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Kildare Street Hotel Dublin, Dublin Hotels, Hotels Dublin

2012-03-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

Kildare Street Hotel

47-49 Kildare Street

Dublin 2

http://www.kildarestreethoteldublin.com/

Tel: (01) 679 4388

e-mail: info@kildarestreethoteldublin.com

Initial Impact Assessment

On Monday the 5th of March 2012 at approximately 11.30am I approached the Kildare Street Hotel from Stephens Green on foot, upon turning into Kildare Street, the front of the Kildare Street Hotel (on the Kildare Street side) presents well maintained and the windows present secure. There is also a nice decking area outside part of the Kildare Street Hotel, with potential to develop this decking area outside the lower end of the Kildare Street site.

There is clear signage for the Nassau Nite Club housed beneath the Kildare Street Hotel.

The Leinster Street side of the Kildare Street Hotel, which hosts the Blarney Bar, offers a wonderful view of the greens at Trinity College, and lends itself to front of house seating for the tourist season, offering teas, coffees, and light lunches.

The Kildare Street Hotel is situated on the corner of Kildare Street and Leinster Street south, Dublin 2, is a short walk from Leinster House, Stephens Green and Trinity College, is central and has 35 well-appointed bedrooms, many with en-suite bathrooms, hair drier, TV, tea/coffee making facilities.

Down stairs there is a traditional Irish bar (The Blarney Bar), with comfortable eating area.

Check-in

I checked in at approximately 10.00pm after a hard day’s work.

The reception area is bright and clean and offers a modern yet minimalist décor. The reception desk was spacious and functional.

The meet and greet was warm and welcoming. The female receptionist was polite and courteous, and was firm in relation to payment, as the company credit card details were not available, cash had to be paid.

The check-in paper work was in order and no delays were encountered.

The Bar

The Blarney Bar is a good functional space, with external potential on the Leinster Street south side in relation to seating and offering tea, coffee, light lunches and so forth. The Blarney Bar is a traditional Irish pub that offers a central location for major sporting events and easy access to the Nassau Nite Club for those who simply want to party.

Corridors - Health/Safety/Security

The corridors and stairs presented well, all doors appeared well maintained and secure. No smoking signage clear.

The Room

The Kildare Street Hotel offers single, twin, double and treble rooms.

I stayed in a treble room.

The room appeared clean and fresh, and this view held throughout. The carpet, curtains and bed dressing were tastefully presented giving a sense of continuity and care throughout. The combination of greys, silvers and black offered richness to the décor when contrasted against the walls.

The Van Gough prints offer a tasteful element to the décor.

Good spacious and functional dresser space.

House-keeping was of a high standard, when the bed was moved the carpet was spotless, work tops were free from dust.

The storage/wardrobe was adequate and clean. The drawers were functional.

The lights were well positioned and worked as expected.

The curtains were clean and easily moved.

The bed presented clean and nicely dressed. The bed was comfortable.

There was no adverse noise.

The remote control TV was functional. The remote control was clean and functional.

The lockers were functional and well positioned.

The lighting was well positioned and operational.

The bed was extremely comfortable and I had a very good night’s sleep.

Health and Safety: The Fire/Smoke alarm in the room had been recently tested and presented functional and clean.

Functional phone.

Functional and stylish ceiling light.

Bathroom

The bathroom presented clean and functional. Good environmental notice about towels, this gives a real sense of caring and environmental awareness.

Loads of fresh clean linen.

Well stocked toiletries including soap, toilet roll.

Clean and functional bin.

The shower was very good, nice pressure and heat control.

Breakfast

The breakfast area in the bar is fairly pleasant, again breakfast could be offered in a seated area on the Leinster Street south side.

The fruit juice was chilled with ice and the cereal presented fresh.

Tea and Coffee was immediately offered when guests were seated.

The cooked breakfast presented fresh and in good portions.

The breakfast was promptly served.

The Bar toilets presented clean and functional.

Check-out

The check-out was friendly and professional, I was welcomed back in the future, and business cards were available on the reception desk.

Online Presence

The Kildare Street Hotel has a good online presence. And a crafted tour guide for the Kildare Street Hotel is presently being drafted.

In conclusion

The Kildare Street Hotel is classically positioned, with a number of exploitations to be realised, including its close proximity to Leinster House, Trinity College and Stephens Green.

The reception area is well presented and functional and is at a standard equal to that of well know city hotels such as the George Frederic Handel.

Staff are polite and professional. The rooms are being decorated to a high standard.

Overall, I was impressed with the Kildare Street Hotel, taking into consideration on-going decoration and the fact that it is under new-management. The Kildare Street Hotel has real potential and is easily recommended.

Farnham Estate Review

2012-02-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Farnham Estate

County Cavan

Ireland

Tel: +353(0) 49 4377701

http://www.farnhamestate.ie/userfiles/file/database/FarnhamBrochure.pdf

On the 11th February 2012 I travelled to Farnham Estate in County Cavan to enjoy a day of relaxation and self-indulgence, and why not. When I arrived at Farnham Estate I parked in the extensive car parking facilities and decided to take a walk in the grounds of the estate before checking in for my pre-booked massage and use of the health spa facilities.

The Farnham Estate is set in 1300 acres of naturally landscaped grounds, giant Oaks stand proud, surrounded by a tapestry of winter colour. Meadow grasses whisper in the mild breeze, as Farnham Lake gently sends its waves on to the rocks of the rush covered shore line. Spring tickles the forest floor with its patchwork of snow-drops and bluebells, rabbits scurrying along the lush green meadows as grey and red squirrels continue to wrestle for domination. The morning sun breaks through the forest canopy as an orchestra of Finches, Tits, Thrushes and Blackbird compete for the Voice of Ireland.

The tall forest canopy brings a sense of tranquillity that is only punctuated by the gentle sounds of nature, this church like harmony echoes across the manicured greens of the 18 hole golf course. The combination of forestation, aquatic flows and splashes, sweeping hills and deep arching valleys leave the Farnham Estate a natural wonder that has stood the test of time.

Upon entering the Farnham Hotel it is clear that my walk in the ancient forests is to be complemented with contemporary architecture, tasteful decoration and architectural restoration. The receptionist is professional and polite and I am directed to the Health Spa reception area, upon entering the Spa reception one is immediately at ease with a sense of well-being and professionalism. I was escorted to the Spa facilities where I enjoyed a variety of sauna treatments, ice wash facilities, reflexology and shower utilities. Following my various body, mind and spirit enriching treatments, I relaxed on specially designed furniture and enjoyed freshly cut fruit and nicely chilled fruit flavoured water.

Have rested following my Spa treatments it was time for my massage, this was a wonderful experience, the demons of a hard weeks work were cast out of my body by a highly trained dedicated professional. This entire experience and treatment process, including fresh towels, bathrobe, slippers, fresh fruit, and chilled water, cost a total of 50 Euro. The Farnham Estate is a national treasure that offers a rare glimpse of the best of Irish traditions including hospitality, welcome, natural beauty, and blends them with contemporary comfort and service, creating a destination unlike any other in Ireland. Inside and out, Farnham is a playground for the senses. From the softest fabrics to the most delicate local ingredients, every detail has been carefully chosen to create a sense of total well-being.

The only way to describe Farnham Estate is to experience it.

Leonard Watters sentenced, Louis Walsh, X Factor, Breaking news

2012-01-25T01:50:00.001-08:00

Life for Liars, groups campaigning for a stronger approach to those who make false allegations of sexual assault are calling for the sentence to be increased to LIFE, a spokesman for Life for Liars said:

"Louis Walsh is one of the lucky ones, many innocent people have been jailed on the basis of well rehersed stories in order to extract money and achieve almost pop star status for their lonely and pathetic lives, Louis Walsh was lucky to have good Gardai investigating the allegations and not Gardai who may have got carried away with the baying tabloid mob".

Leonard Watters, Navan, Meath, who falsely accused X-Factor judge Louis Walsh of groping him in a nightclub will be sentenced today, it is expected that he will be sentenced to three years which will be suspended for three years dependent on being of good behavior.

Unemployed dance teacher Leonard Watters pleaded guilty to making two false reports to Irish police that the pop music mogul sexually assaulted him in Dublin nightspot Krystle last April.

The 24-year-old went into the witness box in the city's District Court to say sorry to Mr Walsh.

"I would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Louis Walsh for all the stuff I put him through. The allegation was false," he said.

Judge Dermot Dempsey ordered a probation and welfare report on the defendant and adjourned sentencing to January 5.

"I'm considering a custodial sentence given the gravity of it," warned the judge, who can impose a fine of 634 euro (£547) per charge and/or 12 months in prison. It's a very serious matter."

Watters, a father-of-two from Navan, Co Meath, has previous convictions for breaching a barring order under domestic violence laws and driving offences.

Louis Walsh has received an apology from Watters (Pic: ITV)

Detective Inspector Michael Cryan told the court the defendant had claimed the assault happened on Saturday, April 9, after Westlife had performed in Dublin's 02.

Watters and Walsh had been socialising in a pub and travelled to Krystle together, he said, but at about 4am to 4.30am Watters approached a Garda officer on patrol outside the celebrity spot on Harcourt Street alleging he had been sexually assaulted by Walsh.

The defendant was taken to Mountjoy Garda Station where he made the same allegation, before being examined at a sexual assault unit - which revealed bruising in his genital area.

More than two months later, on June 20, he showed investigators the toilet in the nightclub where he alleged the offence took place and made his first formal statement.

Within days Mr Walsh was interviewed under caution and denied the allegation, added Det Insp Cryan. Watters made a second false statement on June 27 and was shown CCTV from the nightclub.

"It became obvious the CCTV did not support his allegations," he added.

When Watters was arrested at his home on June 28 he admitted Walsh did not sexually assault him.

"He continued to claim he was sexually assaulted in the toilets but that Louis Walsh did not do it," the detective added.

In mitigation, solicitor Cahir O'Higgins said his client was now seen as a pariah in his home town and a Walter Mitty type character.

He maintained Watters was a fragile, vulnerable person who was psychologically shaky and recently self harmed. His respected parents have been left traumatised by being in the public domain.

The early school leaver suffered severe burns in an accident when he was 12 or 13 and received a large award, which he made his way through staggeringly quickly, the court was told.

The former ballroom dance teacher, who is on disability benefit of 188 euro (£166), has been left unemployable, the solicitor added.

Outside the court, Mr O'Higgins said Watters - who was dressed in a black suit, black shirt and black and white stripped tie - absolutely and without reservation acceptedWalsh did absolutely nothing wrong.

"He is extremely sorry and wishes to formally and publicly apologise for any hurt or any pain he caused to Louis Walsh," he said.

"Whatever occurred in Krystle nightclub has nothing to do with Louis Walsh in any shape or form."

Mr O'Higgins said his client considered himself blessed not to be jailed.

"He sees it as an opportunity to change his life, to make a fresh start and to take maximum advantage that he possible can from being remanded to liaise with the Probation and Welfare," he added.

Walsh became a household name in 2004 when he was announced as a judge on X Factor and is the only remaining member of the original panel. He has managed a number of groups and performers, including boy bands Boyzone and Westlife.

Milan Hotels, Holidays 2012

2012-01-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

MAISON MOSCHINO, MILAN: 12, Viale Monte Grappa, Milan

Tel: 0039-02-29009858

As with the other two fashion designer hotels here, the creators of Maison Moschino – in a former railway station – wanted to combine cool with fantasy. The design, as with catwalk shows, excites the pulse but isn’t the sort of thing you would probably want to live with permanently. As with the runways, this is about fantasy and pushing possibilities. In this hotel Rossella Jardini, creative director of Moschino, aimed for a cross between homely and fairytale. Reality includes a child-like roses room with a bed adorned with red petals; a sweet room with a chandelier made from candy and biscuits; and an ivy room with vines on the wall.

Poodle-shaped lamps blaze above the sleek main staircase and the restaurant chairs are dressed in various outfits. The fashion theme continues at breakfast, which comprises a mix of seasonal dishes served in a white lacquer shoebox.

Rooms : The 65 bedrooms are designed across 16 fairytale themes, including Alice’s Room, Little Red Riding Hood, Forest and The Shadow (fairytales have their dark side). Rooms cost from €180.

HOTEL LE BELLECHASSE, PARIS

8 rue de Bellechasse, 75007, Paris.

Tel: 00331-455-02231

This hotel was created by fashion designer Christian Lacroix, who wanted to make more than just a fashion statement: he once pointed out that, in French, mode doesn’t just mean fashion, it means a way of life. Lacroix wanted to be a set designer before getting sidelined into fashion, and entering this hotel feels like walking onto the set of an opera or into a classical painting. It is in the old bohemian area of Faubourg Saint-Germain in the heart of the left bank and Lacroix designed the hotel to reflect the ’hood it is in. Here, he could draw on the nearby Musée d’Orsay and neo-classical buildings. Frescoes on the walls range from those you would find in historical scientific and nature books, to extracts from paintings, using rich colours and textures found in local antiques shops. Lacroix describes it as a journey through neo-classical gems of the 19th century.

Rooms There are 34 rooms decorated in a mix of cheek and tradition, in seven themes: patchwork (using primary colours with Persian motifs), St-Germain (gold leaf, frescoes and photos), Tuileries (upper middle-class rustic), mousquetaires (rich fabrics and old paintings), Jeu de Paume (primary colours and playing cards), Avengers (swinging London) and Quai d’Orsay (classical style and astrological frescoes). Rooms from €290 to €490.

