Sat 11 Oct, 2008

Home to the Blarney Stone

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Cork City is Ireland’s third city and has always been an important seaport. The River Lee river flows through Cork city in two main channels, some of the main streets are built over the channels. Visitors have been coming to this region for about 250 years.

It is a university city with a total student population in excess of 25,000. The city has two main third level education institutes Cork Institute of Technology and the University College Cork.

The city have colourful weekly markets through out the region, featuring local cheeses, freshly baked bread, and free range eggs directly from the farmer. Native honey and homemade jams are popular.

On South Main Street is the legendary Beamish and Crawford brewery. The South Side is dominated by the City Hall, from the steps of which President John F Kennedy gave a public address on his visit in 1963.

If you are looking for something different, head to the nearby pedestrians tangle of alley ways around Paul Street and Emmet Place. Here you will find antiques, paintings and curiosities. Legendary Cork guitarist Rory Gallagher is honoured with a statue in Paul Street.

The Cork Opera House is in its 150th year offers a world-class program of events across all disciplines in the performing arts. It is Corks premier venue and boasts a 1,000-seat auditorium.

The bell tower of St. Ann’s, Shandon, which dominates the sky line on the north side of the Lee with its golden salmon weathervane floating proudly over the city. There can be no better way to introduce your self to Cork than to ascend the tower and play the superb carillon of bells hanging there.

Blarney Castle Estate is where the famous Blarney Stone is kissed by many visitors each year, and tradition says that those who kiss the stone will receive the gift eloquence.

St. Finbarr is the founder and patron saint of Cork and he founded a monastery in the seventh century where St. Finn Barre’s Cathedral now stands. It is a splendid triple-spire example of French-gothic architecture. It stands where the saint established his monastic school in about 650 AD.

The Cork Butter Museum is a unique institution, celebrating one of the great success stories of Ireland, the butter trade. It can be found in the historic Shandon area of Cork city. The traditional craft of home butter making and the modern success of the Kerrygold brand.

This article was written by Douglas Scott

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Douglas Scott writes and works for The Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Irish Villa Rental Site

Sat 11 Oct, 2008

A Visitors Guide to Dublin Ireland

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You are going to Dublin, Ireland. Maybe it is your first trip or maybe you are a return visitor. Either way it is always a good idea to make a few travel plans before you pack your bags.

When you plan a trip to Dublin there are some things to keep in mind. The weather is always something to be prepared for. You will find that the weather in Dublin is always changing and it is certainly not something you can count on. Even in July and August when the weather is at its warmest it still does not get hot. If there is a warm and sunny day it is a good plan to have a jacket with you because it can turn cool, windy or even rainy in a very short amount of time.

There are many things to see and do in Dublin although there is not one main attraction. There are attractions on both sides of the River Liffey. One of these attractions is the Molly Malone statue. It is located at the bottom of Grafton Street.

The best shopping in Dublin is close to the Molly Malone Statue so you may want to see the statue and shop on the same day. The south side of the River Liffey is where the most popular museums are located as well. If you want to see a beautiful cathedral or two you will find them in this region, too.

Dont forget about the north side of the river. Here you will find a fascinating atmosphere on Henry Street and Moore Street. Tourists seem to enjoy this area and you can visit museums and find good places to eat. If you enjoy spending time in a park, you are in for a treat. The Phoenix Park is a great park and is actually larger than Hyde Park and Central Park.

One of the largest city parks in the world is located in Dublin. The Phoenix Park has 1730 acres and is bigger than both Central Park and Hyde Park.

Other places you may want to put on your itinerary are; the Dublin Castle, Merrion Square, Leinster House, the Dublin Writers Museum, and the National Gallery. The Guinness Brewery is also a popular stop as is Trinity College.

For those budget-minded travelers there are many things to do in Dublin that will allow you to stay on your budget. You can see a rather inexpensive movie in Dublin if you go to the theater before 6pm. For those who want a reasonably cheap way to travel throughout the city of Dublin, you can take the inter-city rail network. This network joins the north and south suburbs and there are several places of interest along the way.

If you enjoyed Phoenix Park you may want to visit one of the other parks in Dublin. Take your lunch along and head for the gardens in Dublin Castle or the Iveagh Gardens. St. Stephens Green is also a lovely place to picnic.

When the weather is nice there are several parks in Dublin besides Phoenix Park. You can pack up a nice picnic lunch and eat at St. Stephens Green, the gardens in Dublin Castle or the Iveagh Gardens.

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This article was written by Jim Johnson

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You can find luxury Dublin hotel by going to the Search Ireland Hotels website http://www.searchirelandhotels.com/Dublin-1.shtml Our website also showcases Dublin vacation packages, car rentals, flights to Dublin and last minute deals.

Sat 11 Oct, 2008

48 Hours in Cork

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Cork City is over 800 years old and is an artistic city home to the Cork Opera House and numerous galleries and theatres. Snug bars hosting impromptu traditional music sessions neighbour chic restaurants serving Atlantic catch and racks of Kerry lamb.

Kick-start your day with a bombardment of the senses and take a leisurely stroll through the paradise that is the English Market. Stalls upon stalls are packed into the market selling every type of tasty delicacy. Grab a little bit of everything and head for Bishop Lucey Park for a delicious picnic. With full belly head for Cork City Gaol, a fantastic audio tour guides you around the cells relating grim tales of the nineteenth century penal system, be warned this is not for the faint-hearted! Whittle away the afternoon by wandering through the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery which provides an excellent insight into Cork’s cultural transition. Grab an outside table at one of the many fine restaurants in the Huguenot Quarter, eat well and watch the Corkonians gearing up for the night ahead. Join them and pop your head into a lock of taverns sampling a few Murphys Stout as you go, try some of these for starters - An Spailpin Fanac, Sin E, Hi-B and the Franciscan Well Brewery.

Commence your second day by waking up the entire city by ringing the bells at St. Anne’s whose Shandon Tower presides over the north bank of the River Lee. Pop into nearby Linehan’s, the last family confectioner in the city and boost your energies with an assortment of sweets. Jump on one of the open top bus tours of the city which heads out to Blarney Castle, tackle the spiral staircases to the Blarney Stone, perched at the summit of this fifteenth century structure, plant a smacker on it and gain the gift of the gab. Duck back into the city and dine in fine surroundings in the exquisite Jacques Restaurant before taking a show in the grandiose Cork Opera House or the acclaimed Everyman Palace Theatre.

This article was written by Russell Shortt  a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source: http://www.exploringireland.net