Travel Ireland Magazine Volume 1 Issue 4

Travelireland Volume 1 Issue 4 August 2014

magazine

Jumping for Joy at The

Discover Ireland Dublin Horse show

It’s a goat’s life at The Puck Fair

The 41st Kilkenny Arts Festival

Old school laughs at The Charlie Chaplin Film Festival

Hidden treasures of Dublin

Fisherman Out of Ireland, Ballymoon, Kilcar, County Donegal, Ireland Tel.: +353 74 973 8233, Fax: +353 74 973 8236 E-mail: info@fishermanoutofireland.com, Web: www.fishermanoutofireland.com

contents...

Welcome to our August issue, Welcome to Travel Ireland magazine which we hope you will enjoy reading during your stay. We also hope you will visit the places we recommend and explore our beautiful island as a whole. Ireland is full of history, myth and legends. It is a place full of historic sites to visit including castles, monastic settlements and museums yet modern and forward looking in its present day facilities and ethos. We are a fun loving nation who bids everyone a ‘Céad míle fáilte ‘or one hundred thousand welcomes and we hope you enjoy your stay and come back again soon.

Publisher/Managing Director John Carey Director Paul Daly Features Editor Anthony O’Keeffe Design and Art Direction Tim Evans Credit Control Manager Nichola Thomas nichola@ellenmediacom.ie Advertising John Carey john@ellenmediacom.ie 087 9113732 Bill Daly bill@ellenmediacom.ie 087 1533262 Contributors: Aaron Henderson John McCurdy, Stephen Walker, Anthony O’Keeffe, Paula Moore, Patrick O’Neill.

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

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

05 - WELCOME TO LEINSTER 06 - EXPLORE LEINSTER 08 - Croke Park Classic 10 - Dublin Horse Show 12 - THEATRE 14 - Kilkenny Arts Festival 17 - Dublin’s Hidden Treasures 18 - Opera in the Open 20 - WELCOME TO MUNSTER 22 - Blarney Castle 23 - Donegal Shop 25 - Dingle 26 - Rose of Tralee 29 - Puck Fair 31 - Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking 32 - Charlei Chaplin Film Festival 33 - Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival 35 - EXPLORE MUNSTER 38 - WELCOME TO CONNAUGHT 40 - Mayo 41 - Fisherman out of Ireland 42 - Fleadh Cheoil 44 - EXPLORE CONNAUGHT 45 - WELCOME TO ULSTER 46 - Antrim 48 - A Taste of Donegal 50 - EXPLORE ULSTER

e

Persian Cuisine

n

14-15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 3595 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 5006 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 Delivery Number 01 4005700

Persian Cuisi

at 12pm–5am

Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 359 Parliament Street, Bar, D Welcome to14-15 Zaytoon, home of 2 -Temple 44/45 Lr. the Camden St., Dublin 01 400 5006 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 Delivery Number 01 4005700 amazing Persian Cuisine.

Our food might be fast, but we provide you,Established our in Jan customers, with truly nutritious and two branche 14-15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 3595 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, DublinWelcome 1 to Zaytoon, the home quality meals.

44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 5006

Persian Cuisine Persian Cuisine

44/4 14-15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 012677 3595amazing Persian Cuisine. Our fo 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 Delivery Number 01 4005700 might be fast, but we provide yo 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 Request online for a 5006 Zaytoon 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 customers, with truly nutritious Delivery Number 01 4005700

qualityThey meals. are casual d discount card and you could enjoy withforfreshly ma instant 10% discounts on all our Request online a Zaytoon discount card and you could enj Welcome to Zaytoon, the home of traditional Per meals. instant 10% discounts on all ou ment Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 3595amazing Our Welcome Zaytoon, thefood home of Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1PersiantoCuisine. meals. having mightamazing beFood fast, but wedates provide our 5 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 5006 Great delivered toyou, your door Persian Food back many Persian Cuisine.

Our food 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 14-15 Parliament Great delivered yourStre do Persian Food datestoback m customers, with truly nutritious and Delivery Number 01 4005700 might be fast, but we provide you, ourFood Parli within our delivery zone, from 18:00centuries and is culturally within our delivery zone, from centuries and is culturally 44/45 Lr. Cam Here at Zaytoon1 quality meals. with truly nutritious and customers, 44/4 24:00.

For further information p based on the freshest 15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - 01 677 359524:00.

For further information please based onmeals. the freshest Delive Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 online quality providing the hi check: www.zaytoon.ie ingredients in season.

Request for a Zaytoon 44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 - 01 400 5006 www.zaytoon.ie ingredients in season.

44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 check: discount card and you could enjoy Delivery Number 01 4005700

Persian Cuisine Persian Cuisine

and Request online for a Zaytoon Our food is rich andpoultr varied instant 10% discounts on all our use spices such as saffron discount card and you could enjoy Enjoy our special offers: Our food is rich and varied.

We Welcome to Zaytoon, the home of meals.instant 10% discounts on all ourfresh corriander.

By day Zaytoon i amazing Persian Cuisine. Our food use meals. spices such as saffron For and Taxi Drivers free chips and us and try our delicio Great Food delivered your door Persian Food datestooffers: back many Visit Established in January 2000 Zaytoon restaurants have Enjoy our special softdrink with every it’s dishpack ALL D night mightWelcome be fast,tobut we provide you, our corriander. freshlyby prepared Kebabs.

Zaytoon, the home offresh within our delivery zone, from 18:00centuries and is culturally two branches in 14/15 Parliament street and EVERY DAY! Great Food delivered to your door Persian Food dates back many in 1 customers, with truly nutritious and amazing Persian Cuisine.

Our food jostling to 24:00.

For information please 44/45 lower Camden street. based on further the 677 3595 For Taxi Drivers free chips and within our freshest delivery from 18:00centuries and is zone, culturally Lunch special from Mon-Fri 12p Bar, Dublin quality 1 might be fast, but we provide you,Visit our us and try our delicious meals. breast of chicken, fresh sa check: www.zaytoon.ie ingredients infurther season.

24:00.

For information please based on the freshest 06 15pm Free chips softdrink w 14-15 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 1 - and 01 677 3595 softdrink with every dish ALL customers, with truly nutritious offering delicious kebabs served and orDAYvegetarian, all Bar, served w blin They 2 are casual diners Parliament Street, Temple Du freshly prepared Kebabs. check: www.zaytoon.ie ingredients in season. ervey dish!

44/45 Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 01 400 5006 quality meals.

Request online for isa cooked Zaytoon Our foodDAY! is rich and varied. Wefreshly baked bread. with freshly made naan bread which in a EVERY 44/45 Number Lr. Camden St., Dublin 2 4005700 use spices such as saffron and 01We traditional Persian clay oven.

Often referred to as discount card andfor you could enjoy Our food isDelivery rich and varied.

Request online a Zaytoon Enjoy our special offers: having the best10% kebabs in Ireland. on all ourLunch freshuse corriander. spices from such as saffron and special Mon-Fri 12pminstant discounts ur discount card and you could enjoy Enjoy ourchicken, special offers: breast of fresh salmon opening hours: fresh corriander.

For Taxi Drivers free chips and Opening hours: Mon-Thurs, Sun 12pm–4.30am • Fr instant 10% discounts on all our meals.

15pm Free chips and softdrink with opening hours: Visit us and try our delicious Here at Zaytoon we pride ourselves on sourcing and or vegetarian, all served Sun Thurs: 12pm 4am with softdrink with every dish ALL DAYFor prepared Taxi DriversKebabs. free chips12pm and - open end meals. freshly providing quality products. All our meat ervey Visit us and try ourFri delicious he home of the highest dish!

- Sat:DAY12pm - 4.30am EVERY DAY! Great Food delivered to your door softdrink with every dish ALL Persian Food dates back many freshly baked bread.

Welcome to Zaytoon, the home o and poultry are IrishFood andFood fully traceable. prepared Kebabs. e. Our food Great delivered your door Persian datestoback many freshly EVERY DAY! within ourour delivery from 18:00centuries and is zone, culturally amazing Persian Cuisine. Our foo Lunch special from Mon-Fri 12pmwithin delivery from 18:00centuries and is zone, culturally rovide you, our breast of chicken, fresh salmon By day Zaytoon is full ofFor tourists and business people, please Parliamen 24:00. further information based on the freshest might be fast, but 14-15 we provide you 24:00. information please 15pmLunch Free chips andfrom softdrink with P basedFor on further the freshest special Mon-Fri 12pmutritious and or vegetarian, all served with breast of chicken, fresh salmon 44/45 Lr. by night it’s packed to the gills with midnight revellers check: www.zaytoon.ie ingredients ininseason. check: www.zaytoon.ie customers, with truly nutritious4a ingredients season. ervey 15pm dish! Free chips and softdrink with D freshly baked bread. or vegetarian, all served with jostling to get one of our famous kebabs! e quality meals. ervey dish! food is richand and varied. varied. We Our Our food is rich Wefreshly baked bread. eytoon use spices such as saffron and Request online for a Zaytoon use Enjoy spices saffron and oursuch specialas offers: could enjoy fresh Enjoy our corriander. special offers: discount card and you could enjo fresh corriander. on all our For Taxi Drivers free chips and instant 10% discounts on all Op our Visit us and try our delicious Sun -and Thurs: 12pm - 4am For Taxi Drivers softdrink with free everychips dish ALL DAY-

e Cuisine

Persian Cuisi

opening hours: opening hours: Sun - Thurs: 12pm - 4am

- open end hours: Fri 12pm -opening Sat: 12pm 4.30am Opening hours: Mon-Thurs, Sun 12pm–4.30am opening hours: opening hours: • Fri-Sat 12pm–5am

Leinster - The east coast province

L

einster 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.

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

If you want to escape to the country without actually leaving the city, then you can head north to Howth Head, or south to the charming and culturally vibrant villages of Dalkey and Killiney. Half an hour on the DART train will take you from the centre of the city to what feels like the heart of the country.

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

Hill of Tara

island with its Neolithic sites at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. These ancient religious sites (built before the Pyramids) have been excavated and restored in recent years making them some of the busiest visitor’s 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 the last great battle 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

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.

Carlow also hosts a wonderful arts festival every June.

Laois is where you can try your hand at a range of activities from paintballing in the Stradbally Woods to western-style riding at Fossey Mountain, bowls at the only indoor bowls stadium in the Republic or tie a fly at the unique Irish Fly-fishing and Game shooting Museum .

Kilkenny City was voted Ireland’s Top Tourism Town for 2013 by Failte Ireland which is Ireland’s main tourism body. It was voted Cleanest Town in Ireland at end of 2013 by

Kilkenny Castle Powerscourt Gardens Hills rising majestically over the county and the seaside town of Bray are just some of its many attraction. Offaly is situated in the centre of Ireland. Nestling between the Shannon River to the west and the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the east, Offaly is one of the lowest lying counties in the country. Any visitor should travel 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

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!

