Travel Ireland Volume 3 Issue 21

Travelireland Volume 3 Issue 21 January 2016

magazine

Nothing strange about Newgrange

Blarney Castle

Out to Lunch Festival

Frank Mc Court Museum

Big Maggie

STORMS INTO THE GAIETY

Temple Bar Trad Festival

CONTENTS 4 6 8 10 12 13 14 16 18 20 24 26 28 30 31 32 34 36 38 40 41 42 43 44 46 48 49 50 50

Welcome To Leinster Explore Leinster Big Maggie at the Gaiety Theatre Theatre Explore Leinster First Fortnight Newgrange Temple Bar TradFest Leinster Pubs Leinster Restaurants Shopping The Vibe for Philo

Ellen Media Communications Ltd Father Matthew Hall Second Floor, 131 Church St, Dublin 7.

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

Willkommen-Bienvenida-Bienvenue-Welcome! To our January issue.

Whether this is your first time visiting our shores, or you are returning once again to trace the steps of your distant ancestors, here at Travel Ireland we hope in some small way to be able to gently guide you as you plan your stay here. There’s so much to do and see all year round in Ireland and we start the New Year off with a host of great events.

John B Keane’s Big Maggie comes to the Gaiety Theatre while the 30th anniversary of a rock legend’s passing will be marked at the Vibe for Philo. Get some peace of mind at First Fortnight or soak up the culture in Belfast at the Out To Lunch festival. Whatever you end up doing, we at Travel Ireland wish you a hefty and heart-felt Céad míle fáilte.

Enjoy your stay.

Welcome to Munster Explore Munster Titanic Experience Cobh Frank McCourt Museum Blarney Castle Munster Pubs Munster Restaurants Welcome to Connaught Explore Connaught

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Connaught Restaurants Connaught Pubs Welcome To Ulster Out to Lunch Festival Ulster Pubs Explore Ulster Great Irish Writers Peter Cox – Photographer

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Published by Ellen Media Communications Ltd Publisher John Carey Features Writer Mark O’Brien Design & Art Direction Outburst Design Credit Control Manager Nichola Thomas (nichola@ellenmediacom.ie) Advertising John Carey (john@ellenmediacom.ie, 01 561 2431, 087 911 3732) Aran Sheehan (aran@travelirelandmagazine.ie, 085 711 0826) Contributors: Adam Patterson Photography, John McCurdy, Paula Moore, Patrick O’Neill, Stephen Walker, Ivan Donoghue, Joleen Cronin Richard Eibrand, Padraig O’Donnell, Michael Mc Laughlin.

We wish to record our thanks to Paula Sneyd, 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, 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 publishers prior consent. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of all the events information or recommendations on this site, no responsibility will be accepted by Ellen Media Communications Ltd, its editorial team, designers, authors or agents acting on their behalf for alterations, errors or omissions which may occur.

January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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

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

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

If you want to escape to the country without

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

County Meath formerly known as the Royal County is the ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland who were based around the Hill of Tara. Meath is also one of the most archaeologically important counties on the island with its Neolithic sites at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. These ancient religious sites (built before the Pyramids) have been excavated and restored in recent years making 4

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Hill of Tara 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 attractions.

Offaly is situated in the centre of Ireland. Nestling between the Shannon River to the West and the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the East, Offaly is one of the lowest lying counties in the country.

Any visitor should travel along the Royal Canal where one can experience a peace and tranquillity little known in our busy world.

Kildare is the home of the National Stud, Newbridge Silverware and Maynooth College. Couple all these with Mondello Park motor racing, Naas horse racing course and Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park and there is something for everyone.

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

Kilkenny Castle 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!

Dublin Airport Travel Services Airport Parking, Fast Track, Executive Lounges and more – save time and book all of your essential travel services in one easy step on dublinairport.com Dublin Airport offers all passengers unlimited free Wifi

Explore Leinster

The James Joyce Museum In 1904, James Joyce stayed in the Martello Tower in Sandycove as a guest of Oliver St. John Gogarty. Although his stay was short, the Martello Tower became the setting for the opening of Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses. The Martello Tower is now the home of the James Joyce Museum, dedicated to the life and work of one of Ireland’s greatest writers. Open all year round with free admission, the James Joyce Museum has many first editions of Joyce’s work on display. Visitors can also view pictures inspired by Joyce and his work, photographs of the author, his family and his friends, and one of two plaster death masks made by the sculptor Paul Speck.

The James Joyce Museum is a must visit for lovers of literature. www.joycetower.ie

Glendalough

Glasnevin Cemetery Museum and Guided Tours Glasnevin Cemetery is one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions. Glasnevin Museum proudly tells the story of modern Ireland through interactive exhibitions, re-enactments, lectures and daily walking tours. Visitors learn about the harsh realities of life in Dublin, hear about gravediggers and grave robbers, cholera epidemics, and world wars. A visit inside Daniel O’Connell’s Celtic Romantic designed crypt and iconic tower, the tallest in Ireland, forms part of the tour.

There is also a genealogy research area, where extensive online records can be accessed. The museum shop stocks a terrific collection of Irish crafts, jewellery, mementos, historical books, and other interesting gift items. www.glasnevintrust.ie

Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) Kilmainham Gaol may seem like an unusual place to spend a morning or afternoon but despite its sometimes grim past it makes for a fascinating visit. Built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol served as a prison for 128 years, and tours detail some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland’s emergence as a modern nation. The tour of the prison includes an audio-visual show.

Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and cannot be booked in advance.

Tel: 01 453 5984

The Guinness Storehouse

Croke Park

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.

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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 e16.50, 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.

Croke Park is the home of Ireland’s national games; Gaelic football and hurling. A tour of the stadium is a tour through Ireland’s rich history. The state of the art visitors experience offers a chance to visit team dressing rooms, go pitchside and take a seat in the VIP area.

The museum tells the story of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day and offers visitors the chance to try out their own football and hurling skills.

If you’re feeling brave and have a head for heights, then why not take the incredible Skyline Tour? Visitors ascend a 44 metre walkway to take in panoramic views of the city from the top of the stadium and allows visitors to find out about key Dublin landmarks from five viewing platforms along the stadium. www.crokepark.ie www.skylinecrokepark.ie

GOURMET FRENCH CUISINE PRE-THEATRE & EARLY-BIRD DINING VEGETARIAN, COELIAC & GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS PRIVATE DINING ROOMS AVAILABLE

81 - 82 TALBOT STREET, DUBLIN 2 |TEL: 01 704 0126 |EMAIL: INFO@LEBONCRUBEEN.IE |WWW. LEBONCRUBEEN.IE

Celtic Lodge Guesthouse

In the Heart of Dublin City Centre

Celtic Lodge is located on Talbot Street in Dublin City Centre.

Recently refurbished throughout, the rooms are decorated in modern colours and fabrics with luxurious touches, to make your stay in Dublin as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

The Celtic Lodge Guesthouse is located just 5 minutes walk from both Connolly Train Station and Busáras, the main bus station in Dublin. Popular Dublin attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Zoo, Book of Kells at Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle and the Old Jameson Distillery are also close by. Celtic Lodge offers quality Dublin accommodation at great rates and is an ideal choice for your stay in Dublin.

81-82 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 . Tel: 01 878 8810 Email: info@celticlodge.ie www.celticlodge.ie

Dublin’s Finest Traditional Irish Pub Traditional Irish Music Every evening from 9pm. Come on in for a pint and the craic!

Come along and experience the authentic atmosphere found only at The Celt Bar, the traditional Irish pub in Dublin that’s as full of life as it always has been. Friendly faces, a classic bar menu, the finest selection of Irish whiskey’s, beers, ales and stouts, ciders and not to mention the goodness of real Guinness.

www.thecelt.ie

The Celt Bar 81-82 Talbot Street, Dublin 1

Big Maggie at the Gaiety Theatre H

aving recently staged Moll, The Field and The Matchmaker, the Gaiety Theatre continues its close association with the work of John B Keane with the staging of Big Maggie for a limited engagement from 29 January to 20 February. This Druid production is directed by Tony Award winner Garry Hynes, who says she is, “thrilled to be returning to the work of John B Keane with this production”.

A stellar cast has been assembled for this production. Aisling O’Sullivan makes a welcome return in the title role of Big Maggie and Keith Duffy reprises his role as the lusty commercial traveller Teddy Heelin. Joining them are some of Ireland’s finest actors, including Clare Barrett, Charlotte McCurry, Karen McCartney, Muiris Crowley, Emmet Byrne, Clare Monnelly and Joan Sheehy. The cast also includes John Olohan, who won an Irish Times Irish Theatre Award for his role as Byrne in Druid’s

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2011 production of Big Maggie.

Big Maggie was quite shocking when it premiered in 1969. Set in rural Ireland in the 1960s, the play is a compelling portrait of a woman who is determined to take control of her life after the death of her husband. Money, land and secret sex are all thrown into a riveting story that remains one of John B Keane’s most popular plays.

