From major cities to the off-the-beaten-track destinations, we’ve got this place covered. We’ll share the hidden gems that only a local can discover.
Here is a travelistic piece featuring the Thirsty traveller visiting the Dublin Brewing Company and the Waterford Crystal factory.
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Ever since the motorway started taking its toll from commuters, the town of Milltownpass has taken a heavy toll in terms of the frequency of trade within its borders.
Standing cheerfully bright yellow despite the drying up of tourists, the Milltown Tavern continues to do business on the main street. When my car gave up the ghost I had more than a few cups of tea here waiting for a towtruck.
The old Lounge/Bar entrance is just a facade nowadays, as both doors open to the same high-ceilinged room. Round …
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I mentioned the magical dawn mist on the River Shannon a few posts ago, and here is the video I captured. The music I used is a live recording from the Brideswell Session a few months back (that’s Damsel and milo playing there). This mist is something that happens so fleetingly and so early in the morning (long before the town is awake), I’d imagine normally only fishermen and early morning delivery workers get to see it.
Take a deep breath and enjoy:
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It was Friday morning on my way to work that I saw them: the tell-tale trucks and stalls and the lyrical chatter of French wafting toward me on the breeze from the Shannon. The French Market has returned to Athlone.
The last time they were here I recalled my first experience with them - it was magical. Fog parting to reveal a magic, boisterous market with more stalls than you could fit in the small pocket around Athlone Castle. I noted there seemed to be less stalls setting up Friday morning and looked forward to returning at lunch to witness the market in full swing.
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I read the other day that Irish Farming Association President Padraig Walshe visited west Cork and talked about the creation of a walkways scheme, which would encourage farmers to open up their lands for recreational tourism. Not a bad idea in a country where there are some breathtaking walks on private land.
In his speech, Washe said “farmers in this area have shown the economic benefits that walks can create.” The president was speaking from Sheep’s Head Way where a very popular walk has been set up on …
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This is a real, honest-to-God inhabited Irish castle.
Transplanted in 1620 from the UK, the Parson’s family has inhabited the area of Birr, County Offaly, ever since. The family has distinguished themselves with impressive scientific and artistic achievements and today their Castle Demesne stands on some impressive grounds where what was once the world’s largest telescope keeps company with Ireland’s only Sequoia Redwood tree among many other botanical wonders.
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Right at the centre of Ballymahon in County Longford is Skelly’s pub. An unassuming little grocery and off-license from the front, the pub is accessed through a side alley, depositing one into the pub’s surprisingly large beer garden.
The sheer number of sessions and concerts that have occurred in this venue boggle the mind. Due primarily to the efforts of locally-based No Ego Promotions, Skelly’s pub has seen the famous and the fantastic appear beneath the timber railroad beam above their massive fireplace.
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I couldn’t sleep last night. I’m usually one of those types who looks at his pillow and is fast asleep before the head even makes contact. I was renown in college for being able to fall asleep anywhere under the most unlikely circumstances. This not sleeping thing - completely disconcerting.
I suppose I’ve had a lot going on lately with work and in my personal life, but whatever it was that kept me from sleeping last night I watched the sky lighten over the town and then around 6am witnessed a phenomenon I have seen usually only when the munchkin wakes this early - the Shannon dawn mist.
It’s really quite startling, actually.
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You all remember my raving about Locke’s Distillery in Kilbeggan, right? Well, it would appear that this past Monday was their 250th anniversary.
There are currently three whiskey distilleries in Ireland. Two are owned by the same company - Middleton’s - one in Cork and one in Belfast. The third is Cooley’s distillery.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again - other than the two companies mentioned above there is no such thing as independent whiskey distilling in Ireland (of the legal sort, anyway). That’s right, any Irish whiskey you may have had was made was probably made in the same tank.
No more - Cooley’s have officially reopened Locke’s pot still distillery in Kilbeggan - the oldest distillery in the world - for distilling again.
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Normally you’d need to be on the Adventure Travel Logue for this kind of thing.
In 2006 the number one reason tourists came to Scotland was for mountain biking holidays. A good friend of mine, Chris (pictured left there), competes on the UCI (International Cycling Union) World Cup Downhill circuit and is something of an authority on mountain biking in Ireland. Having seen engineBad’s posting on the bootsnall travel forum, I thought there might be an interesting post in it and sat down with Chris to find out about mountain biking in Ireland.
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