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 5

Explore Leinster

Ardgillan Castle and Demesne

Phoenix Park The Phoenix Park in Dublin is one of the largest and most beautiful urban parks in any capital city in Europe. Stretching over 1,752 acres the park hosts an eclectic mix of beautiful landscapes, historic buildings, the home of the President of Ireland and Dublin Zoo. It also has herds of elegant fallow deer roaming its pastures.

The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre has a historical interpretation and an audio-visual presentation of the Phoenix Park throughout the ages. Tel 01 677 0095

Kilkenny City Kilkenny City is one of the core cultural centres on the island. In June the city hosts the International Gospel Choir festival. This festival brings the best gospel choirs and musicians from all over the world. This year, choirs from the US and Europe will gather in Kilkenny City and County and the South East for a feast of the best gospel music. However there are lots more sights to see in Kilkenny with its Castle, theatre, medieval cobbled streets and old world charm. Visit the 13th century Black Abbey for a world of candlelit serenity, with the largest rosary window of its kind in Ireland.

Casino Marino 6 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

Ardgillan Castle and Demesne is situated in North County Dublin on an elevated coastline between Balbriggan and Skerries, 20 miles north of Dublin City. The demesne is well signposted off the M1 motorway.The park consists of 194 acres of rolling open grassland, mixed woodland and gardens.The gardens are in three main parts, the formal Rose Garden and the Potentilla collection to the west of the castle, and the walled garden to the northwest which contains herb, vegetable, fruit, and ornamental sections. Tel 01 849 2786.

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

The tour of the prison includes an audio-visual show. Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis and cannot be booked in advance.

Tel: 01453 5984.

The National Museum Glendalough of Ireland

The Museum is recognised as Ireland’s premier cultural institution and home to the greatest collections of Irish material heritage, culture and natural history in the world. Admission to the museum is free and there are numerous exhibitions, talks and tours. Tel 01 6777444.

The Casino was designed by Sir William Chambers as a pleasure house for James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont. It is one of the finest 18th century neo-classical buildings in Europe. The Casino, meaning “small house”, and notwithstanding its name contains 16 finely decorated rooms, endlessly rich in subtlety and design.

It is a remarkable building, both in terms of its structure and its history.

The Casino is located at Marino, just off the Malahide Road and only three miles north of the centre of Dublin.

Open 10-5pm, admission 3 Euro, 1 Euro for students and children.

Tel 01 833 1618

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.

Explore Leinster

The Chester Beatty Library

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

Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur’an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts are among the many highlights that you will find on display here. In its diversity, the collection captures much of the richness of human creative expression from about 2700 BC to the present day.

Visitors are strongly advised to avail of the excellent guided tours that the loquacious and extremely well-informed guides provide there, free of charge. They take place on Wednesdays at 1pm and on Sundays at 3 and 4pm. Opening hours, 10-5 Mon-Fri, Sat 11-5, Sun 1-5pm. Tel 01 407 0750

The Book of Kells

The Guinness Storehouse

The Guinness Storehouse Formerly known as the Guinness 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, beginning on the first floor, where you are introduced to the beer’s principal ingredients of water, barley, hops and yeast.

As you make your way up the various floors, you get to 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.

When you reach the seventh floor, you arrive at the Gravity Bar, where you get the chance to pour your own pint, and from where you can enjoy the spectacular 360 degree panoramic views of the city below.

Tours are 16.50 Euro, which includes your pint of Guinness. 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

Cultural and Historical Walking Tours

The Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition in Trinity College Dublin are the first things that all visitors gravitate to when first setting foot in Dublin. Located in the heart of the city, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed.

Inside the Book of Kells is housed, a 9th-century gospel manuscript famous throughout the world. And upstairs, you’ll find yourself in the magical environs of the justly famous Long Room.

The Book of Kells itself is celebrated for its lavish decoration. The manuscript contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum (prepared calfskin), in a bold and expert version of the script known as “insular majuscule”.

It has been on display in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin from the mid 19th century, and attracts over 500,000 visitors a year. Since 1953 it has been bound in four volumes. Two volumes are on public view, one opened to display a major decorated page, and one to show two pages of script. Guided tours of the campus, including the Old Library, The Books of Kells, and the magnificent Long Room upstairs are 12 Euro. Opening hours: 9:30-5:00 (4:30 Sun). Tel 01 896 1661

The city of Dublin has been the beating heart of Ireland for over one and a half thousand years. The city streets have been home to the Vikings, the Normans, the Elizabethans, the Georgians and the Victorians. And there are hidden gems there to be discovered around every corner. 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. You can choose from one of the organized tours, whose themes include “How To Read A Painting” - symbols and meaning at the National Gallery; Architecture of Georgian Splendour, and an historic Medieval Treasure Hunt. Alternatively you can talk to him about designing your own, bespoke tour to meet your own particular interests.

See www.dublindecoded.com

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 7

Croke Park

Croke Park Classic

A

merican football comes to Croke Park on Saturday August 30th. The University of Central Florida (UCF) and Penn State will be playing in the Croke Park Classic for the Dan Rooney Trophy, named after the former US ambassador to Ireland and Chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A key player in the GAA’s redevelopment plans for Croke Park in the early nineties, Dan Rooney has been both a passionate fan of Gaelic Games and big supporter of the Association during his many visits and residence in Ireland over the last fifty years.

Both UCF and Penn State University are big names in American college football and are guaranteed to bring huge fanfare and significant travelling support when they arrive here this August. They will be following in the footsteps of teams like Notre Dame and Navy who played in Croke Park in 1996 and returned to Dublin in 2012.

But for both colleges, it will be the first time that either of them have ever played outside the United States.

American football may be the most popular sport in the States, but efforts are being made to boost its popularity around the world, as evidenced by the ever expanding National Football League (NFL) International series of games in London.

Unlike the NFL, American college football is an amateur sport played by student athletes from universities, colleges and military academies. The top college football players enter the NFL draft after their college careers in the hope of signing with a professional team., But for most of them, the end of their college days represents the end of their playing career. International fixtures like this give these colleges a chance to grow their 8 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

exposure. And college team support in the US is similar to county team support in GA culture. Your college is your team.

For those who are unfamiliar with American football, the game itself is best described in the way the players are organised; offensive, defensive and the kicking game. The Quarterback leads the offense down the field in the hope that they score a touchdown. The defence tries to stop them.

For the build-up to the game in August, it will take three days to paint the pitch at Croke Park, and 20 people to remove the

paint after the match so that it’s ready for a GAA championship game the following day.

All of which will need around 200 litres of paint! So don’t miss your chance to sample the unique thrills of America’s favourite sport at GA headquarters. As an awful lot of people will have gone to a great deal of trouble!

Tickets are available from ticketmaster.

Further info at info@crokepark.ie, Tel: +353 (0)1 819 2300

DISCOVER IRELAND DUBLIN HORSE SHOW 2014

The Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show takes place this year between Wednesday August 6th and Sunday 10th. It began over a hundred and fifty years ago in 1864, and has long since established itself as one of, if not the primary social event of the summer calendar in Dublin.

T

ens of thousands of people and over 1,300 horses and ponies come to the RDS every year.

And with a total prize fund of over €940,000 this year, it is one of the most important equestrian events in the world. But it is a lot more than just that.

“The Discover Ireland Dublin

10 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

Horse Show is one of the largest sporting, social and family events in the country. Visitors to the Show will enjoy the excitement of world class show jumping as well as a wide variety of family entertainment, art and craft exhibitions.” RDS Chief Executive Michael Duffy said.

For more information: Tel. 01 668 0866 www.dublinhorseshow.com

The 141st Dublin Horse Show is one of those events that really does have something for the whole family. They have all sorts of entertainment laid on for all the children visiting the Show, with a packed programme to distract them over the five days, including bouncy castles, magic shows and pony rides.

There are over 300 shopping stands there as well, with numerous cafés, restaurants and a food court for you to visit as you move about from one thing to the next.

This year also sees the arrival in Dublin of world famous horseman Buck Brannaman from Montana in the U.S. Buck is a leading practitioner in the field of natural

horsemanship and was one of the primary individuals who inspired the character of “Tom Booker” in the Nicholas Evans novel, ‘The Horse Whisperer’.

For many people attending though, the highlight of the week will be Ladies Day, which takes place on the Thursday and is sponsored this year by Blossom Hill. RTE’s fashion guru Brendan Courtney will be the MC as they go in search of the Best Dressed Lady, who will win a shopping trip to New York worth 8,000 Euro.

While the g Hotel in Galway are looking after the prizes for the Best Dressed Man. As ever in the main arena, the teams and individuals will be jousting for the Furusiyya

FEI Nations’ Cup, the Longines International Grand Prix and the Land Rover Puissance.

Hopefully, spectators will be treated to a finale to match the one they saw two years ago in 2012, when the home team won the Aga Khan Cup in thrilling style, clinching victory in the dying seconds.

The 2014 Show runs for five days from the 6th-10th August. General admission tickets for one day cost €21. Student/OAP’s/Children under 16 cost €15 per day and a Family ticket (2 Adults, 4 children) costs €54. *prices exclude booking fees.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 11

Theatre Review

The Abbey

Heartbreak House

by George Bernard Shaw.

Set in New York in the ‘60s in the attic room of a soon-to-be-demolished house, two brothers meet after a 16 year estrangement to dispose of their dead parents’ property.

The first is a policeman who sacrificed his education and probably a career as a scientist to care for his ruined, invalid father. The other, who arrives late, is an eminent surgeon who walked out on the demands of family to concentrate on medicine and personal success.

Their confrontation leads them to examine the events and qualities of their very different lives and the price each of them has had to pay.

Until August 16th 7:30pm.

Previews €20, all Mondays €25, Tuesday to Thursday €32, Friday & Saturday €35 Saturday Matinees €25 Tel: 01 874 4045

Pride And Prejudice

by Jane Austen.

Welcome to the eccentric world of Heartbreak House by Bernard Shaw. As World War I looms, Captain Shotover’s bohemian family hosts a dinner party in their grand country house. Among his guests is Ellie Dunne, whose decision to marry for money sparks an entertaining debate on matters of the heart.

Shaw’s unmistakable wit and stinging observations are to the fore in this satirical look at British high society carelessly sliding towards disaster.

Roisín McBrinn (No Escape, Perve) makes her directorial debut on the Abbey stage for our first ever production of Heartbreak House.

Following the success of Pygmalion (2011) and Major Barbara (2013), we continue our celebration of one of Ireland’s greatest writers.

Alan Stanford’s acclaimed production of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice returns, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the publication of one of the most popular novels of all time.

From August 16th.

Tel: 01 874 4045

National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall is home to the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra, and the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. But its cultural brief extends across all musical genres from Classical and Irish Trad, to jazz, folk and world music.

14 August – 13 September, Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Sat matinee 2pm Tickets: €13 – €45/ Conc. €13 – €25 Tel 01 878 722

The Gate The Price

by Arthur Miller.