Big Maggie is also a prescribed text on the English course of the Leaving Certificate and many students around the country will be studying the play for their 2016 exams. In recognition of this, the Gaiety Theatre has announced a special schools offer with tickets from €16 Monday to Thursday including Wednesday matinees and from €20 for Saturday matinees, with a free teacher ticket with every 10 tickets purchased. Joanna Keane, English teacher at Presentation Secondary School Tralee and

daughter of John B Keane, has written educational notes which will also be available for download with every school group booking.

With a brilliant cast and director, Druid’s production of Big Maggie will offer an insight into Irish rural life in the not-too-distant past and is sure to make for compelling viewing and a brilliant night out in one of Dublin’s famous old theatres.

www.gaietytheatre.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Theatre Mermaid Arts Centre The Matchmaker

The Gate

The Importance of Being Earnest

and promises to be a spectacular, action-packed panto that the whole family can enjoy.

18 December - 10 January 2016 Also in the Olympia this month; Do You Come Here Often? (14 & 15 January), The Maccabees (16 January), Patty Griffin (17 January), Massive Attack (19 & 20 January), Gavin James (21 - 23 January), Kris Kristofferson (25 - 26 January), The Strypes (30 January).

The Matchmaker takes us back to a simpler time, when even phones were few and far between and the only web was one left behind by spiders. John B Keane’s witty play follows the exploits of Dicky Mick Dicky O’Connor as he attempts to make matches for the lonely and the lovelorn in rural Ireland.

16 January Tel: 01 2724043 or visit www.mermaidartscentre.ie Also in the Mermaid Arts Centre this month; Brendan Balfe: Sorry We’re Off The Air (9 January) and Aprés Match (23 January).

Bord Gais Energy Theatre An Evening with Colonel Chris Hadfield

Col. Chris Hadfield became an international star thanks to his tweets from aboard the International Space Station and his farewell video - a reworking of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. An evening with Chris Hadfield will feature rarely seen videos from his personal collection that will leave you mesmerized by the beauty of our planet as seen from a bird’s eye.

24 January Tel: 01 6777999 or visit www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie Also at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre this month; Mary Poppins (3 December - 9 January), Menopause The Musical (27 - 28 January), Piaf ! The Show (30 January) and Rumours of Fleetwood Mac (31 January).

The Abbey

You Never Can Tell

Director Conall Morrison brings Bernard Shaw’s joyful and unpredictable battle of the sexes to the Abbey stage. Mrs. Clandon returns to England after 18 years abroad, with her unruly teenage twins and forthright daughter in tow. Their new life becomes complicated by her estranged husband and a love-struck dentist and it could be up to a mysterious waiter to help them all live happily ever after.

2 December - 6 February 2016 Tel: 01 8872200 10

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Director Patrick Mason presents this stunning new production, with Rory Nolan and Marty Rea in the roles of Algernon and Jack. Wilde’s classic play charts the lives of these two charming rogues, who both lead double lives in an attempt to court the attentions of Gwendolen Fairfax (Lisa Dwyer Hogg) and Cecily Cardew (Lorna Quinn).

Theatre Royal, Waterford

26 November - 30 January 2016 Tel: 01 8744045 / 01 8746042

National Concert Hall

The National Concert Hall is home to the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra, and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland.

Highlights this December include Two and a Half Tenors (8 January), The Burren Backroom Series (20 January), RTE NSO Haydn, Raymond Deane, Rachmaninov (22 January) and Peter & The Wolf live with the RTE Concert Orchestra (31 January). www.nch.ie

The Gaiety Big Maggie

Druid present a compelling portrait of a woman who is determined to take control of her life after the death of her husband - with money, land and secret sex all thrown into a riveting story that remains one of John B Keane’s most popular plays. (see pages 8 & 9 for more details) 29 January - 20 February Tel: 0818 719 388.

Also in the Gaiety this month; Little Red Riding Hood (29 November - 24 January).

The Olympia

Freezin’ The Story of the Snow Queen

Rising star Al Porter stars as Lolly Polly in Freezin’ The Story of the Snow Queen. This hilarious panto is directed by Simon Delaney

The Theatre Royal in Waterford is the premiere theatre venue in the South East of Ireland and hosts some of the best national and international touring artists and theatre companies. This month sees the hilarious Menopause The Musical hit the stage (26 January), starring Mary Byrne, Niamh Kavanagh, Sue Collins and Linda Nolan.

Neil Delamare brings his brilliant new show CTRL + ALT + Delamare to Waterford on 30 January and Duke Special presents Piano & Pages (31 January), featuring songs from his most recent album ‘Look Out Machine!’ alongside a few surprises. www.theatreroyal.ie ph. 051 874402 Also at the Theatre Royal this month; Jack L (9 January), The Lear Review (12 - 14 January) The High Kings (21 January).

Smock Alley Theatre The Dead by James Joyce

Aidan Gillen brings James Joyce’s captivating short story The Dead to life alongside beautiful live music accompaniment by composer and pianist Feargal Murray. In the story, Joyce uses scrupulous deadpan realism to present the story of a pedantic professor who experiences an intensely personal and brutal epiphany at his aunt’s annual Christmas party.

5 - 9 January Also in Smock Alley this month; Globe to Globe Hamlet (2 January). www.smockalley.com ph. 01 6770014

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Explore Leinster

The War Memorial Gardens

Avondale House and Forest Park

The Old Jameson Distillery Experience the Old Jameson Distillery whiskey tour and let expert guides take you back in time as they lead you through the fascinating story of Jameson Irish Whiskey.

At the end of the tour, all visitors are rewarded with a complimentary dram of whiskey at the Jameson Bar and partake in a comparison whiskey tasting session where you will learn how to tell the differences between Scotch, Irish, and American whiskey. The tour finishes at the exclusive gift store where people may choose to buy a personalised bottle or a memento of their visit. Dublin is a city famous for its whiskey and a visit to the Old Jameson Distillery is essential for any person looking to explore, sightsee or even just enjoy themselves and have a drink.

Open Daily from 9am-6pm Tel: 01 8072348/ 2316

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.

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When you are visiting IMMA in Kilmainham, you should walk on over to Islandbridge about half a kilometer further on. The gardens there are dedicated to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1st World War. The names of all the soldiers are contained in the beautifully illustrated Harry Clarke manuscripts in the granite bookrooms in the gardens.

Not merely a place of remembrance, they are also of great architectural interest and beauty. They are one of only four gardens in this country designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944).

The others being Heywood Gardens, Lambay Island and those in Howth Castle.

The sunken rose gardens, herbaceous borders and extensive tree planting on view here make it well worth that extra bit of a walk.

Open all year round. Tel: 01 475 7816

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 01 677 7444

Avondale House was the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (18461891), 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.

Tel: 0404 46111 www.heritageisland.com

Gallery Zozimus

Gallery Zozimus, art gallery, in the centre of Dublin’s Arts and Antiques Quarter of Francis Street, is ideally situated in the centre of a triangle that comprises Christchurch, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Visitor Centre at the Guinness Hop Store.

They hold a collection of Paintings, Sculptures in Bronze, Ceramic, Glass and Wood, Photography and more recently have exhibited Street or Urban art.Their’s is the largest Ceramic Gallery in Dublin exhibiting over 75 artists work Their aim is to ensure that you have an exciting array of artworks to choose from so they have created this very special place where you can view a mix of contemporary and traditional works. Gallery Zozimus represents over 120 artists, some well established and some just starting out.

Opening hours: Mon - Sat 10.00 – 5.30 Sunday by appointment.

Tel: 353 1 453 9057.

Email: info@galleryzozimus.ie www.galleryzozimus.ie Gallery Zozimus, 56 Francis St, Dublin 8

FIRST Fortnight

ow in its seventh year, First Fortnight is an arts festival with a difference. The aim of the festival is to raise awareness of mental health issues and allow them to be discussed in an open way, thus breaking down the stigma that is far too often associated with such problems. The organisers believe that the arts can allow us to create a space where these issues can be discussed openly and each year they bring a diverse and engaging line-up of theatre, music and discussion to venues in Dublin and across the country.

This year, names as diverse as snooker player Willie Thorne, broadcasters Diarmuid Gavin, John Bowman and Eoghan McDermott, actress Mary McEvoy and Olympic silver-medallist Kenneth Egan will all take part in the festival.

One of the opening events is Proclamation - a unique evening of talk and music on New Year’s Day in Christ Church Cathedral in partnership with Mental Health Ireland and in association with New Year’s Festival Dublin.

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The event will feature a number of well-known Irish faces, including Diarmuid Gavin, Mary McEvoy, and First Fortnight ambassadors Chris Donoghue and Eoghan McDermott.

The acclaimed Brian Wilson biopic, Love and Mercy, will be screened during the festival and there will be performances from a host of great musicians, including We Cut Corners, Jennifer Evans, Gavin Glass, Saint Sister and the High Hopes Choir.

Former snooker player Willie Thorne will speak to Jim Carroll from the Irish Times in the Sugar Club on 9 January. Thorne won 14 major titles and made a record 190 maximum 147 breaks during his career but a crippling gambling addiction led him into depression, culminating in a suicide attempt. Willie will bare his soul, talking openly about the dark days he endured and his inspirational recovery.

