"Where to Eat, Sleep & Play in Ireland 2012" - get the inside story on traveling in Ireland this year

'Let Limerick Surprise You' - celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland's 3rd largest city

'Let Limerick Surprise You' is the city’s new slogan and it certainly will.

With a Royal Charter older than the city of London itself, it began life as a Viking settlement on a small island in the Shannon river during the 9th century. It later became the walled medieval stronghold of Brian Boru and the high kings of Munster and Thomond before being invaded by the Normans in 12th century.

As you can imagine, Limerick has seen its share of turbulent times since, both socially, as documented by the late Frank McCourt and architecturally, in the fine Georgian area of Pery Square with the result that there is a lot to see and do here in Ireland's third largest city which is enjoying its 21st century renaissance.

How to claim your Certificate of Irish Heritage - VIDEO

The Irish Government has (finally) had a good idea! in deciding to award anybody who can claim Irish descent with a Certificate of Irish Heritage. And while it is a government endorsed document, signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs himself, Deputy Eamonn Gilmore, just to be absolutely clear, it does not have any legal standing ie it is definitely not a passport. But that certainly isn’t deterring the 1000’s of people who have applied for their own personal Certificate of Irish Hertitage on behalf of themselves or a relative, since the scheme was first rolled out last September.

Who can apply? Literally, anybody who was not born in Ireland themselves but who has a relative that was and obviously some sort of proof of identity will be needed. ie a birth certificate or baptismal record, marriage certificate or even immigration entry records of the host country will suffice. And if you haven’t the foggiest notion where to obtain that kind of information there is free genealogy team available online at the link below to help you. And so far, they have been generally been able to come up with the necessary documentation within 24 hours.

Love is in the air...travel ideas in Ireland to celebrate St Valentine's Day

Susan Byron's predictions for the top ten visitor attractions in Ireland for 2012

Coming home to Christmas in Ireland...

There is a very old advert for electricity being re-run on RTE television at the moment called ‘Coming Home’ which depicts the emigrant (prodigal) son being picked up by his Dad at the airport and driven home to his doting (Irish) Mammy who is busy preparing the house for his arrival.

The beautiful old house is lit up like a Christmas tree, the immersion is on, so himself can have a hot bath while the electric blanket warms up his bed and something nice has just been popped in the oven.

Christmas shopping in Galway - the sights and sounds along Shop Street

Here in Galway we really have the nicest shops and you won’t beat it for atmosphere, especially at Christmas. Who wants to spend their money in bland, faceless shopping centers, that couldn’t care less about you or your euros when you have got Shop Street...

At the top end, literally and figuratively we have Brown Thomas, a luxury department store, its corner location a hub of stylish yet affordable shopping, and all very elegant in classic black & white with a service to match. They always have the most gorgeous shop windows packed full of highly desirable goodies, so if you hear of a smash and grab raid in Galway it could well be me!

Just opposite is another shop window, I have been known to lick, Hartmanns the jewelers, where you can lust after all kinds of lovely trinkets from Rolex's to Mont Blanc and even Fabergé. Or be-dazzled by the sparkliest diamonds in Lazlo's as you sidestep into Premoli’s gorgeous shoes & boots shop.

The tipples, trifles and truffles that make an Irish Christmas

The best Irish gifts online this Christmas

Wouldn’t it be nice to give something especially Irish this Christmas? Not only would you be supporting Ireland’s economic recovery if you have a mind to, but also lots of jobs that keep those rural communities we are all so fond of as tourists alive and awake! But most importantly you or your loved ones would be receiving a quality gift that will be appreciated and valued for its uniquely Irish appeal.

Like Waterford Crystal, who wouldn’t be pleased to ring in 2012 with a couple of crystal champagne flutes? The first edition Partridge in a Pear Tree from Waterford Crystals 12 Days of Christmas Range are reduced by 70% at www.giftshopireland.com while stocks last, they are fast becoming modern day collectibles. Just like their cut glass tree ornaments and baubles which make the perfect one size fits all gifts, from new babies, to birthdays and anniversaries and even hostess gifts this time of year. Gift Shop Ireland has the widest selection of Waterford Crystal in the world, as well as an exclusive on Nicholas Mosse pottery. Plus they are offering a 10% discount and free shipping worldwide for all Irish Central readers, simply enter the code Christmas Gifts at point of purchase.

Hidden Ireland - Ireland's private house a world away from Irish hotels

Aras an Uachtaran in the Phoenix Park - President Michael D Higgin's new home

Tweet a skeleton this Halloween at the Museum of Natural History in Dublin

The Natural History Museum in Dublin is the oldest museum in Ireland having been opened by Doctor David Livingstone (no less) in 1857. Known locally as the Dead Zoo, it has been a favorite of generations of Dubliners ever since.