Highlights this August include Paul Brady on the 9th, Paganini to Piazzolla on the 13th, Sinead O’Connor on the 16th, Violin Varieties in aid of “Aware” on the 20th, as well as the RTE 12 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

lunchtime concerts throughout the month.

Tel: 01 417 0000 Or go to www.nch.ie

The Gaiety

Riverdance 20th Anniversary 20 years ago in May 1994 Riverdance was first performed as the interval act in the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, before being developed into a full length stage show.

With its fusion of Irish and International music and dance, the show broke all box office records during its world première run in Dublin. The reaction was unprecedented, with the original 10 performances being increased to 151 in subsequent months.

A hugely successful tour followed in New York, Belfast and Cork. Since then, it has packed theatres throughout North America, Oceania, Asia, Europe, South Africa and most recently South America.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Riverdance returns to the city where it all began.

24th June - 31st August Tuesday - Saturday evening 7:30pm, Sunday evening 5:30pm Matinee:2:30pm Saturday Matinee 2:30pm Tickets from €20- €55 Tel: 01 679 5622

Bord Gais Energy Theatre Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Having garnered sensational reviews, Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sparkling family musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is coming to Dublin as part of the 2014 UK & Ireland Tour.

Making his musical theatre debut, X Factor finalist, Lloyd Daniels will play the title role in the UK’s longest running musical. Reaching the final 5 of the competition, Lloyd went on to perform in sold-out arenas on the X Factor tour, followed by the release his first single.

Joining him is Danielle Hope in the role of the Narrator. She captured the nation’s hearts when she won the BBC’s Over the Rainbow and made her professional debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and then Eponine in Les Misérables in London’s West End. Matt Lapinskas will play Pharaoh in his first musical theatre role. Famed for playing Anthony Moon in BBC1’s EastEnders, Matt was also a finalist in the penultimate series of Dancing on Ice. August 12-23rd, 7:30pm 15-40 Euro.

Tel: 01 677 7999

Castleway Golden Lane, Dublin 2

236 Lower rathmines road, dubLin 6 teL: 01-4

236 Lower rathmines road, dubLin 6 teL: 01-4977057

236 Lower rathmines road, dubLin 6 teL: 01-4977057

The 41st Kilkenny Arts Festival

Heath Quartet

Dan Trueman, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh Laghdú

T

14 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

he Kilkenny Arts Festival takes place this year over ten days from August 8-17th. As ever there is an enormous variety of artists and performers working in theatre, dance, poetry and song, producing music, drama and art, both classical and contemporary for any and all possible tastes.

The 41st Kilkenny Arts Festival

This year’s programme leads with two highly ambitious special projects in contrasting musical fields; Beethoven Quest and The Marble City Sessions.

Beethoven Quest is an epic journey through the great composer’s string quartets and piano concertos. The former will be performed throughout the ten days of the Festival by the acclaimed Heath Quartet, in a series of ten lunchtime concerts. While the complete piano concertos will be performed by our own Barry Douglas, who will lead the Camerata Ireland over two evenings in the glorious acoustics of St Canice’s Cathedral.

Composer Gerry Murphy gives a talk on The Man Behind The Music, and The Irish Songbook, marking Beethoven’s Irish connection in a concert of his settings of Irish folksongs in the stunning Long Gallery of Kilkenny Castle.

The Marble City Sessions is a series of events co-curated by Kilkenny Arts Festival together with Martin Hayes. He has gathered some of the finest musicians in America and Ireland from the worlds of jazz, traditional, folk, contemporary, oldtime, bluegrass and just about anything you can think of for a week of unique, cross-genre collaborations. All of which will culminate with the Festival Finale, where many of the resident artists will join forces in a gala night at St Canice’s.

At the heart of the Marble City Sessions is the wonderful new Irishmusic group, The Gloaming. As well as their St Canice’s performance on 13 August, each member of the group combines with other leading musicians for a series of intimate concerts and pop-up gigs.

Also in residence for the Sessions are some of America’s finest roots and jazz musicians, including guitar legend Bill Frisell, cult progressive folk singer/ instrumentalist Sam Amidon, crack New York clarinettist Doug Wieselman, Old Time fiddler Cleek Schrey, composer and hardanger player Dan Trueman and peerless percussive dancer Nic Gareiss.

Other highlights of this year’s Festival include former US Poet Laureate

Billy Collins and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Company. Described by The New York Times as ‘the most popular poet in America’, Billy Collins will take part in a series of events including public readings and a workshop for poets.

And following sold-out performances at the Festival in 2012 and 2013, Shakespeare’s Globe return with the only Irish performances of their brand-new production of Much Ado About Nothing in Castle Yard, Ireland’s finest open-air theatre setting.

Other Irish firsts include the ancient polyphonic choral singing of the Basiani Ensemble (Georgia), explosive performance poet Kate Tempest (UK) for the Irish premiere of her new album Everybody Down, and Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (Italy) who blend Italian and North African sounds in an explosive Mediterranean mix of passion, energy and rhythm.

There are also a number of fascinating talks being given. One of the greatest classical artists of the last fifty years, pianist Alfred Brendel will deliver a lecture sharing his thoughts on a wealth of musical topics.

Whilst this year’s Hubert Butler Annual Lecture will be Theatre of War: Inside the UN Security Council, as Richard Ryan, who was Irish Ambassador to the UN from 1998 to 2005. And a one-off conversation between Lady Antonia Fraser and Roy Foster on Writing Lives: The Art Of Historical Biography.

Finally, former Hothouse Flower Liam Ó Maonlaí will perform Resonance on extraordinary glass instruments created in a recent collaboration with Irish glass artist Róisín de Buitléar, which is also showcased in the flagship craft exhibition in the National Craft Gallery in Castle Yard.

For more information: Main office 00353 56 776 3663 box office 00353 56 775 2175 www.kilkennyarts.ie

Ceoldrámaíocht Faoin Aer

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

16 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

Hidden Treasures in the centre of Dublin

A

rt Historian and Dublin city guide Arran Henderson has spent years exploring art, architecture and design history. Here he is on some hidden gems in the city centre.

Dublin is justly famous for the glories of its Georgian

era. The Old Parliament on College Green (now the Bank Of Ireland), the Front Square of Trinity College or James Gandon’s Customs House and the Four Courts, both on the Quays. Or for that matter those twin medieval marvels, Saint Patrick’s and Christ Church.

Snooker-playing monkeys on Kildare Street. On the same street, but heading North, look out for these mischievous monkeys playing billiards. Where Kildare Street meets Nassau Street, was once a private

club for the landowning elite. But when Cork-born sculptors Johns and James O’Shea started carving here, they couldn’t resist poking fun at the club’s well-heeled members!

Celtic Gods and Irish Trades, at the Department of Trade and Industry. Many pay a visit to the wonderful National Museum on Merrion Square.

Walking up Kildare Street afterwards, toward Stephen’s Green, it’s easy to miss this stunning art deco façade, with its decorative stone carvings by sculptor Gabrielle Hayes. The Gods, like the sun deity Lug, pay homage to Celtic mythology, while the more modern carvings of cigarette and shoe manufacture tell us a lot about the economic aspirations of the new Irish Free State back in the 1940s!

Inside the complex of Dublin castle, in one corner of “the Lower yard” saunter over to Chapel Royale. This was the private chapel of the Viceroy, or the king, when he visited Ireland. Pay special attention to the carvings around the doors and windows, with their mix of kings and saints. This one of course (pictured), represents Saint Patrick.

Over in small but lovely Palace Street, this fierce looking cat-like creature. It decorates a Victorian bank building, designed in the neo-medieval or Romanesque style. That style of course means gargoyles. This small hissing creature seems to warn off potential bank robbers.

The Lion at number 86 St Stephen’s Green. Numbers 85 and 86 St Stephen’s Green, now joined as Newman House, were once separate houses, two of the finest private mansions in 18th century Dublin.

Number 85 was built for a wealthy

Irish MP Montgomery by German born architect Richard Castles.

Slightly later, the even larger 86 was built for the notorious, rakish and sometimes downright nasty Whaley family, of Hellfire club fame. This lion decorates their old doorway.

Arran Henderson is the chief guide of Dublin Decoded, specialists in reading art, architecture and history through the buildings of Dublin. Tours can be found on Dublindecoded.com.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 17

Opera in the Open

Opera in the Open every Thursday in August.

T

he many fans of Opera in the Open will be delighted to learn that it returns again this year to the Amphitheatre, Wood Quay in the centre of Dublin for its fourteenth season. Yet another fantastic selection of lunch time operas are scheduled between 1 and 2pm every Thursday during the month of August.

For those who aren’t familiar with how Opera in the Open operates, this is your chance to see an abridged version of some of the great, classic Operas. Each performance features excerpts from a famous Opera, and is narrated in English, so that the story can be easily followed.

The reason that Opera in the Open has been so successful is that it manages to be both populist and impressively true to the operas they present. On the one hand, it’s a chance for people who might not know that much about opera to hear some of the very best bits from some of the world’s most famous operas. All those wonderful arias, duets, trios and occasionally even a quartet.

On the other hand, despite having to condense works that usually go on for two or three (or more!) hours into just the one hour, the performers and directors treat the operas they present with the utmost respect. So if you are serious about your epera, fear not.

And then of course there’s the wonderful setting. It all takes place in the amphitheatre on Wood Quay out in the open. The combination of classic opera seen as it’s performed in an actual amphitheatre surrounded by grass and overlooking the river is a wonderfully beguiling way to spend your lunchtime.

First up this year on Thursday August 18 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

7th is Orphée et Euridice by Gluck. Then on the 14th you can see The Magic Flute

by Mozart. On the 21st it’s La Rondine

by Puccini. And finally on the 28th they’ll be putting on Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini.

This year Opera in the Open will also be working closely with DIT who have an excellent school of music in Rathmines.

Several of their students, and indeed former students will be appearing on stage during the season.

This is a great chance to relax on the grass and unwind during your lunch break in the leafy surrounds of one of Dublin’s hidden gems.

For more information check out the Opera in the Open Facebook page, or sign up the Arts Office newsletter at www.thelab.ie.

Yamamori

71-2 S. George’s St., Dublin 2 Tel: 01 475 5001 The original Yamamori on George’s Street still serves up the best and simplest Japanese food in Dublin. But Yamamori Sushi, their sushi bar on the quays, runs it a close second. And if you’re looking for something a bit more funky, there’s always Yamamori Izakaya.

Super Miss Sue

Recommended Restaurants in Leinster

thmines road, dubLin 6 teL: 01-4977057 Café Topolis

37 Parliament St, Dublin 2 tel 01 670 4961 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.

Drury St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 679 9009 One of the few places to get really great fresh fish in the centre of town, and surprisingly affordable, verging on cheap.

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.

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant

7 S George’s St, Dublin 2 tel 01 677 1085 This lively Mexican Restaurant offers the very best traditional Mexican cuisine, with sizzling fajitas, burritos, tacos and, best of all their famous deep fried icecream!

The Good World

Zaytoon

14/15 Parliament St., Dublin 2 Tel. 01 677 3595.