HOTEL MISSONI, EDINBURGH

1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Tel: 0044-131-220-6666
Prints are in this season, not that it matters to Missoni, whose prints are always in. The fashion house is known for its vibrant, busy patterns so it’s no wonder the interior of its hotel in Edinburgh creates a buzz. It was designed by Missoni’s creative director Rosita Missoni, who went for drama but set the vibrant bursts of colour against a black-and-white base; bringing a mix of pizzazz and cool that is what the fashion house is all about. She added furniture by her favourite designers such as Marcel Wanders, Eero Saarinen, Arne Jacobson, and Hans Wegner. This being Scotland, there are Charles Rennie Mackintosh ladderback chairs too.

The hotel itself is well positioned between Edinburgh’s old and new towns, on the Royal Mile near Edinburgh Castle.

Rooms : There are 136 rooms and suites; ask for one with good views of the city, such as over the Royal Mile. The bedlinen is from the Missoni home range. There are espresso machines and films in every room, and the contents of the minibar come free with rooms, which cost from £210 a night (€253).

New Year Party 2012, Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-28T05:37:00.001-08:00

Páirtí Bhliain Nua 2012, a cheiliúradh Bliain Nua 2012, Baile Átha Cliath é an áit a bheidh, rátaí seomra mór, bia go hiontach, páirtithe scoth. 2012 sásta le gach duine.

New Year Party 2012, to celebrate New Year 2012, Dublin is the place to be, great room rates, great food, world class parties. Happy 2012 to everyone.

Panto Tickets, Sleeping Beauty, George Frederic Handel Hotel Temple Bar Dublin

2011-12-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

FREE DRAW HERE Family Tickets FREE FREE FREE

Cheerios Panto – Sleeping Beauty

14 DECEMBER 2011 – 15 JANUARY 2012

TICKETS: €29.50 (Family tickets available over the phone for €100. Two Adults & two Children, rows N, O, P, R, and T)

BOX OFFICE: 01 454 4472

Book Online Now

The Cheerios Panto returns to the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. Starring TV3′s Alan Hughes as the ever loveable Sammy Sausages, Niamh Kavanagh as the Evil Queen, and the role of the Good Queen will be shared by Georga Salpa and Michelle McGrath.

The panto has become a huge success due to the best advertising around; your word-of-mouth!!

From December 14th 2011 this hilarious and glamorous production will once again entertain both kids and adults alike, as only it can!! We hope to see you there… Thanks a thousand!!”

Karl Broderick,

Producer and Writer of The Cheerios Panto

”Irelands Best Panto” – Joe Duffy RTE

“Always The Best Panto In Town”

“High production values & full on entertainment – it is glittering and heartwarming” – Irish Times

***December 21st 2011 is a special Charity Night in aid of C.A.R.I.***

Please book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

**** News Update **** – ” producers of The Cheerios Panto are disappointed to tell all our panto fans that Georgia Salpa has pulled out of the show. This is beyond our control. Michele McGrath, has stepped into the role full time and producers say she will be fantastic, in what will be an amazing show” Anthem Productions

THESE DATES ARE SOLD OUT:

Thursday 15th December 6:30 pm

Saturday 17th December 2:00 pm

Sunday 18th December 6:30 pm

Tuesday 20th December 11:00 am & 6.30 pm

Tuesday 10th January 7:30 pm

Book Online Now

Budget 2012, Dublin Hotel Special Offers

2011-11-27T03:25:00.000-08:00

Budget 2012

Budget Beaters BOOK Now

You can beat the Budget 2012 by taking advantage of some fantastic offers from Dublin Hotel Special OFFERS this Christmas Season.

The George Frederic Handel Hotel, Temple Bar is offering you the opportunity to win a family break, FREE accommodation, FREE family (4) Tickets to see the Great Christmas Panto, Sleeping Beauty at the Trivoli Theatre (Breakfast and Parking included). Simply LIKE their page on Facebook.

The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel are offering you the opportunity to win FREE accommodation and four tickets to see the Sleeping Beauty Panto at the Trivoli Theatre. Simply LIKE their page on Facebook and you are automatically entered into the draw.

Barry’s Hotel Dublin Ireland’s premier Hotel, renowned for its Irish ambiance and long nights of fun and enjoyment. Enjoy 2 nights bed and full Irish breakfast in Barry's Hotel. Includes a 2 course meal with a glass of wine in the Bad Ass Cafe in Temple Bar. Price 65-Euro per person, based on 2 people sharing a double / twin room.

The Anchor Guest House Dublin is offering FREE Irish Breakfast when you BOOK direct with the Anchor Guest House by Phone. If you stay two or more nights your get a big discount.

Anchor Guest House Dublin

2011-11-27T02:51:00.000-08:00

The Anchor House Guest House Dublin, Dublin’s premiere Guest House is offering you the public an opportunity to enjoy your stay in Dublin at an unbelievable rate. This value will not be found anywhere else in Dublin.

Offer No.1. If you book your stay in the Anchor House Guest House by phone you will receive a full Irish Breakfast or Continental Breakfast FREE. That’s right, absolutely FREE. You m...ust book by phone to avail of this Offer.

PHONE Now 01-878 6913: to take advantage of this incredible offer.

Offer No.2. Stay two nights or more in the Anchor Guest House and get 5% Discount.

Book Now to avail of fantastic discount.

Happy Christmas to all our guests, fans and friends from The Anchor House Dublin.

Adelphi Guest House Dublin, Dublin Guest Houses, Special Offers

2011-11-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

Adelphi Guesthouse

67-68 Lower Gardiner Street

Dublin 1

Ireland

Tel: +353-1-836 3859

Email: enquiries@adelphidublin.com

Dublin Hotels BEST RATES BOOK Now

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

The Adelphi Guest House is situated in the heart of Dublin City Centre. The Adelphi Guest House is Dublin’s premiere destination whatever the occasion. The Adelphi is housed in one of Dublin’s historic Georgian buildings dating from (1834); the Adelphi has been carefully restored to offer guests all the luxury of modern living while being able to soak up the unique history of Dublin.

The Adelphi Guest House has been a family run, family friendly Guest House for over fifty-years. Our friendly staff are driven by ensuring that your stay in the Adelphi and in Dublin are fully enjoyed. We have added a Tour Guide for your enjoyment; many of the places we have recommended are free to visit. The Adelphi can cater for your needs whatever the occasion, shopping trip, party occasion, family break, romantic weekend; just let us know what you need.

Our mid-week breaks are always the most competitive in Dublin; you will not find better room rates. So whether your visit to Dublin City is for business or pleasure, requiring mid-week accommodation or a weekend special in Dublin, let the Adelphi extend our warmest 'cead mile failte' to you.

Breakfast in the Adelphi is a warm and hearty experience.

Location, Location, Location.

The Adelphi is in an ideal location on Lower Gardiner Street just two-minutes from O'Connell Street, and as you can see from Our Tour Guide the Adelphi is at the heart of Dublin’s cultural and social life.

Transport both public and private are only a short step from the Adelphi Guest House, and if you are travelling by car we have some limited parking, always check in advance.

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

Dublin City Centre Location

Our Tour Guide is a real value for money treat, where else can you visit the work of world class writers and artists for FREE, the Chester Beatty Library and Hugh Lane Gallery are absolutely FREE and what an experience they are.

Trinity College which houses the Book of Kells, Grafton Street Dublin’s premiere shopping location, and Temple Bar the cultural capital of Ireland are all within walking distance of the Adelphi. The Adelphi is very close to Dublin’s top concert and event venues such as Croke Park, The O2 Dublin Arena and the new Dublin Convention Centre.

Modern Accommodation

The Adelphi bedrooms in our traditional guesthouse have recently been restored to offer our guests all the modern comforts. We are equipped to meet the needs of both leisure and corporate travellers, but it is our 'personal touch' that sets us aside in the eyes of our guests staying in Dublin, many of whom return year after year. Please remember, we value your feedback when you stay at the Adelphi Guest House Dublin.

Our Bed and Breakfast represents real value for money, with quality accommodation in the heart of Dublin City. It is a great alternative to standard hotel accommodation in Dublin. If you are looking for comfort, luxury and value for money in Dublin the Adelphi Guesthouse is ideal.

All bedrooms are equipped with multi-channel television and direct dial telephones.

Wi-fi Internet access is also available in bedrooms for guests who wish to use a laptop/portable device.

Bedrooms are also fitted with central heating, allowing guests to set the temperature at a level most comfortable for them. En-suite bathrooms in each room are fitted to the highest standard attainable.

As a green friendly Guest House we ask our guests to set room temperatures, and use water and towels sensibly to help reduce our carbon footprint.

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

Breakfast in the Adelphi is a warm and hearty experience.

Full Irish Breakfast

A traditional full Irish breakfast is included in the standard price for our bed and breakfast rate.

-Selection of fruit juices.

-Selection of cereals.

-Eggs (Cooked as requested)

-Sausage

-Bacon

-Puddings

-Beans

-Grilled Tomatoes

We are happy to cater to any special requests with regard to breakfast. Our vegetarian alternative is a favourite of many of our guests.

Our Tour, Your Pleasure

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

Hello and Welcome to the Adelphi Guest House, Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin.

The Adelphi Guest House has fifty-years of established customer service, which is a long standing proven record of commitment to the comfort of our guests. The Adelphi Guest House offers you a unique range of bed and breakfast accommodation in a relaxing, comfortable and friendly atmosphere. The Adelphi Guest House offers you value for money in a City Centre Guest House.

Wi-Fi is freely available for those guests who wish to browse the web, keep in contact with loved ones or plan their stay in Dublin.

The Adelphi Guest House is located in the heart of historic Dublin, a short walk from the world renowned Trinity College, the second oldest university in Europe and home to the Book of Kells, fashionable shopping streets such as Henry Street, O’Connell Street and Grafton Street, the internationally renowned cultural capital of Ireland Temple Bar, the International Financial Services Centre, the O2 Arena, National Conference Centre, Croke Park home of the GAA, Aviva Stadium home to international rugby, museums, art galleries and a myriad of pubs and restaurants.

At the Adelphi Guest House we want to make your stay in Dublin as enjoyable as possible and for this reason we have compiled some information that we hope will help guide you to some of Dublin’s best loved Historical, Cultural, Architectural and Traditional venues and sites.

Dublin can be expensive, and so in our tradition of providing quality service and value for money, we are going to point you in the direction of some places, events and activities that are FREE to view and do.

The Adelphi Guest House is based in the heart of Dublin; The Adelphi Guest House is a short walk from Temple Bar. Temple Bar is without question the pulsating heartbeat of Dublin’s traditional and cultural heritage. Temple Bar (Barra an Teampaill) is an historical area on the south bank of the famous River Liffey in the heart of Dublin the capital city of Ireland. Temple Bar is steeped in history and it has preserved its medieval street pattern, with a maze of narrow cobbled streets that are inter-linked. One does not exaggerate to say that Temple Bar is the pulsating heartbeat of Dublin’s culture and tradition, from lunch time each day many of the traditional Irish pubs in Temple Bar echo to the sound of live traditional Irish music. Traditional Irish stew sits easily alongside international cuisine in the many fine pubs, restaurants and hotels. The Italian Corner Restaurant is highly recommended.

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

While Temple Bar has an official permanent residency of approximately 3,000 citizens, its adopted international globe-trotting lovers of life (tourists) number many hundreds of thousands each year. People travel from the four corners of the earth each year to enjoy the hospitality and the craic (fun) in Temple Bar, watch as people of all nationalities sit or walk along the cobbled streets enjoying the music, the history and the culture of Ireland.

The area is the location of many Irish cultural institutions, including the Irish Photography Centre (incorporating the Dublin Institute of Photography, the National Photographic Archives and the Gallery of Photography), the Ark Children's Cultural Centre, the Irish Film Institute, incorporating the Irish Film Archive, the Temple Bar Music Centre, the Arthouse Multimedia Centre, Temple Bar Gallery and Studio, the Project Arts Centre, the Gaiety School of Acting, as well as the Irish Stock Exchange and the Central Bank of Ireland. To see pictures and reviews of many of these places of interest go to templebardublin.blogspot.com this Blog is a work in progress and you are welcome to contribute to the Blog by way of comments, reviews or why not write an article about one of the places you have visited.

Temple Bar has many great pubs, restaurants and night-clubs for you to enjoy. The Mezz Bar at The River House Temple Bar, The Oliver St John Gogarty Pub in Temple Bar, the area is a major centre for nightlife, with many tourist-focused nightclubs, restaurants and bars. Pubs in the area include The Porterhouse, the Turk's Head, the Temple Bar, Czech Inn (in the former Isolde's Tower), the Quays Bar, the Foggy Dew, Eamonn Doran's, The Merchants Arch Bar and the Purty Kitchen but to mention some.

Two squares have been renovated in recent years — Meetinghouse Square and the central Temple Bar Square. The Temple Bar Book Market is held on Saturdays and Sundays in Temple Bar Square. Meetinghouse Square, which takes its name from the nearby Quaker Meeting House, is used for outdoor film screenings in the summer months. Since summer 2004, Meetinghouse Square is also home to the Speaker's Square project (an area of Public speaking) and to the Temple Bar Food Market every Saturday. The Cow's Lane Market is a fashion and design market which takes place on Cow's Lane every Saturday. These events are FREE.

O’Connell Street is Dublin’s main Street and is home to internationally recognised houses of fashion and high street shopping. O’Connell Street is dotted with café/bars, eating houses and fine Irish pubs such as Madigans, a traditional Irish pub in every sense of the word, the pints are great and compliment the Irish Stew beautifully, the service is world class and the prices are keen. Cinemas, theatres, bookshops and the world famous market stalls of Moore Street are all at hand. Easons book shop on O’Connell Street can be a great place to spend an hour browsing the book shelves, downstairs there is a nice seated area where you can purchase a tea or coffee and enjoy a good read.