Dubliners are on first name terms with many of the exhibits, including Spotticus the Giraffe. Spotticus is is now happily tweeting away to his loyal band of global fans, following his recent makeover in the Netherlands. Seemingly, caught in a time warp, this cabinet-style 'museum of a museum' has just recently been revamped and reopened to the public.

With some 10,000 items currently on display and another 2 million in storage, it houses the treasure trove of countless Victorian collectors. As you can imagine, Nigel Monaghan, curator of the Museum explains that’s an awful lot of dusting ...

Escape to the countryside with a fall break in Ireland

Isn't Autumn just the perfect time for a short break away in the country?

Summer is long gone and our thoughts are turning inwards to cosying up in front of a crackling log fire with a nice hot whiskey having perhaps tramped through a thick carpet of leaves in an ancient beech wood.

Ireland has many beautiful forests, national parks and leafy lanes bordering ancient riverside walks that wind their way through quaint little Irish villages that thankfully have retained their rural charm. Old fashioned, meaty butchers sport big roasts, proper sausages and locally caught game if you are lucky. The smell of freshly baked bread and cakes (you can forget your diet on a weekend away in Ireland) wafts out of small bakeries turned coffee shops where you can sit and people-watch a different kind of lifestyle altogether.

Hidden Gems in Irelands rockpools? - a new book of Irish landscapes

Ireland is renowned for it's magnificent landscapes being blessed with a diversity not many countries can equal, but having just picked up Daragh Muldowney’s beautiful new book even I have had to do a double take.

Called "Jewellery Box - Irelands Hidden Gems" (I wish I could have taken credit for it) but am more than happy to endorse his excellent work.

Daragh spotted something (under his feet) no one else did and had the creative genius to expose it, in this wonderful selection of images.

9/11-- how the Irish are remembering the 10th anniversary

While people all over the world are certainly mindful of the terrible tragedy that occurred on that sunny September morning in New York City, the Irish have a special interest in paying their respects it seems, as the Ground Zero 360 exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts and History in Dublin is seeing huge footfall since it opened on August 18th.

Poignant reminders of that fateful day, forever etched in our lives, are portrayed in Nicola McClean’s haunting panoramic photographs.

Clear evidence of our long history of emigration to the U.S. is there to be seen on the roster of Rescue 2, FDNY, Brooklyn which lost 7 men that day including an M O’Rourke and the many, many others who died that day. Whether they were worked in the World Trade Centre or were ‘just doing their job’ in the Emergency Services, as many of their heart broken comrades have commented since.

The Old Jamesons Distillery - home to Irelands favourite whiskey

I have to say I prefer the Old Jameson's Distillery as a visitor attraction to the Guinness Storehouse for the simple reason that the tour here is guided whereas in Guinness’s you are left to your own devices. Which can be very pleasant, especially above in the Gravity Bar with a view of the city and a pint in your hand, but for me I want something more?

I like to leave a place a little bit wiser and in Jameson's case (a little bit tipsy) having learned something. Properly guided tours will do that for you and at Jameson's it’s very well done, just the right length of time and information to hold your attention, finishing up with a genuinely, convivial tasting session in the Jameson's Bar.

Perhaps, when you understand how something is made you appreciate it more? It’s quite amazing how three simple ingredients, barley, water and yeast can be turned into ‘uisce beatha’ or the water of life? And interesting too, how each of the processes, whether it was the malting of the barley, the marrying of the whiskey in casks or the vatting into bottles, shaped the lives and social history of such a small part of Dublin. Surely they could never have imagined Jameson's whiskey becoming the global phenomenon it is today.

Taras Palace one of the largest dolls houses in the world

Taras Palace at Powerscourt House in Wicklow, is one of the greatest dolls houses in the world, on par with the Fairy Castle in Chicago, and Queen Marys own dolls house at Windsor Castle in London.

Taras Palace is modeled on the famous Titania’s Palace which was sadly lost to Ireland in the 1970s and is now on display at Egeskov Castle in Denmark. The original having been built in Dublin in the early 1900s for Sir Neville Wilkinson’s daughter Gwendolen, who like all other little girls believed in fairies.

A wealthy man, he commissioned artists and craftsmen from all over the world to recreate this view of their privileged world in precise and meticulous miniature. With 18 rooms and over 3000 individual pieces it took some 18 years to complete and such a triumph that it went on public display for childrens’ charities, a role Tara’s Palace continues today.

Irelands Hidden Places enchanting hideaways...

I am not sure I should really be telling you about the Hidden Places of Ireland, an amalgamation of five of the nicest self-catering properties you will find in the Midlands, as I seem to have stumbled upon a little corner of paradise tucked away in North Tipperary that I would rather keep to myself. Previously I had only imagined what treasures might lie at the bottom of those seemingly endless driveways that wind their way through grassy parklands, studded with magnificent mature trees with only the odd racehorse lazily lifting his head to see who it is that has interrupted his bucolic peacefulness. For this is Aga-land darlings, where life in the big house rubs off nicely on the little houses this nice group of people let out on occasion to the savvy few. There isn’t a sound in these quiet back waters, apart from the rhythmic slushing of the watermill or the butterflies dancing through the flowery borders. Or the buzzing of bees in the organic gardens filled to bursting with exotic varieties of vegetables, asparagus peas anyone....

