnell, Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins, Constance Markievicz, and Michael Cusack to Brendan Behan, Luke Kelly and Daniel O’ Connell. Included as part of the tours is a visit inside Daniel O’Connell’s Celtic Crypt and iconic tower, which is the tallest in Ireland. There is also a handy pedestrian gateway into the world famous National Botanic Gardens. This combined area now forms the second largest green space in Dublin with over 200 acres of mature parkland. It’s also home to the largest collection of protected structures in the State with an impressive array of magnificent glass houses. Glasnevin itself is home to the largest collection of Celtic crosses in the world. Plus there’s a genealogy research area, with access to the extensive online records. Celebrating history, heritage and culture, Glasnevin Cemetery is located within easy access of Dublin city centre and the M50. Regular buses operate from O’Connell Street, and Dublin City Sightseeing’s red Hop on Hop off service operates every half hour from Guinness Storehouse.
01 882 6550 www.glasnevincemetery.ie
OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 15
craft beers
dessert
early bird
wine
celebrations
saturday sunday
ALL WEEK LONG group dining
brunch
pre-theatre
cocktails
“Ah sure it’s only bleedin deadly!” a local
16 Aungier St. Dublin 2
01 475 9003 www.whitefriargrill.ie 16 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
info@whitefriargrill.ie
Open House 2014 Words by Arran Henderson
US Embassy designed by John M. Johansen
T
he Open House concept began life in London in 1992, and in the 22 years since has grown to more than 20 cities internationally, from Sydney to Jerusalem, Chicago to Nicosia, with the list swelling every year. Since Dublin joined the party in 2005, for those of us who love beautiful buildings, exteriors, interiors, architecture and design, Open House has become pretty much the highlight of the cultural calendar as scores of fascinating buildings throw open their doors for viewings and guided talks. And this year it takes place on the weekend of 17-19th October. All events are free, as practicing architects and enthusiasts and often proud owners themselves lead tours around a huge range of building types across the city. From churches and galleries, lighthouses and government departments, to off-limit areas of industrial space, factories and transport hubs. And of course, every possible type, size, period and style of private dwelling.
AirBnB Headquarters-Dublin Design by Heneghan Peng Photo by Ed Reeve
Dublin showcases 100 buildings, an ambitious but neat number for the hard working organizers - the wonderful Irish Architecture Foundationto target. The full programme was not published at the time of writing, but it will be by the time you read this! So get online as soon as possible, since many of the most popular events although free of charge, do require booking, (others are unlimited, others again work on a first come, first served basis). Even before the programme DL Library Cultural Centre. goes live this year, a lot of the Architects Carr Cotter Naessens buzz has focused on Dublin’s 1964 United States embassy, designed by American John Johansen, in consultation with Irishman Michael Scott. The embassy, a clever fusion of modern and ancient materials combined with local references, is not only a working building but is also sovereign US territory, so this is rare chance to visit. And this is the 50th anniversary of the building’s completion. But there are literally scores of other treasures to enjoy. For visitors, it could make sense to visit the most iconic buildings in the capital, while local and Irish based folk often zero in on the more obscure, enigmatic or private dwellings otherwise hard, or impossible to access during the rest of the year. But wherever you go to this Open House weekend, you’re sure to have an instructive and memorable experience. So drink it in, savour, and enjoy. Arran Henderson is an art historian, writer, and founder of Dublin Decoded, specializing in guided walking tours of the capital and its art, architecture and history.
See www.dublindecoded.com OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 17
Recommended Pubs in Leinster
The Stag’s Head 1 Dame Court, Dublin 2 01 679 3687
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.
The Grave Diggers Hidden away just off of Dame Street, there’s been a tavern here on this corner for over 200 Years. And the Stags has long been a traditional haunt for Trinity students, and for the stars of film and television that they grow up to become. Whilst downstairs you can see comedy on Mondays or Irish Trad at the weekends.
Hourican’s Bar
7 Leeson St Lwr, Dublin 2 01 678 9030
Gravediggers
1 Prospect Sq., Dublin 9 01 8307978 It reads “John Kavanagh” above the door outside, but everybody knows it as the Grave Diggers, as it’s just around the corner from Glasnevin Cemetery. Before Gunness became so efficiently corporate and the quality of a pint was far less predictable, this used to be where you’d go for the best pint in Dublin. It still is, and they haven’t changed a thing here for years. Happily.
Johnnie Fox’s
Glencullen, Co Dublin. 01 295 5647 Set high up in the heart of the Dublin mountains, Fox’s is an institution. Superb food and a unique atmosphere, there’s Irish trad here every night, and at weekends in the afternoons as well. And there’s a shuttle bus that gets you there and back in 30 minutes for a fiver either way. But be sure to book, as it’s one of the most popular pubs in Leinster.
Situated at the Stephen’s Green end of Leeson Street, this is the perfect place to stop off for a quiet pint before heading off to some of the more glitzier venues in town proper, or on to the rest of the Leeson Street strip.
Grogan’s
15 S William St., Dublin 2 01 677 9320
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Cleere’s Bar and Theatre 28 Parliament St, Kilkenny 056 776 2573
Cleere’s pulls off that rare trick of successfully being two things at the same time. Out the front, it’s a classic, traditional Irish pub. And out back, it’s an exciting theatre that plays host to gigs and plays. And they are as serious about the acts that they allow perform there as they are about keeping the atmosphere exactly the same as it’s always been.
Head West for the Best Halloween Fest If on the other hand you are planning on visiting the rest of the country this October, you should definitely plan to include a visit to the historic Westport House, in Westport, county Mayo. The 18th century historic house will be transformed into a (not too) scary haunted house for the week from October 26th to 31st and is the perfect place to entertain those younger family members. The family fun on offer includes the White Witch’s story time, ghastly face painting, a Kiddies Disco, family workshops, a pirate adventure park and a ride on the ghost train. As well as a fireworks display and a fancy dress competition. But be sure to dress up. After all, it is Halloween!
098 27766 www.westporthouse.ie
From “Samhain” to Halloween
T
of “mumming” or “guising” began, where he Halloween weekend that we all children would dress up in disguise and go celebrate in the West at the end of door to door reciting verse or singing songs in October was originally a pagan festival that took place throughout the Celtic exchange for food. While the fires that were world. Samhain was traditionally held on the always such a feature of the four main celtic festivals every year were very much part of the last day of October in Ireland, Scotland and Samhain night, and very much fed into that the isle of Man. And the day was celebrated sense of death, birth and regeneration. Men under different names in all the different celtic countries before they later converted to and women would cut pieces from their hair Christianity. and throw them on the fires, in the hope of It marks the end ot the lighter half of the that night dreaming of their future spouse. If you find yourself in Dublin this year and the beginning of the darker. Which is why it is associated with the spirit world. Halloween you’ll be able to see evidence of that celtic tradition of communal fires all over Offerings of food and drink were made in an effort to make them feel comfortable, as it the city. And although technically illegal, there’s Established was believed that the spirits of the dead would a typically “Irish” attitude to fireworks, which in January 2000 Zaytoon restaurants have two branches in 14/15 Parliament street and 14-15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 3595 Parliament Street,tolerated Temple Bar, Dublin 1 the skies of return for this one night every year. are quietly and light up 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 5006 44/45 lower Camden street. Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 Delivery Number 4005700 Ireland01and especially Dublin every Halloween. Then in the Middle Ages, the tradition 44/45
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Recommended Restaurants in Leinster
777
have any intention of cementing a relationship, or of instigating a new one, this is the place to take them.