If you are looking for somewhere quick to sit and eat this place has the best kebabs in town, cooked in a clay oven.

Thornton’s Restaurant

Above the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Stephen’s Green Tel: 01 478 7008 This one star Michelin restaurant is, as they say, reassuringly expensive. Which is only as it should be as the man in charge is Ireland’s finest chef, Kevin Thornton. If you have any intention of cementing a relationship, or of instigating a new one, this is the place to take them.

Fade Street Social

4 Fade St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 604 0066 The latest venture from Dublin’s hottest hipster chef Dylan McGrath, this manages to be both screamingly fashionable and a really good restaurant, without being overpowering. It’s not quite as casual as it would have you believe, but it is really, really good.

777

7 Castle House, S George’s St., Dublin 2 Tel: 01 425 4052 A little pricey for a Mexican restaurant, but well worth it. Beautifully decked out and effortlessly fashionable, you could comfortably skip the main courses and go instead for a selection of starters, which tend to be as generous as they are enticing.

18 S George’s St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 677 5373 There’s been a huge influx of Chinese in Dublin of late, and the choice of Chinese food in the city has improved no end. But this is still the best place to find dim sum.

And significantly, most of the people you’ll find eating here are other Chinese diners.

Peploes

16 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 6763144 One of Dublin’s most popular eateries and great for those pre -Theatre meals.

Pichet

14-15 Trinity St., Dublin 2 Tel 01 6771060.

Classic Bistro food in the Modern style with Master Chef Ireland’s. Nick Munier at Front of House.

Kafka

236 Lower Rathmines Rd., Dublin 6 Tel: 01-4977057 This little gem cooks high quality bistro food at very affordable prices

Le Bon Crubeen

81-2 Talbot St., Dublin 1 tel 01 704 1026 This is one of the best value restaurants in Dublin with a brasserie menu to suit all tastes. It won the Best Value Restaurant Dublin in “The Dubliner” Top 100 restaurants in 2012, having previously won the Irish Restaurant Awards’ Best Casual Dining Restaurant in Dublin in 2010. Value and quality.

Welcome to Munster

Bunratty Castle

M

unster is the most southerly of the four provinces of Ireland and stretches from Tipperary in the South Midlands to Waterford in the South East and from Clare Limerick, Kerry and 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; this coupled with the vast green countryside and three cities (Limerick, Cork and Waterford) makes Munster a must see destination for tourists.

Bunratty Castle in County Clare is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour and now contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art which capture the mood of those times. Browse the castle and marvel at the finest collection of medieval furniture in the country which brings to life a vital part of our Medieval past. You can explore at your own leisure or join in a guided tour with our experienced guides. At night time the castle is the impressive setting for the medieval castle banquets which are held all year round.

Travelling down the coast and Limerick is the next port of call. This year Limerick has been designated as Ireland’s first City of Culture and it is all happening this year. From theatres to outdoor music events, museums to festivals, Limerick has an eclectic mix of sights and sounds to suit all tastes. County Limerick also incorporates the Foynes Estuary with its world famous Foynes Flying Boat Museum. The museum tells the story of the Pan Am Clipper aircraft which brought commercial flights from America to our shores, landing in the estuary itself. It includes the only full-scale model of a Boeing B-314 Flying Boat 20 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

anywhere in the world.

The Rose of Tralee is the most famous Festival in Kerry this year 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 and culminates in 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

City of Limerick

Sea Kayaking in Cork

all to enjoy.

One of Munster’s most famous landmarks the Rock of Cashel, in County Tipperary is the historical seat of the Kings of Munster.

The outcrop on which the Castle and grounds stand is one of the most photogenic scenes in all Munster. The spectacular group of medieval buildings are set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. Contact : Telephone No: 062 61437. Fax No: +353 62 62988..E-mail: rockofcashel@opw.ie.

County Cork is well worth the drive as it has sandy beaches, The wonderful Blarney Castle, Foto Wildlife Park, the world famous Fota Island 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. Which although it may be the last county on the eastern seaboard, it certainly is well worth the visit. Waterford is the capital of the ‘Sunny South East of Ireland’ and Ireland’s oldest city. The city and county is famous throughout the world as the home of Waterford Crystal. A visit to the House of Crystal visitor centre includes an opportunity to choose from the world’s largest selection of Waterford Crystal. The factory tour offers first hand access to all areas of traditional crystal production. County Waterford offers a dazzling 147 kilometres coastline, with 49 beaches, beautiful river valleys, lakes and two dramatic ranges of very accessible mountains. Visit Munster- you know it makes sense!

R O T A R ELS E T S N O E H G ATION NER E G T X NE

I-FI FREE W

GENERATOR DUBLIN Smithfield Square, Dublin 7 +353 1 901 0222 dublin@generatorhostels.com

Travel Ireland Ad Campaign.indd 1

CATED ALLY LO R T N E C G RAMMIN G O R P NT AR EVE REGUL social sters of a m d n ya l. le luxur a hoste affordab r is more than f o s r e Pione ce, Generato f n world o experie rself in a hile you u o y e s immer rally aware w cities. h us and ltu ing Stay wit d art for the cu ’s most inspir ld r n o a w ic s e mu f th some o explore

25/06/2014 17:1

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle, Queen Elizabeth I and its Famous Stone.

Opening hours 9-7pm in the summer, 9-5 on Sundays.

B

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 we 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 600 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 22 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

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 landscape 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 accidently 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.

Admission 12 Euro, 5 Euro for children.

A Little Piece of Donegal in Dublin

T

his family run business is run by the mother and daughter team of Carol and Linda-Mae Meagle.

Opened in 1995, they are based in the heart of the shopping district of Dublin on the top floor of the St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2.

The Donegal Shop aims to offer a little piece of Donegal in Dublin.

A vast range of traditional knitwear, handknit arans and knitwear and accessories are available, as well as handwoven Donegal tweed jackets,

caps and throws and pens.

With the emphasis of what is “imagined, designed, and made in Ireland”, the shop not only stocks products from Donegal but from all over the country, such as Foxford Woollen Mills and Carraig Donn, all made in Ireland.

They also provide a shipping service, so no matter how much you buy, you won’t have to carry it!

You can check out their online store before you visit the shop itself at www.thedonegalshop.com

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 23

NOW OPEN FOR SUMMER!!

Open 7 days

Out-TRAVEL of the Blue - Half Page.indd 1 24 IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

24/04/2014 17:19:46

Dingle Dingle -- My My Kingdom Kingdom For For AA Dolphin Dolphin

Words: John Carey

Words: John Carey

I

t takes four and a half hours of driving from Dublin, but well worth every minute as the scenery is spectacular.

The first thing that spreads across the horizon is the sheer gargantuan beauty that is the Magillacuddy Reeks, a mountain range that stretches into the Kerry terrain like a swan stretching out its wings upon a sleepy landscape. Every bend in the road heralds a new breathtaking scene change.

We arrive in Dingle about tea time and promptly proceed to our lodgings, the popular Dingle Skelig Hotel on the edge of town and only a five minute walk to the Harbour.

The view from the spacious room out on to the bay is nothing short of spectacular.

After a nice relaxing jacuzzi in the leisure centre we put on our glad rags and head for the dining room. Dinner is a superb quality of fare to suit all tastes and great value.

In Dingle there is a bar every ten yards you walk in any direction and these are no ordinary bars as they double up as grocery stores, so you can go do your food shopping and have a pint at the same time.

After a nice leisurely stroll we happen upon Dick Macks pub, a quaint little watering hole with pictures of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey on the wall and old fiddles hanging from wood book cases.

There is a guy on a tin whistle and another with an accordion belting out old Gaelic tunes while in the corner there are a group of Americans munching on pizza from one of the local takeaways and quaffing down creamy pints.

The next day we head for the Slea Head Drive a ring road beginning and ending in Dingle. Taking the R559 south we arrive at Ventry harbour a beautiful horse shoe enclave with fantastic views and a long stretch of sandy beach very popular with windsurfers. Moving on from there we head west past Dunbeg Fort, with a steep cliff on one side and the roaring Atlantic on the other. We arrive at Slea Head peninsula which is marked by a stone crucifix and beautiful views of the Blasket Islands.

We drive northwards passing Coumenoole Strand where part of the famous David Lean epic Ryan’s Daughter was filmed. At Dun Chaoin you can get the ferry to the Great Blasket Island but we decide to continue on to Ballyferriter. After a scrumptious lunch in the Ceann Sibeal Hotel we head east taking in a number of Neolithic sites including the early Christian site at Reasc.

There are so many beauty spots on this drive and another must visit place is Ventry-a small village about 4 miles from Dingle. This quaint village has one pub and one shop. It also has a very nice restaurant called The Skipper and is well worth a look in-do try the mussels with a nice glass of white.

Another great place along the drive is Ballydavid as it leads out to a cliff top drive

with dramatic views and crashing waves with beautiful seabirds hovering below.

Turning south we head past the base of Mount Brandon – the second largest mountain in Ireland. This is where - if you are a keen rambler you can find a pilgrimage route to the mountain summit.

We now turn onto the main road back to Dingle and a well earned drink in the town before dinner.

If you are looking for seafood then you have to pay a visit to the famous”Out Of The Blue” seafood restaurant with its extensive seafood menu that is meticulously chosen by proprietor Tim Mason every morning from the local Fishing boats, making sure he gets only the freshest seafood just caught. A certain Paul Hewson aka “Bono” has been known to frequent this wonderful restaurant.

The highlight of this trip for me was undoubtedly the 8th wonder of the world Conor Pass. The Conor Pass is the highest mountain pass in all of Ireland and is a must visit for anybody visiting the area.

Driving up to the pass from Dingle you know you are in the lap of the Gods you might pass the odd cloud meandering around its many bends in the road. The views on the way up are simply amazing - watch out for a few dozen sheep feeding off the mossy hillsides as they sometimes tend to cross the road. When reaching the pass itself you are greeted with the most spectacular views of the corrie lakes and the glaciated landscapes. On a clear day you can see the Aran Islands off the coast of County Galway. Upon descending the other side of the pass you are greeted with a road so narrow that you can barely fit one car through and the sheer drop on the left hand side and cliff base on the other makes for a truely awesome adrenalin filled car journey you will never forget.

One thing not to be missed on your visit to Dingle is the Dingle Dolphin -or Fungie, the name given to him by the fishermen. He is a fully grown, possibly middle aged, male bottlenose, Tursiops Truncatus. He weighs in at around onequarter tonne (500 lbs.) and measures in the region of four metres (13 feet).

During the summer months Fungie is often seen taking fish in the harbour mouth. The Dingle Boatmen’s Association run regular trip out to meet Fungi all year round and he obliges with spectacular jumps and loops alongside the boats, a truly amazing sight.

The Boatmen’s Association comprises 8 passenger boats fully licenced by the Department of the Marine and manned by experienced and qualified crews. The boats leave Dingle Pier at regular intervals during the day, every day, all year round (weather permitting) on a 1 hour trip to see Fungie wild and free in his natural habitat.