Not only are each of the properties totally unique like the Manhattan meets Moneygall style stone loft at Ballylina or the rose strew romantic Cottage by the Well at Fancroft . But really clever piece is that the owners each bring something, other than delicious food to the table, that they are happy to share with you. Roderick has a passion for classic cars, Tessa and Wink have horses and love all things equestrian, you can even stay with one of Ireland’s most acclaimed garden designers Angela Jupe and enjoy free access to her beautiful walled garden! how cool is that? There are breakfast packs of organic rashers and sausages from Oldfarm available if you fancy? not to mention brown bread homemade from locally milled flour and fresh eggs from the curious chickens that wander about freely, including vegetables and fruit in season. It’s a little peak at paradise and how the other (wise) half live, that can be yours for a week or a few days at a time....

For more information and details about price and availability visit

Red lips and hot tips for the Galway Races

God be with the days of the Celtic Tiger when the Galway Race Festival was the richest and most glamorous event in Ireland’s summer sporting calendar. Where the golden circle used to press the flesh and toast their success in an endless flow of free champagne in the hospitality tents, at someone else’s expense! While the ordinary mortals, having spent hours in traffic queues as long as the M50 had to then join the scrum for an overpriced warm drink in a plastic glass, just to be part of the great occasion that is the Galway Races. Not to mention risking the fake tan (rain equals paint stripper) or your silly hat (gale force winds) are all par for the course in an Irish summer and I have never known ‘the going’ to be good enough for any Louboutin heel yet..

But, don’t get me wrong, 500,000 plus visitors every year would surely agree it’s the place to be, but listen up for some ‘hot ‘ tips. How to double your money? Apart from folding it in half and putting it straight back in your pocket? Well for starters? What everybody in Galway knows there is a lot more Sex (or whatever it is you are after) to be had in the City than on the Racetrack, leave that to the aficionados.

The fashionistas will party till dawn, then sleep till noon, spend the afternoon in hair and make up before shimmying on up to any of the top hotels cocktails lounges, fresh as the proverbial daisy, just as the lucky winners trickle in from the helipad….now that’s what I call studying the form girls.

The National Museum of Ireland - a rainy day alternative for visitors

We are getting a rather mixed bag (to put it politely) of summer weather, so here’s a few ideas that will keep you warm, dry and entertained when it’s a soft day ( ie bucketing it down). Top of the list has to be the National Museum of Irelands Fab Four ie the Museum of Archaeology, the Museum of Decorative Arts & History, the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Country Life and the good news is that admission to all four is free!

The Museum of Archaeology on Kildare Street is quite simply fantastic and right in the heart of all the action (government buildings are next door) an iconic architectural gem in its own right with zodiac floor and marble columns, not to mention the gold collection, the bog bodies, plus a horde of Viking treasures. And you can take the weight off your feet for a while and watch a film in the theater upstairs, it also has a very good cafe.

The Natural History Museum just around the corner on Merrion Street, houses what is fondly known in Dublin as the ‘Dead Zoo’ these stuffed animals have been dead for a very long time ie since I was a child, so we are on first name terms Spoticus –the giraffe and me. Rent out ‘A Night in the Museum’ to get kids (or yourself) in the mood and let your imagination run riot!
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Possible 'Little Ice Age' for Ireland could last 11 years as sun cools

Tall Ships Festival in Waterford promises to be the largest event in Ireland this summer

“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by” wrote the poet John Masefield over a 100 years ago.

The same evocative line of thought will lure some 500,000 to Waterford this weekend to visit the Tall Ships Festival which will be largest event in Ireland this year. Some 50 ships from all over Europe are taking part in the Tall Ships Race organised by the Sail Training Association of England with predominately youth crews of every nationality with youngsters still being asked to sign up for this leg of the race to Scotland. Oh to be under 25 again, never mind...

I was lucky enough to crew on the Stavros Niarchos once upon a time and it was magical, if hard work ! The first thing you are asked (gently encouraged) to do is go ‘up and over’ the rigging which is nerve wrecking the first time but you are doing it in your sleep (quite literally) by the end of the week. Because, while the ship is crewed by trainees on rotating watches you do have to be available to man the ‘bracing stations’, which can mean a sail change, so up you go.

Return the Ballyvaughan road sign now - controversy over removal errupts in Ireland

A better guide to Ireland - Dont follow the flock, get off the well beaten track

The recently published ‘official’ list of Irish visitor attractions leaves most of us (those in the know) scratching our heads and wondering why or how some of them even made the cut?