Theatre plays an important part of the festival, with two of the highlights this year being the award-winning Big Bobby. Little Bobby, which examines our inner demons, and Overshadowed, which deals with eating disorders.

Elsewhere, RTE broadcaster John Bowman chairs If Elected: Where do the political parties stand on mental health?, Kenneth Egan and Breifne Earley will discuss sports stars and mental health, Gabriel starring Rory Culkin will premiere in Ireland and the Science Gallery will host the European premiere of Buried Above Ground, a new documentary exploring Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

At a time when a lot of people may be feeling down just after Christmas, First Fortnight is the perfect tonic with its vibrant mix of events. But more importantly, it’s slowly but surely helping to break down the barriers when it comes to discussing mental health.

www.firstfortnight.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Newgrange E

Every year, a handful of lucky people gather at Newgrange, about 40 minutes north of Dublin, for the Winter Solstice on December 21st. There they hope to see the sunlight seep into the chamber to illuminate the carefully positioned interior, just as they did 5,000 years ago when they were originally built. But even if you’re not lucky enough to visit for the Solstice, Newgrange is a breathtaking place that is worth visiting all year round.

The official name for the Neolithic complex just off of the River Boyne is Brú na Bóinne. It comprises not just of the large mound at Newgrange, but of similarly large mounds at Knowth and Dowth, as well as scores of other smaller ones. But most people refer to it simply as Newgrange.

Experts continue to differ as to precisely what it was the constructions there were built for. They are made up of large, circular mounds, with stone passageways and chambers within and are surrounded by a series of large, carefully decorated stones throughout. But whether the intricately carved patterns are merely decorative or symbolic is unclear. However, all the time and effort that was put into their creation would strongly suggest that the site must surely have been built for religious reasons.

What they do know though is that the buildings, if that’s what we

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can call them, date back to 3,200 BC. So they are more than 500 years older than Stonehenge, and nearly a thousand years older than the Pyramids in Egypt. The great archaeologist Colin Renfrew has said of Newgrange that it is “unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland” and as one of the most important megalithic sites in the whole of Europe.

However, it is not possible to visit Newgrange other than by booking a tour at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre which you can either drive out to by car, or get a bus from Dublin to. So be sure to organize your visit through the Visitor Centre.

If you’d like to be one of the lucky few who get to visit Newgrange for the Winter Solstice, you’ll need to apply to the centre to have your name added to the list. Every year, local schoolchildren draw 50 lucky names, each of whom can bring a friend. But be warned, last year nearly 30,000 people applied and if that’s not bad enough, you’ll also be relying on our weather to produce a bright and sunny morning. There’s not very much to see there if it’s cloudy. Perhaps that’s why they are still standing. They’ve not had to cope with the wear and tear of daily sunshine. www.newgrange.com

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

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temple Bar

TradFest T

radFest returns to Temple Bar for it’s 11th run this year from 27 - 31 January. The festival has established itself as a major event on the Irish cultural calendar and it has become one of the city’s premier celebrations of Irish folk and traditional music. Once again, there is an eclectic lineup this year that showcases legends and emerging artists alike in some of Dublin’s most historic venues.

The master of Irish trad, Martin Hayes, who will be joined by US multi instrumentalist and composer Doug Wieselman, fiddle player Liz Knowles and composer and master guitarist Dennis Cahill for a special performance in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 29 January.

Dervish will make an appearance at Dublin Castle on 30 January and they will be followed by a special Folk Gala night in the same venue on 31 January, featuring Dick Gaughan, Ralph McTell and Maura O’Connell with support from Polly Barrett.

Foster & Allen will celebrate 40 years in the music business while renowned Irish-born singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan will mine his extensive back catalogue in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 30 January.

The wonderfully talented Duke Special will be performing in St Michan’s Church and The Stunning, who are currently in the studio working on their first batch of new material since 1993, will play the Button Factory.

Other artists performing during this incredible five days of music include Lunasa, Triad, Séamus Begley, Oisín Mac Diarmada, Dougie MacLean, Julie Fowlis, Tír na nÓg, Oysterband, Luka Bloom, Noel Hill & Tony Linnane, Jack Talty, Damien & Padraic O’Reilly, Liam Ó Maonlaí and his all-star band, Heidi Talbot, Teddy Thompson, The Lost Brothers, The Whileaways and The Young Folk.

TradFest also provides a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talents to an international audience. Other elements include ‘TradKids’ from Ireland’s only dedicated Cultural Centre for children - The Ark and ‘TradFringe’ which embraces many of the cities established cultural venues such as The Irish Film Institute, The Gallery Of Photography, Irish Writers Centre, and 16

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The Hugh Lane Gallery. TradFest will also host a series of newly commissioned works commemorating 1916.

Festival goers can also enjoy the Front Row Sessions - a series of 13 free concerts from some of the most influential Irish folk artists of the last 25 years in the pubs of Temple Bar. TradFest Artistic Director Kieran Hanrahan had this to say about the festival: “We’re very excited about TradFest Temple Bar 2016.

We are also very heartened by the response of all the artists who see TradFest as a key event in our capital city and embrace the opportunity to perform in some of our most iconic and historic buildings.”

We’re excited too and we can’t wait for the start of Temple Bar TradFest 2016. www.templebartrad.com

Recommended Pubs in Leinster The Porterhouse

There are three now here in town, but the one on Parliament Street is the best known. part of the increasingly popular micro brewery scene, the Porterhouse produces its own choice of stouts, lagers and craft beers, as well as a choice of others from home and abroad. And they usually have live music playing on the mezzanine.

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the celt

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The Celt

The Gravediggers

“John Kavanagh The Gravediggers, established in 1833 and still run by the Kavanagh Family today. One of Dublin’s finest bars and best pint of Plain. No music no TV, but fine pints and fine food served. Beside the old cemetery gate hence our local name The Gravediggers�

1 Prospect Sq., Dublin 9. Tel: 01 8307978

Johnnie Fox’s

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.

Glencullen, Co Dublin Tel: 01 295 5647

Tap House

Dice Bar Situated on Talbot Street in the heart of Dublin, The Celt Bar is always thronged with locals and visitors thanks to the authentic Irish experience that is on offer there. Visitors can sample the finest Irish whiskeys, beers, ales and stouts and enjoy live traditional music seven nights a week. The Celt also offer traditional Irish food seven days a week. The classic bar menu includes beer battered haddock and traditional beef and Guinness stew. There’s no better place to go to for the full Irish experience than The Celt Bar. 81 Talbot St, Dublin Tel: 01 878 8655 www.thecelt.ie

Grogan’s

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

15 S William St., Dublin 2. Tel: 01 677 9320 18

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Situated on the corner of Benburb Street and Queen Street, near Smithfield Square, at Dice Bar they strive for three things – great drinks, great staff and great music. The welcoming staff offer a range of premium Irish whiskeys and if whiskey isn’t your thing then you have another great option. Dice Bar brew their own beers; the delicious Revolution Red and Augustine With so much choice and a relaxed setting, Dice Bar warrants many return visits. Open from 3pm daily.

93-94 Benburb Street Tel: 01 633 3936 www.thatsitdublin.com

The staff ’s knowledge of craft beers at Tap House is second to none. Their beer is served in Munique, designed with a flared rim and a wide bowl to release the aroma that great beers require. The stem of the glass helps keep the beer cool while the 400ml size is perfect for keeping your beer cool and carbonated until the last drop. www.taphouse.ie

Recommended Pubs in Leinster 57 The Headline

Sin É

JJ Smyth’s

Sin É

Situated only a short walk from St Patrick’s Cathedral and Teeling Whiskey Distillery, 57 The Headline is the ideal spot to sample the best of Irish Craft Beers and Whiskeys.

With 24 taps dedicated to the best of Irish and International beers, you won’t be stuck for choice. They offer Beer tasting trays from 3 to 9 choices and 5 Whiskey trays. They also serve the best bar food in Dublin 8 and you won’t be paying city centre prices. Visit their website for all products, opening times and more.

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

Clanbrassil St. Lower, Dublin 8 Tel: 01 5320279 www.57theheadline.ie

14 -15 Ormond Quay Tel: 01 555 4036 & 01 555 4037

With live music six nights a week, JJ Smyth’s is the home of jazz and blues in Dublin. The family run pub is steeped in history and the welcoming atmosphere keeps the loyal regulars coming back for the finest service and some of the best music that Dublin has to offer. JJ’s started out as a family owned grocery store and public house in the 1730’s and is one of the city’s oldest continuous licensed premises.

It was also the birthplace of the famous Irish lyrical poet Thomas Moore, who was born there in 1779. If you love jazz and blues, then you’ll love JJ Smyth’s.

The Liquor Rooms

Doheny & Nesbitt’s

12 Aungier St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 475 2565

Situated under the Clarence Hotel on the quays, the Liquors Rooms offer up a heady mix of retro, vintage decor and a smart modern vibe that the too cool for school hipsters find hard to resist. Once you get in, it’s actually a lot bigger than it seems, and there are all sorts of nooks and crannies for you to get up to who knows what kind of mischief.