Telephone: (066) 9152626 Email: info@dingledolphin.com AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 25

Rose of Tralee

The 55th Rose Of Tralee Festival.

T

he Rose Of Tralee Festival celebrates its 55th year in 2014. And ever since RTE first began broadcasting live coverage of the event back in 1967 it’s been a central part of every Irish summer.

Dozens of Irish broadcasters have hosted the programme over those years, including Terry Wogan and Derek Davies, and more recently Ryan Tubridy and Ray Darcy. But for many people, at least as far as the television programme is 26 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

concerned, the Festival will always be associated with Gay Byrne, who hosted it for 17 years until calling it a day in 1994.

The Rose Of Tralee Festival began as an attempt to breathe a little bit of life into Kerry tourism all the way back in 1959. The original Carnival Queen had to be a native of the town itself, even if she was living in London, Birmingham of New York. But as the event rapidly grew and expanded they eventually relaxed

the rules so that anybody with Irish blood could enter. And soon competitions were being held all over the world to find Roses who were eligible to be entered into the competition proper, which is held every year during August.

Roses from all over the world gather in the town of Tralee to compete in a beauty contest with a difference. A glance at the television programme might suggest that the Rose Of Tralee is just another beauty pageant. There they all

Rose of Tralee

CEL are, a succession of beautiful, young women who parade EB before us, once in a swim suit, and once in evening wear.

But as they are all being interviewed by that year’s host, you will hear them telling anecdotes, singing songs, or reciting Irish poetry.

CEL OF The thing about the Rose Of TraleeEis,BitR has always been ATIsay, Miss the anti-Beauty Pageant contest. As opposed to, NG World, they are as interested in what you have on the YEAoutside. Hence inside, as they are on how you look O onF the RS the emphasis on a girl’s ability to recite a poem or to sing a song. And yet, at the same time, it is a beauty contest.

One of the Roses summed it up well: “The Roses are actually only one part of the festival. The festival is a week of events (most of which we weren’t even at!) that brings people to Kerry to celebrate their Irish heritage and culture.

Yes, the TV nights look very beauty pageant-like and there are all sorts of corny conversations and performances (mine included) but again, that is only one part of the festival. It is about celebrating women who raise the bar and are confident, hardworking, intelligent role models.”

Whatever about the mild controversy that the competition itself has always had surrounding it, the Festival itself is about far more than merely finding that year’s Rose. There is an entire week of celebration, music and, inevitably, craic.

So if you are anywhere in the vicinity of Kerry in the month of August, be sure to head for Tralee. Especially if you happen to be a young man with a gift for reciting a poem or two.

C

10 E

‘TH

1 ‘TH 00 E TR

TR

AM

P’

COMEDY FILM FESTIV

COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL

21ST 24TH 21ST - 24TH

EL

AUGUST AUGUST

E See www.roseoftralee.ie 1 BRATING

‘TH

1 ‘TH 00 E

RS

EBR

2014 2014 OF

ATI N

21ST - 24TH

G

TR

YEA

RS

A

AUGUST

2014

COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL

WATERVILLE WATERVILLE WATERVILLE

. IRELAND COUNTY KERRYKERRY . IRELAND AUGUST COUNTY

’

AUGUST

2014

MP COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL ’

21ST - 24TH

2014

YEA

MP

CEL

21ST - 24TH

COMEDY 00

E TOF RA

COUNTY KERRY . IRELAND

WATERVILLE

COUNTY KERRY . IRELAND

The 400th Puck Fair in Killorglin

E

very year on August 10th the townspeople of Killorglin in County Kerry hold their Puck Fair. Locals go up into the nearby mountains and bring back a goat, or “puck” as it is in Irish.

And one of the local school girls acts as “queen” in the fair that follows, where they crown him the King. So for three days, much merriment and a small amount of messing ensues, as a three day festival takes place where everyone gets to let their hair down.

It’s one of the three oldest fairs in Ireland, the other two being the Auld Lamass Fair in Ballycastle and the Great October Horse Fair in Ballinasloe.

The Puck Fair in Killorglin dates all the way back to the 17th century and beyond. Legend has it that the Fair’s origins can be traced back to the period when the Roundheads were ravaging and pillaging the country under the notorious Oliver Cromwell. When they came to the countryside around Shanara and Kilgobnet at the foot of the McGillycuddy Reeks, they routed a herd of goats that were grazing on the upland.

The animals took flight, but the he-goat or “puck” broke away and fled towards the village of Cill Orglain, Killorglin as it is in English on the banks of the Laune. It was his arrival there in a state of exhaustion that alerted the inhabitants of the impending danger, and they immediately set about protecting themselves and their stock. And ever since the people of Killorglin have held a festival there in his honour.

Almost certainly it dates back considerably further than that, and was probably a pagan festival to celebrate the end of summer and the coming of the harvest.

Whatever its origins, the fair has long been and continues to be the main social, economic and cultural event in the Killorglin Calendar.

It is a time when old friends meet, when new friendships are forged and the cares of everyday living are put on hold.

And this year, as well as the traditional three days of Puck, which begins with the Gathering Day on the 10th, the Fair Day on the 11th and the Scattering Day on the 12th, they have added a fourth day, on Saturday 9th.

Which is to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Fair.

But as they don’t know precisely when it was that the Fair began, they can’t say for certain which year it is that they should be commemorating the anniversary on. So don’t be surprised if the 400th year anniversary celebrations become something of a regular thing down there!

For more info, tel 066 976 2366

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 29

www.dublinhorseshow.com

www.dublinhorseshow.com

www.dublinhorseshow.com

Open 5pm - 10pm

#dublinhorseshow

#dublinhorseshow #dublinhorseshow

MAIN EVENTS • • • • •

Wednesday, August 6 – Opening day www.dublinhorseshow.com Thursday, August 7- BlossomMAIN Hill EVENTS Ladies’ Day TM Friday, August 8 MAIN – Furusiyya Nations’

by Longines • FEI Wednesday, August 6Cup – Openingpresented day EVENTS • Thursday, August 7- Blossom Hill Ladies’ Day Saturday, August 9 – Land Rover Puissance • Wednesday, August – Opening day FEI Nations’ Cup presented by Longines 8 – Furusiyya • Friday,6August • Saturday, August 9Hill – Land Rover Puissance Sunday, August •10Thursday, – Longines International Grand Prix August 7- Blossom Ladies’ Day

www.dublinhorseshow.com

m

TM

DAILY

• Sunday, August 10 – Longines International Grand Prix 8 – Furusiyya FEI Nations’ CupTM presented • Friday, August

by Longines • Saturday, August 9 – Land Rover Puissance DAILY HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS • Sunday, August 10 – Longines International Grand Prix • Kids’ Zone and entertainment including pony rides, magic shows,

& much more!

• Kids’ Zone and entertainmentjugglers including pony rides, magic shows, • Over 300 trade stands from all over the world DAILY HIGHLIGHTS jugglers & much more!

• Champagne & Seafood bar, restaurants, bars and snack areas #dublinhorseshow • Kids’ Zone and entertainment including pony rides, shows, • Horseman Buckworld Brannaman (Montana, USA) willmagic demonstrate his • Over 300 trade stands from all over the legendary jugglers & much more! horsemanship skills • Champagne & Seafood bar, bars snack areas •restaurants, Live music & entertainment • Over 300 trade stands from all over and the world • Craft & Student Art Awards Exhibition #dublinhorseshow • Horseman Buck Brannaman (Montana, USA) will demonstrate • Champagne & Seafood bar, restaurants, bars and snack his areas MAIN EVENTS • Wednesday, August 6 – Opening day • Horsemanskills Buck Brannaman (Montana, USA) will demonstrate his legendary horsemanship • Thursday, August 7- Blossom Hill Ladies’ Day legendary horsemanship skills • Friday, August 8 – Furusiyya FEI Nations’ Cup presented by Longines • Live music & entertainment • Saturday, August 9 – Land Rover Puissance • Live music & entertainment • Sunday, August 10 – Longines International Grand Prix • Craft & Student •Art Awards Exhibition Craft & Student Art Awards Exhibition #dublinhorseshow TM

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN EVENTS

• Kids’ Zone and entertainment including pony •rides, magic shows,August 6 – Opening day Wednesday, jugglers & much more!

• Thursday, August 7- Blossom Hill Ladies’ Day • Over 300 trade stands from all over the world August 8 – Furusiyya FEI Nations’ CupTM presented • Friday, • Champagne & Seafood bar, restaurants, bars and snack areas • Horseman Buck Brannaman (Montana, USA) will • demonstrate Saturday, his August 9 – Land Rover Puissance legendary horsemanship skills • Sunday, August 10 – Longines International Grand Prix Horse Show'14 A4.indd 1 • Live music & entertainment • Craft & Student Art Awards Exhibition

Horse Show'14 A4.indd 1

e world

22/07/2014 12:48

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

es’ Day ons’ CupTM presented by Longines ance ional Grand Prix

ng pony rides, magic shows,

by Longines

Horse Show'14 A4.indd 1

• Kids’ Zone and entertainment including pony rides, magic shows, jugglers & much more!

• Over 300 trade stands from all over the world • Champagne & Seafood bar, restaurants, bars and snack areas • Horseman Buck Brannaman (Montana, USA) will demonstrate his legendary horsemanship skills • Live music & entertainment 22/07/2014 12:48 • Craft & Student Art Awards Exhibition

22/07/2014 12:48

Lisdoonvarna’s World Famous Matchmaking Festival

T

he Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival is a month long festival of music, dancing and a whole lot of good old fashioned matchmaking. It goes on for six consecutive weekends, beginning on the last weekend of August on Friday 29th, and ends six weeks later on Sunday, October 5th.

Matchmaking is one of Ireland’s oldest traditions, and for the last couple of hundred years a good deal of it has taken place in Lisdoonvarna over the summer. In days gone by, most of the eligible young men in Ireland would have been working on the land, either as farmers or as farm labourers. Once the harvest had been gathered in, by about late August or early September, they would all head off to spa towns like Lisdoonvarna in search of a break. But most of all, in search of a wife.

So the business of matchmaking was a serious one. And that is precisely what it was; a business.

So much so indeed, that a famous saying was coined. Lisdoonvarna was, they said, a town “where parish priests pretend to be sober and bank clerks pretend to be drunk”.

These days, there is just one solitary official

matchmaker left in the country. His name is Willie Daly, a fourth generation matchmaker. And as Lisdoonvarna is where he and his family have resided for generations, it’s here that you will have to go if a partner for life is what you are after.

Willie has a pub in Ennistymon, as well as a horse riding school. But for those few weekends every summer, he performs his most important task of all. He moves about through the town of Lisdoonvarna carefully jotting down notes in the little pocket book he carries around with him. He then heads back to his “office”, the snug at the side of the Matchmaker Bar, where a queue of young hopefulls are dutifully waiting for him to weave his magic.