As is often the case the 'must see sights’ in any country (but most especially in Ireland) are the very ones to avoid? No prudent independent traveller wants to be ripped off or more importantly, waste their precious holiday time on over-rated tourist traps that should have been closed down a long time ago.
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Ireland is top budget destinations this year when it comes to European travel

Belan Lodge - boyhood playground of Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton

With fine weather on the horizon there has never been a better time to expand yours or your childrens by taking a self catering holiday at home. Only an hour from Dublin the lovely Belan Lodge, boyhood playground of the great Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton can be yours too for a week or a weekend. No long bank holiday drive, its a genuine hidden gem of a place, wild out with plenty of nature walks, canal banks and gastro pubs to be explored and whats more its very affordable, child and animal friendly, so what's keeping you?

Originally part of the very large and prestigous Belan House Estate which belonged to the Earls of Aldborough for over 400 years, before unfortunately being abandoned due to bad debts and mismanagement, although the Cornmills attached were always very successful. And they belonged once upon a time to Ebenezer Shackleton, uncle of the famous Irish Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. The Cornmills had one of the longest and deepest millraces in Ireland at the time which must have been a haven for the young boy with adventure in his veins.

As it was for another young lady, who wrote in the 1830’s of her childhood reminiscences of Belan, being the happiest of her life. “Here, on hot summer's evenings, we used to sit and watch the dragon files. I had never seen dragonflies before, and could not associate them with flies, I could only think of them as tiny winged spirits, whispering messages from afar to the reeds and irises which grew at the water’s edge...

Queen Elizabeth's love affair with Irish horses

On her recent visit to Ireland, Queen Elizabeth indulged her passion for racehorses with private visits to several Irish Studs including Gilmore where she lunched with the Aga Khan.

She also publicly visited the Irish National Stud to view the legendry Invincible Spirit, who I am told was impeccably behaved as always!

David Norris - will he be the next president of Ireland?

Thirty-thousand Irish citizens so far have signed petitions to get David Norris elected as the next president of Ireland in November of this year.

A most popular candidate the only thing that is likely to stop him is a dodgy electoral system or media prejudice regarding his sexual persuasion? David Norris is gay, so what? While he may be a fan of Georgian architecture, this is no Joycean dandy but a committed politician, an impassioned human rights campaigner, a proud Dubliner and Irishman.

And yes he has Anglo Irish roots but which one of us does’nt? Would it matter if he was part African-American? In fact his Irish roots go back to 6th century Laois on his mother’s side whose family the MacGiollas were servants of the kings of Ossary. A fitting legacy perhaps, for someone who see his new role as a servant of the people and country of Ireland.

Ballyvaughan, County Clare - one of the loveliest villages in Ireland

Ballyvaughan village is a lovely little village on the road out to Doolin in north Clare. Voted one of the 10 best road trips in the world by Condé Nast Traveller it never disappoints. Picture postcard pretty, it nestles in the heart of the Burren, against a sheer backdrop of mountains all the way out to magnificent Black Head.

Only over the road from where I live it’s where I go for the paper on Saturday mornings or for a wander around the farmers market during the summer, which also includes an excellent craft fair in the Old School every Sunday. Village life centres around the Spar shop which is well stocked with a great deli counter and good wine list. The resident ‘fat cat’ lounges around outside cadging titbits from tourists waiting for the bus to Doolin.

Ballyvaughan though small, has a bit of everything pubs, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and even an international college of art. There are plenty of gift shops including Quinns (traditional crafts) and Lillimar(more contemporary) with nice jewellery and home items. Ballyvaughan is a kind of sybarite heaven, not least for the locals? A small perfect beach at Bishopsquarter (that’s never packed) the gorgeous Fear Gorta (hungry grass)Cottage Tearooms where believe me you will never go hungry. And all of this in the rampant floral paradise that is the Burren in early summer when alpine flowers such as blue gentians, mountain avens blend with wild orchids and geraniums. A new festival celebrating this unique phenomenon, the Burren in Bloom takes place the whole month of May with plenty of free walks and talks among the flowers.

Butlers Chocolate - a perfect way to experience Easter in Ireland

Butlers Chocolate Experience is the No 1 visitor attraction in Ireland right now in my opinion and I should know, having personally reviewed over a hundred such sites for my website www.irelands-hidden-gems.com.

Butlers Chocolate have to be commended for their innovation (a glass walkway tour over the factory floor) which is an amazing blend of information and fun (hands on chocolate painting workshop) and value for money (all the chocolate you can eat and your own personal chocolate bear to take home).

Only after the tour (a behind the scenes glimpse of the chocolate making process)did it occur to me that the same fastidiousness that goes obvious goes into producing and packaging their chocolate products, is what had been applied to the Butlers Chocolate Experience, which is a sure fire recipe for success if ever there was one....