One of the oldest and more venerable pubs in Dublin, and traditionally the spot where politicians of old would juggle figures before swinging round the corner and into the Dail to present the next budget. It has now been extended both back and up, so that without sacrificing any of its illustrious history, it is now significantly roomier.

7 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2 Tel: 087 339 3688

5 Lower Baggot St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 676 2945

The Dingle Whiskey Bar

The Dingle Whiskey Bar is a delightful bar nestled beside Porterhouse Central on Nassau St. Walking into the bar, you are welcomed by a beautiful oak interior and a warm welcoming feel. The bar staff are very helpful, recommending many whiskeys and offering samples. The bar is full of culture and although it is a whiskey bar, it offers a range of drinks and cocktails made using their own Dingle Gin. The Dingle Whiskey Bar is simply a must do!

44 Nassau St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 4180

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Recommended Restaurants in Leinster Restaurant FortyOne

Under the expert guidance of Graham Neville, Restaurant FortyOne has scooped numerous awards and flourished over the past three years. This is thanks to the superb experience that they offer, eschewing butter and sugar in favour of olive oil, vegetables and fruit juices that are sourced from the restaurant’s own garden. These unique ingredients are used to create fulsome, sumptuous courses, making Restaurant FortyOne the home of fine dining in Dublin.

41 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 662 0000 info@restaurantfortyone.ie www.restaurantfortyone.ie

Frite Haus

Frite Haus offer a unique artisan fast food experience with care and attention given to every aspect of the menu. A relaxed Belgian style ‘Chip Shop’ restaurant, Frite Haus serve authentic Belgian fries with a range of craft sauces and delicious Jane Russell sausages. Jane Russell sausages use only prime fresh cuts of Irish pork, free from preservatives so you know that you are getting the finest, freshest meat.

They also serve a fantastic range of craft beers, including delicious Belgian Trappist Brewery beers. Frite Haus is the only choice for a fine dining experience at very reasonable prices.

87 Camden Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 4758948 www.frite-haus.com

Camden Kitchen

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

Corfu Greek Restaurant

Corfu Greek Restaurant is a hidden gem situated on Parliament Street. Here, the friendly and attentive staff will serve you some of the finest Greek food at incredibly reasonable prices. Choose from a range of starters, such as calamari and dolmadakia, and then tuck into some delicious traditional Greek main courses, including moussaka, kleftiko and stifado, all washed down with a nice glass of wine from their varied wine list.

12 Parliament St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 675 0050

Le Bon Crubeen

3 Camden Market, Grantham Street, D8 Tel: 01 4760125 www.camdenkitchen.ie

Suesey Street

Suesey Street is Dublin’s new social destination, promising good times in the bar, great food from the kitchen and a relaxed vibe on the outdoor terrace. Located on the corner of Fitzwilliam Place, it is a welcoming space full of atmosphere and comfort, offering an informal approach to drinking and dining.

The food is classed as modern Irish, changes with the season and is very creative - the flavours are awake and the customer is in for a real gourmet experience.

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.

81-2 Talbot St., Dublin 1 Tel: 01 704 1026 www.leboncrubeen.ie

Odessa Restaurant

26 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2.

Tel: 01 669 4600 www.sueseystreet.ie

The Meeting House

Café Topolis

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.

37 Parliament St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 670 4961 20

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The Meeting House has all bases covered for a great night out, with live music and DJ’s to keep you entertained and delicious, affordable Burmese cuisine served in an ‘Asian Tapas’ style. A wide range of gluten-free and vegetarian options are also available and the staff are super friendly and helpful. They also open for an amazing brunch at the weekends.

Sycamore Street, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, 01 6703330 www.themeetinghousedublin.com

The intimate and warm Odessa Restaurant is perfect for birthdays, weddings or an evening dinner. Diners can enjoy the great value Early Bird menu all night on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Choose from a range of great dishes, including Grilled Goat’s Cheese Bruschetta, Pea & Mint Risotto and CharGrilled Swordfish. Their famous Brunch Menu is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3.30pm and includes such delights as Eggs Benedict, Baked Ham with Poached Eggs and the traditional Irish Breakfast.

13 Dame Court, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6703080 www.odessa.ie

Recommended Restaurants in Leinster Klaw

A hidden gem in the heart of Temple Bar and critical acclaimed, Klaw is an Oyster bar & Crab-Shack with great atmosphere and delicious seafood. Choose from a range of dishes including oysters, crab claws, lobster rolls, seafood platters and chowder, all artfully presented at reasonable prices by the friendly staff.

5A Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 info@klaw.ie twitter @dublinklaw www.facebook.com/DublinKlaw instagram @dublinklaw

Zaragoza

The Spanish city of Zaragoza is any food lover’s idea of paradise. Zaragoza have taken some local delicacies along with some of Spain’s authentic specialties to create a unique dining experience.... seasoned with a generous helping of the homegrown hospitality they are famous for. So come down, sit back and explore the tantalizing recipes created by their chef and enjoy with friends a glass or two of their exquisite handpicked wines.

Open Mon-Sun 12noon - Midnight (last orders) 18 William St., Dublin 2. Tel: 01 679 4020 www.zaragozadublin.com

The Larder Restaurant & Brewhouse

ASADOR, the balance of flames, flavour and food.

1 Victoria House, Haddington Rd, Dublin 4.

Tel: 01 254 5353 www.asador.ie

La Resérve is a lively and intimate French Brasserie that serves a modern take on French classics. They focus on simple yet high quality dishes, presented with precision and faithful to true flavours. Open for dinner, brunch and lunch - whether you’re looking for a light snack or an exciting evening meal, La Resérve has something for you.

La Réserve Brasserie, 53 Ranelagh village, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Tel: 01 4968825 Email: info@lareserve.ie Web: lareserve.ie Twitter: @lareserve1 Facebook: facebook.com/LaReserveBrasserie

Kafka Restaurant

Asador

‘ASADOR’ A Spanish word meaning barbecue, grill or spit. ASADOR Haddington Road opened its doors in November 2012 to great critical acclaim. The idea behind ASADOR is simple; take the best meats our fields can provide, the freshest seafood landed on our shores and cook this great Irish produce over a bespoke built 7 foot barbecue or ‘Asador’. ASADOR was the first restaurant operation to bring premium level barbecue to the Dublin dining scene. Customers flocked to sample signature dry-aged steaks, lobster, fish and game cooked in the most ancient of ways.

Guests can expect the best of old and new world wines, craft beers and of course a range of cocktails from the experienced team of mixologists - the perfect partner for premium barbecued food.

La Resérve Brasserie

An oasis of quality, The Larder offer excellent Brunch, Lunch and Evening menus made from the highest quality, locally sourced ingredients.

These dishes are finished off with herbs grown in their own walled garden and complimented by their range of own brand beers. The meal can then be topped off with their own brand coffee; Dublin Roaster.

8 Parliament Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6333581 info@thelarder.ie www.thelarder.ie

Super Miss Sue

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.

Drury St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 679 9009

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

236 Rathmines Rd Lwr., Dublin 6 01 497 7057 www.kafka.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Recommended Restaurants in Leinster Zaytoon

Taco Taco

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

Perfect for brunch or a casual evening meal, Taco Taco is sure to get your taste buds tingling. They have a range of specials on offer, such as Chargrilled Jerk Chicken for two with a range of sides for €29.95 on Sunday nights and Super Nacho Happy Hour from 5pm to 6.30pm from Monday to Sunday. While you’re there, make sure you sample some of their amazing cocktails, such as Whiskey Smash, Brunch Sour or Mojito.

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

Thornton’s Restaurant

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 have any intention of cementing a relationship, or of instigating a new one, this is the place to take them.

Above the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Stephen’s Green. Tel: 01 478 7008

Darwin’s Restaurant

14 Dame Court, Dublin 2 Tel: 083 449 9584 www.tacotacodublin.com

La Ruelle Wine Bar

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

Perfect for the festive season or any events.

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

Marcel’s Restaurant

Peploe’s

Peploe’s Wine Bistro is a chic and ambient restaurant located in the heart of Dublin City Centre. With it’s cosy lighting and comfortable spacious dining area, it is the perfect place to enjoy a fine meal in a relaxed atmosphere. All produce is sourced from only the best Irish suppliers and prepared to the highest standard.

Located opposite St Stephens Green, Peploe’s is the perfect place to visit for a glass of wine to greet the evening after a twilight stroll in the park.

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

Salamanca

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

1 St. Andrew’s Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 4799 www.salamanca.ie

Mykonos Taverna

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, and 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.

80 Aungier St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 475 7511 22

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Combining elegant Moroccan décor and contemporary design, Marcel’s is a restaurant, bistro and bar that offers the finest French and European inspired food in a warm and friendly environment. Diners can choose from a range of delicious dishes, including Risotto, Pan Roast Monkfish and succulent Roast Rump Lamb while relaxing in the heart of Dublin City.