The opening weekend in August is all about country music. It’s a chance for people to loosen up before the serious business of matchmaking begins in earnest. The following weekend is a horse racing weekend. Not that there are any official race courses involved. We are talking about the loose and just about legal world of “sulky” racing. Think Ben Hur meets Ryan’s Daughter.

Then, for the next three weekends in September, the serious business of matchmaking

is officially attended to. And finally, in the first weekend of October, there is a new feature to Lisdoonvarna, which was begun by the thoroughly modern matchmaker that is Willie Daly for the first time last year in 2013; the Outing.

Matchmaking specifically designed for those in search of a same sex partner. This year, the weekend is to be hosted by Ireland’s favourite dame, Miss Panti.

For more info, contact The Hydro Hotel where the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaker Festival is based, at 065 7074005. Or go to www.matchmakerireland.com

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 31

Charlie Chaplin

Comedy Film Festival in Waterville, Co Kerry tilting his head at you in that famously bashful manner. So where better to host a Comedy Film Festival in his honour?

Josephine Chaplin, who spent many a summer down there in Kerry, was one of a number of people who got together to organize the inaugural Festival in 2011, together with friends and prominent members of the business community. The idea behind the festival is to honour the pioneering spirit of the great film maker, who was also such a prominent advocate for social change. Hence Hoover’s dislike

W

hen the 54 year old Charlie Chaplin married the 18 year old Oona O’Neill it generated enormous controversy, at least in the United States. That was because the FBI’s Edgar Hoover had it in for Chaplin, as he did for just about anybody connected with Hollywood. But Chaplin’s marriage to Oona was, as far as any marriage can be, a blissfully happy one. And his meeting with her was, he said, “the happiest day of my life”.

They had eight children together, and when they went in search of somewhere to take them all on their summer holidays, they decided upon the town of Waterville, in County Kerry. Which is hardly surprising, as Oona was the daughter of the Irish American playwright Eugene O’Neill. So for over ten happy years, Charlie, Oona and their family based themselves for the summer at the Butler Arms in Waterville. And if it hadn’t been for the outbreak of “the troubles” in the North, they would unquestionably have returned there every summer until the end of his life.

So when you arrive in at Waterville on the Kenmare road from the KIllarney, there he is to greet you. A statue of the LIttle Tramp himself,

of him.

The festival takes place over four days between Thursday, August 21st and Sunday 24th, and is based in Fossett’s Big Top, which will be set up on the village green overlooking the bay. During which, there are going to be daily screenings, workshops and no end of Chaplin themed street entertainment. There’s the Tramp’s Ball on the Friday, Family Fun games on the Saturday afternoon, and then the Gala Awards event in the evening, hosted by RTE’s Daithi O’ Sé. And the Festival draws to a close on the Sunday with an

attempt at the World Record for Chaplin Look A Likes!

The hope is that the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival will quickly become an international fixture that will bring a smile not just to Kerry, 32 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

but to Ireland and the World. With his courage and pioneering spirit, Chaplin brought laughter to millions of people through the medium of film, helping them negotiate some very dark times.

The hope is that today’s film makers will follow in Charlie’s illustrious footsteps by showcasing their comedy films there in Waterville. Certainly, there are few more relaxing corners of the world to spend your summer in.

For more info, tel. 066 947 8818

Doolin Gets in on the Craft Beer Scene

P

ub culture in Ireland has been under severe threat of late. A combination of factors have come together to conspire against it. There was the smoking ban in 2004, and then there was the increase in prices that came with the boom in the early noughties.

Followed by the decrease in customers that came with the crash that the boom was inevitably followed by. The result is that over a thousand pubs have closed in Ireland over the last six years.

So pubs have been forced to become increasingly imaginative in their drive to hold on to their customers. And one of the off-shoots of this has been the resurgence of a craft beer movement.

In the beginning of the 19th century there were over 200 breweries in Ireland, with more than 50 in Dublin alone. But sadly there was a steady decline in indigenous brewing so that by the late 20th century the beer industry was dominated by a small number of large, internationally owned

breweries.

But after a revival of craft beers in Britain and America in the 80s, Ireland soon followed suit.

And thanks in part to an imaginative tax incentive, indigenous microbreweries began to materialize.

One of the first and most successful of these was O’Hara’s. And it was Seamus O’Hara who was one of the co-founders of The Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival.

First held in Dublin in 2011, last year some 22 Irish craft breweries showcased over 150 different beers and ciders, attracting over ten thousand thirsty attendees in Dublin’s RDS. And as well as their flagship event in Dublin, they have joined together with local business men in county Clare to help organize this year’s Doolin Craft Beer Festival, which runs over August 22-24th.

Doolin is the town you are most likely to pass through on your way to or back from the Arran Islands, if you’re not going there via Galway. And their Craft Beer Festival, now in its third year is

a wonderful reason to hang around there a little longer than you might have intended. Centred around a marque in the gardens of Hotel Doolin, the best of Irish craft beers will be accompanied by the finest musicians in the West of Ireland, as well as locally produced food from the many artisans who live in the area.

These days there are over 20 microbreweries on the island of Ireland, more than half of which have opened their doors in the past five years.

And craft beer consumers are becoming more numerous, confident and adventurous than ever before. It is events like the Doolin Craft Beer Festival in the West, and the larger one held at the RDS in Dublin that are helping to ensure that pub culture in Ireland is far from dead and buried.

For more info, contact: Hotel Doolin, Doolin, Co. Clare.

Tel 00353 65 707 411 AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 33

Explore Munster

Cliffs of Moher

The Burren

The Burren, from the Gaelic word Boireann is an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams.

With its innate sense of spiritual peace, extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, and megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt’s pyramids, the Burren creates a tapestry of colour and a seductively magical aura which few people leave without wanting to experience again.

To Begin to discover the secrets of the Burren, a walk through the Burren Centre Exhibition is essential.

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.

Ring of Kerry

Cobh

Cobh (formerly Queenstown) is a pretty seaside town in County Cork, Ireland . It is steeped in history and is an ideal place in which to stay to explore all that the town, Cork Harbour and East Cork has to offer. Cobh was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950.Attractions for tourists include shore and lake fishing, sailing and water sports, bird watching and countless sites of historical interest and importance.The Sirius Arts Centre has free exhibitions throughout the year and shares the original home of the Royal Cork Yacht Club wit h the Cobh Tourist Office.

Fota Island Wildlife Park Fota Wildlife Park is a joint project between the Zoological Society of Ireland and University College Cork. It is an idea that was originally conceived in the 1970’s by the former Director of Dublin Zoo, Dr Terry Murphy, The park was originally opened in 1983. It has been listed as one of Ireland’s top ten visitor attractions.

Fota is a not for profit organisation, limited by guarantee, and is also a registered charity.

The Ring of Kerry ( Irish: Mórchuaird Chiarraí)is not a ring in the conventional sense but a 179-km-long circular tourist route in County Kerry. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and Glenbeigh – before returning to Killarney via the N72. The scenery along this route is spectacular to behold and the route takes you through the Gap of Dunloe, the Bog Village, past Rossbeigh Beach, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House, The Blue Pool, Ross Castle, the Ogham Stones, and many more visitor attractions.

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

Browse the castle and marvel at the finest collection of medieval furniture in the country which brings to life a vital part of our Medieval past. You can explore at your own leisure or join in a guided tour with our experienced guides. At night time the castle is the impressive setting for the medieval castle banquets which are held all year round.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 35

Louis Mulcahey Pottery

C

reate a memory that will last a lifetime, when you design and make your own pot at Louis Mulcahy Pottery. “My granddaughter aged 6 made a pot and she was thrilled with the experience”. And it’s not just for children, adults too can join in on the fun by creating their own masterpiece.

While you are there, uou can also learn how the pottery is made from start to finish at the workshop they have there. You get to see their full range of ware and pottery in the extensive showroom, as well as availing of the special workshop prices they have on offer for those who visit. Not to mention the home made baking they have in their café, served needless to say on their very own pottery!

Their pottery workshop started as a two person operation in 1975, and today employs over twenty people in a part of Ireland that is rich in history, culture and the Irish language.

Located on the scenic Slea head drive, nestled at the foot of a mountain and overlooking the wild Atlantic of Clogher strand, Louis Mulcahy pottery is a place where you can browse, experience, create, learn, and immerse yourself before bringing home a marvellous memory.

tel. 066 9156229

Ballymaloe House

Shanagarry, Co Cork 021 4652 531 Myrtle Allen bought Ballymaloe in 1948 and she and her extended families have been entertaining and educating the rest of the country ever since. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but whether dining in the restaurant or staying on the grounds, this is about as luxurious as it gets.

Recommended Restaurants in Munster

Isaacs Restaurant

McCurtain St, Cork city.

021 450 3805 Hidden away in a budget style hotel, Isaacs has always had a reputation with locals for being a considerably better quality restaurant than you might have expected.

And as you’d expect, its very reasonably priced too.

Fishy Fishy Café

An Canteen

Dykgate st Dingle Tel 0866603778.

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

Crowley’s Quay, Kinsale, Co Cork.

01 470 0415 Kinsale is, unquestionably, the food capital of Ireland, and this by common consent is one of its finest restaurants. Impeccably fresh fish at reasonable prices.

The Old Convent

Rossini

33-4 Princess St, Cork city.

021 427 5818 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 Lime Tree

Shelbourne St, Kenmare, Co Kerry 064 664 1225 With possibly exception of Kinsale, Kenmare is Ireland’s unofficial culinary capital. And this is one of the town’s very best restaurants, specializing in wonderfully fresh fish and succulent lamb.

Clogheen, Co Tipperary 052 746 5565 Hidden away in the village of Clogheen, with the possible exception of the Cashel Palace, this is the finest restaurant in the whole of county Tipperary. Only one sitting at 8pm, and a set tasting menu at 65 Euro, this is quite simply one of the finest dining experiences in Ireland. But be warned sat nav users, that’s the Clogheen on the road between Ardfinnan and Ballyporeen, and not either of the other two Clogheens that are only around the corner!

Out of the Blue

Dingle Harbour (066) 915 0811.

The most popular seafood restaurant in Dingle even Bono is a fan.

La Cucina

The Mustard Seed

5 University Court, Castleroy, County Limerick.

Tel 061 333980 Simply one of the best places for a pizza in the country.

Dromoland Castle

Mail St, Castlegregory, Co Kerry tel 087 979 4337 Greg O’Mahonny took over as head chef here in 2010 after spells at some of the best restaurants in Spain and Dublin, including the Mugaritz in San Sebastian and L’Ecrivain in Dublin. And he takes the very best of local Kerry produce and gives them some wonderfully sophisticated flavours.

Ballingarry, Co Limerick 069 68508 About 40 minutes outside of Limerick City, off the Adare road, this is one of those roomy country houses that’s been transformed into a top class hotel and restaurant. One of the finest restaurants in Munster.

Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare 061 368 144 Quite simply one of the most imposing and impressive castles on these islands, it boasts rooms and a restaurant to match its imperious surroundings.