Where Queen Elizabeth II will stay in Dublin - Farmleigh House

Farmleigh house in the Phoenix Park was purchased from the Guinness family by the Irish government in 1999 for €29 million. A fantastic mansion on 78 acres, albeit in need of refurbishment the purpose was to provide a venue for state occasions and a place for visiting dignitaries to stay.

It is next door to Aras an Uachtarain, home of the Irish president currently Dr Mary McAleese and her family which you can also visit for free if you are lucky.

A limited amount of tickets are issued each Saturday at the Pheonix Park Visitor Centre. However Farmleigh is open all year round unless it is hosting government functions and its also free If you visit around Christmas time the house is beautifully decorated but a pleasure year round nonetheless with beautiful staterooms, a magnificent galleried Jacobean wood panelled library and Victorian conservatory complete with potted palms.

Glasnevin Museum - tracing your Irish roots

Glasnevin Cemetery is not where you might expect to find Ireland’s only Thea award winning visitor attraction and in fairness, not what I would normally recommend as a family day out? But the new museum at Glasnevin is so good, it’s hard to put into words.

Death is something we all have to face at some stage and far from being macabre or morbid, the Trust’s imaginative, sensitive and respectful handling of a difficult subject is to be applauded along with all the other accolades it has picked up since it opened in 2010.

Every Dubliner has some connection with Glasnevin and their excellent new online genealogy service is helping people from all over the world retrace their Irish roots. And to celebrate their first birthday the Glasnevin Museum are giving away 10 free vouchers to their Irish American friends for the best comments on this post.

Driving in Ireland is easier than you think?

Driving in Ireland is no longer the ordeal it used to be with new motorways linking all the major towns and cities. And you will soon get used to driving on the left hand side of the road if you stay in the flow of traffic and take your time at the first couple of roundabouts (traffic circles) Tolls are relatively cheap and you can pay at the kiosks as you pass through. The only tricky one is the barrier free M50 which is the tolled ring road around Dublin, this €3 toll is simply charged to your car rental account so you don’t need to worry about it. Petrol ie gas is expensive, currently €1.49 a litre so it’s worth upgrading to a diesel car if you intend doing a lot of mileage.

And its only when you leave the motorways that you will encounter the narrow country roads that for some reason seem to terrify our American cousins? Relax, you are in for a treat especially if you take any of the coastal routes? For example the road from Ballyvaughan to Doolin, out along the northwest coast of Clare has been voted one of the best road trips in the world by Conde Nast Traveller and is truly spectacular with the wild Atlantic Ocean on one side and the mountains of the Burren on the other, ditto Dingle and Donegal. Nor can you beat the wild heathery mountains and inky blue loughs of Connemara either. Just keep your eye out for sheep; they love to sleep on the tarmac verges.

Anybody crafty enough to detour off into the midlands will have the inland waterways, lakes, boglands and drumlins all to themselves as apparently only 1% of visitors go there in their rush to the east or west coasts. I can never understand this, as it’s absolutely beautiful, with Belvedere House, Birr Castle, Clonmacnoise and the Rock of Cashel, not to mention not one but two whiskey distilleries Lockes &Tullamore Dew waiting to be explored.

10 Places President Obama will most likelyvisit in Ireland this May.

News of President Obama's forthcoming visit in May has been greeted with great joy and anticipation by the people of Ireland. We have always had a reputation for hospitality and a particular fondness for some American presidents ie JFK and Bill Clinton, but this is going to be a party to end all parties. It's already put a pep in the step of our newly formed government and Enda is right it's a great opportunity for us to showcase Ireland to the world and reclaim our national pride.

No doubt it will be a whirlwind tour but like I am always advising tourists, less is more! You really dont need to cover the whole of Ireland in a week, honestly I have lived here all my life and have only scratched the surface! You can see and more importantly experience the real Ireland much more if you limit yourself a little bit. With this in mind I have put together the following Top 10 for himself which you can easily follow yourself, without any pressure....

1 Dublin will probably be his first port of call and like most other tourists he will be advised to do the open- topped City Bus Tour? Only in his case there will be 1000’s of people lining the streets to welcome him. Enda wasn’t kidding when he said that the people of Ireland would give him a rapturous welcome. People are still talking about JFK’s visit in 1963 and the Clintons in 2005 so we’ll expect him to follow suit and address the nation from College Green.

Bought shamrock? Is it the real thing?

Visit our special St. Patrick's Day section

Read more: Michelle Obama wants to grow shamrock at the White House

Over 100 St. Patrick's Day parades around the world

Visit our special St. Patrick's Day section

There are now 100's of St Patricks Day parades throughout Ireland and many of the smaller more local ones are just as much fun as the big one in Dublin. So dont feel disappointed if you cant make it up there on the day, even though it is the longest running and best (I am a Dubliner). What started out as a military parade with marching bands which then got regulated to Easter Sunday(to commerate the 1916 rising)eventually dying out in favour of the much larger St Patrick Day Parade that it is today.