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

The famous Irish Statesman Charles Stewart Parnell is timelessly sculptured in bronze and mounted on granite in Parnell Square at the top of O’Connell Street, a few yards up from the Parnell statue is the beautifully maintained Garden of Remembrance (entry FREE). The Garden of Remembrance was built in memory of those Irish men and women who sacrificed their lives in the name of Irish freedom in the 1916 Irish Rising. In June 2011 the British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth made an historic visit to the Garden of Remembrance and paid tribute to the new relationship that now exists between Ireland and England.

Having relaxed and enjoyed the tranquillity and history of the Garden of Remembrance you may wish to visit the Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell Square North, that is only a step away from the Garden of Remembrance (entry FREE). The Hugh Lane Gallery has many wonderful exhibitions and is a cultural delight. The exhibitions change regularly and so inquiries may be made at the reception desk where staff are always eager to assist or phone +353 1 222 5550.

Next to the Hugh Lane Gallery is the Writers Museum (entry, approx. 7.50 Euro), while this is rather expensive it is a treasure trove of artefacts and writings of some of Ireland’s most famous writers. Did you know, for example, that Oscar Wilde was a promising pugilist (boxer) during his days at Trinity College, and that Samuel Beckett, had he not turned out to be one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, would also have made a name for himself in the TCD cricket first eleven ?

Now you may think this a strange thing to say, but one of the most fascinating and FREE places to visit in Dublin, is Glasnevin Cemetery. Glasnevin is a twenty-minute walk from Parnell Square (Click on Map) and those interned there include the leaders of the 1916 Irish Rising. The Glasnevin Trust has recently opened a Museum and coffee shop at the cemetery and the information contained here is fascinating, including a life size model of grave robbers at work in the days when bodies were robbed for medical science.

If you make your way back to O’Connell Street and walk to O’Connell Bridge, you can enjoy the board walk along the Liffey, small coffee vending stalls and some seating are provided. You may prefer to walk onwards to Trinity College and enjoy its cobbled court yard and historical architecture, a wonderful place just to sit about and think of its history and scholarly achievements. While at Trinity you may wish to view the world famous Book of Kells, however, entry to view the Book of Kells is approximately 9 Euro.

Having relaxed and soaked up the scholarly atmosphere at Trinity you may wish to walk up Grafton Street and enjoy the traditional busking by musicians, magic men, jugglers and street actors, not forgetting to have your picture taken with Molloy Malone and her famous wheel-borrow. Browne Thomas and all the big High Street names can be found in Grafton Street; however, it does tend to be expensive so keep impulse buying to a minimum.
Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

At the top of Grafton Street you will find Stephen’s Green (entry FREE), Stephen’s Green is an Oasis in the heart of a desert of commercialisation, its beautifully designed garden including ponds, band-stands and floral array are second to none in the world. Walk at your leisure through this landscape of manicured greenery and colour exploding tapestry of cascading floral delights.

Having walked to exhaustion in Stephen’s Green it is time to head back towards Temple Bar, and here is a personal recommendation, walk down to O’Connell Bridge turn left down the south bank of the Liffey and enter The Merchants Arch Bar, and enjoy a well-earned meal with a glass of your favourite tipple. The service at The Merchants Arch Bar is first class. Having enjoyed your meal and a couple of drinks you may wish to retire to your accommodation for a short break. Later in the evening you may wish to enjoy a movie at one of the local cinemas, a play at the theatre or simply a few drinks, great craic and traditional Irish music in any of the array of traditional Irish pubs in Dublin. If you are looking for some late night Clubbing there is plenty to choose from, however, if you are going out at night, please be safe, stay in the company of friends and never travel alone. Dublin has a population of over 2 million people and is no different from any other capital city in the world.

The Iveagh Gardens, Clonmel Street, Dublin 2, are less well known than Stephen’s Green yet are every bit as much an artistic landscape to be enjoyed (entry FREE). The Iveagh Gardens were designed in 1865 by Ninian Niven as an intermediate design between the ‘French Formal’ and the ‘English Landscape’ styles. The Iveagh Gardens include a unique collection of landscape features which include Rustic Grottos and cascade, sunken formal panels of lawn with Fountain Centre pieces, wilderness, wood-lands, Maze, Rosarium, American Garden, Archery Grounds, Rockeries and Rooteries. The recently restored Cascade and exotic tree ferns all help to create a sense of wonder in the ‘Secret Garden’. The pre 1860s rose varieties add an extra dimension to the Victorian Rosarium.

RHA Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2, (admission, FREE) is an artist based and artist orientated institution dedicated to developing, affirming and challenging the public’s appreciation and understanding of traditional and innovative approaches to the visual arts.

Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, (entry, FREE) guided tours only, up to 20 people will be given a guided tour FREE of charge, FREE tickets must be collected on the day from the National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin 2 from 10:00hr.

National Museum of Ireland-Natural History, Merrion Street, Dublin 2 (entry, FREE), the exhibitions have changed very little in over a century. The ground floor is dedicated to Irish animals, featuring giant deer skeletons and a variety of mammals, birds and fish. The upper floors of the building were laid out in the 19th Century in a scientific arrangement showing animals by taxonomic group. This scheme demonstrated the diversity of animal life in an evolutionary sequence.

Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

The first floor can now be accessed from the original grand stone staircase which has been recently restored. New facilities include the Discovery Zone where visitors can handle taxidermy and open drawers to see what is lurking inside, the Reading Area at first floor level which is a great place to rest and settle down with a good book, and the ground floor is now suitable for wheelchair access.

National Museum of Ireland-Archaeology, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 (entry, FREE), opened in 1890, the displays contain artefacts dating from 7000 BC to the 20th Century. Kingship and sacrifice is a fascinating exhibition centred on a number of recently discovered bog-bodies of the Iron-Age.

Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2 (entry, FREE), described by the Lonely Planet as not just the best museum in Ireland, but one of the best in Europe, the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin is an art museum and library which houses the great collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and some decorative arts assembled by Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968). The Library's exhibitions open a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world. Its rich collection from countries across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe offers visitors a visual feast. Chester Beatty Library was named Irish Museum of the year in 2000 and was awarded the title European Museum of the Year in 2002. Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur'an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts are among the highlights of the collection. In its diversity, the collection captures much of the richness of human creative expression from about 2700 BC to the present day.

Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin, (All sites under the management of the Office of Public Works are FREE on the first Wednesday of every month, this will be reviewed in December 2011) since its foundation in 1204 Dublin Castle has been at the heart of the history and evolution of the city. Today, spanning an area of over 44,000 square meters (11 acres), the site contains 2 museums, 2 cafés, an international conference centre, 2 gardens, Government Buildings and the State Apartments which are the most important state rooms in the country. The grounds of the site are free to explore, as is the Chapel Royal, the Chester Beatty Library, the Garda Museum and the Revenue Museum. Access to the State Apartments is by guided tour only and tickets may be purchased from the Apartments in the Upper Castle Yard.

National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7 (entry, FREE), on display you will find fine examples of silver, ceramics, glassware, weaponry, furniture, folk-life, clothing, jewellery, coins and medals.
Irish (Gaelic) Fáilte, Tá fáilte romhat (sg) / romhaibh (pl), Fáilte romhat isteach! (Welcome here!), Cead míle fáilte (hundred thousand welcomes).

Phoenix Park, Parkgate Street, Dublin 7 (entry, FREE) the Phoenix Park at 707 hectares (1752 acres), is a historic landscape of international importance and one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city. It was originally established as a Royal deer park in the 17th century. The Phoenix Park is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, all year round. The main gates of the Park at Parkgate Street and Castleknock Gate are open 24 hours. The side gates to the Park are open from 7am until 11pm.

War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge, Dublin 8 (entry, FREE), these gardens are one of the most famous memorial gardens in Europe. They are dedicated to the memory of 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1914-1918 war. The names of all the soldiers are contained in the beautifully illustrated Harry Clarke manuscripts in the granite book-rooms in the gardens. These gardens are not only a place of remembrance but are also of great architectural interest and beauty. They are one of four gardens in this country designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944). The others are Heywood Gardens, Lambay Island and those in Howth Castle.

We Hope you enjoyed Our Tour Guide

Dublin Hotels, Best Rates, Special Offers, Panto Tickets

2011-11-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/AnchorHouseDublin

The Anchor House Guest House Dublin, Dublin’s premiere Guest House is offering you the public an opportunity to enjoy your stay in Dublin at an unbelievable rate. This value will not be found anywhere else in Dublin.

Offer No.1. If you book your stay in the Anchor House Guest House by phone you will receive a full Irish Breakfast or Continental Breakfast FREE. That’s right, absolutely FREE. You must book by phone to avail of this Offer.

PHONE Now 01-878 6913: to take advantage of this incredible offer.

Offer No.2. Stay two nights or more in the Anchor Guest House and get 5% Discount.

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Happy Christmas to all our guests, fans and friends from The Anchor House Dublin.

Panto Tickets http://www.facebook.com/TownhouseOfDublin

Sleeping Beauty (French: La Belle au bois dormant, "The Beauty sleeping in the wood") by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose (German: Dornröschen) by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairy-tale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince. It is the first in the set published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, Contes de ma Mère l'Oye ("Tales of Mother Goose").

Christmas in Dublin.... As Panto season begins to open its doors, join a Christmas Panto delight at the Tivoli Theatre, and awake to the wonder of Sleeping Beauty. A star studded line up at the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. There are tickets to be won to the Sleeping Beauty Panto, you can be in these draws by LIKING The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel on Facebook. You LIKE Us, We Love You. Happy Christmas from the Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel Dublin.

Panto Tickets http://www.facebook.com/GeorgeFredericHandelHotel

Christmas in Dublin. As Panto season begins to open its doors, why not step into a world of fine cuisine at the Italian Corner Restaurant, followed by a Christmas Panto delight at the Tivoli Theatre, and awake to the wonder of Sleeping Beauty. A star studded line up at the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. There are tickets to be won to the Sleeping Beauty Panto, you can be in these draws by LIKING The George Frederic Handel Hotel, The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel on Facebook. You LIKE Us, We Love You. Happy Christmas from the George Frederic Handel Hotel.

Market Sweeping on the Net

2011-11-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Market Sweeping on the Net is a Cost-effective Marketing tool for the Hotel industry©

During the boom years of Ireland’s unprecedented economic growth known as the years of the Celtic Tiger, traditional businesses were collectively pushed into spending hundreds of millions of Euros on establishing and developing websites for their businesses. Business executives signed off on large sums of money to newly established IT businesses in order to have websites established and developed.

Business executives and boards of directors were told they would be left behind if they did not throw vast sums of money at establishing an eBusiness aspect to their business.In the aftermath of the boom years and now well into recession much of that eBusiness investment has been exposed as a black hole. Many companies have been left with nothing more than black holes in cyber space; they do not have and cannot afford the staff necessary to ensure the regular up dating, management and maintenance of their web sites.

This dilemma is not just typical of small and medium sized companies; a cursory browse of the Internet will show that many large companies have websites best described as white elephants. Clicking links on many business websites is like walking through a cyber ghost estate.Now businesses are being told that social networking sites such as FaceBook are the place to have their businesses sited, with ‘500 million’ members and a target for 1 Billion members by the end of 2011 FaceBook is certainly a place in which products and services can be marketed and sold, however, FaceBook is not the be all and end all of eBusiness and eCommerce.

This is not the time to spend tight budgets on salaries to IT companies to set up and maintain a FaceBook site for your company. FaceBook is a free service and with some in-house training or small consultancy investment, staff members could be up skilled to deal with this aspect of your marketing strategy.However, if you do insist on spending time and money on establishing a FaceBook site for your business I would suggest that you get value for your money. I have been trying a concept that I now call, Market Sweeping on the Net, this concept involves establishing several accounts in the name of your business, for example, an account for FaceBook, Twitter, Blogger, uTube and so forth.

The type of accounts you establish will depend on your business, for example, if you are an Hotelier it will not be possible for people to book into your Hotel on FaceBook, Twitter, Blogger and so forth. If you are an Hotelier, Market Sweeping on the Net, is ideal for you.Market Sweeping on the Net does exactly what it says on the tin, you use your various accounts to sweep the net in order to drive potential customers to your generic website where they can book rooms, make restaurant reservations, make inquiries and so forth.It is important to emphasis that your business type will determine the type and number of accounts that you should sign up for. You may ask what possible value a Twitter account can have for your business as it only allows 140 characters per post; the fact is that Twitter is a free service that allows you to put your brand name into a new market place.

If someone views the name of your Hotel on Twitter and you’re presenting a special offer, that person is only a click away from your generic site.FaceBook, Blogger, uTube and other services offer similar opportunities for your business, however, it must be stressed that you need to be certain that you will be able to manage and maintain these accounts once the initial euphoria is over.FaceBook is a worldwide social networking phenomena, will FaceBook be worth the time, energy and more importantly the money you will inevitably spend, the answer can be found in the stats from your generic site, if your not getting the hits can you justify the costs. FaceBook, Blogger, Twitter, uTube and other accounts will not present an over night success story, these accounts take time to build, potential customers will only visit your generic site if it is presented as interesting and worthwhile.

You have to ask yourself, why someone would want to visit your site rather than the hundreds of millions of other sites available on the net. Your sites must be regularly up dated, they must be interesting and they must have Keyword Research at their heart. You must have good quality links both to and from your generic site.Keyword Research is not science; if you’re in the Hotel business then your posts must contain Keywords relating to your business, both the pages on your generic website and your regular postings must contain Keywords that will be picked up by the search engines.Search engine optimisation is important in promoting your business on the net, again it is not rocket science and don’t let anyone tell you that it is, keep your page and post titles short and to the point, describe who you are, what your selling and where are you selling it. For Example, ‘Central Hotel Dublin-rooms from £59-Luxury you can afford’ (56 characters), you can say so much in so few words. Make sure your tags are relevant to your site content.