Milesian

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 37

Welcome To Connaught

T

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

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

The primary business centre of Connaught, and 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 enacted 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 hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and visitors to Connaught. The county also features the pilgrimage site known as Croagh Patrick. Croagh Patrick, which overlooks Clew Bay in County Mayo, 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.

Benbulben

Inishboffin Cliff Ruin

Kylemore Abbey

38 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

E

veryone likes good food at the right price and Travel Ireland recommends the following eateries in Connaught where you will experience culinary delicacies, great service and a wonderful atmosphere.

Kai Café

Sea Rd., Galway city Tel: 091 526 003 David and Jessica Murphy 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.”

Ard Bia

Long Walk, Spanish Arch, Galway City Tel: 091 56111 This restaurant has gone from strength to strength since winning Food & Wine magazine’s Best Regional Restaurant Award a few years ago. The eclectic arty dining room overlooking the Corrib in the historic Spanish Arch area is renowned for its delicious food. The building also has a local gallery upstairs with some fabulous artwork to browse and chat about over coffee. Tel: +353(0)91 56111

Ashford Castle

Cong, Co. Mayo Tel: 094 954 6003 Dating all the way back to 1228, this 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.

The Yew Tree Restaurant

Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon Tel: 090 666 1255 Half way between Athlone and Roscommon, and a quarter of an hour drive from either, Aidan Murray has been head chef here for over 20 years. Superior bistro food.

Recommended Restaurants in Connaught

The Cottage Restaurant

Jamestown, Co. Leitrim Tel: 071 962 5933 Head chef Sham Hanifa’s sauces are so well regarded, you buy jars of them to take away with 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.

Waterfront House Restaurant

Enniscrone, County Sligo Tel: 096 37120 The Waterfront House Restaurant boasts one of the most outstanding sea views in Ireland. You can wine, dine and relax as you peer out over the 5km beach overlooking Killala Bay. Since it opened in 2011 The Seaview Restaurant and Wine Bar have become popular with locals and visitors alike. Fresh Seafood is a specialty.

An Port Mór Restaurant

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

Upstairs @ West Restaurant

The Twelve, Barna, Galway city Tel: 091 597000 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.

Eala Bhán

Rockwood Parade, Sligo town Tel: 071 914 5823 If it’s fresh seafood or a prime steak you’re looking for, this is the place for you. Situated in the heart of Sligo this restaurant is warmly recommended by one and all, including Lucinda O’Sullivan and Georgina Campbell.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 39

MAYO Where pilgrims and sightseers view the wonders of nature of the old signal tower 722 ft above sea level. Inishturk is a great place to go for a quiet break. The island has a population of less than one hundred people. There are many places of interest to visit on the island. Inishturk has a lovely harbour with a new improved pier, fine beaches and many interesting archaeological sites.

Near Ballycastle and beneath the wild boglands of North Mayo lies the Céide Fields, the most extensive Stone Age monument in the world, consisting of field systems, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs. The stone walled fields, extending over thousands of acres are almost 6,000 years old, the oldest known in the world. They are covered by a natural blanket bog with its own unique vegetation and wildlife. The Ceide Fields Visitor Centre has won several awards, including the Gold Medal for architecture. It is located beside some of the most spectacular cliffs and rock formations in Ireland and a viewing platform is positioned on the edge of the 110m high cliff. Visitors are advised to wear weather protective clothing and footwear suitable for walking on uneven terrain.

Achill island off the Mayo coast is also well worth a visit. It is the most inhabited of the islands and it has many festivals throughout the year including its famous Seafood Festival in July. For more information on the island contact Achill tourism on 098 20705.

Mayo has many other attractions too such as the towns of Castelbar, Ballina and Westport who all have wonderful restaurants, traditional Irish pubs and first class hotels. So, whether it’s religion, archaeology, history watersports, or just viewing the wonders of nature Mayo has something for you to enjoy.

Keem Bay on Achill Island

W

hereas Ireland was once known as ‘The Land of Saints and Scholars’ Mayo could rightly be called ‘The County of Pilgrims and the Wonders of Nature.’ This westerly county bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on its western seaboard has unspoilt beauty unlike anywhere else in the country.

Mayo is the home of two pilgrim sites with Knock Shrine where The Virgin Mary is reputed to have appeared to fifteen people in 1879. Since that time the shrine at the little church has become a world renowned pilgrimage site. The Ireland West International Airport nearby was opened in 1985 originally to cater for the many hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrine every year. Many miracles have been acclaimed at shrine over the years.

Mayo also caters annually for pilgrims who climb Croagh Patrick ( a mountain above Clew Bay near Westport) every year. It is an arduous trek to the summit of Croagh Patrick which is known locally as ‘the reek’, but well worth it to view the wonderous scenery from 2,500 feet. Legend has it that it was on the summit of the mountain that Saint Patrick fasted for forty days in 441 AD and the pilgrim custom has been faithfully handed down from generation to generation. Those who climb it whilst saying prayers are said to receive many favours. Each year, The Reek, as it is colloquially known, attracts about 1 million pilgrims. On ‘Reek Sunday’, the last Sunday in July, over 25,000 pilgrims visit the Reek. At the top, there is a modern chapel where mass is celebrated and confessions are heard. Individuals and groups come from all over the world and include pilgrims, hill climbers, historians, archaeologists and nature lovers. The other traditional Pilgrimage days are the last Friday of July which is known locally as ‘Garland Friday’, and August 15th which is the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven.

Inishturk is a quaint beautiful island located 9 miles (14.5km) off the coast of Mayo. Admire its wall-like cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean and the ruins

40 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

F

isherman Out of Ireland is based in the village of Kilcar, in county Donegal in the far North West of Ireland. And if ever there were a part of the world where quality knitwear would be appreciated, it is this particular corner of Ireland.

Indeed, there is a long tradition here in south west Donegal of producing the kind of clothing that can stand up to the howling gales and driving rain that comes in to smother the land from the wilds of the Atlantic ocean.

Fisherman Out of Ireland wanted to take that proud tradition and propel it into the modern world. Their range of knitwear was established here back in 1991, and from the very beginning they were determined to produce garments that were as stylish as they were durable. Without however losing sight of the central importance of producing garments of only the very highest quality.

They use only 100% natural fibres, such as merino wool and cashmere to create their authentic knitwear. And the yarns they use provide a wonderfully soft feel, as well as providing wearers with their much needed insulating properties.They tend to favour the earthy, natural look which is entirely appropriate, and in keeping with their understandable concern for the environment, and for doing their best to preserve it just as it is. Happily, much of the yarn they use is spun by Donegal Yarns, a mill based in the same village as they are.

Because of which, they are able to keep their carbon footprint down to a bare minimum.

The village of Kilcar where they are located might be one of the more isolated, and therefore beautiful corners of the island, but they ship their ware from there to all four corners of the globe. Their extensive range of knitwear for gents and ladies is sold not only in Ireland, but in Europe, the United States and Asia. Indeed, the company has been so successful at taking a quintessentially local product and turning it into a global one, that they have won the coveted “Exporter of the year“ from the Crafts Council of Ireland for two successive years, in both 2012 and 2013. With that quiet Donegal smile, they are, they like to say, the Kerrygold of the North.

Each season since its launch the Fisherman range has grown and evolved, and today their range features something for everyone: hats, scarves, gloves, wraps and capelets made from luxurious quality yarns. From chunky wool and cashmere sweaters in ribs and stitches, inspired by the traditional Aran patterns, to merino wools, Lambwools and felted wools. And it all manages to look wonderfully traditional, unmistakably Irish and yet impressively stylish and contemporary.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 41

The Fleadh Cheoil Comes to Sligo

S

ligo town is set on a plain surrounded by some of the most iconic mountains in Ireland. Ben Bulben and Knocknarea dominate the approach to the town, and the oddly shaped Curlew Mountains form a unique backdrop.

And it’s here in Sligo town that this year’s Fleadh will be held.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann means “The Music Festival of Ireland”. The Fleadh, as it is usually called, is the largest single festival of Irish Music on the island, and over 400,000 people will attend it over the course of its nine busy days.

Basically, the Fleadh is a competition for amateur musicians. From ancient, mythical times to the present day there

42 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

have always been festivals in Ireland judging and celebrating the beguiling skills of its musicians and storytellers.

Few places in the western world have managed to maintain their musical traditions as successfully as Ireland has, and the Fleadh is an integral part of keeping that tradition alive.

Irish Traditional Music, or Trad as is better known evolved over one and a half thousand years. Originally, the ancient Gaels played pipes, whistles, harps and flat drums or the bodhrán, all of which can be seen at any gathering of Irish musicians to this day. These instruments were used to showcase the talents of the solo performer, both in song and in dance.

It was the Viking settlers who brought the fiddle, or modern day violin to Irish Trad, and a bit later the Anglo-Normans added flutes and lutes. Over the following centuries the lute gave way to the mandolin, as the banjo, melodeon and piano began to make appearances. These were followed in the last century with the inclusion of guitars, pianos and the bouzouki.

The way these different instruments came to be used in Irish music reflect the different characteristics of Irish culture compared to the culture that predominated on mainland Europe, as Irish traditional music was taking root here. With their emphasis on the skill of the individual performers, and their penchant for lilting and melody, the early Gaels don’t seem to have engaged in any kind of communal or choral singing.

When then the Anglo-Normans arrived in the 11th and 12th centuries, they brought with them the madrigal traditions of France and the rest of mainland Europe. And it was this combination that produced the ballads and choruses that we today associate with traditional Irish music.

As a consequence, the sing-along is comprised of group songs in English, with Irish tunes performed by soloists. Joining in the chorus is allowed, but the old preference for enjoying an individual’s performance means that the crowd leave the verses to a soloist. In many Irish songs the crowd sing the third line of a quatrain and leave the last bit so the singer can shine.

The same is true of the dancing tradition.

The combination of the intricate footwork of

the Celt, with the group participation of the Anglo-Normans gave rise to the energetic setdance that complimented the individual styles of jigs.

This year’s Fleadh takes place between August 10-17th, with the first half of the week being taken up with a wide variety of classes for all ages and of all abilities in traditional Irish music. But there are also walking and historical tours for visitors less inclined to tap their toes, along with films, seminars, street performances and markets. Whilst the evenings are reserved for a sing-along, or seisiún in a quiet little pub somewhere.

As a folk festival you do not need to be an expert in music to enjoy the Fleadh. The heart of the festival is the enjoyment of music. And we can all be a part of that.

For more info contact the Fleadh Cheoil Office at 071 9111 444 or www.fleadhcheoil.ie AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 43

Explore Connaught

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.

Kylemore Abbey

Few places on earth have the tranquillity and beauty of Kylemore Abbey and its majestic walled garden. The castle was bought by the Benedictine nuns in 1920.. The Victorian walled garden was re-opened in 1999 and won the prestigious Europa Nostra Award in 2002.The garden comprises of roughly 6 acres and is divided in two by a natural mountain stream.