Which has just grown and grown with the participation of groups of visiting marching, dancing and pipe bands from all over the world including brave barelegged cheerleaders from the USA and our own little Irish dancing girls, scouts and guides, all decked out in their uniforms, often blue with the cold....

Irish Holy Well, pagan origins - christian cures....

There are 100’s of holy wells all over of Ireland, sacred places since long before they were credited with the Christian saints names they bear today and are well worth a pause and a prayer if you are lucky enough to come across one of them. ‘Tobar’ is the Irish word for well, so anywhere with a name that ends in ‘tubber’ as in Baile an Tobair (the town of the well) or Ballintubber is bound to have one, most likely close to the church (where Pierce Brosnan got married) or graveyard.

Others, you will spot these easily enough by the roadside, as they are often adorned with statues, colourful (plastic)flowers and dozens of rosary beads. But many more you will have to ask about locally to get directions and possibly hike over some muddy fields and ditches to get to them. Which will be well worth the trouble (call it penance) as nearly all these wells are in stunning locations (the celts, monks, saints knew how to pick them) high up in the mountains, isolated onislands, or in wild and remote places such as the Burren (forty holy wells) which lend themselves to peaceful prayer or contemplation at least. Many are named after St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland or St Brigid, originally a pagan goddess, or a local saint such as St Colman in Clare and are credited with being a cure for most ailments the most popular being ‘eyes’ and ‘teeth’.

Whether that was because of the lack of dentists or the expense of spectacles at the time who knows but these places are still being visited today probably even more so? Perhaps as a cure for depression in these recessionary times or world weary travellers seeking solace in nature where the water (a symbol of new life in many cultures) gushes forth from the earth. People often leave small, if odd? tokens like chocolate wrappers, coins or pieces of cloth tied to the branches of overhanging trees. Which makes you wonder about the lives of the people who have visited over the years, hopefully their prayers were answered and their ailments cured.

The truth about fairies and leprechauns just in time for St. Patrick's Day

Valentines Day in Ireland? Really?

Even as I write the headline it doesn’t ring? true, we are just not a romantic lot in the ‘hallmarked’ sense of the word in Ireland, unless it stamped on inside of a nice sparkly piece, that’s laden down with the right type of carats (not carrots?) believe me there’s are lads here still wouldn’t know the difference.

And that’s despite us having the actual certified remains of St Valentine himself in Whitefriar St Church in Dublin? Great, how romantic is that? we can claim some bonafide bones, no wonder if never took off as a tourism idea? All mocking aside, there is a special blessing of the rings ceremony on the day, and all are welcome to go along and renew their wedding vows, ahh..…

The most romantic Irish fellas usually get is a pathetic bunch of flowers from the petrol station on the way home from work and one of those afore mentioned cheesey cards, please? Listen up guys if you really want to impress the love of your life, be it the Mammy, wife, girlfriend or both? Order (in advance) a one of a kind, piece of floral perfection from the guys at Yes Flowers, in Galway. Having given up hinting years ago, I now book my own ‘surprise’ from them, with his credit card of course, et voila romance!

St Brigid, a pagan goddess turned christian saint in Ireland

Read more: St. Brigid’s Day, Feb. 1, marks start of Celtic Spring

Read more: How to make a Saint Brigid's Cross - SEE VIDEO

Spring in Ireland officially starts on St Brigids Day which is February the 1st in our calendar? Which may not be accurate as this is a celebration that has its roots along way back in pre-christian times, some 6000 years ago actually when there was no written tradition. Like many other cultures around the world female deities ruled supreme, the similarities between Egyptian mythology and Irish mythology being quite remarkable? For example most people will be familiar with Egyptian ritual from the Book of the Dead, of Isis breathing life into the mummified corpse, well not many know that the same scene is depicted in stone at the foot of a high cross in Ireland.

Galway’s top ten wonderful Irish pubs - SEE PHOTOS

SEE PHOTOS - Photo gallery of Galway's greatest pubs 

Read more: Galway Races festival is Ireland’s mardi gras

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Solis Lough Eske Castle, Donegal - why cant all hotels be like this?

Read more: The ten greatest places to visit in Ireland - SEE PHOTOS

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Solis Lough Eske Castle truly deserves its award for Best Country Hotel in the World. And to think four years ago it didn’t even have a roof ! Originally the seat of the O’Donnell's it was abandoned in 1607 with Flight of the Earls, having had a succession of owners until finally falling into disrepair from neglect. It was almost lost forever, which would have been a shame considering its magical woodland setting on the banks of Lough Eske surrounded by the snowcapped Bluestack mountains. Thankfully it has since been restored by its present owners to its former glory and re-established as a place of refuge and hospitality for guests from all over Ireland and the world.