Continuing with the Hotel industry, Market Sweeping on the Net, is ideal, you use every opportunity possible to sweep the net and draw potential customers to your generic site where they can view your range of products, services and offers.In my own experiments with Market Sweeping on the Net I have found that an increase of up to 30% potential customers can be drawn to my generic sites, a 30% increase in potential customers is very significant in the new economic dispensation. Businesses can no longer afford to spend money on worthlessness and uselessness, every Euro spent must show a return.If applied correctly Market Sweeping on the Net could bring significant new numbers of potential customers to your generic site.

This Blog was brought to you by dashhotels.com and is shared in order that the Hotel Industry can use cost effective and efficient tools to move forward in these difficult times, don't hesitate to contact us if we can help you or your business.dashhotels.com

Dublin Hotels, Best Rates, Special Offers

2011-11-20T04:44:00.000-08:00

Founded in 2003 and an affiliate of The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), dashhotels.com, have received many accolades from our growing client base on how good our products and services are.

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We have seen year-on-year growth, with expansion throughout Ireland.

We provide excellent client service through our innovative approach, attention to detail, cost-saving ideas, responsiveness to challenges and commitment to quality and on-time delivery.

We are a genuine team-based company utilising our multiple skill sets to address our clients' needs.

Win Panto Tickets Click HERE

Sleeping Beauty (French: La Belle au bois dormant, "The Beauty sleeping in the wood") by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose (German: Dornröschen) by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairy-tale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince. It is the first in the set published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, Contes de ma Mère l'Oye ("Tales of Mother Goose").

Christmas in Dublin.... As Panto season begins to open its doors, join a Christmas Panto delight at the Tivoli Theatre, and awake to the wonder of Sleeping Beauty. A star studded line up at the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. There are tickets to be won to the Sleeping Beauty Panto, you can be in these draws by LIKING The George Frederic Hotel on Facebook. You LIKE Us, We Love You. Happy Christmas from the George Frederic Handel Hotel Dublin.

Panto Tickets, Hotel Special Offers

2011-11-19T08:27:00.000-08:00

Sleeping Beauty (French: La Belle au bois dormant, "The Beauty sleeping in the wood") by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose (German: Dornröschen) by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairy-tale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince. It is the first in the set published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, Contes de ma Mère l'Oye ("Tales of Mother Goose").

Christmas in Dublin. As Panto season begins to open its doors, join a Christmas Panto delight at the Tivoli Theatre, and awake to the wonder of Sleeping Beauty. A star studded line up at the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. There are tickets to be won to the Sleeping Beauty Panto, you can be in these draws by LIKING The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel on Facebook. You LIKE Us, We Love You. Happy Christmas from the Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel Dublin.

BEST Rates Guaranteed Click HERE

Panto Dublin, Christmas Panto, Panto Tickets

2011-11-18T01:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Dublin. As Panto season begins to open its doors, why not step into a world of fine cuisine at the Italian Corner Restaurant, followed by a Christmas Panto delight at the Tivoli Theatre, and awake to the wonder of Sleeping Beauty. A star studded line up at the Tivoli Theatre this Christmas. There are tickets to be won to the Sleeping Beauty Panto, you can be in these draws by LIKING The George Frederic Handel Hotel, The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel on Facebook. You LIKE Us, We Love You. Happy Christmas from the Eliza Lodge and Italian Corner Restaurant Dublin.

BEST HOTEL RATES

Dublin Christmas Shopping 2011

2011-10-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWkUjf1SyKY

Christmas Shopping Dublin 2011

Panto Tickets, Dublin Hotels, Special Offers, Christmas Draw,

2011-10-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels, Special Offers, Christmas Draw, Panto Tickets

http://www.facebook.com/GeorgeFredericHandelHotel

The George Frederic Handel Hotel, Temple Bar, Dublin is offering YOU the opportunity to Win a Fantastic Christmas Gift for all the family, no other Hotel in Dublin is rewarding You, the public, in such a Special way.

To be in with a real chance of Winning this Fantastic Prize all you have to do is LIKE the George Frederic Handle on Facebook, simple as that, this is our way of saying thanks to you the public for supporting our newly refurbished Hotel here in the Cultural Capital of Ireland.

Your Prize will include overnight accommodation for 2 Adults and 2 Children in a family room at the George Frederic Handel Hotel, Temple Bar, with tickets for 2 adults and 2 children to see The Tivoli Panto “Sleeping Beauty”, Car parking and breakfast are also included in this fantastic prize.

The George Frederic Handel Hotel is located on Fishamble Street in Temple Bar, Dublin. Although the hotel was built in 1996, it is located on one of the most historically important streets in Dublin.

The site on which the hotel now stands once housed the music hall where Handel’s “Messiah” was first performed. To this day, Handel’s famous work is still recited once a year right outside our front door.

Our beautifully appointed 3 star hotel boasts individually appointed and upgraded rooms. All of our bedrooms are en-suite with bath and shower, flat screen 26” satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hot beverage facilities as well as mini fridges and crisp white linen. We can offer Double, Twin and Triple rooms or if you need a little more space, we can facilitate you in one of our executive doubles. See rooms for full details.

FREE Transfers: We are located right in the heart of Temple Bar and can offer guests who book on our website complimentary transport in from the airport when they use the 748 bus.

You should not require a car when you come to Dublin as everything is easily reached on foot but should you require parking while you are here, we can offer you a discounted rate at the Christchurch Car Park.

George Frederic Handel Hotel

16-18 Fishamble Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Phone: +353-1-6709404 Fax: +353-1-6709410

Email:info@georgefrederichandelhotel.com

http://georgefrederichandelhotel.com/

Barrys Hotel Review

2011-10-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Barry’s Hotel

2 Great Denmark Street

Dublin

Ireland

call 00353 (0) 1 874 9407

Initial Impact Assessment

On Monday 10th of October 2011 at approximately 10.30am I approached Barry’s Hotel from Parnell Square on foot, upon turning into Great Denmark Street, the signage to the front of Barry’s Hotel is clear and unambiguous. The front of Barry’s Hotel presents well maintained and the windows present secure and in good order.

There is good on street parking to the front of Barry’s and Parking charges don’t kick in until 7am each morning, three hours maximum parking during peak periods. Barry’s is within easy walking distance of O’Connell Street and many other significant streets and sites in Dublin.

Guest View

Barry’s Hotel is situated at 2 Great Denmark Street, Dublin, is central and has 32 rooms with en-suite bathrooms, direct dial telephone, colour television, Tea/coffee making facilities, Wi-Fi in some rooms and 24 hour reception service. Incidentals such as hairdryers, iron and board may be collected at reception.

Check-in

I arrived at Barry’s Hotel at approximately 10pm for check-in after a long day in Dublin.

The meet and greet was welcoming and warm, a young lady was polite and courteous. However, while I had received e-mail confirmation that my room had been booked for 10/10/2011 the young lady could not find the booking on the system. However, the matter was quickly resolved to my satisfaction.

The young lady clearly explained all of the facilities available, 24 hour reception and so forth, all done very courteously. All of the advertising literature in the reception is advertising other company’s products and services, with no worthwhile effort to sell Barry’s own products and services.

The Bar

Dasher had a walk around the bar and ordered a coke, the bar presents well and the young man serving was polite and professional, this is a good old fashioned, traditional Irish Bar and maintains a distinct ambiance.

Casino

Barry’s Hotel also incorporates a state of the art casino, great for hen and stag parties or just a weekend break away from reality.

Corridors - Health/Safety/Security

The corridors and stairs presented well, all doors appeared well maintained and secure, and lighting was good on the main areas.

The Room

Rooms 2A is behind a door leading onto the landing, the light in the small hall in which the door to 2A is housed was not working and so it was difficult to find the key hole.

Upon entering the room the room appeared fresh and bright, clean and comfortable.

The shelf and chair provided for ‘make-up’/hair-drying proved functional and adequate.

The curtains presented clean, classic and functional, the window opened easy and was great for ventilation on what was a very warm night.

The noise levels were consistent with this part of town, occasional drop-offs from the airport to Barry’s and the Hotel across the road, no adverse noise levels.

The lights in the bedroom were functional and well placed.

The telephone was functional and the Wi-Fi access was good.

Literature

The welcome letter read well and all facilities both in-house and external were clearly explained.

Bathroom

The bathroom presented clean and functional.

Shower was functional.

The linen was clean and fresh.

Toiletries were adequate.

Night Porter

At 6.45am I went down stairs to put money in the parking metre for 7am rush hour charge. I viewed the night porter sweeping down the front steps and the street, this was impressive. The night porter directed me to the parking metre and had a requested hair drier for me upon my return, this man was courteous, professional, helpful.

Breakfast

The breakfast in the bar area worked well and the Irish folk music in the background was being enjoyed by the several Americans who were having breakfast, some of whom were also speaking highly of their rooms and accommodation in general.

The orange juice was not of a high standard almost like diluting orange.

The breakfast area was clean and the young woman quickly took orders and delivered tea/coffee promptly.

A selection of cereals were available and accessible.

The breakfast was presented promptly with amble toast.

The ambiance as mentioned above was comfortable and relaxing.

Check-out

The young woman who had been on duty at check-in was on duty as I checked out, she was pleasant and professional, however, no follow-up literature was supplied, business card and so forth.

Online Presence

Barry’s Hotel has a good online presence with products and services clearly set out on their Official site barryshotel.com.

In conclusion

Barry’s Hotel is centrally situated, in a good state of repair, with only a few tweaks to address. I was pleasantly surprised by the good standard found in Barry’s.

There is a real events package here whether for a boy’s weekend away (casino), a quiet weekend (garden of remembrance, Hugh Lane gallery around the corner), hen party and so much more.

Christmas Party, Special Offer, Dublin

2011-10-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here at the Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel we are continually trying to come up with ideas that best suit our guests. Several of our guests have asked if we could provide special accommodation rates for Christmas Parties and so we have come up with a Parties Package that includes Overnight Accommodation and Breakfast for 15 Euro per person, these Party groups will be accommodated in our Dorms accommodation.

Win Halloween Short Break, Dublin Marathon, Bank Holiday weekend

2011-10-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

Halloween, Bank Holiday, Dublin Marathon, Short Break to Win

The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel Dublin are offering you the chance to Win two nights Bed and Breakfast on the Bank Holiday, Halloween weekend 2011 and some spending money, all you have to do is LIKE the picture of the Town House’s Japanese Garden on their Facebook site, as simple as that.

If you are participating in or supporting the Dublin City Marathon on Bank Holiday weekend this could be your chance to stay in Dublin for FREE and spend some FREE cash. Perhaps you have been thinking about taking a short break, well you could take it for FREE. Halloween Bank Holiday weekend is one of the busiest weekends in Dublin with lots to see and do, including watching and supporting the runners in the Dublin City Marathon.

You LIKE us, we LOVE you.

Rugby World Cup Ireland v Wales

2011-10-07T00:35:00.000-07:00

RUGBY: A QUIET Saturday morning in Ireland, a raucous Saturday evening in Wellington, with not a room to be had. Shame about the kick-off in European time but if ever there was a game worth getting up for or, depending on one’s vantage point, staying up for, then this surely is it.

The last vestiges of Ireland’s golden generation have one last box to tick; and one last chance to do so. Standing in their way is the latest generation of new young tyros from the valleys.

With the semi-final a holy grail for both countries (Wales’ sole semi was in 1987 and Ireland are seeking to break new ground) unlike the respective Grand Slam coronations at Cardiff in 2005 and 2009 this time both sides have a Slam to aim for.

What’s more both sides have impressive coaching tickets, headed by men with two Grand Slams, three Heineken Cups, three Premierships, an NPC title, an Under-19 World Cup and a host of other achievements to their names. And both teams are in searingly good form here.

The contrast adds to the intrigue. Ireland – 734 caps and an average age of 27-and-a-half, are experienced and savvy, albeit with an infusion of youth, and with the momentum of four straight wins.

Wales – average age 25-and-a-half and 561 caps between them, have a more diminishing core of gnarled veterans, and are young and oozing self-belief from every pore, which has been imbued by their management and a potent run of form.

All of which has given added piquancy by the age-old international rivalry and latterly at “provincial” level. This is a one-off, light years removed from their first of two pool meetings at the inaugural World Cup here in Wellington in 1987. Whoever wins will become the first Celtic nation to reach the semi-finals since Scotland in 1991.

A common perception is of tight encounters in recent times, with two wins shared apiece in the last four outings. Yet Ireland have won 11 of the last 14 match-ups, and regardless of the defeat in Cardiff last March when match officials Peter Allen and Jonathan Kaplan spectacularly mucked up, Ireland also left a truckload of points behind them that day.

The Irish players are also much more proven in the rarified air of knock-out ties, the provinces having won four of the last six Heineken Cups and played in 23 knock-out ties in that time, to just eight by Welsh teams, who didn’t provide one quarter-finalist last season.

Individually the discrepancy is greater. Players like Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell have been fixtures in their sides. Many of the Irish players are in familiar terrain, many of the Welsh tyros are in uncharted territory.

History has taught us that the team with the more experienced strategists and team leaders pulls through in World Cup knock-out ties. Just think England four and eight years ago. Of course, lack of knowledge could be a plus, in that it induces fearlessness. There’s no guarantee that this mould won’t be broken one day, and it could be here, but very often this gulf in big-game experience manifests in key moments.