A little pricey for a Mexican restaurant, but well worth it. Beautifully decked out and effortlessly fashionable, you could comfortably skip the main courses and go instead for a selection of starters, which tend to be as generous as they are enticing.
Yamamori
7 Castle House, S George’s St., Dublin 2. tel 01 425 4052
Acapulco Mexican Restaurant
7 S George’s St, Dublin 2. tel 01 677 1085
71-2 S. George’s St., Dublin 2. tel 01 475 5001 The original Yamamori on George’s Street still serves up the best and simplest Japanese food in Dublin. But Yamamori Sushi, their sushi bar on the quays, runs it a close second. And if you’re looking for something a bit more funky, there’s always Yamamori Izakaya.
There’s been a huge influx of Chinese in Dublin of late, and the choice of Chinese food in the city has improved no end. But this is still the best place to find dim sum. And significantly, most of the people you’ll find eating here are other Chinese diners.
Super Miss Sue
Ciao Bella Roma
24-5 Parliament St., Dublin 2. tel 01 677 0004 These are the best pizzas you’ll find north of Naples, and are very much of the Neapolitan variety rather than the much thinner Roman sort. And their special lunch deal, which gives you a pizza and glass of wine for around a tenner is not just the best value lunch in town, it’s the best lunch full stop.
Thornton’s Restaurant
Above the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Stephen’s Green. tel 01 478 7008 This one star Michelin restaurant is, as they say, reassuringly expensive. Which is only as it should be as the man in charge is Ireland’s finest chef, Kevin Thornton. If you 20 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
Café Topolis
37 Parliament St, Dublin 2. tel 01 670 4961
for continental cuisine, exemplary service and great value.
The Good World
18 S George’s St, Dublin 2. tel 01 677 5373
This lively Mexican Restaurant offers the very best traditional Mexican cuisine, with sizzling fajitas, burritos, tacos and, best of all their famous deep fried icecream!
good restaurant, without being overpowering. It’s not quite as casual as it would have you believe, but it is really, really good.
Drury St, Dublin 2. tel 01 679 9009 One of the few places to get really great fresh fish in the centre of town, and surprisingly affordable. You can treat yourself to a full meal in the restaurant proper, or a traditional fish and chips of exceptional quality in the diner next door.
Darwin’s Restaurant 80 Aungier St, Dublin 2. 01 475 7511
This family run restaurant caters to all possible tastes, whether carnivorous, coeliac or vegetarian. Their own in house butcher provides them with meats, game and poultry, they have fresh fish and a wide selection of dishes made from locally sourced vegetables. And you can finish it all off with their homemade desserts.
Fade Street Social
4 Fade St, Dublin 2. tel 01 604 0066 The latest venture from Dublin’s hottest hipster chef Dylan McGrath, this manages to be both screamingly fashionable and a really
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.
Peploe’s
16 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. 01 676 3144
Le Bon Crubeen
81-2 Talbot St., Dublin 1. tel 01 704 1026 This is one of the best value restaurants in Dublin with a brasserie menu to suit all tastes. It won the Best Value Restaurant Dublin in “The Dubliner” Top 100 restaurants in 2012, having previously won the Irish Restaurant Awards’ Best Casual Dining Restaurant in Dublin in 2010. Value and quality.
This stylish Bistro produces the very best quality food at relatively affordable prices. Plush yet comfortable, their 28 day dry aged steak is the best you’ll find anywhere in the city. And their 3 course dinner special for just 24,50 is the proverbial steal.
Whitefriar Grill
Il Primo
16 Aungier St, Dublin 2. 01 475 9003 They pride themselves on putting brunch back on the menu, and in producing the best brunch in Dublin. But there’s a lot more than that going on at this superior smart casual restaurant. Their latest Ribs N Rump gives you a 14oz steak and a choice of ribs plus 2 sides for just €40 on Sunday nights.
Kafka Restaurant
236 Rathmines Rd Lwr., Dublin 6. 01 497 7057 Whether it’s for an Italian coffee, a sweet or savoury snack or a full meal with wine, you can call in here
16 Montague St., Dublin 2. 01 478 3373 “If you want to taste risotto made as it should be, you’ll need to go to Il Primo,.” So says Paolo Tullio of the Irish Independent. And this restaurant has been producing some of the best rustic, Italian food you’ll find anywhere in Dublin for over 20 years now.
Zaytoon
14/15 Parliament St., Dublin 2 Tel. 01 677 3595. If you are looking for somewhere quick to sit and eat this place has the best kebabs in town, cooked in a clay oven.
The 8th Savour Kilkenny Food Festival
T
he Savour Kilkenny Food Festival returns to the medieval city for the October bank holiday weekend, and runs from Friday 24th until Monday 27th. The city and county will be transformed for the weekend with all sorts of culinary delights. There’ll be a packed food village next door to the castle, as well as a host of exciting dining events, demonstrations, panel discussions and all manner of family fun. Some of the celebrity chefs taking part in this year’s festival include Kevin Dundon, Rory O’Connell, former Master Chef finalists Claire Ann O’Keefe, Green Saffron’s Arun Kapil, and Pichet’s Stephen Gibson. Local favourites Edward Hayden of TV3 fame, and Anne Neary of Ryeland House Cookery School will also be organizing demos. And the festival will be turning the tables on some of Irelands best known food writers, who will be swapping their pens for aprons and having their culinary skills tested at the Can the Critics Cook?! As ever, the festival offers up a host of unique dining experiences, not least of which is the Black and White Masquerade Dinner hosted in the Michelin star Lady Helen restaurant in Mount Juliet. As part of the Go Back in Time there’s a Tudor Evening at The River Court Hotel, and a Great Gatsby evening at the Lyrath Estate Hotel. And there’s a fantastic opportunity to sample a full six course seafood meal in the opulent setting of Kilkenny Design Centre’s Anocht restaurant. Possibly the most unusual aspect about this year’s festival is the Night of 1,000 Feasts. Local people are being asked to organise a feast, however simple or extravagant, in their home, on their street, or in their community centre in celebration of food and friendship. It is all part of a fundraising drive for the Town of Food project, and takes place on the Sunday night. As well as all of which, there’s the Forgotten Skills Pavillion, where you can watch and learn all about the likes of apple-pressing, bee-keeping, butter-making, and the art of growing vegetables. Plus there’s the popular Meet the Makers at the food market, where some of Kilkenny’s finest food producers will be discussing the stories behind their produce. And the Irish Times’ Jim Carroll brings his Thisisbanter.com to discuuss all things culinary with some of Ireland’s leading critics, writers and chefs.