Christmas in Ireland 2010

Christmas in Ireland, kind of started for us a month ago with the onset of the artic weather when we were forced to down tools and stay indoors which is normally what we do out of choice for practically a month at Christmas anyway. Thankfully most people were already well stocked up with Christmas goodies so there were quite a few tins of Cadburys Roses and Quality Street consumed, not being that organised myself, I even had to resort to raiding my nephews Selection Boxes!

And while it was a novelty for the first few days, and beyond picture postcard pretty, cabin fever set in quickly enough, which is fine if you are fit and able and can brave it out in the cold, but desperate for older neighbours and friends. Some people in the Slieve Bloom mountains have not been able to leave their homes for over a month now. And while we are good at looking after each other in Ireland and by nature sociable, it can be very isolating and lonely especially at this time of the year.

It’s all about family in Ireland at Christmas time and getting home, even if you are wondering why the hell you bothered by Stephens Day, it’s a lot of pressure most of us can do without. There are 1000’s of people still stranded at airports here and in the UK and my heart goes out to them, there is nothing more miserable then that. Some, like my brother are making epic treks via trains, ferry and possibly yak at this stage to get home to a high stool and a decent pint of Guinness in the company of old friends.

Newgrange - Ireland's most magical ancient momument.

Read more: Crowds expected to gather to witness magical winter solstice light ceremony at Newgrange

Tomorrow, December 21st is the winter solstice and shortest day of the year when the inner chamber at Newgrange, a World Heritage site, is flooded with light for just a few minutes at sunrise. This year is particularly special because for the first time in 450 years a a total lunar eclipse will occur at the same time, an omen for much needed new enlightment for Ireland? perhaps.

Pre-dating the pyramids this Irish megalithic structure is that precisely aligned and has stood the test of time as just that, a finely tuned highly accurate, despite the subsequent slight tilting of the earths axis, instrument of time. The rising sun gradually illuminates the carved standing stones of the passage eventually reaching the innermost chamber, for what sacred rite or purpose nobody knows for sure.... I was lucky enough to witness this once upon a time, which seemed to stand still, it was like seeing and breathing liquid gold, not something you would ever forget and a great privilege. Nowadays to be present on the solstice, you have to apply to the national lottery to be in with a chance. Daily public access to the monument is through the excellent Bru na Boinne exhibition centre on the far side of the river. There is a simulation of the soltice but its not the same.....

Christmas in Ireland a return to our traditional roots at Bunratty Folk Park.

Christmas in rural Ireland fádo, fádo (a long time ago) as it is depicted in Bunratty Folk Park, can only be described as utterly charming and ultimately heartwarming. There is a wave of proud austerity sweeping over Ireland right now in light of recent financial catastrophes and the desire to get back to our roots where hard work, neighbourly kindness and supporting the local community were the order of the day, has never been more keenly felt then at the end of 2010.

Ignore what the media are saying, there is no miserableness on the ground here in Ireland, despite the financial ‘hardship’. But a renewed sense of pride and resilience, we know we have a great country and even better people, and that we will show the world we are a force to be reckoned with in 2011. But first, we are going to enjoy Christmas probably more than ever before because we appreciate just how blessed we really are, by returning to the simple customs and traditions of the past. We have already had more than a ‘sprinkling’ of snow with lots more promised so the scene is set for…

Lighting a candle on Christmas Eve, just as it used to be in every household throughout Ireland, as a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, who would be born that night. The same welcome was extended to not only friends and neighbours but especially returning family, who were often ‘out foreign’ working which is sadly the case again in Ireland. But never mind, nobody in Ireland is going ‘to die with the hunger’ certainly not at Christmas, when there will be a nice fat, pasture reared turkey or goose on the table along with all the trimmings, including the Pudding and Cake.

Keeping warm: Foxford Woollen Mills has winter all wrapped up in Ireland

Ireland is still caught up an icy Arctic spell of wintry weather that has brought a festive touch to Ireland's landscape albeit a couple of weeks too early. Never mind we need cheering up and warming up and what better way then 'throw'ing on something handwoven in Ireland.

Foxford Woollen Mills has been doing just that for generations. It nestles quietly in the shadow of Nephin mountain right in the heart of Mayo and is well worth a visit should you ever come to Ireland. The drive there takes you through high mountain valleys of amber, gold and purple heathers and inky blue loughs, past woolly sheep grazing on emerald green patches of spikey grass snatched here and there from the roadside bogs lined with stacked brown turf.

How to tell a good Irish Coffee?

A good Irish coffee should look like a pint of Guinness? No seriously, there should be a cold, thick, firm, creamy head on top of the dark, clear, scalding hot, coffee and whiskey mixture. It definitely should not have mixed or curdled, if it has, send it back and insist on a proper one. Half the pleasure is sipping the hot coffee through a layer of cold cream.