Where Rhys Priestland or, if he’s on James Hook, might struggle to land a decisive kick, O’Gara, or for than matter Jonny Sexton, have proven themselves more likely to. Even though the rain may relent, the wind at the Cake Tin can be capricious, and it may also be that Wales will play too much rugby whereas O’Gara or O’Driscoll will make the sensible and accurate play at some key second-half moment, and/or that collectively Ireland will seize the moment.

The return of the fit-again Dan Lydiate, Jonathan Davies and Shane Williams from injury, along with a recall for Alun Wyn Jones means Hook is on the bench alongside the precocious Scott Hamilton and Stephen Jones cannot make the 22. That merely serves to underline how potent Wales now are, with George North and a rejuvenated Jamie Roberts regular sources of go-forward ball or line breaks.

Only New Zealand and Australia have scored more tries, while only South Africa have conceded fewer points than Ireland and Wales. Yet in the crunch games against the Wallabies and Italy, Ireland didn’t concede one try, only leaking six points in each of the first halves, and not a point in either second half. You’ve got to like the smell of that.

True, you go through the head-to-heads or combinations and it’s hard to split the teams. Take the fascinating half-back duel, where Mike Phillips encounters a younger lookalike in Conor Murray, while on the flip side O’Gara is pitted against a younger lookalike in Priestland.

Both sides have very solid set-pieces, where Rory Best’s Lazarus-like recovery from a sprained A/C joint is a huge boon for Ireland, and in the heel of the hunt, the breakdown and the backrow battle could be king. Sam Warburton is a ridiculously good player, a strong ball winner who will probably do damage at the breakdown, while 20-year-old Toby Faletau is a dynamic carrier and ferocious in contact and Dan Lydiate gives Wales a third line-out option and huge work-rate.

But then Stephen Ferris is a ferocious tackler and carrier too, a prototype for the modern game who is getting better with every game at this World Cup, while in becoming a lineout option and getting down and dirty close-in, Jamie Heaslip has selflessly sacrificed the glory for Fez and the Tullow Tank (Seán O’Brien). For what it’s worth, this may also be where Ireland may have a key edge.

Head-to-Head: Played – 116. Wales 63 wins, Ireland 47 wins. Drawn: 6.

Betting (Paddy Powers): 8/11 Ireland, 22/1. Draw, 5/4 Wales. Handicap odds (Ireland -2pts) 10/11 Ireland, 22/1 Draw, 10/11 Wales.

Whelans Pub Dublin, Dublin Pubs

2011-10-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels BEST RATES CLICK HERE

7 Nights At The MercantileThe Mercantile Hotel, 28 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Tel: + 353 (0) 1 6707100 sales@mercantilehotel.ie Thursday 6th OctoberHard Working Class HeroesDoors: 8pm til lateTickets: €45 wknd / €20 day from http://www.hwch.net/

100 Bands, 6 Venues, 3 Days6/7/8 OCTOBER 2011Ireland’s Annual Showcase Festival and Conference for New MusicHard Working Class Heroes returns to the streets of Dublin over the weekend of Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th October 2011 for its 9th consecutive year.9.00 – 9.30 Ross Breen9.45 – 10.15 Moscow Metro10.30 – 11.00 Overhead, the Albatross11.15 – 11.45 Henrietta Game00.00 – 00.30 Cfit00.45 – 01.30 Little Xs for Eyes

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/hard-working-class-heroes-3/

Thursday 6th OctoberJaime Nanci And the Blue Boys (every Thursday)

Jaime Nanci and the Blue Boys are a four piece ensemble working within the traditional Jazz parameters of Piano, Drums, Double Bass and Vocals, But they are anything but Traditional. Taking contemporary classic by The Cure , The Smiths, Depeche Mode and twisting them into sultry swing tunes, bluesy ballads and even Ragtime Charleston, and mixing them with beloved standards, these cats blow the roof off and will leave you aching for more…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvhL-9L_SXc

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/jaime-nanci-the-blue-boysevery-thursday/

Friday 7th OctoberHard Working Class HeroesDoors: 8pm til lateTickets: €45 wknd / €20 day from http://www.hwch.net/ 100 Bands, 6 Venues, 3 Days6/7/8 OCTOBER 2011Ireland’s Annual Showcase Festival and Conference for New MusicHard Working Class Heroes returns to the streets of Dublin over the weekend of Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th October 2011 for its 9th consecutive year.

9.00 – 9.30 More Than Conquerors9.45 – 10.15 Superblondes10.30 – 11.00 Futures Apart11.15 – 11.45 Zealots00.00 – 00.30 The Dirty 9s00.45 – 01.30 The Kanyu TreeFull Line up can be found now at www.hwch.net

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/hard-working-class-heroes-2/ Friday 7th OctoberTraditional Irish session (every Friday)

Saturday 8th OctoberAllegroDoors 10pm

Free Admission

Allegro is a Dublin-based house music club night. Each night our residents will be joined by local and or international guests. So far we’ve been fortunate enough to have been joined by Chris Lattner, Massimo Di Lena and local artists such as Diggers, Stephen Reilly, Ciara Cunnane, Con & Cian, Greg Spring, Tony O’Leary, Ciara Glynn, Jonoh, Philip Galvin Jnr, Mark Lawless, Aaron Nolan and Fintan Lalor.

Residents: Niall Dunne, Bradley, Maeve McKernan, Karyn Lennox, Alan Keane & Citizen Black

You Can Listen To Mixes From Our Residents & Guests Here : http://soundcloud.com/allegro_music

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/allegroevery-saturday-10pm-12/

Saturday 8th OctoberHard Working Class HeroesDoors: 8pm til lateTickets: €45 wknd / €20 day from http://www.hwch.net/ 100 Bands, 6 Venues, 3 Days6/7/8 OCTOBER 2011Ireland’s Annual Showcase Festival and Conference for New MusicHard Working Class Heroes returns to the streets of Dublin over the weekend of Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th October 2011 for its 9th consecutive year.

8.30 – 9.00 Boy Lights Fire9.10 – 9.40 More Tiny Giants9.50 – 10.20 Kid Karate10.30 – 11.00 Drunken Boat11.15 – 11.45 Ginola00.00 – 00.30 Turning Down Sex00.45 – 01.30 The MinutesFull Line up can be found now at www.hwch.net

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/hard-working-class-heroes/ Sunday 9th OctoberBrenda Reilly (‘A New Dawn’ album launch in of the Irish Cancer Society)

+ special guests THE FLAWS/TUPELO/SENEKAH/THE UNMARKED

Doors: 8pm

Tickets: €12 with FREE CD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93dwwI3-Dc0

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/brenda-reilly/

Sunday 9th OctoberSUNDAY ROASTEvery Sunday

Doors 9pm

Free Admission

Head Chefs Keiron Black & John Brereton are THE Award winning SUNDAY ROAST crew bringing you free live music, games and free roast potatoes every Sunday night in The Globe, Dublin city centre. Our aim is to give everyone a chance to hear the best of new talent for free and for new artists to play to new audiences. In the past great musicians like Mundy, Declan O’Rourke, James Blunt, Steve Wall, Jimmi Cullen, Jolly Ship The Whizz Bang, The Aftermath, Joe Chester, Ann Scott, Nina Hynes, Alice Jago, The Rastafeniens, Blood Red Mountain Band, Star Department, Betamax Format, Robotnik, Star Turtle, The Rotators, Jessie & Leyla, Matt Lunson, Aiden etc etc etc……. have performed at the Sunday Roast.

Please come and join us some Sunday for a game of Connect 4, Jenga or indulge in our back room twister competition and taste our amazing roast potatoes cooked in garlic, spices and virgin double pressed olive oil from the fruit trees of Tuscany

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/sunday-roast-60/

Monday 10th OctoberHOT HOUSE BIG BAND (Every Monday)

18 piece big band jazz sounds….

Doors 8pm

€8 on the door

The Hothouse Big Band is a classy and sophisticated band with 17 professional and experienced jazz musicians with a first rate male vocalist.

The band boasts 17 talented individuals, each with a great deal of experience in most musical settings and genres who have come together to share the exciting swing experience.

Hot House offers listeners and dancers alike the unique opportunity to revisit the exciting sounds from the great swing era, an opportunity that is rarely available, performing classic swing from the great bands such as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Glenn Miller and the Big Phat band.

Our superb male vocalist pays honour to his favourite performers such as legends Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble.

The big sound of a big band is an infectious sound, one that can only be generated by live music from the swing era.

http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/hot-house-big-bandperforming-every-monday-50/

Wednesday 12th OctoberCOMEDY HA HA (every Wednesday)Doors 8pm€5 on the door including free shotEVERY WEDNESDAY @ The Mercantile, Dame St ONLY €5 at the door with a FREE SHOT The Best in Irish Comedy right in the city centre. See www.facebook.com/Comedyhaha for up to date info on the line up.http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/comedy-ha-haevery-wednesday-18/

Times Hostels Dublin, Dublin Hostels, Hostels Dublin

2011-10-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

8 College Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

Tel: +353 1 675 3652 +353 1 675 3652

Email: college@timeshostels.com

8 Camden Place, Dublin 2, Ireland

Tel: +353 1 475 8588+353 1 475 8588

Email: camden@timeshostels.com

Dublin Citi Hotel, Dublin Hotels, Hotels Dublin

2011-10-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

Phone: +353 (0)1 6794455 Fax: +353 (0)1 679 4496

Email: reservations@dublincitihotel.com

www.dublincitihotel.com

dublinciti.blogspot.com

Dublin Citi Hotel,

46-49 Dame Street,

Dublin 2,

Dublin Hotels, Dublin Guest Houses

2011-10-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hotels

Abberley Court Hotel, High Street, Tallagh Town Centre, Dublin 24

Abbey Hotel, 52 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1

Adams Trinity Hotel, 28 Dame Street, Dublin 2

Ardmore Hotel, Tolka Valley, Dublin 11

Arlington Hotel, 23/25 Bachelors Walk, O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 1

Ashling Hotel, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8

Best Western Academy Hotel, Findlater Place, Off O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

Bewleys Hotel Ballsbridge, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Bewleys Hotel Dublin Airport, Baskin Lane, Swords, Co. Dublin

Bewleys Hotel Leopardstown, Central Park, Leopardstown Road, Dublin 16

Bewleys Hotel Newlands Cross, Newlands Cross, Naas Road, Dublin 22

Bracken Court Hotel, Bridge Street, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin

Brooks Hotel, Drury Street, Dublin 2

Browns Hotel, 90 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1

Burlington Hotel, Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4

Buswells Hotel, 23/27 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

Camden Court Hotel, Camden Street, Dublin 2

Carlton Dublin Airport Hotel, Old Airport Road, Cloghran, Co. Dublin

Cassidys Hotel, Cavendish Row, Off O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

Castle Hotel, 2 - 4 Gardiner Row, Dublin 1

Castleknock Hotel & Country Club, Porterstown Road, Castleknock, Dublin 15

Central Hotel, 1 - 5 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2

Citywest Hotel & Golf Resort, Saggart, Co. Dublin

Clarence Hotel, 6 - 8 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2

Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport, Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin

Clarion Hotel Dublin IFSC, Excise Walk, International Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1

Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley, Liffey Valley, Dublin 22

Clontarf Castle Hotel, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3

Conrad Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2

Crowne Plaza, Dublin Airport, Northwood Park, Santry Demesne, Santry, Dublin 9

Days Hotel Dublin Airport, Santry Cross, Ballymun Road, Dublin 11

Days Hotel Park West, Park West Buisness Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12

Days Hotel Rathmines, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6

Days Inn Talbot Street, 95 - 98 Talbot Street, Dublin 1

Deer Park Hotel and Golf Courses, Howth, Co. Dublin

Dergvale Hotel, 4 Gardiner Place, Dublin 1

Drury Court Hotel, 28 - 30 Lower Stephen Street, Dublin 2

Dublin Citi Hotel, 46 - 49 Dame Street, Dublin 2

Dublin Hilton Airport, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin 17

Dublin Skylon Hotel, Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9

Dylan Hotel, Eastmoreland Street, Dublin 2

Emmaus Retreat & Conference Centre, Lissenhall, Swords, Co. Dublin

Express by Holiday Inn, Northwood Park, Santry Demesne, Dublin 9

Ferryman Hotel, Sir John Rogersons Quay, Dublin 2

Finnstown Country House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin

Fitzpatrick Castle Dublin, Killiney, Co. Dublin

Fitzsimons Hotel, 21 - 22 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Fitzwilliam Hotel, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2

Fleet Street Hotel, 19 / 20 Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Glashaus Hotel, Belgard Square West, Tallagh, Dublin 24

Grafton Capital Hotel, Stephens Street Lower, Dublin 2

Grand Canal Hotel, Grand Canal Street, Dublin 4

Grand Hotel, Malahide, Co. Dublin

Green Isle Hotel, Newlands Cross, Naas Road, Dublin 22

Gresham Hotel, 23 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

Harcourt Hotel, 60 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2

Harding Hotel, Copper Alley, Fishamble Street

Hazelbrook House Hotel, 86 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1

Hotel Isaacs, Store Street, Dublin 1

Hotel St. George, 7 Parnell Square, Dublin 1

IMI Residence, Sandyford Road, Dublin 16

Jurys Croke Park Hotel, Jones's Road, Dublin 3

Jurys Inn Christchurch Dublin, Christchurch Place, Dublin 8

Jurys Inn Custom House, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1

Jurys Inn Parnell Street, Parnell Street, Dublin 1

Kettles Country House Hotel, Rolestown, Swords, Co. Dublin

La Stampa Hotel, 35 Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Lansdowne Hotel, 27 - 29 Pambroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Lucan Spa Hotel, Lucan, Co. Dublin

Lynams Hotel, 63 - 64 O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane , Cardiff Lane, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2