Go to www.savourkilkenny.com 22 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
Dublin Decoded
Unique, city walking tours of Art, Architecture and History in Ireland’s capital, with writer, art historian and acclaimed guide Arran Henderson.
To see our 5-star reviews, go to the Dublin Decoded page on TripAdvisor For full menu of tour descriptions and booking details, see www.dublindecoded.com
Rudolf Heltzel Discover one of Ireland’s Hidden Gems
Mon - Sat 9.30am - 1.00pm & 2.00pm - 5.30pm 10 Patrick Street, Kilkenny | tel 056 772 1497 | www.heltzel.ie
The Wexford Festival Opera
T
he 63rd Wexford Festival Opera runs this year from October 22nd until November 2nd. As ever, the Festival is an opportunity for opera lovers to see three of the less well known operas in the canon, against the backdrop of the relaxed, convivial setting that Wexford provides.
Very unusually, indeed possibly uniquely, the three principle operas in this year’s festival were written in the last three centuries, the 19th, 20th and the 21st. The highlight is unquestionably the European premiere of Silent Night, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2012 for American composer Kevin Puts. He and his librettist Mark Campbell are travelling to Wexford to attend its European premiere performance, and will give audiences an insight into what it takes to create an award-winning opera when they present the annual Dr Tom Walsh Lecture the following morning. Inspired by the 2005 French film Joyeux Noël, it tells the story of the night of a temporary truce in noman’s-land, when the troops on both sides celebrated Christmas together during the 1st WW. As such, it’s a further marking of the centenary of that war which has gone on throughout the year. The Festival opens with Salomé by Antoine Mariotte (1875-1944), a rarely-performed version of Oscar Wilde’s lurid play about Hérod’s dysfunctional family and the moral price of desire. First produced in Lyon in 1908, Mariotte’s Salomé is infused with impassioned, dramatic music revealing the subtle influence of Debussy.
24 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
On a considerably lighter note,
Don Bucefalo by Antonio
Patrick Hyland, Helena Dix and Lucia Cirillo in ‘Cristina, regina di Svezia’ by Foroni.
Claudia Boyle as Elena and Salvatore Salvaggio as Nonancourt in ‘Il Cappello di paglia di Firenze’ by Rota
Cagnoni (1828-1896) is a typically good-humoured comic opera within an opera reminiscent of Rossini and Donizetti, and is distinguished by its melodic inventiveness and its general sense of joie de vivre. But there is more to Wexford that its three star performances. The ever-popular ShortWorks, returns to Whites of Wexford Hotel this year. Approximately an hour in length, the ShortWorks operas allow audiences to taste a rare work or enjoy a condensed version of a more familiar opera. Tickets for these daytime performances start at just €10. And on the subject of money, there are a number of tickets for the main operas this year for just €25 each. And, continuing a longestablished Wexford tradition, the popular Lunchtime Recitals (approximately fifty minutes in length) will be presented in St Iberius Church in the centre of Wexford. These recitals afford a unique opportunity to hear the principal artists from that year’s Festival display their versatility in an intimate setting. As ever, the Festival concludes with the traditional Gala dinner, featuring a collection of favourite party pieces from members of the Festival Company.
www.wexfordopera.com
Welcome to Munster
M
unster 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.
Bunratty 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
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 Fota Wildlife Park 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. Contact : Telephone No: 062 61437. E-mail: 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.
Limerick 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 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 OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 25
Culinary athletics at the Dingle Food Festival
T
here seems to be something on pretty much every month in Dingle, and this October they host the Dingle Peninsula Food Festival between Friday, October 3rd and Sunday 5th. Which is only as it should be, considering that the town that was recently voted the number one Foodiest Town in Ireland! This is the eighth anniversary of the Festival, and as ever, one of its highlights will be the Taste Trail. Over 80 establishment will be vying for your attention as your make your way through the streets, and various celebrity chefs will be found lingering there amongst them. Derry Clarke, who has created the ultimate Dingle Pie, will be raising funds for charity on the Trail at Liam O’Neill’s art gallery, while milliner Kathleen McAuliffe will be serving up Mad Hatter cocktails with Dingle Gin and jazz. And Nevin McGuire will be making his first visit to the Festival as well. There will also be street buskers, food art installations, demos, workshops and a huge craft beer and cider event. But the biggest attraction this year will surely be the inaugural holding of the Dingle Culinary Pentathlon, which kicks off the Festival on the Friday. Students from professional culinary schools throughout the country will have their athletic and cookery skills tested to the limit. To win, students will have to race through the town, on foot and by bike, picking up a blind basket of ingredients en route. They will then have to create a 2 course lunch in a heated cook off that will be judged by peers and top professionals alike. The town will also be choc-a-bloc with fun, free activities for children throughout the weekend, including falconry, puppet shows, honey, chocolate and bee keeping demos and culinary tales in the park. And there’s a huge food and wine market which runs throughout over the weekend lining the streets of the town, where you will be able to sample the breads, cheeses, cakes and meats produced by so many of the local farmers and artisans.
Go to www.dinglefood.com 26 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
www.TheSkipperVentry.com ventryskipper@hotmail.com
Tel: 085 27 87 958 066 91 59 853
Open Thurs-Mon SEAFOOD Specialist Meat & Vegetarian options available
Out of the Blue - Half Page.indd 1
OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE24/04/2014 17:19:46 27
Cork Jazz Festival
T
he Guinness Jazz Festival returns to Cork as it does every year for the October bank holiday, kicking off on Thursday 23rd and finishing up on Tuesday 27th. By which time over 1,000 musicians from more than 18 countries will have entertained audiences throughout the city. Michel Legrand
The highlight of this year’s programme will undoubtedly be the appearance of the iconic French composer Michel Legrand at the Everyman on Friday night. A seminal member of the French new wave, he worked with Jean-Luc Godard and then Jacques Demy to produce the musicals The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg and the Young Girls of Rochefort, before winning the
28 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
Academy Award for best original song for “the Windmills of Your Mind” in 1968 for The Thomas Crown Affair. Over the years, he’s worked with Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Stan Getz and Stephane Grappelli. And more recently he’s recorded a number of albums with the RTE Concert Orchestra. His wife, the renown harpist Catherine Michel moved to Dublin at the tender age of 15 in the 1960s, and got her first job as a professional musician with them. So both she and her husband have a particular affection for Ireland’s other capital. Legrand will be performing as part of a double bill together with Carla Cook and her quartet. The Festival kicks off on Thursday Oct 23rd at the Cork Opera House where Imelda May starts a two-night stint. On the Saturday there’s a double bill of The Frank and Walters with their 25th Birthday Show. They’ll be joined there by the explosive sound of the Renegade Brass Band.