Invented by chef Joe Sheridan in the bar of the Foynes Flyingboat Terminal in the 1940's to warm up damp cold passengers en route to the USA, it still does the trick on a wet miserable afternoon or as an after-dinner soother. Irish coffee recipe, fill a glass with strong black hot coffee, add sugar and Irish whiskey to taste, stir and let settle, drop in a good dollop of freshly whipped cream, the thicker the better and then it will not sink. Sip slowly in front of a blazing log fire with your feet up....

Baileys coffee is a modern variation, substitute Baileys for Whiskey as per the recipe above or for the quick and extremely popular version, just lash plenty of Baileys into your coffee when ever the opportunity arises....Slainte !

Let's talk about the weather......

Well, let's face it, we have had it up to here with politics and as for religion? we are not even going to go there… Apparently there is a big freeze on its way (in more ways than one) to Ireland, which could result in us having a premature 'White Christmas' yippee...... Just what we need a bit of festive cheer, an excuse to hole up with friends and loved ones and forget about all that’s going on.

We are obsessed with the weather here in Ireland, we talk about it all the time, its woven its way into our language and shaped us and environment over the millennia. And while we never stop going on about it, we are in fact blessed in that we never get extremes of weather in Ireland. ie it never gets too hot or too cold. We don’t get hurricanes, whirlwinds, terrible droughts or floods and all the nasty stuff that goes with them like bugs, flooding and erosion. Okay, we do get occasional flooding but that’s more to do with global warming and our own mis-management (nothing new there) like building on natural flood plains or releasing water from hydro-electric dams…..

But when we are not whingeing about it we realise this how lucky we are especially on what we call a ‘pet day’. This is an unseasonably, perfectly still, warm and sunny day that we get once in a while in the middle of winter, where all is well with us, our neighbours and the world.... Compared to the other extreme which is ‘a day for the high stool’ when the weather is so cold, wet and miserable you have no choice but to head for the pub.

Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport - another huge joke?

Terminal 2 Dublin Airport, yet another huge joke at the Irish taxpayers expense? Or maybe not? the Dublin Airport Authority are insisting that the entire cost of the project, some €600 million plus, will be recouped in airport charges and passengers taxes? Dream on....

Did you know? we are one of the few countries in the world, dependent on tourism that actually imposes a €10 passenger tax on people coming into the country. Crazy isn't it? when we are fast running out of options for generating revenue and saving our economy, tourism having been one of the most enduring, is now possibly the last and what do we do?

Ireland's reputation as a tourist destination has never been an issue, it can stand proudly on its own two humble feet. We didn't need a horrendously expensive, shiny, expanse of glass & steel to make that point. We already have two perfectly good International airports at Knock and Shannon, which are practically idle? what were they thinking of?

Surfing in Ireland - where to find those killer waves?

News this week of a new 'killer' wave off the west coast of Ireland, had surfers here bristling with excitement. All the more so, as the exact location was being kept secret?. We have our suspicions though, Mullaghmore or Easkey perhaps?

Advice on planning your own trip to Ireland - Don't!

It’s a minefield out there and while Ireland is truly a wonderful country to visit for any or all of the reasons and places mentioned in Irelands Hidden Gems.com we have our share of rotten apples. I take my hat off to those of you who are doing just that, judging by the amount of enquiries I get daily about where to go and what to do and while I am happy to help if I can, I would be the first to admit I certainly don’t know it all.....

The people that do, are Authentic Ireland.com. they have been putting packages together for people travelling to Ireland for over ten years, so they have handled just about every enquiry you can imagine. And if the thought of tailor made packages being expensive frightens you think again.....

Did you know that if there are nine or more of you in a group, they can have you chauffeur driven for the same price as carhire, now you are talking , how's that for peace of mind, someone who knows the road systems and all the best places to go, watering holes included. But that is only one perk?

The Burren Smokehouse - the best smoked salmon in Ireland

The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, is the original and best producer of smoked salmon in Ireland and well worth visiting either in person or online. Tasty morsels are left out to be sampled, above the counters stocked with many new and exciting variations of the original oak smoked recipe including an awarding winning organic smoked salmon, farmed off Clare Island which has an extremely low fat content and is understandably a best seller.

All of their products are locally sourced and certified organic and kosher. The fresh farmed salmon from the Atlantic, rainbow trout from Irish lakes and wild mackerel which cannot be farmed, are first filleted and then salted before being smoked over oak shavings. The owners Brigitta from Sweden, and Peter from Lisdoonvarna, have introduced new recipes and ingredients such as honey,lemon, fennel and pepper to enhance the flavors and increase the number of varieties available since they first started smoking in the Burren 21 years ago.

A tempting array, of locally produced cheeses, some of which are smoked by the Burren Smokehouse, such as Kilshanney Gouda are the perfect accompaniments to an al-fresco picnic. Nor will you be able to resist the St Tolas or Bluebell Falls goat cheeses in their delightful almost too-handy packaging which are delicious (try the honey or black pepper) and that’s before you even begin to peruse the shelves piled high to the ceiling with goodies from the best slow food producers in Ireland.