Maldron Hotel City West, Kingwood Village, Naas Road, Dublin 22

Maldron Hotel Parnell Square , Parnell Square, Dublin 1

Maldron Hotel Smithfield, Smithfield Village, Dublin 7

Marine Hotel, Sutton Cross, Dublin 13

Mercer Hotel, Mercer Street Lower, Dublin 2

Merrion Hotel, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2

Mespil Hotel, Mespil Road, Dublin 4

Montrose Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4

Morgan Hotel, 10 Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Morrison (The), Lower Ormonde Quay, Dublin 1

Mount Herbert Hotel, Herbert Road, Lansdowne Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4

North Star Hotel, Amiens Street, Dublin 1

OCallaghan Alexander Hotel, At Merrion Square, Dublin 2

OCallaghan Davenport Hotel, At Merrion Square, Dublin 2

OCallaghan Mont Clare Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2

OCallaghan Stephen Green, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2

Paramount Hotel, Parliament Street & Essex Gate, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Park Inn Hotel, Smithfield Village, Dublin 7

Park Plaza Tyrrelstown, Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15

Plaza Hotel, Belgard Road, Tallagh, Dublin 24

Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin

Portobello Hotel & Bar, 33 South Richmond Street, Dublin 2

Premier Inn Dublin Airport Hotel, Airside Retail Park, Swords, Co. Dublin

Premier Suites Dublin, Stephens Hall, 14 - 17 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2

Radisson SAS Hotel Dublin Airport, Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin

Radisson SAS St Helens Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 4

Red Cow Moran Hotel, Red Cow Complex, Naas Road, Dublin 22

Regency Airport Hotel, Swords Road, Dublin 9

River House Hotel, 23 - 24 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Rochestown Lodge Hotel, Rochestown Avenue, Killiney, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Roganstown Golf & Country Club, Roganstown, Swords, Co. Dublin

Royal Dublin Hotel, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

School House Hotel, 2 - 8 Northumberland Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Sheldon Park Hotel & Leisure, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12

Stillorgan Park Hotel, Stillorgan Road, Dublin 18

Tallagh Cross Hotel, Tallagh Cross Town Centre, Belgarde Square West, Dublin 24

Tara Towers Hotel, Merrion Road, Dublin 4

Temple Bar Hotel, Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

The Arlington Hotel Temple Bar, Lord Edward Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

The Beacon Hotel, Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18

The Belvedere Hotel , Great Denmark Street, Off Parnell Square, Dublin 1

The Bridge House Templebar, 24 - 25 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Tower Hotel Dublin, Whitestown Way, Tallagh, Dublin 24

Trinity Capital Hotel, Pearse Street, Dublin 2

Uppercross House Hotel, 26 - 30 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6

Waterside House Hotel, On the Beach, Donabate, Co. Dublin

West County Hotel, Chapelizod, Dublin 20

Westbury (The), Grafton Street, Dublin 2

Westin Dublin, At College Green, Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2

White Sands Hotel, Coast Road, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin

Wynns Hotel, 35 - 39 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1

Guesthouses

Aberdeen Lodge, 53 Park Avenue, Off Ailesbury Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Airport Manor, Naul Road, Knocksedan, Swords, Co. Dublin

Aishling Guest House, 19 / 20 St. Lawrence Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3

An Glen Guesthouse, 84 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1

Ardagh House, No. 1 Highfield Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6

Ariel House, 50 - 54 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Browns Hostel, 90 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1

Butlers Town House, 44 Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Celtic Lodge Guesthouse, 81 / 82 Talbot Street, Dublin 1

Charleville Lodge, 268 - 272 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7

Clara House, 26 Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6

Clifden Guesthouse, 32 Gardiner Place, Dublin 1

Donnybrook Hall, 6 Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

Donnybrook Lodge, 131 Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

Egans Guesthouse, 7 / 9 Iona Park, Glasnevin, Dublin 9

Eliza Lodge Guesthouse, 23 / 24 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2

Glenogra House, 64 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Harrington Hall, 70 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2

Hillview House, Skerries Road, Lusk, Co. Dublin

Kilronan Guesthouse, 70 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2

Leeson Inn Downtown, 24 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2

Lyndon Guesthouse, 26 Gardiner Place, Dublin 1

Merrion Hall & Blakes Spa Suites, 54 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

O Donoghues Guesthouse, 15 Merrion Row, Dublin 2

Phoenix Park House, 38 - 39 Parkgate Street, Dublin 8

Redbank House Guesthouse & Restaurant, 5 - 7 Church Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin

St. Aidens Guesthouse, 32 Brighton Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6

Tavistock House, 64 Ranelagh Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Waterloo House, 8 - 10 Waterloo Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Waterloo Lodge, 23 Waterloo Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

George Frederic Handle Hotel, Dublin Hotels

2011-09-29T02:10:00.000-07:00

The George Frederic Handle Hotel is one of Dublin’s premiere Hotels located in Temple Bar, the cultural heart of Dublin. For BEST RATE BOOK NOW

The George Frederic Handel Hotel is located on Fishamble Street in Temple bar. Although the hotel was built in 1996, it is located on one of the most historically significant streets in Dublin. The George Frederic Handel Hotel offers contemporary living space complemented by tasteful interior design.

The site on which the George Frederic Handel Hotel now stands, once housed the music hall where Handel’s “Messiah” was first performed. To this day, Handel’s famous work is still recited once a year right outside the front door of the George Frederic Handel Hotel.

Our beautifully appointed 3 star hotel with 5 star services boasts individually appointed and upgraded rooms. All of our bedrooms are en-suite with bath and shower, flat screen 26” satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hot beverage facilities and crisp white linen. We can offer Double, Twin and Triple rooms or if you need a little more space, we can facilitate you in one of our executive doubles.

While the George Frederic Handel Hotel is in the heart of Ireland’s cultural capital, Our Tour guide will show you that nature, history and culture are all at your fingertips when you stay at The George Frederic Handel.

When you have checked into your comfortable room, why not enjoy Our Tour. As you step out the front door of the George Frederick you will notice across the street, the modern architectural structure that is the civic offices for Dublin City Council. The council during construction of these tastefully designed civic offices ensured that their limited outdoor space was landscaped for your enjoyment. You can sit quietly on the granite seating provided for your convenience, as you enjoy a good book or simply listen to the flow of the ancient River Liffey.

Having enjoyed the civic space at the Dublin County Council offices you may wish to enter the Contemporary Music Centre which is positioned to the back of the Council offices at 19 Fishamble Street, this music collective offers library and shop facilities for visitors, there is always something going on at the Contemporary Music Centre and visitors are always welcomed.

Christchurch Cathedral sits at the top of Fishamble Street, this is a magnificent building dating back to 1030, and we know this date as the earliest manuscript dates Christchurch Cathedral to its present location around 1030, when you visit this national treasure make sure to take a tour of the Bell Tower, breath-taking. By this stage you will be ready for a break, and why not simply retire to Darkey Kellys Pub which is just up the street from the George Frederick Handel Hotel, enjoy lunch, evening tea or simply a beverage of your choice.

Stroll at your leisure through Temple Bar; use your camera to record the variety of traditional Irish pubs, theatres, Art and so forth that is on offer. If you are lucky enough to be in Temple Bar at the weekend you can enjoy the weekly open air markets that are held in the various squares for your perusal.

Your journey will all depend on the day and time you are staying at the George Frederic Handle Hotel, however, let’s assume you are free during the day to have a walk about, and then Dublin Castle has to be a must on your journey. Dublin Castle was the seat of British colonialism in Ireland for centuries; however, we are grateful to have this Historical giant in our national heritage as it is now home to many national and international treasures including the Chester Beatty Library.

The Chester Beatty Library (entry FREE) is home to some of the most treasured literature in the world and is made up of the lifelong collection of Sir Chester Beatty, to walk through the Chester Beatty Library is to walk through time, cultures and traditions, now almost lost to time and memory. Dublin Castle has daily guided tours, in which participants will be given a clear and concise history of the role of Dublin Castle over the centuries.

Also housed within the walls of the grounds of Dublin Castle are the tranquil gardens that pay tribute and commemorate those members of our national police service (An Garda Siochana) who have fallen while serving our country. This beautifully landscaped garden also houses a monument to Irish Journalist Veronica Guerin who was murdered by drug dealers in 1996.

By now you will be tired and ready to relax for an hour, why not call into the Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar, here many shows can be enjoyed Free, while others may have a small charge attached they are all contributing to the survival of culture and art in Ireland and your support by visiting or participating are graciously invited.

While Temple Bar is home to many fine eating houses and traditional Irish pubs, The Italian Corner Restaurant is a highly recommended location for great food, world class service and value for money. By now you may want to retire to the comfort of your room at the George Frederic Handel Hotel, if you wish to do some late evening socialising, the funky Mezz Bar is recommended.

Option 2

Walk It and Talk It: I love walking in Dublin, one of my favourite walks is to start in Dame Lane, view City Hall, the wonderful Dublin Castle Court Yards, Garda Memorial Garden (a monument to Irish heroes), Chester Beatty Library, Isolde’s Tower (13th Century), the Viking Longship Memorial, Viking archaeological pavement sculptures, the site of the first performance of Handel’s Messiah, George Frederic Handel Hotel, the courtyard of Christ Church Cathedral, St Audoen’s Church (Norman), City Walls (12th Century), Dublin City Council Offices, the Four Courts, St Michan’s Church (Viking period) and the Crypt for Mummies tour and finish at the Old Jameson Whiskey Distillery.

Dublin Special Offers, Nick Benjamin Mit 150

2011-09-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is a special video made by Nick Benjamin a German based documentary producer, this video looks at Dublin, Ireland and the value that can be found when you shop around, a special mention is given to the Anchor House Dublin in this 2011 video.

Dublin Hotels Special Offers

2011-09-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

Midweek Offer – 2 nights B&B with a bottle of wine and chocolates

Enjoy 2 nights bed and full Irish breakfast in the George Frederic Handel Hotel and receive a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates in your room on arrival. €65.00 per person mid-week offer (Sunday – Thursday) Double / Twin room, 2 people sharing.

Mid-week Offer – 3 nights B&B with a bottle of wine and chocolates

Enjoy 3 nights bed and full Irish breakfast in the George Frederic Handel Hotel and receive a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates in your room on arrival. (Sunday – Thursday) Double / Twin room, 2 people sharing.

Weekend Offer – 2 nights B&B with a bottle of wine and chocolates

Enjoy 2 nights bed and full Irish breakfast in the George Frederic Handel Hotel and receive a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates in your room on arrival. €135.00 per person weekend offer (Friday – Sunday) Double / Twin room, 2 people sharing.

Culture night 2011, Doorway Gallery

2011-09-22T01:33:00.001-07:00

The Doorway Gallery & culture night 2011.

Culture night 2011

This Friday September 23rd

5pm - 11pm

The Doorway Gallery , 24 South Frederick Street, Dublin 2 are delighted to take part in this year’s culture night on Friday September 23rd between 5- 11 pm. Dublin culture night 2011 is a chance to go on a journey of endless possibilities and surprises, and it’s all free of charge and open late! This year Dublin culture Night includes even more cultural and artistic attractions for you and your family to explore and enjoy. The Doorway Gallery has a fantastic line-up and will guarantee a night to remember.

Roisin O’Farrell is the featured artist for culture night and her exhibition called ‘Character’s in their own Story’ portrays a quiet place where life and characters are also being represented. Although there is variation in each painting of the series, the scenes are all interior, where the main character is depicted by an empty chair. A moment in time, a quietness, that is detached from the typical busy day, is clearly relevant in each piece. That moment of undisturbed tranquility before dawn break or of the silence left behind when a party has retired to another room. In the absence of the characters, now a distant vision, the chairs in the painting appear to come to life, and want to become characters in their own story.

Rosin O’Farrell and many other artists will be taking part in culture night at The Doorway Gallery. Well established artists such Padraig McCaul and Kevin McSherry and also Roisin herself will be doing live demonstrations in the gallery window all evening. Also featuring in the gallery is Ireland’s leading celebrity cartoonist, Niall O’Loughlin, who will be drawing free caricatures all evening. It is a great way to meet your favourite artists and see how they start and finish their masterpieces and even better to have your own personal drawing to take home!

The bottom of South Frederick Street will be closed off for the evening (Access to Setanta car park is still available) and a marquee will be visible on the road which will host the main feature for culture night, The Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School. When many artists think "life drawing," they think of sterile rooms, bad lighting, and bored, silent, models with nary a hint of personality. Dr. Sketchy’s is the world’s premier alternative drawing movement. Started by Molly Crabapple, an artist and former model, as an alternative to the dull drawing classes she had posed for, Dr.Sketchy’s has exploded into an international phenomenon. The tables are turned, as between poses the models interact with the artists and attendees, selecting their favorite images, or best competition entries to award prizes such as shots of alcohol or cupcakes. Each act will change during the evening and will include The Sedettes (Dance Troupe), The Orchids (Tribal Fusion Bellydance and Fierce (AcroBalance/ Fire Performer) and 'fresh from a massively successful Absolut Fringe debut with her aerial group, PaperDolls, Blackbird will entice and bewitch with her neo-burlesque performances.'which will make the night a very exciting and fun night!

Also taking part in the evening are ‘MaSamba band’ which will parade from Grafton Street to South Frederick Street and The Brewbaker Café will turn their café onto the Street and serve their delicious Stir fry Noodles for anyone who wishes to purchase them! Georges Wine Bistro and Dunne and Crescenzi all offer the usual delights of the area. With the launch of ‘Tin Tin’ the movie next month, International Books on South Frederick Street have a surprise for all Tin Tin fans – not to be missed! Also popular artist Graham Knuttel, will have his sculpture’s placed all along the street for everyone to enjoy. Gormley’s Art Gallery and the Leinster Gallery will be taking part on the night - With a night packed with culture, South Frederick Street is a must see on September 23rd .