While on Sunday there’s another double bill, with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings teaming up with Lee Fields and the Expressions. And on the Monday, one of the most influential bands in pop history will be playing at the Opera House; the Drifters. Ben E King might not be part of the current line up, and the band has indeed seen numerous members come and go. But the hits just kept on coming. Over 50 of them, selling in excess of 210 million singles and over 100 million albums. Monday’s show is sure to
Ogham
The Drifters
YOU TOO CAN OWN A PIECE OF OGHAM Your name or that of a loved one in Ogham
include “Up On Tia Fuller The Roof ”, “Under The Boardwalk”, “Saturday Night At The Movies” and “Save The last Dance For Me”. Once again there will be scores of performers entertaining revellers on the Guinness Music Trail which takes in more than 50 pubs, clubs and hotels across the city. You can catch the likes of Don Baker, Hermitage Green, the Dublin Afrobeat Ensemble and Rob Strong. And the vast majority of them are free. If you are looking for something slightly left of field and a little unusual, The Triskel Christchurch venue will be hosting several jazz and crossover artists including June Tabor & Quercus, gypsy guitarist Lulo Reinhardt and Norwegian jazz superstar Hakon Kornstad. While the Festival Club at the Gresham Metropole Hotel will feature a wide range of music to suit all and any possible tastes, Dianne Reeves
from jazz and funk, to RnB and soul, with bands from all over Europe performing on four stages, day and night. Other names to look out for over the weekend are 2manydjs, Eton Messy, Jake Clemons and the Vanbrugh String Quartet. And if that’s not enough, there is an extensive fringe programme on offer involving exhibitions, performances and workshops, plus an extensive schedule of street music from overseas marching bands.
www.guinnessjazzfestival.com
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MIRV.PJ Val., RJ Dip., Diam Grad.,GIA 7 Royal Hibernian Way Dawson Street Dublin 2 01 6777161 www.irishjewel.com carol@irishjewel.com
The Imagine Arts Festival Waterford Dingle - My Kingdom For AinDolphin
W
aterford has always been a centre for the arts, and this year the Imagine Arts Festival celebrates its 13th year and runs from October 16th to the 26th. Music wise the festival covers all the bases, from toe tapping trad to Baroque era classical gems and edgy indie rock. They’ve a proud theatre tradition there, a vibrant film and video scene, and there are a plethora of history events that will shine a light on our past. Plus there’s a wide range of visual arts popping up in all sorts of unexpected places. Some of the 2014 festival highlights include music from U.S. Folk singer Tim Eriksen, who combines soaring vocals with a wonderfully inventive accompaniment on a wide range of stringed instruments. His acclaimed interpretations of Appalachian ballads contributed hugely to the success of the Cold Mountain soundtrack. There is more sublime americana with the return of The Lost Brothers who were such a success at last year’s festival. They’ll be joined on stage by Steve Wickham from the Waterboys. And poet, artist, singer song writer, guitar icon and cofounder of Sonic Youth Lee Ranaldo will also be
Booze Blaas n Banter
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making a rare appearance at this year’s festival. There’s our own Mick Flannery, Cat Dowling and her band, and a whole weekend of Trad with the John Dywer Trad Weekend, the highlight of which will be the appearance of the Martin O’Connor Band. Author and playwright Michael Harding will be joined by Dylan Tighe for an evening of words
and music. Other writers set to appear are John MacKenna, Michael Smith, Colm Keegan and festival-man Mark Graham. While History and Heritage will be fought over with the ‘Booze, Blaas n’Banter’ event which celebrates the City’s Quayside and maritime heritage, featuring a host of journalists, authors and musicians at a traditional ‘early house’. A variety of visual art will also be on view, including a Patrick Morrison Retrospective Exhibition. Born in Cork City, Morrison spent the last forty years of his life in California, and his collectors include Ben Kingsley, Nick Nolte, Faye Dunaway, Dennis Hopper, Mick Jagger and George Lucas. And there’s also an exhibition of cartoonist and illustrator Gerald Scarfe, who worked on Pink Floyd’s The Wall and has been a political cartoonist for the Sunday Times for over 44 years. As well as all of which, this year’s Festival also features an events programme especially for children including a ‘Parade of Light’ and a variety of theatre and dance events for all tastes and ages.
see www. imagineartsfestival. com
Explore Munster
Cliffs of Moher
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.
Blarney Castle
The Hunt Museum
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. 061 312 833 www.huntmuseum.com
Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry ( Irish: Mórchuaird Chiarraí) is not a ring in the conventional sense but a 179-km-long circular tourist route in County Kerry. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin, passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and Glenbeigh, before returning to Killarney via the N72. The scenery along this route is spectacular to behold and the route takes you through the Gap of Dunloe, the Bog Village, past Rossbeigh Beach, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House, The Blue Pool, Ross Castle, the Ogham Stones, and many more visitor attractions.
Bunratty Castle The Burren
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. And notwithstanding how impressive an example it is of a medieval castle, this is probably because of the famous stone you will there 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. Which needless to say they duly receive. 021 438 5252
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. To Begin to discover the secrets of the Burren, a walk through the Burren Centre Exhibition is essential.
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. You can explore at your own leisure or join in a guided tour with the experienced guides. At night time the castle is the impressive setting for the medieval castle banquets which are held all year round.
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You are only allowed just the one share, so everybody has an equal say. And it also means that no one person is responsible should things go awry. It’s a model that has worked so well for Cork City FC, and for that matter for the mighty Barcelona FC too. This year’s festival will be focusing on two genuinely independent spirits, Britain’s Tony Hill, and Irish filmmaker Vivienne Dick. Tony Hill has been working as an independent filmmaker since 1973, usually taking on all of the production roles himself, often building his own equipment. His bizarre, and frequently comic perspectives force us to rethink our assumptions about perspective, gravity, scale and movement. Developing his own camera rigs and ingeniously using mirrors and unusual lenses, he exploits the huge potential for film to see in different ways, showing us the world afresh. Tony will be in attendance to discuss his work.
Vivienne Dick Vivienne Dick came to prominence with the No Wave movement in New York in the 70s. Her work has been screened widely at festivals and at the likes of The Whitney Biennale, Tate Britain, and The Pompidou Centre. The Festival will be screening her seminal She Had Her Gun All Ready from 1978, followed by her new film The Irreducible Difference of the Other. Filmmaker Oonagh Kearney will conduct an interview with Vivienne postscreening.