13 Merrion Row, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6602367 bookings@marcels.ie www.marcels.ie

Authentic Greek food in the heart of Dublin.

Mykonos Taverna offers traditional Greek dishes such as Moussaka, Kleftiko and Souvlaki at incredibly good prices. The staff are friendly and attentive and always on hand to cater to your every need, all you have to do is relax and enjoy your food!

76 Dame Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 561 3745

Recommended Shopping Gandharva Loka World Music

Gandharva Loka is a Music Store like no other.

Situated in the heart of Temple Bar, this store is inspired by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and stocks a wide variety of instruments from around the world. Traditional Irish instruments, sit alongside tibetan singing bowls, sitars, harmoniums, djembes and ukuleles in a place where anyone can find their inner musician.

Gandharva Loka - The World Music Store 1 Cecilia Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 www.gandharvaloka.ie dublin@gandharvaloka.com +353 (01) 5550241

Button & Co

The Button & Co boutique is home to an extensive range from their own handmade jewellery along with one off designs. They also make bespoke engagement and wedding rings, as well as jewellery that has been personally hand picked from Goldsmiths in Ireland and across the world.

7 Colbeck Street, Waterford 051 870789 www.buttonandco.com

Jam Art Factory

Jam Art Factory was set up in 2011 by brothers John and Mark to showcase the work of Irish artists and designers.

It specialises in digital art prints, street art, ceramics and some witty Dublin themed work.

It has been shortlisted in The Irish Times “Best Shops in Ireland” 4 years in a row.

64 Patrick Street, Dublin 8 14 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Tel: 01-6165671 www.JamArtFactory.com and www.JamArtPrints.com 24

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Designer Exchange

Kilkenny Design Centre

Ireland’s only dedicated pre-loved and authentic designer handbag and accessory store, Designer Exchange stock all the leading designer brands such as DKNY, Louis Vutton and Chanel. They offer incredible savings on these top designer brands and Tax Free shopping to non EU residents.

53 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6128080 www.facebook.com/DesignerExchangeLtd

Cows Lane Designer Studio

Kilkenny Design Centre is situated in the heart of Ireland’s Craft capital, Kilkenny City. Once the Castle Stables dating back to 1760’s, Kilkenny Design is now home to three restaurants and a Shop stocking the very best of Irish products including Nicholas Mosse, Max Benjamin, Hairy Fruit Art, Áine Knitwear and Orla Kiely.

Castle Yard, Kilkenny Tel: +353 56 7722118 www.KilkennyDesign.com

Cows Lane Designer Studio is a colourful, fun retail space run by a group of independent designers and makers. With an eclectic mix of handcrafted, Irish designs including textiles, knitwear, jewellery, millinery, ceramics, prints, homewares and more, there is something for everyone. The perfect place to browse and be inspired!

Unit 2, Essex Street West, Old City, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 679 8366 Info@clds.ie www.cowslanedesignerstudio.ie

Patrick Donald Photo Gallery

Situated at the heart of Dublin on Dawson Street, this is a ‘must visit’ if you want to get a quality souvenir of your time in Ireland! Patrick is well known for his black & white Irish landscape and Dublin Street photography. Gift sizes images are reasonably priced at €35. He will even ship them for you anywhere in the world free of charge!

8/9 Royal Hibernian Way Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 681 5225

Kildare Village

Kildare Village is Ireland’s leading luxury shopping destination located less than 50 minutes from Dublin city. With designer boutiques providing fashion and luxuries for the home, Kildare Village offers the authentic previous seasons’ collections of a unique selection of Irish and international brands with savings of up to 60% on the recommended retail price, seven days a week and all year round.

Anya Hindmarch, Coach, DKNY, Furla, Hugo Boss, and Wolford are just a few of the international brands present, as well as the boutique of Ireland’s leading international designer, Louise Kennedy. A selection of services at Kildare Village includes a Tourist Information Centre; tax free shopping, valet parking, personal shopping service and a complimentary shuttle service to the nearby Irish National Stud & Gardens. With a range of restaurants and cafés, the Village has become a destination for visitors seeking a superior shopping experience and an enjoyable day out.

www.kildarevillage.com

Recommended Shopping Celtic Whiskey Shop

Ireland’s premier whiskey shop has become a mecca for whiskey lovers since it first opened in 2003. They have daily whiskey tastings and the knowledgeable and experienced staff are always on hand to offer their expert advice and guidance. If you’re travelling, the staff are happy to wrap your purchases in protective wrapping and can arrange shipping to national and international destinations.

27 - 28 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6759744 / 01 6759768 www.celticwhiskeyshop.com

Tights Department

Tights Dept. is an Irish owned store specialising in Italian legwear. They offer a full range of classic and fashion hosiery: tights, socks (men and women), hold-ups, stockings, leggings and more, they also stock a collection of tops and vests. Top brands: Omsa, Emilio Cavallini, Trasparenze, Omero and Happy Socks.

25 Royal Hibernian Way (Anne Street South entrance), Dublin 2 Tel. +353 (0)85 800 4281 Shop online: www.tightdept.com (deliver worldwide)

The Donegal Shop

Peaches & Cream

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

Situated just off Grafton Street, in the Royal Hibernian Way mall, Peaches & Cream Dublin is one Irelands Premier Bra fitting Specialists with an emphasis on outstanding customer service. As featured regularly on TV3’s Ireland Am and Xposé Peaches & Cream cater for all sizes from A-K cup and house a range of signature shape-wear products for Bridal, Every-day and Maternity. So whether it is a good Bra fitting you require or a complete body make-over Peaches & Cream is the one-stop shop for all your underwear needs.

Peaches & Cream Dublin 23 Royal Hibernian Way South Anne Street Entrance Dublin 2 Telephone 01 6708804 www.peachesandcream.ie

Irish heritage with their tweed jackets, tweed waistcoats and limited edition Irish tweed bears. Their philosophy is that you will always have a piece of Ireland and an heirloom that will be cherished for generations when you purchase a Celtic Gent product.

Unit 3 Balbriggan Business Park Balbriggan, Co. Dublin 01 8416144 www.celticgent.com

Celtic Spirit Gift Shop

Celtic Spirit is a small, family run store overflowing with beautiful, Irish & Celtic Jewellery, handcrafted in Sterling Silver, Gemstones & Gold.

Their Claddaghs, Shamrocks, Tree of Life, Infinity Knots and Traditional Celtic Designs, are all reminders of the unique enchantment of Ireland.

What’s more, they have a fabulous ring collection and if you spend €50 and mention Travel Ireland, they will give you a FREE Sterling Silver Claddagh Ring. What a great offer.

Ground Floor, St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 0812331898 www.celticspirit.ie

The Cloth Shop

2nd Floor, St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2 01 4754621 www.thedonehalshop.com

Celtic Gent Walking into the Cloth Shop is not unlike walking into an art gallery, with a vast array of materials displayed on the walls. The staff ’s expert knowledge combined with the range of Irish wool and linen alongside high-end fabrics from all over the world makes The Cloth Shop an essential visit for home and professional dressmakers, tailors, shirtmakers, fashion and interior designers.

Celtic Gent takes inspiration from Ireland’s rich history and traditions. This Irish-made brand brings you contemporary, unique designs that honour Irish poetry, legends and

5 Johnson’s Place, South King Street Dublin 2. 01 6337900 www.theclothshop.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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The

VIBE FOR Philo 2016 O

n 4 January 1986 Ireland, as the late Bill Graham put it, “lost its Elvis” when Philip Lynott died.

Every year, on the anniversary of his death, The Vibe for Philo has celebrated the life and work of Ireland’s original rock star. The theme of this year’s event in Vicar Street is ‘The Sun Goes Down’ and will see some of Philip’s former bandmates take to the stage to pay tribute to him and revisit his incredible back catalogue.

From folk to folklore, to country, blues, jazz and everything in between, Lynott constantly strove to avoid being pigeonholed within the heavy rock genre that he was most closely associated with. It’s with this broad canvas in mind that the Vibe sets out to explore the Lynott Songbook in its entirety.

Thin Lizzy founder Eric Bell will perform with his Trio minus 1.

Bell came up with the name Thin Lizzy and at the Vibe this year he will explore the band’s early years when they were a power trio. Drummer Brian Downey will also make a guest appearance.

Downey knew Lynott since their childhood in Crumlin and played with him from the early days of Thin Lizzy right through to Lynott’s later solo work.

The Hoodoos will be the opening act of this year’s Vibe. They are long time Vibe favourites and their lead singer Johnny ‘The Fox’ Conlon has been described as the only singer with the ability to inhabit the same vocal space as Phil Lynott.

The more sensitive side of Lynott’s songwriting will be explored by folk/jazz four-piece band Mongoose and singersongwriter Fiach Moriarty while The Soul Brothers are sure to wow the crowd. They feature Jerome Rimson and Gus Isadore, who played in the Philip Lynott Soul Band.

The Low Riders, who only appear on 4 January every year will anchor the show before the night is rounded off by Dutch band Parris, who haven’t appeared since the early days of the Vibe.