Come and join us to celebrate culture night 2011!!

ALL ARE WELCOME!

White Sands Hotel Portmarnock

2011-09-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Book Now BEST RATES

The White Sands Hotel is Portmarnock’s premiere sea front Hotel. The picturesque village of Portmarnock in Dublin presents the perfect setting for this uniquely positioned Hotel. The White Sands Hotel offers guests a selection of en-suite rooms, many with balcony and breath-taking seascape views.

The White Sands Hotel caters for weddings and provides a unique seascape backdrop for your treasured memories of your special day. The White Sands Hotel caters for all your family and party needs.

Services: The Oasis Bar provides high quality food and service. Sporting events are catered for on the large screen and FREE Wi-Fi is available in specially set aside public areas. Breakfast is enjoyed in the Mad Fish Restaurant.

Walk along the golden beach from the White Sands Hotel to Malahide and back again for a wonderful evening tea on the nicely decked porch to the front of the White Sands Hotel or enjoy your tea on the comfort of your own private balcony, you decide.

Portmarnock Hotels

2011-09-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

GAA All Ireland Final Result Dublin take Silver

2011-09-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

Dublin 1-12 Kerry 1-11: In the end, it came down to one man. Or, if you prefer, a number one man. Stephen Cluxton, the Dublin goalkeeper who has been so crucial to their year, trotted forward with a minute of injury time left to drill an All-Ireland winning score into the Hill at last, after a breathless day in Croke Park. Kerry played a fantastic game and will return next year to try and reclaim the silver.

The Doorway Gallery, Nutgrove Arts Festival

2011-09-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

NEED A Hotel in Dublin BEST RATES Click NOW

The Doorway Gallery are the official Art Gallery at:

NUTGROVE ARTS FESTIVAL

And we are inviting you to the launch:

Date: Thursday 15th September (festival runs until September 25th)

Time: 7-9pm

Venue: Nutgrove Shopping Centre

Refreshments will be served

Celebrity artist Nick Munier will be doing a live art demonstration on Thursday 15th at 7pm at Nutgrove shopping centre along with gypsy-jazz band 'Locoswing' which will provide the music, local poet Nessa O’Mahoney will read and 'The Zoryanna Tribal bellydance troupe' will also perform. The eclectic flavour of the launch will give a taste of what this dynamic, new ten-day Arts festival has in store – a very wide range of artistic events to enjoy.

The unusual concept of using the shopping centre for this purpose is the brainchild of Sean Aylward and Dun Laoire Rathdown County Council recognised the merit of this idea and gave their much valued support. From the outset it was decided to make the event as inclusive as possible. The Doorway Gallery have been invited exclusively to host a selection of work from their gallery artists for the duration of the festival starting this Thursday 15th and will run until September 25th. Throughout the festival there are short film screenings and slide shows featuring chats with artists and live art demonstrations, all on the big screen.

The Calypso Café is to host drama from the Rathfarnham Drama Group Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd and Tongue Box performance poetry event Sunday 18th as well as music from Ireland’s top jazz guitarist and vocalist Nigel Mooney on Friday 23rd. The Foyer stage has a brimful of talents, highlights include: Wassa Wassa African drum and dance troupe, dance performances from Dancon, musical comedy duo ‘Totally Wired’ and a rare, improvised collaboration between musician and dancer - The Ambiencellist and dance artist Rachel Mulcahy - take to the stage on Friday 16th. Burlesque star Miss Monique hosts a ‘vintage fashion show’ followed by an impromptu ‘Glove Routine’ workshop on Saturday 24th! The Doorway Gallery will host Live demonstration's from artist Nick Munier on September 15th at 7pm, Padraig McCaul on September 17th at 2pm and Kevin McSherry on September 16th at 2pm which should not be missed. This is just a sample of what’s in store in the lead up to the finale at which Tenor Dominic McGorian and pianist Seamus Ludden perform (Sunday 25th) to wrap up what is sure to be an enjoyable, entertaining and engaging ten days.

Live Demonstrations from The

Doorway gallery Artists:

Nick Munier Thursday 15th at 7pm @ The Doorway Gallery in Nutgrove Shopping centre.

Kevin McSherry Friday 16th at 2pm @ The Doorway Gallery in Nutgrove Shopping centre.

Padraig McCaul Saturday 17th at 2pm @ The Doorway Gallery in Nutgrove Shopping centre.

**For more details on the events please click here **

For details on how to get to Nutgrove Shopping Centre please click here.

Padraig McCaul

Nick Munier will do a live demonstration on Thursday 15th @ 7pm and officially open Nutgrove Arts Festival.

Kevin Mcsherry will do a live demostartion on Friday 16th @ 2pm during Nutgrove Arts Festival.

Padraig McCaul will do a live demonstration on Saturday 17th @ 2pm during Nutgrove Arts Festival.

A selection of work will be on display at The doorway Gallery in Nutgrove Shopping centre.

The Battlefield by:

Iwona Nartowska O'Reilly

The Doorway Gallery,

24 South Frederick Street,

Dublin 2

P:01 7645895

W:www.thedoorwaygallery.com

E: info@thedoorwaygallery.

Italian Corner Dublin,Ireland Restaurant Guide, Eating Out, Ireland Menus, Menu Guide, Food guide, Ireland Dining, Ireland Cuisine, Restaurant Reviews, eating out, dining guide

2011-09-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great Dublin Restaurant?

Then look no further. Situated beside the Millennium Foot-Bridge on Wellington Quay, and overlooking the River Liffey, with views of the Halfpenny Bridge and the Customs House, The Italian Corner restaurant is a delightful culinary haven of tranquillity. It is a family-run Dublin restaurant and is personally managed by proprietor Danny Byrne.

Greeting

On Saturday 9th September 2011, I arrived at the Italian Corner Restaurant at 1pm. Upon entering the Italian Corner Restaurant I was immediately greeted by a very pleasant female member of staff, “Welcome to the Italian Corner”. I was shown to a table that faced out onto the River Liffey and Millennium Bridge. I was given a menu and the specials were clearly explained. A jug of fresh cold water was placed on the table and I was asked if I would like a beverage from the well stocked bar.

Decor

The Italian Corner Restaurant is tastefully decorated with bright and interesting wall art depicting Roman mythology and history. The interior is best described a chic with clean lines and minimalistic lay out.

Ordering and Service

Having had a couple of minutes to consider the menu and the specials, a staff member returned to take my order. I ordered the vegetable soup for a starter and the Pollo Ripieno chicken for a main course, both chosen from the specials menu. The soup was served shortly after 1.05pm and was accompanied by two slices of crusty bread, the staff member asked if I would like some seasoning, which I declined preferring to taste the soup in its presented form. The soup was excellent, spicy, hot and beautifully complemented by the crusty bread. On a cold day this was just what I needed, the efficiency of service meant that I was quickly warmed up and able to relax and enjoy the view of the River Liffey and the many people passing over the Millennium Bridge.

Busy

By 1.15pm the Italian Corner Restaurant was filling up quickly, the front of house staff while lean in number, never faltered in their meet and greet routine. Families, couples and individuals were greeted and seated within a well rehearsed/practised time frame.

The Rest Room

As I waited for my main course I decided to use the time to check-out the real test of any eatery, the Restroom. The gent’s rest room was clean; there was soap, tissue paper and a working hand drier. The one suggestion I would make in relation to the rest room is to take the ‘Cleaning Check List’ off the back of the main door and place it in view of those using the rest room, I would also suggest that restroom checks are insufficient, there needs to be regular checks, at least morning, lunch and tea time, this would ensure that pieces of tissue paper and so forth could be cleaned up.

The other observation that I made was the ability of customers to view the pantry/kitchen area on their way to the rest room, this could be addressed by hanging a specially designed hygiene curtain in the short corridor leading to the pantry/kitchen area. In conclusion the rest room area was clean, functional and well maintained.

Delay

There was a fairly significant delay until my main course was delivered, the main course was delivered at 1.45pm, and this was approximately thirty minutes after the starter had been cleared from the table. I found this delay excessive as the Italian Corner Restaurant was filled to capacity at this time and I think the restaurant could benefit from a faster turnover of seat occupancy.

Family Friendly

As a young family were seated at a table, a member of staff immediately brought the young child in the group some colouring crayons and pictures to colour in, this family friendly attention was heart warming and welcome in an often over commercialised world.

The Main Course

The main course was well worth waiting on, Pollo Ripieno, which is succulent chicken breast stuffed with spinach, smoked mozzarella, mushroom cream and served with Mediterranean Mash. The portions were ample and the combinations of tastes were complementary and mouth watering.

Ambiance

The soft background music made the ambiance of the Italian Corner Restaurant second to none that I have visited in Dublin over the years.

High Standard

I finished my main course at 2pm and my table was promptly cleared and my cup of tea served without delay. While the Italian Corner was filled to capacity at 2pm the front of house staff continued to deliver to a high standard.

The Bill

My bill was just over nine Euros which made my meal good value as well as a culinary delight.

Dasher 2011©

Dublin Hotels Best Rates

2011-09-09T03:13:00.000-07:00

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Dublin is often described as the cultural and historical capital of Ireland, yet many people pass through our capital city without ever enjoying that culture and history in the truest sense of the word. I have always been fascinated by the off-track, off beat, non-commercialised aspects of our capital; it is for this reason that you will often see me walking quietly among the patch work of graves at Glasnevin Cemetery or the leafy walk ways of the Iveagh Gardens. On tepid evenings in autumn when the western sky fades to orange reflecting its inexplicable range of nuances on the worn-out tombs of our fallen heroes and poets at Glasnevin, I wonder why. A veil of silence descends upon the great oak trees, as the sun slowly lies down beneath the silhouette of the great round tower dedicated to the Irish leader Daniel O'Connell in the 1860s, and thus the scene becomes emotion.

The tomb stones shed their red, assuming first a pink, then a violet and in the end a hue of grey, then night falls, it is this moment of the day in which, perhaps, I can best perceive the inevitable course of time. Glasnevin Trust have now opened a wonderful museum at Glasnevin Cemetery and it includes a life sized make-up of grave robbers at work, entry to the museum if free and is a must. Please enjoy Our Free Tour at http://www.townhouseofdublin.com/ dasher©

GAA All Ireland Tickets Final Kerry v Dublin Hotels

2011-09-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels BEST RATES NOW

Dublin Hotels: As we all adjust to the new economic situation, we are all seeking out better value for our money, in that regard this site has been trawling the net to bring readers Dublin Hotel offers that can help lighten you financial load. In this regard we have found the Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel Dublin offering two great draws.

The Town House Hotel Dublin was established in 1978 the Town House Hotel offers a variety of rooms with Bed and Breakfast or room only rates. The Town House Hotel is structurally linked with the Globetrotters Hostel and a breakfast dining area is shared by Hotel and Hostel guests for Breakfast. The Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel staff is driven by a desire to deliver world class service to their guests.

Draw 1: Two GAA All Ireland corporate tickets and two nights B&B for simply LIKING their page on Facebook. Draw to be videotaped and placed on the Internet in or about the 9th September 2011.

Draw 2: Two nights B&B and spending money for a Halloween Break in Dublin City, to be in with a chance of winning this prize all you have to do is tag the allocated picture on their Facebook site.

Draw 3: Monster Christmas draw, details to be announced.

Draw announcements on Town House Hotel and Globetrotters Hostel Facebook sites.

New Draw, Yes, even before we complete our fantastic draw for the GAA All Ireland corporate tickets and two nights B&B at the Town House Hotel Dublin, the BOSS says Yes, to our Fantastic New Halloween Draw, Two Nights B&B and some spending money for your well-earned Halloween Break in Dublin City, to enter this draw all you have to do is Tag this picture of the Japanese Garden at the Town House Hotel. We are continuing to work out the details of our Monster Christmas Draw, You LIKE us, We Love You.

Russos Dublin Review©, Restaurants, Reviews, Dining Guide Dublin

2011-09-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Russo’s Ristorante Italiano
18 Dame Street, Dublin 2
T: 01 611 1706
E: info@russosdublin.com
W: russosdublin.com
Review by dasher©2011
This time last year dasher reviewed The Italian Corner Restaurant on the Quays in Dublin, I was impressed at that time with both service and cooking. The Italian Corner is a family run restaurant and is under the direct management of proprietor, Danny Byrne. Danny founded the restaurant in 1999, and since then the restaurant has gone from strength to strength.

Danny’s philosophy is to serve people the best possible food with a friendly, caring approach, in clean, pleasant and relaxing surroundings। Eating out should be a memorable and enjoyable experience, says Danny. The whole experience should be satisfactory, from the genuine warm welcome, the quality of the food, the ambience, the service and the hygiene to the value for money being offered.

When I learned that Danny Byrne had expanded his business interests to include Russo’s Ristorante Italiano, at 18 Dame Street, Dublin 2, I decided that I must find out for myself if the central traits of The Italian Corner Restaurant had been carried over to Russo’s.

It is important to understand that in the new economic dispensation, restaurateurs operating in our capital city are faced with a tidal wave of high rents, sky-high insurance, utility costs and to a lesser degree wages. Trying to run any business in the capital right now is akin to a juggling act, trying to keep the books balanced while at the same time offering customers value for money and world class service.

Greeting
On Friday 2nd September 2011, at approx. 6.30pm, dasher arrived with a guest to Russo’s Ristorante at 18 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Upon entering Russo’s the evening trade was beginning to gain momentum. The meet and greet was warm and welcoming.

Dasher and his guest were shown to a seat near the window; the menu was properly explained including the Early Bird menu. A jug of fresh water was placed on the table, dasher and his guest were asked if they would like a candle light on their table and they were happy to oblige.