M
Ick Hannigan has been promoting film culture in Ireland for decades. He was the brains behind the Cork Film Festival for over a quarter of a century, helped launch the IFI (the IFC as was) in
The Waterway
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Dublin in the 1990s and served on the Irish Film Board. And last year he and his business partner Una Feely launched the IndieCork Film Festival. The second IndieCork Festival kicks off again in Cork city on Sunday October 12th and runs until Sunday 19th . It was launched by them both to help promote independent film and music, both Irish and international. But it’s also an attempt to make the whole festival experience a more inclusive, democratic process. Uniquely, the IndieCork Film Festival is Ireland’s first ever shareholder-owned arts festival. This means that you and I or any other film and music fan can become a shareholder by buying one of the shares that are available.
The Weather Report The Festival concludes with the awarding of the ‘Ronan Phelan Script Award’. Named in honour of Ronan Phelan, an award-winning film maker who tragically passed away in 2004 at the age of 29, the award is designed to help boost burgeoning script writing talent.
www.indiecork.com
Louis Mulcahy Pottery
L
ocated on the scenic Slea head drive, nestled at the foot of a mountain and overlooking the wild Atlantic of Clogher strand, Louis Mulcahy pottery started as a two person operation in 1975 and today employs over twenty people in a part of Ireland that is rich in history, culture and the Irish language. Just step through the front door of Louis Mulcahy’s studio and workshop at Clogher, and your senses will get the hit they’ve been missing. You can see the full range of pottery in the extensive showroom at workshop prices from huge pot bellied urns, floor sized lamps, oven dishes, hand painted shades, mugs and plates to tiny egg cups and vases. Louis Mulcahy’s pottery range covers everything. Caife na Caolóige, recently awarded Bord Bia’s “The Just Ask restaurant of the month” for August, serves home baking and the best in local produce including crab toasties, smoked mackerel paté and fresh seaweed bread. If
you want to know what the Dingle Peninsula tastes like, you’re in the right place. Stop by, browse through the stunning pottery shop, and treat yourself to a slice of west Kerry, all served on Louis Mulcahy pottery. Their workshop comes alive during the October bank holiday weekend when their Annual sale takes place. In the past, customers have travelled from as far away as the US and Italy for Louis’ renowned sale where they offer up to 75% off some of the pieces. It’s also the only time of the year where they sell their “seconds”. Their Customer Evening takes place on Friday 24th October from 5pm8pm where pre-registered customers can avail of 25% reduction in a relaxed atmosphere, with competitions and light refreshments throughout the evening.
For more details go to www.louismulcahy.com OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 33
The Portmagee Sea Shanty Festival in County Kerry
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ortmagee in county Kerry is about as far west and south as you can go, and it’s from there that you can drive across on to Valentia Island. But it was originally called Magee’s Port, and was named after one of the most notorious smugglers of the 18th century, one Captain Theobald Magee. After fighting at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, Magee found his way to south Kerry. Having grown up in a family of traders in the North, he decided that the intricately chiselled coast around these parts was the ideal location for his own particular brand of business; being a pirate. He became so well known that the village, which was formerly known only as An Caladh, or ‘The Pier’, became known instead as ‘Magee’s Port’. And eventually, Portmagee. Those noble origins are honoured at Portmagee every year now when they hold their Sea Shanty Festival, which runs this year from Friday October 3rd until Saturday 5th. Captain Magee and his modern day band of Pirates will be joined by similarly minded shanty groups from Holland, the UK and from all over Ireland. A spirited weekend of sea songs, pirates and all things nautical - and not a little naughtiness - is promised. There will be many a session, centred no doubt around the Moorings pub and hotel who help organize the festival. As well as shanty singing workshops, a kid’s treasure hunt and a fancy dress parade led by the Killorglin Pipe Band. Amongst those visiting these shores, there’s the popular Dutch group Paddy’s Passion who are returning to the town for the fourth year, The Vagrant’s Crew who are coming over from Wales, and Kimber’s Men who arrive here from Yorkshire. And all the while, Captain Magee and his crew are busy raising funds to cover the cost of bringing the various Sea Shanty groups over here. And everyone will be getting together on the
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Saturday night when there’s a fundraising concert put on by a combination of local talent and various visiting groups to raise money for charity. Last year the weekend raised over €2,000 for the chosen charities. And this year, the nominated charity is Valentia RNLI Lifeboats. And don’t forget of course that Valentia island is, literally, only over the road. And you are, almost literally, only a hop, skip and a jump away from the famous Skelligs rocks. And talking of unscrupulous pirates hell bent on blindly grabbing as much cash as they can, and leaving in their wake a trail of cultural destruction, didn’t they shoot a film over there the other day?
066 9477 108 www.moorings.ie
CashmereIreland.com by Sue Designer Knits 20 Henry Street, Kenmare, Ireland Email: info@cashmereireland.com Tel: 064 6648986
GROGANS Where time stands still Host to a continuous changing art exhibition
15 South William Street Telephone 677 9320
20 Henry Street, Kenmare, Ireland Email: info@cashmereireland.com Tel: 064 6648986
OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 35
Kinsale Gourmet Festival
N
ot that anybody interested in gourmet cuisine ever needs an excuse to visit Kinsale, one of if not the food capital of Ireland, the weekend of October 10-12th sees the return of the Kinsale Gourmet Festival which celebrates its 38th year. The festival kicks off on the Friday at 3pm at Acton’s Hotel with the All-Ireland Chowder-Cook off. Ten of the top chefs in county Cork will be competing to represent the county at the 5th AllIreland Chowder Cook-Off, which will take place in Kinsale in April 2015. The winners of the AllIreland event will then travel to Newport, Rhode Island to show off their skills on the international stage.
Fish chowder ought to be reasonably simple to do, especially when living on an island like this one. It’s only when you taste the many disappointing efforts that are all too often offered up that you realize that there’s more to it than meets the eye. Here’s your chance to see how it all should be done. Admission is free. The festival officially opens on the Friday at 6.30pm at the White Lady Hotel. The evereffervescent Derek Davies will be over-seeing this event which is sponsored by Laurent Perrier. Canapés are provided by Kinsale’s Good Food Circle Restaurants, and tickets include a 5-course Taste of West Cork dinner in a restaurant of your choice. Tickets for this champagne reception and
dinner are €55. Saturday sees the Mad Hatter’s Taste of Kinsale at which participants show off their ever-more elaborate “Mad Hats” as they criss-cross the town, following Alice, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Fieldmouse on a tour of Kinsale’s Good Food Circle restaurants. And the Festival concludes on Sunday with the Fruits de Mer Luncheon, sponsored by Pallas Foods and Bewley’s. This though is already sold out, as are a number of other events. So you will need to hurry up and get booking!