The eastern half comprises of the flower or pleasure garden, glass houses and gardeners’ houses, 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.

Mullaghmore

Mullaghmore is one of the surfing capitals of the Irish Atlantic coastline and 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. Mullaghmore is overlooked by the majestic Ben Bulbin mountain.

Connemara

Inishbofin Island

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

Inish Bofin (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. Inishbofin 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.

44 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

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 wonderous 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.

Welcome to Ulster

T

he Ancient Irish province of Ulster (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.

In this edition we look at Fermanagh, Antrim and Belfast City in Northern Ireland and Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and what they have to offer.

County Fermanagh: With 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, Fermanagh is a Lakeland Paradise.

County Donegal (Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county in the northwest of the Republic of Ireland. The name “Donegal” comes from the Irish, meaning “the fort of the foreigners”. The county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply indented coastline forming natural loughs, of which Lough Swilly is the most notable. The famous mountains or ‘Hills of Donegal’ consist of two major ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and the Bluestack Mountains in the south, with Mount Errigal at 751 metres the highest peak.

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

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.

All three counties are geared towards the visitor which is the trademark of our nation as a hospitable people and which is guaranteed in Ulster.

Belfast City too has many features to behold including the grandeur of the City Hall, 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.

Ulster........Antrim, Fermanagh, Donegal and Belfast City

Bonamargy

Fanad Head

Forest in Cavan

Giants Causeway

Antrim

Nature at its best

C

Rathlin Island

Carrickfergus

46 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

ounty 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. Legend has it that the causeway was built by the giant Finn Mac Cool to get from Ireland to Scotland but today geologists say in fact the causeway’s unusual features have more to do with volcanic activity common in County Antrim approximately sixty million years ago.

An added bonus for the visitor to Antrim is that it has some of the finest coastal scenery in Europe. The close proximity of Rathlin Island off its coast lends itself to some of the finest bird watching on the continent of Europe and any visitor is sure to see some spectacular sights.

County Antrim also boasts the village of Broughshane, known locally as the garden village of Ulster, and internationally famous for the quality of its flowers and floral displays. Broughshane is one of the most beautiful villages to be seen anywhere with a floral beauty unmatched on the island.

The jewel in the crown of County Antrim’s fame is of course the glens and valleys that run throughout the county. Famed in verse and song, the glens and mountains of Antrim are a site of pilgrimage for rock and hill climbers from all over Ireland and beyond. Couple these with the lush forest parks spread out throughout the glens and it is a place where the visitor can be truly at peace with nature.

For the sun seekers, Antrim also has European Blue Flag beaches at Ballycastle, Benone and Portrush, and Ireland’s longest beach at Magilligan for families to enjoy.

The towns of Antrim too are well worth a visit and for the history lovers a trip to the Norman Castle at Carrickfergus is a must. The Castle was built originally in 1180 by John De Courcy, a Norman Knight. Since then it has been besieged and overrun by many armies yet its grounds, some buildings , Castle walls and battlements are there today for all to see and are well worth a visit.

Antrim’s most famous export however is the world famous Bushmills Irish Whiskey. Here in the village of Bushmills you can view the actual whiskey making process at Ireland’s oldest working distillery. The tour of the plant includes a taste of this award winning nectar. Further details on the 400 year old liquor and its tours can be accessed through Bushmills@diageo.com.

Visitors will rarely find a county with such a diverse amount of attractions as Antrim. From the golden sandy beaches to the phenomenon of the Giants Causeway, from the magnificent scenery of the glens to the historical Carrickfergus Castle and then rounding it all off with taste of ‘Bush’, any trip to Antrim will be one to remember.

Shu

253 Lisburn Rd, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9038 1655 They serve deliberately simple, French-influenced food here using only the best seasonal ingredients, and served at a reasonable price in an elegant location. And you can have a drink in the cocktail bar in the basement while you are waiting for your table.

Ox

1 Oxford St., Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 4121 Having won the Best Newcomer Award in 213, Ox took Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Wine Experience in Antrim for 2014. Chic, smart and very good.

Coco

7-11 Linenhall St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 1150 Located in Belfast’s historic Linenhall Street just behind City Hall, this is one of the best dining experiences you will find here in the city centre in Belfast. Its chic boutique surroundings make it very much the place to see and be seen.

55 Degrees North

1 Causeway St, Portrush Tel: 0044 28 7082 2811 This family run business has been open since 2005. And this stylish restaurant has been receiving plaudits ever since, both for the quality of its food, and the spectacular views of the Atlantic that it offers.

Sepranze Restaurant

16-9 Shaftesbury Av, Belfast 044 28 9023 0213 Hand made oven baked pizzas are one of the specialities here, but there is a wide choice of all types of Italian food on offer here in one of Belfast’s finest Italian restaurants.

Sun Kee Restaurant

42-7 Donegall Pass, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9031 2016 One of the best Chinese restaurants in Belfast, the Lo family have been producing impressively adventurous and authentic Chinese cuisine here for years.

Recommended Restaurants in Ulster

Telfords Restaurant

5 Donegall Quay, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9043 4000 Overlooking the river Lagan and situated in a maritime building that dates back to 1843, Telfords operates in three levels and is in walking distance from the Waterfront Hall, the Odyssey complex and the Ulster Hall.

Deane’s Restaurant

36-40 Howard St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9033 1134 Michael Deane trained at London’s prestigious Claridges and since returning to Belfast he has opened up a number of top quality restaurants across the city. And losing the Michelin star he had in 2011 has, he says, liberated him to concentrate on the food without having to worry about critics.

Vanilla Restaurant

253 Lisburn Rd, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9038 1655 They serve deliberately simple, French-influenced food here using only the best seasonal ingredients, and served at a reasonable price in an elegant location. And you can have a drink in the cocktail bar in the basement while you are waiting for your table.

The Ginger Bistro

7-8 Hope St, Belfast Tel: 0044 28 9024 4421 The ginger in question is owner chef Simon McCance, and since relocating here closer to the centre his reputation for producing quality food at surprisingly reasonable prices has got even stronger.

Lough Erne Resort

Belleek Rd, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

Tel: 0044 28 6632 3230 This 5 star hotel just outside the town of Enniskillen is quite simply one of the most spectacularly situated hotel resorts you will find anywhere in Europe.

AUGUST 2014-TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE- 47

A Taste of Donegal

Kevin Dundon

T

he 2014 Taste Of Donegal Food Festival returns for its sixth year, following the huge success of the last five festivals.

And for anyone who happens to find themselves on the North West of the island this August, it is an weekend not to be missed.

The festival, which runs from August 22-24th, brings together some of the top restaurants, hotels and artisanal food and drink producers in the region, and gathers them all together in a beautiful tented village on the pier. With the magnificent backdrop of the Bluestack Mountains and Donegal Bay behind it, and with over 100 exhibitors participating throughout the weekend, you can taste and buy some of the finest food and drink to be found anywhere in the country.

During the Festival you can watch and learn (and sample!) at some of the many tutored wine and beer tastings, along with the numerous food demonstrations that have been organized throughout. Among the many star chefs who will be there to strut their stuff and show us all how it is done, is Neven Maguire.

The genial Neven worked in a 1 star Michelin restaurant in Belfast, a two star restaurant in Berlin

Nevin Maguire

48 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

and a three star restaurant in San Sebastian before returning to take over MacNean’s in Blacklion, in County Cavan.

This is the family restaurant his father opened in, of all years, 1969. Unsurprisingly, trying to run a restaurant on the border during what came to be known as “the troubles” proved extremely difficult. But thanks to a lot of hard work and Neven’s success as a celebrity chef on RTE television, the MacNean House and Restaurant is today one of the finest on the island. And the demonstrations that Neven will be giving over the weekend are sure to attract an enormous amount of interest.

Other chefs who will be joining Neven include Kevin Dundon of the Dunbrody Country House Hotel and Cookery School, Catherine Fulvio, who presents her own “Catherine’s Italian Kitchen” and “Catherine’s Family Kitchen” on RTE television, as well as Gary O’Hanlon, Brian Mc Dermott, and Donegal’s own Anthony Armstrong and Martin Anderson.

The festival opens on Friday August 22nd at 4pm with the first demonstration being performed by celebrity chef Tony Singh, “The incredible

Spice Man”. Which will then be followed by a cocktail demonstration from star mixologist Rob Mc Hardy, from the Green Forest Mixologie Bar. Rob was in charge of Bar and beverages for none other than cult American film director David Lynch when he staged his private members club Silencio in Paris.

Entertainment during the Festival on both the Saturday and the Sunday will be provided by Adrian Cullen with his Dean Martin Tribute Show, together with the Havana Club Trio. And it all concludes with a fireworks display over Donegal Bay on the Sunday evening.

Adults admission is €3, children €1 and a weekend pass is €7.50.

Tel. 074 97 23760 www.atasteofdonegal.com

速

Explore Ulster

Titanic Belfast

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

Once you enter the building proper, you’re

introduced to the building’s giant atrium surrounded by the four “ships”, hull shaped wings which act as the beginning of the Titanic experience. Your journey will then take you through the building’s nine galleries in this state-of-the-art visitor experience, telling the story of the Titanic from its conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through its construction and launch, to its famous maiden voyage and tragic end.

The story is brought up to the present with the discovery of the wreck, and into the future with live links to contemporary undersea exploration. And the galleries employ a variety of interactive media including CGI, film, audio, artefacts and fullscale replicas. Not only that, there’s an actual ride through the Titanic giving you a view of how the ship was physically put together.

The Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway stretches for around five kilometres along the Antrim coast north of the town of Bushmills. Legend has it that it was built by Finn MacCool so that he get get across to Scotland to the East to take on a giant who lived over there.

Voted by BBC Radio listeners as the fourth greatest natural wonder in UK, visitors flock here from all over the world to marvel at of one of Europe’s most magnificent coastlines and its unique rock formations, which have stood as a natural rampart against the unbridled ferocity of Atlantic stormsf or millions of

50 -TRAVEL IRELAND MAGAZINE-AUGUST 2014

years. The rugged symmetry of the columns never fails to intrigue and inspire people who come here. To stroll along the Giants Causeway is to voyage back in time.

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

The Old Bushmills Distillery

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

“Whiskey” with an E is Irish by the way, and without is Scottish. And the word itself originated from the Irish word for water, “uisce”. Bushmills itself is the only distillery in Ireland to make triple-distilled malt whiskey. This is at the heart of all Bushmills whiskeys, whether Bushmills or Black Bush, and it is this that gives them their unique combination of smoothness and richness.

In 2008 Bushmills celebrated the 400th anniversary of their original licence to distil whiskey. They marked the occasion with the release of a limited edition Irish whiskey of exceptional smoothness, Bushmills 1608. Today Bushmills Irish Whiskey is owned by Diageo, and over 120,00 visitors come to the Old Distillery every year to discover more about how it is all done, and to see for themselves where the magic happens.

Composed by

BILL WHELAN

Produced by

MOYA DOHERTY

Directed by

JOHN McCOLGAN

24 June - 31 August

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