They have an instinctive understanding of the ‘Lizzy Groove’ and are sure to send the fans home in raptures.

The Vibe for Philo is a great way to kick off the year and celebrate the memory of Philip Lynott - a one-off rock legend who will never be forgotten. If you can’t make the Vibe on 4 January then you could head to the Grand Social on 3 January instead. The Pre-Vibe takes place there from 7.30pm until late and for younger fans, the Young Rockers Vibe will also take place there in the afternoon. www.vibeforphilo.com

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www.theblindpig.ie

Secretly tucked away in Dublin city centre, there is a cocktail bar known for the quality and artistry of its cocktails that truly evoke the mood of a 1920s speakeasy – The Blind Pig. Named after the police who turned a blind eye to the liquor rooms of the 1920s prohibition era, The Blind Pig launched as a pop-up Speakeasy bar that featured monthly, in secret, at a well known Dublin venue, Since then, The Blind Pig has developed an affectionate fanbase in Ireland and abroad.

Experience the forgotten thrill of secret passwords, false storefronts and just a touch of lawlessness.

Booking is essential. Please mail reservations@theblindpig.ie requesting to see the Blind Pig at a particular time. You will then receive instructions on the location, which is less than a 2-minutes walk from Grafton St. Dublin 2.

For more information go to www.theblindpig.ie

FOR ALL ENQUIRIES INCLUDING COCKTAIL CLASSES PLEASE MAIL RESERVATIONS@THEBLINDPIG.IE | PHONE: 085 874 7901

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

Fota Wildlife Park

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 and sounds to suit all tastes.

Limerick 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 for all to enjoy.

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

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

Finally at the extreme South East of the island of Ireland is Waterford. Waterford is the capital of the ‘Sunny South East of Ireland’

Blarney Castle

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.

Discover a wildly romantic, luxurious coastal Inn Discover a wildly romantic, luxury coastal Inn The Strand Inn on Dunmore East Beach exudes charm and seaside fun with all the style and comfort of a boutique hotel. Owned by the Foyle family, this 15-bedroom Inn is rich in heritage and is located overlooking a glorious sandy beach and Hook Head.

We look forward to welcoming you to the home of lingering breakfasts, long lunches and lazy suppers. Sheltering on a cliff overlooking Dunmore East beach, the Strand Inn is a friendly place for all seasons - blustery and wild, romantic and surprising, sunny and warm - all the elements that ensure seaside fun. The young are welcomed with their very own bucket and spades, for days to be spent hitting the rock pools and surrounding waters.

Enjoy a glass of something chilled on the terrace to kick start a relaxing stay in Waterford, full of luxuries and simple pleasures.

Absolute comfort and contemporary seaside chic, the sea facing, en-suite rooms offer a fresh and light barefoot beach ambience, with crisp bed linen, bespoke fabrics and all the elements expected of a special bolt hole. Sunbathe on a private terrace overlooking the ever changing

coastal views and then dine in the fabled Strand Inn restaurant.

The kitchen’s mantra is freshness and seasonality, underpinned by a deep rooted respect for the surrounding waters and pastures. Look forward to superb Irish beef, lobster and line caught seafood.

Beamed ceilings, original stone walls, planked floors, books and board games all await you in the bar and drawing room. A welcoming stove and the lure of a proper pint makes it feel special and secluded here. You cannot imagine the sunrises or sunsets until you get here. Never more than a window away from a fabulous view of Dunmore East, a few days here, even just a night, and you will feel good all over.

PERFECT FOR INTIMATE WEDDINGS For your Wedding or Special Celebration why not have the ultimate treat, The Strand Inn can be exclusively yours for up to 150 guests.

The essence of understated elegance. Pictureperfect for the most intimate and memorable weddings celebrations. The Foyle family look forward to welcoming you.

The Strand Inn • Dunmore East • Co. Waterford • P: 00 353 (0)51 383174 • F:00 353 ( 0) 51 383756 • E. thestrandinn@mail.com www.thestrandinn.com

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WATERFORD

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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.

Jameson Experience, Midleton Co.Cork

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.

Tours run all day, last tour 16.30pm. Adult rate is €15.00 and save 10% on adult admission by booking in advance online. bookings@jamesonwhiskey.com 30

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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. 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

Tel: 061 312 833 www.huntmuseum.com

Titanic Experience Cobh

Join the whiskey Masters for a guided tour through the romantic past of Irish whiskey making. Learn about the Angels Share, Triple Distillation and above all the smooth taste of Jameson Irish Whiskey. The Old Midleton Distillery stands on the banks of the Dungourney river in Midleton. It is a distillery steeped in history and provides both a cultural and educational experience.

The old distillery buildings have been restored to their original splendor, as they looked in 1805 when whiskey was first produced on this site.

Each tour culminates in the Jameson Bar with a complimentary glass of Jameson and a chance to become a “Qualified Irish Whiskey Taster”. Visitors can also enjoy a delicious lunch in the Malt House Restaurant or browse the Distillery shop, where you will find exclusive Jameson gifts.

Ring of Kerry

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

Blarney Castle Titanic Experience Cobh is located in the original White Star Line Ticket Office in the centre of Cobh town (formerly known as Queenstown) the departure point for the final 123 passengers who boarded the Titanic. The visitor experience is presented in two parts. The first is an immersive audio visual tour retracing the steps of the 123 passengers who boarded Titanic from Queenstown on April 11th 1912.

The second part of the Titanic Experience examines how it all went wrong. The unbelievable and “almost” impossible sequence of events that occurred to cause Titanic to sink.

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

www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie

Tel: 021 438 5252

Titanic

Experience

COBH

T

he Titanic Experience in Cobh offers visitors a unique opportunity to step back in time and walk in the footsteps of the last 123 passengers to board the Titanic on 11 April 1912. The Titanic Experience is located in the original White Star Line Ticket Office in the centre of Cobh town (known as Queenstown at the time) which was the departure point for those 123 passengers. The experience is separated into two parts that allow visitors to immerse themselves into the Titanic’s ill fated maiden journey.

The first part of the experience is an immersive audio visual tour that allows visitors to trace the footsteps of those last 123 passengers. Fourth Officer Boxhall is your virtual guide and, through the use of innovative audio visual technology and replica sets, he will guide you as you feel the excitement of the passengers who were boarding the luxurious liner for a new life in America.

The second part of the tour examines where it all went wrong as the Titanic’s maiden voyage is tragically cut short when the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean on Sunday 14th April 1912.

Computer generated graphics recreate the collision and subsequent sinking and this is followed by film analysis of the Titanic on the seabed and expert interviews that allow visitors to find out how and why the Titanic sank on that tragic night. Visitors can also make use of touchscreen computers which allow you to get inside the personalities of various passengers on the ship, with particular emphasis on the 123 passengers who boarded in Queenstown.

This is a wonderful chance to focus on the personal stories of some of the passengers of the Titanic from the very spot that they began their journey. The tour is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German and is open 7 days a week from 9am - 6pm during the summer and 10am - 5.30pm in the winter, with the last tours commencing an hour before closing time. www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Frank McCourt Museum F

rank McCourt’s 1997 autobiography Angela’s Ashes received rave reviews and earned him a Pulitzer Prize. The at times bleak and often hilarious novel recounts childhood growing up impoverished in Limerick City in the 1930s and 1940s and visitors to Limerick can step back in to that world at the Frank McCourt Museum.

The museum is situated in Leamy House, which was once the school that Frank and his brothers attended and where the teachers ‘beat the education into them’. The building itself is a tudor style, listed building with an interesting facade, complete with tower, turrets, ornamental chimneys and splendid gargoyles carved in limestone and sandstone. The central area of the museum is a faithful re-creation of the former classroom of the 1930’s, with authentic desks and wall hangings.

Two other rooms have been turned into a recreation of the McCourt family home on Roden Lane in the city.

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lived in the Lanes of Limerick at the time.

The museum is the brainchild of Limerick artist Una Heaton and was officially opened by Frank’s brother Malachy in 2011. Una was a close friend of Frank and remains friends with the McCourt family. The museum has gone from strength to strength since and was recently voted as one of the Top 10 Small Museums in Ireland on Trip Adviser.

This is testament to the dedicated staff, who are mainly volunteers and interns from Limerick University, who offer friendly and informed tours of the museum. Thousands of people have passed through the doors since it opened four years ago, with many people travelling to Limerick specifically to visit the museum. They’ve been rewarded with an immersive and educational experience that brings them right back in time.