021 4773571 www.kinsalerestaurants.com OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 37
Recommended Pubs For in Munster Dingle - My Kingdom A Dolphin
The Bierhaus Pope’s Quay, Cork 021 455 1648
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.
An Brog
72-73 Oliver Plunkett St, Cork 021 4270074
kingdom there, or base themselves there for its duration.
Jack Meades (under the bridge) Dunmore Rd, Waterford 051 850 950
Set on 5 acres of impeccably kept lawns, this sprawling complex boasts a number of bars. The old world bar it has dates back to 1705, whilst its lime kiln and ice house were built around 1860. But there is also a modern bar, and an extensive beer garden looking down over the gardens and streams. And good quality food is served here throughout the day.
Dick Mack’s
Greene St, Dingle, Co Kerry 066 915 1960
An Brog has been attending to fans of alternative and indie music for over 20 years now, and they’ve a constantly evolving roster of Djs and live bands catering to all and every musical taste. And best of all, they are open til 2 in the morning, seven days a week.
Buckley’s Bar
The Arbutus Hotel, College St, Killarney, Co Kerry. 064 6631037
Named after the leather craftsman, this small and gloriously “busy” pub still sells hand made leather ware inside at the shop to one side. Its walls are drowned in archaic photographs, and outside there’s a star studded pavement where the likes of Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery and Julia Roberts have left their mark. For many, many people, this is what they imagine when they conjure up the image of an Irish pub.
Dolan’s Pub and Restaurant 3-4 Dock Rd, Limerick 061 314 483 (ext 1)
The oak panelled walls and turf fire are the perfect accompaniment to the many musicians who drop in here for the impromptu sessions that seem to be forever going on here. Both bar and hotel have been welcoming visitors since it opened in 1926. And many people either begin their trip around the
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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.
Recommended Restaurants in Munster
The Old Convent Clogheen, Co Tipperary 052 746 5565
The Lime Tree
Shelbourne St, Kenmare, Co Kerry 064 664 1225
Out of the Blue Dingle Harbour (066) 915 0811.
Hidden away in the village of Clogheen, with the possible exception of the Cashel Palace, this is the finest restaurant in the whole of county Tipperary. Only one sitting at 8pm, and a set tasting menu at 65 Euro, this is quite simply one of the finest dining experiences in Ireland.
Ballymaloe House Shanagarry, Co Cork 021 4652 531
Myrtle Allen bought Ballymaloe in 1948 and she and her extended families have been entertaining and educating the rest of the country ever since. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but whether dining in the restaurant or staying on the grounds, this is about as luxurious as it gets.
Fishy Fishy Café
Crowley’s Quay, Kinsale, Co Cork. 01 470 0415
With the possibly exception of Kinsale, Kenmare is Ireland’s unofficial culinary capital. And this is one of the town’s very best restaurants, specializing in wonderfully fresh fish and succulent lamb.
Dromoland Castle
Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare 061 368 144 Quite simply one of the most imposing and impressive castles on these islands, it boasts rooms and a restaurant to match its imperious surroundings.
They serve only 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.
An Canteen Dykgate st Dingle Tel 0866603778.
Ristorante Rossini 33-4 Princess St, Cork city. 021 427 5818 Kinsale is unquestionably the food capital of Ireland, and this by common consent is one of its finest restaurants. Impeccably fresh fish at reasonable prices.
Isaacs Restaurant McCurtain St, Cork city. 021 450 3805
Hidden away in a budget style hotel, Isaacs has always had a reputation with locals for being a considerably better quality restaurant than you might have expected. And as you’d expect, its very reasonably priced too.
The Mustard Seed Ballingarry, Co Limerick 069 68508
About 40 minutes outside of Limerick City, off the Adare road, this is one of those roomy country houses that’s been transformed into a top class hotel and restaurant. One of the finest restaurants in Munster.
Small quaint front room restaurant with locally sourced high quality ingredients making this little gem a must visit when in Dingle. Antonio Toscano opened this Italian restaurant in the heart of Cork City in 1994, and has always gone out of his way to staff it with his fellow country men and women, from both the North and the South of Italy. And it’s this, together with their extensive menu that makes eating here as close to actually dining in Italy as you could hope to find.
La Cucina
5 University Court, Castletroy, County Limerick. Tel 061 333980 Simply one of the best places for a pizza in the country.
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Welcome To Connaught
Ancient stone walls in the Aran Islands
T
he 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
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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. Connaught has some 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 Castle in Mayo near to Cong where the film ‘The Quiet The Claddagh by night Man ‘ was filmed, and the natural serenity of Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon, and a tour of this region is a must for all. For those interested in a religious experience Mayo is famed for Knock Shrine where on the 21st August, 1879, at about 8 o’clock, Our Lady, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist
are reputed to have appeared. The apparition was seen by fifteen people whose ages ranged from six years to seventy-five and included men, women and children. The shrine has become so popular in modern times that the Ireland West International Airport was built especially in 1985 to cater for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and visitors to Connaught. The county also features the pilgrimage site known as Croagh Patrick, which overlooks Clew Bay in County Mayo. Thus is considered the holiest mountain in Ireland. The tradition of pilgrimage to this holy mountain stretches back over 5,000 years from the Stone Age to the present day without interruption. Croagh Patrick is renowned today for its Patrician Pilgrimage in honour of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. It was on the summit of the mountain that Saint Patrick is said to have fasted for forty days in 441 AD, and the custom of trekking up the mountain has been faithfully handed down from generation to generation. Croagh Patrick is 5 miles from the picturesque town of Westport, and its conical shape soars majestically above the surrounding countryside with magnificent views of Clew Bay beneath. So, whether it’s water activities on the Atlantic coastline, cruising on the Shannon Waterway, religious pilgrimages, chilling out amongst an unspoilt landscape or driving along roads where motoring is still a pleasure, Connaught has it all.
Explore Connaught
Kylemore Abbey
Few places on earth have the tranquillity and beauty of Kylemore Abbey and its majestic walled garden. The castle was bought by the Benedictine nuns in 1920. The Victorian walled garden was re-opened in 1999 and 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. This is a gem and should definitely be at the top of any visitors list.
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. As you reach Glencar which straddles the border between counties Sligo and Leitrim with its dramatic steep cliffs, you will notice a series of waterfalls cascading from the heights. Glencar waterfall is perhaps the most dramatic, descending 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.
Inishbofin Island
Inishbofin (island of the white cow) is situated seven miles off the Galway coastline and is an extremely popular tourist attraction.The island is 5.7km by 4km, and has three official looped walks of varying difficulties, each offering spectacular views of the island’s wild Atlantic scenery. The island also has several safe, award winning sandy beaches, and its clear waters make swimming, snorkelling and diving a joy. Two of the beaches on Inishbofin have been awarded the ‘Green Coast Award’, prized for their exceptional water quality and their natural, unspoilt environment.
