Landmarks

The Skellig Islands
The Cliffs of Moher
Ben Bulben
The Aran Islands
The Giant’s Causeway
Newgrange
Blarney Castle
Bunratty Castle

Irish history & legends

Samuel Beckett
Bono & U2
St. Patrick
Oscar Wilde
James Joyce
Michael Collins
Grace O’Malley
The Irish Famine
Bram Stoker
Eamon Develera
The Banshee
The Grogoch
Dullahan
Brian Boru
The Children of Lir
The Titanic
Changeling
Jonathan Swift
The Pooka
The Normans

The Irish wolfhound (Irish: Cú Faoil, Irish pronunciation) is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose (wolf hunting) rather than from its appearance. Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest of dog breeds.

Irish Hurling or Gaelic Hurling is an outdoor team sport of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. The game has been played for at least 3,000 years, and is the world’s fastest field team sport in terms of game play.

Scoring sytem of Irish Gaelic Hurling (and Irish Gaelic Football)
Played on a pitch similar to a soccer pitch but with the goal posts raising into the air, similar to rugby posts, you score three points for a goal (under the bar and into the net) or one point if you hit the sliotar over the bar and between the two tall posts. For example Dublin 1-3 equals 1 goal and 3 points which equals 4 points in total.

The object of the game is for players to use a wooden stick called a hurley (in Irish a camán, pronounced /ˈkæmən/ in English) to hit a small ball called a sliotar (pronounced /ˈʃlɪtər/) between the opponents’ goalposts either over the crossbar for one point, or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for one goal, which is equivalent to three points. The sliotar can be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps, struck in the air, or struck on the ground with the hurley. It can be kicked or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass) for short-range passing. A player who wants to carry the ball for more than three steps has to bounce or balance the sliotar on the end of the stick and the ball can only be handled twice while in his possession.

Side-to-side shouldering is allowed although body-checking or shoulder-charging is illegal. No protective padding is worn by players. A plastic protective helmet with faceguard is mandatory for all age groups, including senior level, as of 2010. The game has been described as “a bastion of humility”, with player names absent from jerseys and a player’s number decided by his position on the field.
Hurling is played throughout the world, and is popular among members of the Irish diaspora in the United Kingdom, North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina. In Ireland, it is a fixture of life. It has featured regularly in both film and literature. In 2007, Forbes magazine described the media attention and population multiplication of Thurles town ahead of one of the game’s annual provincial hurling finals as being “the rough equivalent of 30 million Americans watching a regional lacrosse game.” In 1931, Time magazine suggested the sport of golf was “a form of hurling modified by a more cautious race”. American soldiers have also expressed their love of the game’s warrior ethos.

Irish Soda Bread is famous both for its great homely taste and simplicity. It is best served straight out of the oven and makes a great accompaninent to home made soup or Irish stew.

Take three cups of wholemeal flour and one cup of plain flour and mix with one teaspoon of bread soda and one teaspoon of baking powder. Add a pinch of salt, one egg and a pint of buttermilk. Cook for forty minutes in a pre-heated oven at 425 F, 220C or gas mark 7.

For sweeter Irish Soda Bread add in some 25oz or 1 gram of sugar and a half cup of raisins or sultanas but only use plain flour not wholemeal.

Add only whole meal flour for a good Irish Soda Bread for soups and stews.

Bunratty Castle is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions which is in County Clare, southern Ireland. The castle sits with a series of cottages representing an early 19th century folk park. The individual cottages are a fasinating The name Bunratty, means the ‘bottom’ or end of the ‘Ratty’ river. This river, alongside the castle, flows into the nearby Shannon estuary. From the top of the castle, one can look over to the estuary and the airport.

The Bunratty Folk park gives you a glimpse into Irish life in the 19th century: This features reconstructions of historical cottages and buildings, recreating the general feel of the 19th century with a period style village main street. Old tools, furniture and artifacts are displayed, with the village kept alive by some inhabited shops, an old home bakery and peat fires in cottages. The Folk Park excels at showing life in all classes from around Ireland throughout recent history. In the village, you can see the school, post office, shops, and enjoy drinking at a working pub. Animals are a big attraction for kids, including two very large Irish wolfhounds.

This living museum is an incredible resource to learn about Irish history. From chickens wandering around to local women in costume, making apple pies, it’s a glimpse into Irish life in the 19th century. The houses are furnished with period furniture – note the very small beds, the prized dishes, and how smoky the houses were from the peat fires. We learned that there is still a local thatcher that works on the roofs. From the blacksmith’s forge to fishermen’s cottages, from single story houses to double story houses of the more weathly folks, from the Golden Vale Farmhouse (from Limerick) – a house of a prosperous family – to the classical Georgian Bunratty House, you can learn of the various ways that the social classes lived and worked.

Today it is a major tourist attraction along with the castle as it sees thousands of people pass through its gates every year.

The vast majority of tourists that visit Ireland go to the country’s capital city, Dublin. Its streets and buildings are steeped in character and history and there are wonderful shopping opportunities too. A trip to Dublin would not be complete without sampling a pint of Guinness or ‘the black stuff’ as the locals call it. The numerous pubs in the city always offer a warm welcome to everyone and an enjoyable and lively time is guaranteed. There are many museums, which display Dublin’s rich heritage, antiques, art, literary memorabilia and contemporary designs.

Cork is another firm favourite for visitors wanting cheap city breaks, offering many stunning attractions and places to visit despite its relatively small size. As it is a compact place, it makes it easy to get around and the city has a very friendly atmosphere. Cork is engulfed by history and is home to medieval castles, a cathedral and imposing country houses. The pubs and bars rock to the sound of traditional live music and Irish culture is everywhere.

These city breaks allow visitors to enjoy a fun and entertaining get away in vibrant, yet historical cities. Whether it is a sightseeing trip, cultural visit, activity holiday, stag or hen party, a city break truly has something for everyone in modern and traditional surroundings.

Blarney Castle is a medieval castle in Blarney in County Cork in the south west of Ireland. The castle was built around 1446 by the MacCarthy clan, Kings of Desmond.

At the top of the castle lies the famous Stone of Eloquence which is also known as the Blarney Stone. Tourists visiting Blarney Castle can hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone, which is said to give the gift of eloquence. There are many legends as to the origin of the stone, but some say that it was the Lia Fáil—a magical stone upon which Irish kings were crowned.

Newgrange is one of the most popular tourist sites in Ireland and is one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.

Newgrange is an ancient passage tomb located in County Meath, Ireland. The megalithic passage tomb dates from between 3100 and 2900 BC which was during the Neolithic period. It is also likely that Newgrange had some religious significance as it aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice, which floods the tomb with light. It is an incredible to think that these ancient people could build such a complex structure. It is even more incredible to think that this structure is older than the pyramids in Egypt.

Every solstice there is a lottery to see which lucky people get to sit in the passage tomb to see it light up perfectly. Unfortunately the Taoiseach, Irish Prime Minister, always seems to by-pass the lottery and just turn up!