And at only €4 it’s a tiny price to pay for a window into Ireland’s past and a chance to celebrate one of the great Irish writers of the modern era. www.frankmccourtmuseum.com

Spring Term 1 February - 2 April 2016

French Courses forAdults, Teenagers, Children & Toddlers The French Language & Cultural Centre in Dublin 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2 / www.alliance-francaise.ie

Gallery Zozimus

56 Francis Street, Dublin 8, PH : 4539057 Nubian Ibex by Michael Keane Bronze

Lilly Pond Botanic Gardens by Andrii Trushkevych Oil on Canvas

Sun & Moon by Fidelma Massey Ceramic

Propeller fish

by Ivan Panov Ceramic

Dublins Largest Ceramic Gallery incorporating Fine Art Over 70 Ceramic Artists on Show

Email: info@galleryzozimus.ie, Web: www.galleryzozimus.ie

Blarney Castle larney Castle was built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, and has been attracting visitors to Munster ever since. People come from all over the world to kiss the Blarney Stone, only to leave with miraculous powers of eloquence.

The castle that you visit today is actually the third to have been built there on the site. The first building was erected in the tenth century and was made of wood. Then around 1210 A.D. this was replaced by a stone structure which had the entrance some twenty feet above the ground on the north face. This building was subsequently demolished, leaving only the foundations. But in 1446, the castle was rebuilt by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster. And it is this, the third castle to be built here, that you can visit today.

Over the next six hundred years all sorts of illustrious visitors made their way to the famous castle. In the late 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I of England sent the Earl of Leicester over to take possession of the castle. But whenever he tried to negotiate with the Munster King, McCarthy always suggested they discuss it over a sumptuous banquet. What was the Earl to do? It would have been rude not to.

So that when the queen asked him for progress reports, he sent her a series of long missives in which he carefully avoided answering the key question, and at the end of which, the castle remained in Irish hands. The queen became so irritated that eventually she remarked that the Earl’s reports were all ‘Blarney’.

So it is thanks to Elizabeth that Blarney became

B

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synonymous with eloquence, and that so many people flock there today to kiss its stone.

The English did eventually succeed in taking the castle, when Cromwell’s General, Lord Broghill blasted his way through the tower walls. But when he got inside, everyone within had somehow disappeared, making their way through the three secret passageways hidden in the caves below the battlements, known as the Badgers Caves.

One leads to Cork, one to the lake, and the third, according to legend, goes all the way to Kerry.

At the beginning of the 18th century Sir James St. John Jefferyes built a Georgian gothic house up against the keep of the castle, which was then the custom all over Ireland. At the same time the Jefferyes family laid out a landscaped garden known as the Rock Close with a remarkable collection of massive boulders and rocks arranged around what seems to have been druid remains from prehistoric times. Certainly, many of the yew trees and evergreen oaks there are extremely ancient.

In 1820 the house was accidentally destroyed by fire, and the wings that remained now form a picturesque adjunct to the keep. These were subsequently rearranged in the 1980s so as to give a better view of the castle’s keep.

Blarney Castle is a must for any visitor to Munster. And as you are hanging upside down, kissing its famous stone, think of Elizabeth. Like so many English before and after, she intended taking something away, but ended up enriching the local culture. Albeit unintentionally.

Opening hours 9am-5.30pm/Sundown, 9amSundown on Sundays.

Admission €13, €5 for children.

So it is thanks to Elizabeth that Blarney became synonymous with eloquence, and that so many people flock there today to kiss its stone.

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Recommended Pubs in Munster Jack Meades (under the bridge) 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.

Dunmore Rd, Waterford Tel: 051 850 950

The Bierhaus

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

An Brog

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.

72-73 Oliver Plunkett St, Cork Tel: 021 427 0074

Buckley’s Bar

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 kingdom there, or base themselves there for its duration.

The Arbutus Hotel, College St, Killarney, Co Kerry.

Tel: 064 663 1037

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Dick Mack’s

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.

Greene St, Dingle, Co Kerry Tel: 066 915 1960

Pope’s Quay, Cork Tel: 021 455 1648

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

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Recommended Restaurants in Munster The Strand Inn

Tel: 051 878203 www.waterfordcastleresort.com/munsterroom-restaurant

Out of the Blue

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

Dunmore East, Co.Waterford.

Tel: 051 383 174 www.thestrandinn.com

The Ventry Skipper

This little gem is just what the weary traveller needs after a day of sight seeing-with amazing views accompanied by great seafood and an extensive wine list you really cant go wrong.

Ventry, Co Kerry Tel: 066 915 9853

The Munster Room Restaurant

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

Small quaint front room restaurant with locally sourced high quality ingredients making this little gem a must visit when in Dingle.

Dingle Harbour. Tel: 066 915 0811

Dykgate St., Dingle. Tel: 086 660 3778

Rossini

The Smugglers Inn

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.

The Smugglers Inn is a family run restaurant that is ideal for casual lunch, fine dining or that special occasion. The restaurant has been praised by gastronomic writers from all over the world and is a Bord Failte award winner.

It’s not hard to see why. The Smugglers Inn pride itself on serving fresh local produce, from seafood to organic vegetables. Add in the spectacular views and friendly service and you have the perfect dining experience.

La Bohéme Restaurant & Wine Bar

Waterford Castle, The Island, Co. Waterford 38

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2 George’s St., Waterford. Tel: 051 875 645 www.labohemerestaurant.ie

An Canteen

33-4 Princess St, Cork City Tel: 021 427 5818

The Munster Room Restaurant at Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort was awarded 2AA Rosettes in 2001 and currently continues this elite standard further confirmed with multiple awards and its review in the 2015 Michelin Guide. With its warm ambience, wonderful oak paneled walls, ornate ceiling, and further complemented by an extensive wine cellar and exciting seasonal menus it’s easy to see why it’s such a winning choice. Using the finest local produce, gifted head chef Michael Thomas and his culinary team continually create dishes with intense flavors that will tantalize and satisfy every food lover’s palate and create a truly memorable fine dining experience.

fine dining and wine bar with bistro menu options, qualifies La Boheme as a hidden gem in the heart of Waterford City.

Tues - Sat 5:30pm until late (Open bank holiday Sundays)

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

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

The Lobster

Whether you’re looking for lunch, a casual dinner or just a quiet pint, the friendly staff at The Lobster are sure to look after your every need. Situated in the seaside town of Waterville, it’s no surprise that The Lobster serve some of the best seafood in Kerry and their beef and Guinness stew is also spoken of very highly by all who have sampled it.

Waterville, Co. Kerry. Tel: 066 9474629

A Dublin

Landmark…

Live musi c Every S unday and Mond ay from 8 pm

all Day, Food served & Dinner h c n u L t s a f Break

O

One of Dublin’s oldest pubs, situated in the heart of Dublin City Centre. Doheny & Nesbitts is a haunt for many of the country’s leading politicians, sports and media personalities with bars and function rooms over three levels. Why not sample the finest in Irish food and drink. Come and enjoy the craic and the banter in Doheny & Nesbitts - A must for any trip to Dublin.

W: www.dohenyandnesbitts.ie

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T: 00353 (0) 1 6762945

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E: info@themangangroup.ie January 2016 - TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE

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Welcome to Connaught

Ancient stone walls in the Aran Islands

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

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

The primary business centre of Connaught,

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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 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. This 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 reopened 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 Croagh Patrick every year.

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Recommended Restaurants in Connaught Kai Café

An Port Mór Restaurant

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

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

The Cottage Restaurant

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.

Jamestown, Co. Leitrim Tel: 071 962 5933

Ashford Castle

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

Cong, Co. Mayo Tel: 094 954 6003 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.”

Sea Road, Galway City.

Tel: 091 526 003

Eala Bhán

Upstairs @ West Restaurant

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

The Twelve, Barna, Galway City Tel: 091 597 000

Waterfront House Restaurant

Ireland’s largest stockist of Designer Sunglasses 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.

Rockwood Parade, Sligo Town Tel: 071 914 5823

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.

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 speciality.

Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon Tel: 090 666 1255

Enniscrone, County Sligo Tel: 096 37120

The Yew Tree Restaurant

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Recommended Pubs in Connaught Tigh Neachtain (Naughtons)

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.

17 Cross st, Galway Tel: 091 568 820

Furey’s Pub

The Quays

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.

Bridge St, Sligo Tel: 087 958 3080 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!

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

11 Quay St, Galway Tel: 091 568 347

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

Roísín Dubh

Matt Malloy’s

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

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.

Lower Dominick St., Galway Tel: 091 586 540

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Welcome to Ulster

Marble Arch Caves The Ancient Irish province of Ulster, made up of 9 counties, was partitioned in 1921 and six of the counties in it now make up Northern Ireland. These are Fermanagh, Antrim, Down, Derry/Londonderry, Armagh, and Tyrone.

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

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

County Donegal is in the northwest of the

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

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‘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.

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

Giants Causeway

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,

Belfast City Hall

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Out to Lunch

Festival

O

ut to Lunch, the bespoke, boutique Belfast Arts Festival returns to wipe away those post-holiday blues from 8 - 31 January. Now in its 11th year, this year’s Out to Lunch Festival promises to serve up a mouth-watering menu of live music, comedy, spoken word, literature and theatre during the lunchtimes and evenings of January.