Croagh Patrick
Connemara
Mullaghmore
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. Indeed, on 8 March 2012, surfers and windsurfers from all over the world rode 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. And it is overlooked by the majestic Ben Bulbin mountain.
Connemara is one of God’s gifts to this world with 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. Connemara’s land boundary with the rest of County Galway is marked by the Invermore River which flows into the north of Kilkieran Bay.
Croagh Patrick is 5 miles from the picturesque town of Westport, and its conical shape soars majestically above the surrounding countryside. You get spectacular views of Clew Bay and the surrounding Mayo countryside from all stages as you climb. Widely considered the holiest mountain in Ireland, pilgrimages date all the way back to the time of the pagans, when people are thought to have gathered here to celebrate the beginning of harvest season. 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 Croag Patrick every year. 098 64114
OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 41
Sheryl Crow to headline Sligo Live 2014
T
he folk, roots & indie festival Sligo Live celebrates 10 years of quality music on the Wild Atlantic Way from October 22nd until the 27th. Headlining this year’s festival is Sheryl Crow. The ninetime Grammy Award winner has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, and will play the Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo on Bank Holiday Sunday. She’s had a string of platinum albums and singles in her illustrious career, and songs like The First Cut is the Deepest, Every Day is a Winding Road, My Favorite Mistake and All I Wanna Do have topped the charts across the Bell XI
globe. She’s performed with just about everybody, from Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, to Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett and even Luciano Pavarotti. As you’d expect, there’s a wide variety of Irish trad on offer as well. The Michael McGoldrick Quartet plays on the Saturday. Part of the thriving Manchester-Irish trad scene, for the past two years McGoldrick has been touring as a member of Mark Knopfler’s band, and all four members of the quartet have played and recorded with all sorts of people from Sharon Shannon and Kate Rusby to Tim O’Brien. One of the most exciting acts on the contemporary British folk scene Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow perform in an exciting double bill with the eclectic Irish folk band No Crows on the Friday. O’Hooley, who comes from a long line of Sligo musicians that includes Tony Howley and Tommy Flemming, first came to prominence as a member of Rachel and Becky Unthank’s Winterset, before joining forces with Heidi. Montreal’s The Barr Brothers will team up with Simone Felice, formerly of the Felice brothers, for an exciting double bill in Calry Church on the Sunday. While our own Bell XI play the Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo on the Friday. Paul Noonan returns to front the band after working so successfully on his side project Printer Clips, which saw him team up with a variety of female vocalists including Lisa Hannigan and Martha Wainwright. And lastly if very much anything but leastly, the legendary Horslips will be playing at the Knocknarea Arena at IT Sligo on the Saturday night.
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Lovely Leitrim
L
eitrim makes an asset of its peacefulness, beguiling visitors with tranquil landscapes and a slower pace of life. Located on Europe’s longest inland navigable waterway, this county is famous for river cruising. It also has a great reputation for angling thanks to its abundance of pristine lakes and rivers. Friendly pubs with impromptu music sessions in lively riverside towns like Carrick-on-Shannon, Dromod and Kinlough complete the picture. Adrenaline junkies will enjoy windsurfing, white-water kayaking, archery and mountain biking in and around Lough Allen. And Leitrim’s tiny coastline boasts some of the West’s best surf breaks. If you prefer to get your fresh air in a more relaxed manner, what about a round of golf at Carrickon-Shannon. The course offers spectacular views of the Boyle River and Drumharlow Lake. The 48km Sli Liatroma hiking trail is another great way to get a lungful of oxygen. Leitrim’s colourful history is also worth exploring. Parke’s Castle, the 17th Century manor house on the shores of Lough Gill, Drumkeerin Heritage Centre and the Kinlough Folk Museum help to paint a vivid picture of days gone by. The Costello Chapel, the smallest church in Europe, and Glencar Waterfall, which inspired Yeats’s poem ‘The Stolen Child’ should also be added to the must-see list. Similarly, Creevylea Friary, on the edge of the town of Dromahair, is well worth a visit. The best way of getting to see it is across the footbridge over the River Bonet from the car park at the Abbey Manor Hotel. This Franciscan monastery was founded by Eoin O’Rourke and his wife Margaret, and was one of the last abbeys founded in Ireland before King Henry VIII dissolved all the monasteries throughout Ireland and England. The friary was built in 1508 and consists of the church, the cloister and domestic buildings, where a carving of St Francis preaching to the birds can be seen. The tower, which stands above the church, was converted for use as living quarters in the 17th century and originally served as a bell-tower.
Glencar Waterfall
Parkes Castle on Lough Gill
Garadice Lake on the Shannon
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Recommended Pubs in Connaught
Tigh Neachtain (Naughtons) 17 Cross st, Galway 091 568 820
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.
The Quays
11 Quay St, Galway 091 568 347
Shadow and Dinosaur Jr. The only difference is, they’ve got a beer garden on the roof now!
Furey’s Pub Bridge St, Sligo 087 958 3080
Furey’s is located in the centre of Sligo, and is your no nonsense, strictly Irish trad music only, Irish pub. And they are as keen on real beer as they are on serious music, offering up an impressive choice craft beers.
Bosh Bar and Restaurant Don’t be put off by the reams of tourists that flock here all year round, there’s a reason that this pub enjoys such a lofty reputation. It looks and feels exactly like an Irish pub should. And be sure to check out the back of the pub which has been decked out with stained glass and wooden pews borrowed from a Medieval French church!
Linenhall St., Castlebar, Co Mayo 094 925 0534
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.
Roísín Dubh
Matt Malloy’s
Lower Dominick St., Galway 091 586 540
Bridge St., Westport 098 26655
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
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.
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Recommended Restaurants in Connaught
Kai Café
Sea Rd. Galway city. 091 526 003
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.
The Cottage Restaurant Jamestown, Co. Leitrim. 071 962 5933
Head chef Sham Hanifa’s sauces are so well regarded, you can buy jars of them to take away with you after your meal. Originally from Malaysia, he’s been here in Leitrim for over 14 years and applies his culinary skills to the local Irish produce that are native to the West.
Ashford Castle
Cong, Co. Mayo. 094 954 6003 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.
Upstairs @ West Restaurant The Twelve, Barna, Galway city. 091 597000 David and Jessica Murphy’s restaurant in the heart of Galway has justly won a mountain of awards over the last couple of years, including Restaurant of the Year in 2012. Of the many, many who sing its praises, John McKenna wrote, “It’s vital food, packed with good energy, and it lifts you up to eat it because it’s so simple and elemental.”
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.
Waterfront House Restaurant Enniscrone, County Sligo. 096 37120
Eala Bhán
Rockwood Parade, Sligo town. 071 914 5823
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.