There’s a cracking musical line-up to enjoy, with gems such as Villagers, The 2 Bears, folk legend Dick Gaughan, Grammy Award-winner Patty Griffin, Mercury Prize-nominated East India Youth and Belfast’s own post-punk pioneers Girls Names to enjoy. Matthew E White will make his Belfast debut while Hazel O’Connor, Lindi Ortega, The Strypes, Jim “The King” Brown and NI Opera all make hugely welcome returns to this year’s festival.

The Out to Lunch comedy programme includes Sarah Kendall, Francesca Martinez, Sean Hughes, The Boy with Tape on his Face and Isy Suttie, fresh from the success of the final series of Peep Show, reading from her new book. Hot on the high heels of her last Edinburgh smash, What Would Beyoncé Do, Festival favourite Luisa Omeilan returns to Belfast with her acclaimed new show, Am I Right Ladies?

Lovers of theatre won’t want to miss the brilliant theatrical

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programme, with highlights including Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Lance - the acclaimed one man rumination on the cyclist Lance Armstrong, Strolling Through Ulysses and the hilarious, heartbreaking My Name is Saoirse. There will also be a unique retelling of Kafka’s Metamorphosis, featuring music from Colin Reid (of Third Policeman Fame) and visuals by comic artist, Debbie McCormack.

Spoken word is another important part of the festival and visitors can expect some serious thinking with a few surprises in store from Attila The Stockbroker. Irish Times columnist Roisin Ingle will hold forth on Public Displays of Emotion while the 10 x 9 Storytellers will present an evening of tales around the theme of food.

This year OTL also offers family-sized bites with All Ages Out to Lunch. This programme of events curated by our Seedhead Arts and includes Sketchy, (not-so) Mid Week Magic and Belfast Food Tours vs Seedhead Street Art Walking Tour.

Out to Lunch is generously supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and the DSD and is the perfect start to the cultural calendar, with something for everyone to enjoy. www.cqaf.com/outtolunch

Around half the people who drown never expected to enter the water. Slippery rocks, unstable ground and unexpected waves can catch you out.

Our waters are dangerously unpredictable.

SEE FOR YOURSELF AT RNLI.ORG/RESPECTTHEWATER The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, registered charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland. Registered as a charity in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736)

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Recommended Pubs in Ulster The Crown Liquor Saloon

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

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

White’s Tavern

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

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

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

46 Great Victoria St, Belfast Tel: 028 9024 3187

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

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

The Duke Of York

The John Hewitt

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

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

Peadar O’Donnell’s

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

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

59-63 Waterloo St., Derry Tel: 028 7126 7295 48

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Explore Ulster

The Old Bushmills Distillery

Belleek Pottery

Titanic Belfast Since opening in March 2012 Titanic Belfast has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland, with over a million visitors through its doors in its first year. Housed in an iconic, six storey building, it’s located in the heart of Belfast, right next to the site where the famous ship was built.

Once you enter the building proper, you’re introduced to the building’s giant atrium surrounded by the four “ships”, 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.

Tel: 028 9076 6386

In 1608, King James I granted Sir Thomas Phillipps a license to distil whiskey, and Bushmills became the first distillery in the world to begin officially producing it.

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.

Today, 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

The Giant’s Causeway The Giant’s Causeway stretches for around five kilometres along the Antrim coast.

Legend has it that it was built by Finn MacCool so that he could get across to Scotland to take on a giant who lived there.

Visitors flock here from all over the world to marvel at one of Europe’s most magnificent coastlines and its unique rock formations.

In 1986 the Giant’s Causeway Visitors centre opened, after the World Heritage Conventions added it to its list of sites which are of exceptional interest and universal value. The National Trust oversees the Causeway and provides the half million tourists who go there every year with all the information that they need.

Situated 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. You can also avail of the facilities at the residential centre and museum restaurant.

Museum: +44 (0) 28 8224 3292 Residential centre: +44 (0)28 8224 0918

When you step into the world of Belleek Pottery you enter one of Northern Ireland’s oldest and most fascinating attractions.

Visitors can take a personally guided tour of the factory and see how the techniques developed by the very first Belleek craftsmen 158 years ago are still followed today. An audio visual presentation informs visitors of the rich history of the pottery from its beginnings right the way through to present day, while the Belleek Museum offers a display of pottery through the ages.

Visitors can enjoy a little retail therapy in the Belleek Pottery showroom and no visit is complete without taking a little time out at the Belleek Pottery restaurant to enjoy some well deserved refreshments from the savoury and sweet menu served.

Tel: +44(0) 28 6865 9300 Email: visitorcentre@belleek.ie Facebook.com/belleekpottery

Florence Court

Florence Court is the former home of the Cole family, Earls of Enniskillen. The three storey Georgian mansion contains fine plasterwork and 18th century Irish furniture and also offers extensive gardens, outdoor trails and a woodland children’s play area. Every aspect of life in this classical Irish House, with its fine interiors and exquisite decoration, is brought to life on guided tours. Outside, visitors can discover the working estate including a sawmill, forge and carpenters shop, ice house, the historic rose garden and the mother of all Irish Yews. The Stables tearoom and Coach House gift shop are also onsite. The forest park has 10 miles of trails to enjoy on foot, by bike or on horseback.

Tel: 028 6634 9001

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Great Irish Writers JAMES

I

t’s no exaggeration to say that James Joyce is one of the most influential writers that the English language has ever known. His novels, including Finnegan’s Wake and Ulysses, have enthralled and perplexed the public in equal measure since they were first published in the early part of the last century. That scholars still pour over them and Bloomsday is celebrated every 16 June in Dublin to this day is testament to his lasting legacy.

Joyce was born on 2 February 1882 at 41 Brighton Square in the Dublin suburb of Rathgar. He initially lived in Bray in County Wicklow and was educated in Clongowes Wood School in Kildare but when his family fell on hard times, mainly due to his father’s problems with alcohol, they relocated to the North Inner City of Dublin and Joyce completed his education at Belvedere College.

After studying modern languages at University College in Dublin, Joyce left for Paris to study medicine in 1902. He was recalled to Dublin a year later by his father when his mother was taken ill. Due to Joyce losing his faith, he refused to kneel praying with the rest of his family as his mother died. This incident, along with others from his childhood were recounted in his first novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, which was published in 1914 with the help of the poet Ezra Pound.

By that stage Joyce had left Ireland and was never to return. He

JOYCE

met his partner Nora Barnacle in 1904 and first stepped out with her on 16 June 1904, which is the date that Ulysses is set. He left Ireland later that year and only made four return visits until 1912, after which he never set foot in Ireland again. He spent the rest of his life in Europe, living in Trieste, Rome, Zurich and Paris.

His best known work, Ulysses was published in 1922 and caused a scandal due to the perceived obscenity of some parts of the book. However it has since gone on to be recognised as one of the towering and most significant novels in the English language. Joyce then spent a long and protracted time writing what would be his final novel, Finnegans Wake, which was finally published in 1939.

Unfortunately Joyce would not be around much longer. He suffered from problems with his eyes which required multiple operations during his lifetime and he also had a tendency, like his father, to drink too much. He underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer on 11 January but died two days later and was buried in Fluntern cemetery in Zurich.

However his work lives on and visitors to Ireland who are interested in learning more can visit the James Joyce Centre on North Great George’s Street in Dublin and visit the James Joyce Museum in the Martello Tower in Sandycove, which is where the opening passage of Ulysses took place.

PETER COX Photography If you’re planning on touring the Wild Atlantic Way this year then you really should pick up Peter Cox’s new book Atlantic Light. The book features stunning aerial photographs from all along the west coast of Ireland, along with maps and information on each place. As well as being informative, it showcases Peter’s incredible talent for landscape photography - a talent that he has honed over the last fifteen years when he left his job in IT and became a full-time landscape photographer.

Turning his passion into his job has paid off for Peter and he’s keen to share the knowledge of the beautiful places that he has photographed.

“The thing that made me want to take photographs was being in a beautiful landscape,” he says. “Photography is a great way to share the experience a little bit because when somebody sees a good photograph there’s an emotional reaction that they have to it and if you can somewhat bottle a little bit of what you were feeling at the time and express that through the photograph then you’re communicating that to the person that sees it.”

Peter has certainly managed that with Atlantic Light, which is the first book of photographs that has been mainly shot using a drone in Ireland, and one of the first in the world. Thanks to this advance in technology, Peter no longer has to rely on using the expensive helicopters that he used to have to use to carry out his work.

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borrowing the time and you’re entirely at the mercy of the person who is paying for it so you can’t really dictate where you’re going or when - or you’re paying for it yourself and that’s insanely expensive,” he says. “Having a drone means that you can basically just take a flyer, go out to a place, and if it works then it’s great and if it doesn’t then you go at it again a different day.”

As well as this unique book, Peter also has a gallery in Killarney in County Kerry. You can buy Atlantic Light and his previous book The Irish Light in the gallery and you can also view and purchase prints of his amazing landscape photography which is the perfect souvenir of Ireland - he’ll even ship larger prints to anywhere in Ireland free of charge.

If you’re planning on visiting Ireland and want to buy Atlantic Way to help plan your journey (and also to marvel at the amazing photos) then you can purchase it from his website www.petercox.ie

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