The Yew Tree Restaurant
Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon. 090 666 1255 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.
An Port Mór Restaurant
1 Brewery Place, Bridge St, Westport, Co. Mayo. 098 26730 46 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
The Waterfront House Restaurant boasts one of the most outstanding sea views in Ireland. You can wine, dine and relax as you peer out over the 5km beach overlooking Killala Bay. Since it opened in 2011 the Seaview Restaurant and Wine Bar have become popular with locals and visitors alike. Fresh Seafood is a specialty.
Welcome to Ulster
Marble Arch Caves
T
he 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 as 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.
is the most notable. The famous mountains or ‘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.
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.
Belfast City Hall
Giants Causeway
Malin Head
County Donegal is in the northwest of the 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
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 new OCTOBER 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 47
Explore Ulster
Titanic Belfast
Since it opened in March 2012 Titanic Belfast has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland, and over a million visitors went through its doors in its first year. Housed in an iconic, six story building, it’s located in the heart of Belfast, right next to the very site where the famous ship was first built. Once you enter the building proper, you’re introduced to the building’s giant atrium surrounded by the four “ships”, hull shaped wings which act as the beginning of the Titanic experience. Your journey will then take you through the building’s nine galleries, telling the story of the Titanic from its conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through its construction and launch, to its famous maiden voyage and tragic end. The story is brought up to the present with the discovery of the wreck, and into the future with live links to contemporary undersea exploration. And the galleries employ a variety of interactive media including CGI, film, audio, artefacts and full-scale replicas. Not only that, there’s an actual ride through the Titanic giving you a view of how the ship was physically put together. Tel 028 9076 6386
The Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway stretches for around five kilometres along the Antrim coast north of the town of Bushmills. Legend has it that it was built by Finn MacCool so that he could get across to Scotland to the East to take on a giant who lived over there. Voted by BBC Radio listeners as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the UK, visitors flock here from all over the world to marvel at one of Europe’s most magnificent coastlines and its unique rock formations, which have stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of Atlantic storms for millions of years. The rugged symmetry of the columns never fails to intrigue and inspire people. And to stroll along the Giants Causeway is to voyage back in time. In 1986 they opened the Giants Causeway Visitors centre, after the World Heritage Conventions added it to its coveted list of sites, which are of exceptional interest and universal value. And the National Trust which oversees the Causeway provides the half million tourists who go there every year with any and all the information that they might need. 48 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
The Old Bushmills Distillery In 1608, King James I of England granted Sir Thomas Phillipps a license to distil whiskey, and Bushmills became the first ever distillery in the world to begin officially producing it. “Whiskey” with an “e” is Irish by the way, and without is Scotch. And the word itself originated from the Irish word for water, “uisce”. Bushmills is the only distillery in Ireland to make triple-distilled malt whiskey. This is at the heart of all Bushmills whiskeys, whether Bushmills or Black Bush, and it is this that gives them their unique combination of smoothness and richness. In 2008, Bushmills celebrated the 400th anniversary of their original licence to distil whiskey. They marked the occasion with the release of a limited edition Irish whiskey of exceptional smoothness, Bushmills 1608. Today Bushmills Irish Whiskey is owned by Diageo, and over 120,00 visitors come to the Old Distillery every year to discover more about how it is all done, and to see for themselves where the magic happens. Tel 028 2073 3218
Ulster American Folk Park
Situated at the base of the Sperrin mountain range just 5 miles outside of Omagh on the road to Strabane, the museum is your chance to mix family fun with a fascinating exploration of our shared histories. Immerse yourself in the world famous story of Irish emigration at the museum that brings it to life. Follow the emigrant trail as you journey from the thatched cottages of Ulster, on board a full scale emigrant sailing ship leading to the log cabins of the American Frontier. Meet an array of costumed characters on your way with traditional crafts to show, tales to tell and food to share. And you can also avail of the facilities at the residential centre and museum restaurant. They offer an array of en-suit rooms, and dorms that sleep up to 7 in bunk beds, with linen, laundry and drier rooms, plus kitchens, bathrooms, and TV, DVD and games rooms. Museum: +44 (0) 28 8224 3292 Residential centre: +44 (0)28 8224 0918
Ulster Recommended Pubs
The Crown Liquor Saloon 46 Great Victoria St, Belfast 028 9024 3187
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 Freedman 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.
White’s Tavern
2-4 Winecellar Entry, Belfast 028 9024 3080 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.
Kelly’s Cellars 30-32 Bank St, Belfast 028 9024 6058 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.
The John Hewitt 51 Donegall St., Belfast 028 9023 3768
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.
The Duke Of York 7-11 Commercial Ct, Belfast 028 9024 1062
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.
Peadar O’Donnell’s 59-63 Waterloo St., Derry 028 7126 7295
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.
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Recommended Restaurants in Ulster
Ox
spectacularly situated hotel resorts you will find anywhere in Europe.
Having won the Best Newcomer Award in 213, Ox took Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Wine Experience in Antrim for 2014. Chic, smart and very good.
The Ginger Bistro
1 Oxford St, Belfast. 0044 28 9031 4121
Coco
7-11 Linenhall St, Belfast. 0044 28 9031 1150
7-8 Hope St, Belfast. 0044 28 9024 4421
55 Degrees North
1 Causeway St, Portrush, Co Antrim. 0044 28 7082 2811
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.
Vanilla Restaurant
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.
Deane’s Restaurant
36-40 Howard St, Belfast. 0044 28 9033 1134
67 Main St, Newcastle. 0044 28 4372 2268 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.
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.
Shu
253 Lisburn Rd, Belfast. 0044 28 9038 1655 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.
Telfords Restaurant
5 Donegall Quay, Belfast. 0044 28 9043 4000
Lough Erne Resort
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.
Belleek Rd, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. 0044 28 6632 3230
Sun Kee Restaurant
42-7 Donegall Pass, Belfast. 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.
Lusty Beg
Boa Island, Kesh, Co Fermanagh. 0044 28 6863 3300
This 5 star hotel just outside the town of Enniskillen is quite simply one of the most 50 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-OCTOBER 2014
This island spa is set on a 75 acres in the heart of the lakes of Fermanagh, and where better to unwind than in its award winning restaurant.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in Belfast, the Lo family have been producing impressively adventurous and authentic Chinese cuisine here for years.
Sakura, 82 Botanic Av, Belfast
0044 28 9043 9590 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.
Speranza Restaurant, 16-9 Shaftesbury Av, Belfast 044 28 9023 0213 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.
Blarney Castle & Gardens Renowned for bestowing the gift of eloquence Take the time to enjoy our magical CASTLE GARDENS
Open all year round 5 miles from Cork Open Monday- Sunday 9-6 www.blarneycastle.ie info@blarneycastle.ie