Dasher and his guest were given good-time to peruse the menu and then orders were taken। The starter, main and dessert were correctly placed, one can often feel pushed out by overzealous front of house staff.

The food matched the high standard of service; dasher enjoyed freshly made carrot soup with crusty bread, while his guest enjoyed a fountain of mussels dripped in a cascade of homemade sauce.

Dasher enjoyed an 8oz char-grilled steak for his main course, the steak melted in the mouth and was complemented in taste and texture by the sauté mushroom dressing। Dasher’s guest enjoyed true Italian pasta in a mouth-watering homemade sauce.

For dessert, dasher reverted back to his childhood with a tall glass of ice-cream delights, whose taste combinations left dasher feeling satisfied and contented। Dasher’s guest enjoyed freshly baked Bailey’s cheese cake, its satisfaction was reflected in the crystal clean plate left by dasher’s guest.

Tea and coffee were presented in a timely fashion and brought to an end what was a culinary delight.

Décor Russo’s Ristorante is tastefully presented with a minimalist outlay.

The Rest Room The bathrooms were clean and well presented. The bathrooms were functional and well serviced.

Ambiance Russo’s does not pretend to be a little part of Italy; it is a true Italian Ristorante.

The Bill As dasher had taken advantage of the Early Bird menu and had not purchased any drinks the total Bill was just under 50 Euros for two, a reasonable price for world class service and fine dining.

Dasher was impressed by the presentation of a business card and specials leaflet upon departure.

Other Deal Options Early Bird Menu 4-7.30pm
Choose from entire A La Carte Menu
2 courses – 19.95
3 courses – 24.95
Late Bird Menu 9.30pm – 11.00pm
2 courses – 15.95
3 courses – 19.95
Plus FREE Glass of wine/bottle of beer
Group Deal
Booking of 10 people – 1 person Eats FREE
Booking of 20 people – 2 people Eats FREE
Organiser of Parties of 20 or more entitled to Bottle of Bubbly FREE.
10% Discount voucher presented upon departure for future visits.

GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Tickets - Win GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Tickets - Tickets for GAA Football All-Ireland

2011-08-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hello, Facebook fans, friends and visitors, here at the Town House Hotel and Globetrotters International Hostel we have been trying to come up with ideas to reward our loyal followers, friends and visitors, with that effort in mind we have come up with an opportunity for YOU to win Tickets for the GAA All Ireland Senior Championship Final 2011. To enter all you have to do is LIKE our Facebook page and you are in with a chance of winning, don’t panic, be patient, we will be doing a great deal more in the weeks and months to come. Enter this FREE draw twice by LIKING Town House Dublin and Globetrotters International Hostel on Facebook.
GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Tickets - Win GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Tickets - Tickets for GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.

GAA : Dublin manager Pat Gilroy has named an unchanged side ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final clash with Donegal on Sunday.

Gilroy saw enough in the seven-point win over Mickey Harte's Tyrone team in the quarter-final to keep faith with the starting XV for the visit of the Ulster champions.

It will mean another chance to shine for the midfield combination of Denis Bastick and Michael Darragh Macauley, while Barry Cahill will continue at centre forward, with Dairmuid Connolly at full forward flanked by the Brogan brothers.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has restored full forward Michael Murphy to his starting line-up after he came off the bench to score 0-3 against Kildare in the quarter-final.
Murphy was replaced by David Walsh minutes before the Lilywhites clash, apparently because of a hamstring injury, but impressed off the bench and his return will be a welcome boost.

Paddy McGrath (hamstring) and Michael Hegarty (knee) have also been included. Neither finished the Kildare game but Ardara clubman McGrath has been named at corner back and Hegarty is set to start at centre forward.

Neil Gallagher and Rory Kavanagh will face Bastick and Macauley in midfield.

Dublin (SF v Donegal): S Cluxton; C O’Sullivan, R O’Carroll, M Fitzsimons; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; D Bastick, MD Macauley; P Flynn, B Cahill, B Cullen; A Brogan, D Connolly, B Brogan.

Donegal (SF v Dublin): P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; A Thompson, K Lacey, K Cassidy; R Kavanagh, N Gallagher; M McHugh, M Hegarty, R Bradley; P McBrearty, M Murphy, C McFadden.

Mercantile Hotel Dublin Music Entertainment

2011-08-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels BOOK NOW for BEST Rates

7 Days At The Mercantile The Mercantile Hotel, 28 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Tel: + 353 (0) 1 6707100 sales@mercantilehotel.ie Thursday 25th August Demented Promotions Presents The Flatliners (Canada)(Fat Wreck Chords) + The Arteries, The Upgrades & Give It A Year
Doors 8pmTickets available for €15 (incl. booking fee)
Over the last four years, The Flatliners have spent almost thirty months in vans, dive bars, and concert halls across North America, Europe, and Japan, building up a dedicated following with a sound that mixes the endless fury of ‘90s skate punk with the nuanced, intelligent songwriting of classic post-punks like the Replacements and Hot Water Music. After releasing the ska-punk tinged Destroy to Create (Union Label Group) in 2005, the band evolved into a harsh melodic machine with 2007’s The Great Awake (Fat Wreck Chords), completing their transition into a vital modern punk unit with the Cynics 7″ (Fat Wreck Chords) in late 2009.http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/the-flatliners/
Friday 26th August Demented Promotions Presents: INTO IT. OVER IT (US) (No Sleep Records) + KOJI (US) (Run For Cover Records)
Support from Starters + Driveway
Doors 8pm
€10 on the door. No tickets.
“Evan Thomas Weiss (Into It Over It) and Andrew Koji Shiraki (KOJI) have made something “ten years overdue”. The two prolific songwriters, who have been longtime friends, entered Drasik Studios in Chicago, IL for seven days in the summer of 2010 and collaborated to record ten new songs (five songs each) with the help of engineer Mark Michalik (The Swellers, Fireworks, Stay Ahead Of The Weather). This split vinyl LP release, featuring a tirade of guest musicians from bands such as La Dispute, Castevet, Cloudmouth and more, was released on November 23, 2010, and was accompanied by three documentary in-studio film segments shot by The Work (thework.com), as well as new photos and other multimedia content. These songs were an effort to bring to the public a friendship that has transcended time, distance, creativity and background. These are two best friends. This is what they made together.
http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/into-it-over-it-koji/
Saturday 27th August AllegroDoors 10pm
Free Admission
Allegro is a Dublin-based house music club night. Each night our residents will be joined by local and or international guests. So far we’ve been fortunate enough to have been joined by Chris Lattner, Massimo Di Lena and local artists such as Diggers, Stephen Reilly, Ciara Cunnane, Con & Cian, Greg Spring, Tony O’Leary, Ciara Glynn, Jonoh, Philip Galvin Jnr, Mark Lawless, Aaron Nolan and Fintan Lalor. Residents: Niall Dunne, Bradley, Maeve McKernan, Karyn Lennox, Alan Keane & Citizen BlackYou Can Listen To Mixes From Our Residents & Guests Here: http://soundcloud.com/allegro_music
http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/allegroevery-saturday-10pm-5/
Saturday 27th AugustCOLD COMFORT+ THE CANDIDATES & DANNY McMAHON Followed by Alabama 3 Dj set with Larry Love, Free Admission
Doors 7pmCold Comfort Ep launch Party with Support from The Candidates, Danny McMahon (Powderhorse) and a DJ set from Alabama 3. COLD COMFORT is Rob Walsh on guitar and lead vocals, Colm Hassett on percussion, drums, Anna Doran on vocals, Joey McGowan on bass, and Eoin Mossy on lead guitar. Last year Rob decided it was time to try something other than the usual singer/songwriter buzz. Colm liked Rob’s sound and suggested bringing Joey McGowen to the table. Anna was already adding backing vocals to Rob’s solo work, so they all met up in Hellfire Studios in October 2010 to go through some of Rob’s tracks and just kick back and jam. With everyone agreeing that they had something, they decided to take the trip…. Mossy stepped in on lead guitar early in 2011 and Cold Comfort was solid. Described as “an eclectic mix of blues, rock n’ roll and country with influences such as Neil Young, The Velvet Underground and Rory Gallagher”, Cold Comfort combines a driving rhythm with Rob’s honest and no bullshit lyrics. His Songs reflect the pain and the passion and the everyday madness. They tell tales of journeys and trips, soaked in emotion, devotion, but mostly commotion. Rob sings with meaning and most of all, soul. Put all of this in the mix with musicians who drive the vibe and keep the groove and you’ve got somethin’ that’s gonna “light up the night
http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/cold-comfort/
Sunday 28th August SUNDAY ROAST every Sunday
Doors 9pm
Free Admission Head Chefs Keiron Black & John Brereton are THE Award winning SUNDAY ROAST crew bringing you free live music, games and free roast potatoes every Sunday night in The Globe, Dublin city centre. Our aim is to give everyone a chance to hear the best of new talent for free and for new artists to play to new audiences. In the past great musicians like Mundy, Declan O’Rourke, James Blunt, Steve Wall, Jimmi Cullen, Jolly Ship The Whizz Bang, The Aftermath, Joe Chester, Ann Scott, Nina Hynes, Alice Jago, The Rastafeniens, Blood Red Mountain Band, Star Department, Betamax Format, Robotnik, Star Turtle, The Rotators, Jessie & Leyla, Matt Lunson, Aiden etc etc etc……. have performed at the Sunday Roast. Please come and join us some Sunday for a game of Connect 4, Jenga or indulge in our back room twister competition and taste our amazing roast potatoes cooked in garlic, spices and virgin double pressed olive oil from the fruit trees of Tuscany
http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/sunday-roast-51/
Monday 29th August HOT HOUSE BIG BAND (Every Monday)18 piece big band jazz sounds….
Doors 8pm
€8 on the door The Hothouse Big Band is a classy and sophisticated band with 17 professional and experienced jazz musicians with a first rate male vocalist. The band boasts 17 talented individuals, each with a great deal of experience in most musical settings and genres who have come together to share the exciting swing experience. Hot House offers listeners and dancers alike the unique opportunity to revisit the exciting sounds from the great swing era, an opportunity that is rarely available, performing classic swing from the great bands such as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Glenn Miller and the Big Phat band. Our superb male vocalist pays honour to his favourite performers such as legends Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble. The big sound of a big band is an infectious sound, one that can only be generated by live music from the swing era.http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/hot-house-big-bandperforming-every-monday-41/ Tuesday 30th August MUTEFISH (every Tuesday)
Doors 10pm
Free Admission
THE STORY SO FAR Mutefish started as a busking project in streets of Dublin, with loads of people coming and going, and the first tunes were written long before the name was chosen. The necessity for the name came when the first demo ‘Zeby To Bylo Spoko’ was recorded in Summer 2007. at that time it was a three piece band – Bogus (Poland) on guitar, Marka (Lithuania) on Cajon and Vaclav (Czech Republic) on mandolin. The name was chosen partly as a joke, referring to Vaclav who always said he feels like a mute fish in Ireland because he couldn’t speak any English. After considerable success busking in Galway arts festival the band took a one year break because Bogus needed to go back to Poland to finish his degree. On summer 2008 the guys met again in Dublin to shake Galway arts festival once more. Right after the new year the bass player Tomas (Lithuania) joined and only a few months later Vaclav left the band, and Mutefish was on pause again. The trio started a surf music side project (the Braconniers) and carried on under this flag till june when drummer Peter (Ukraine) and flute player Daithi (Ireland) joined and mutefish were revived.In the summer OF 2009 Mutefish recorded another demo ‘Muteation’ which gets them from the streets to the pub scene of Dublin and the band started to appear in Irish music festivals. may 2010 Mutefish lock themselves in Temple lane studio to record a new album, ‘On Draught’ but due to several reasons it’s release is delayed till November. the album launch is being held to the full house in prestigious Dublin venue Button Factory as a part of ‘where the Magic Happens’ event.Mutefish are:Bogus – guitar/mandolin, Marka – cajon/guitar, Daithi – flute/tin whistle, Tomas – bass, Peter – drums
http://www.mercantilehotel.ie/gig/mutefishevery-tuesday-1030pm-8/
Wednesday 31st August COMEDY HA HA (every Wednesday)
Doors 8pm
€5 on the door including free shotEVERY WEDNESDAY @ The Mercantile, Dame St ONLY €5 at the door with a FREE SHOT The Best in Irish Comedy right in the city centre. See www.facebook.com/Comedyhaha for up to date info on the

GAA All Ireland Tickets

2011-08-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

DUBLIN HOTELS BEST RATES BOOK NOW

GAA All Ireland Final Tickets: For those of us who are looking around for tickets for the All Ireland GAA Final, for the event as opposed to the teams, there are two chances that I have just spotted to win tickets for the All Ireland GAA Final. Both The Irish Times and The Town House Hotel Dublin are running separate competitions offering tickets for the All Ireland GAA Final and FREE accommodation. In order to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is LIKE The Irish Times and the Town House Hotel on Facebook. Visit their sites irishtimes.com and townhouseofdublin.com and be in with a chance of winning premiere tickets and accommodation, a recession beating opportunity. If you are not in, you can’t win, and it costs nothing to try.

Dublin Hotel Loses Trinity Capital Hotel Dublin

2011-08-23T03:29:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels Dublin BEST RATES RIGHT NOW

THE COMPANY behind the Trinity Capital Hotel on Pearse Street in Dublin made a pretax loss of €2.3 million in the year to September 2010.

Newly filed accounts for the hotel’s holding company, which is controlled by brothers Liam and Des O’Dwyer, show that the loss was significantly lower than the €9 million loss posted in 2009. The company made an operating loss of €487,000 during the year.

The auditors’ report notes that the company had a net current liability position of €30.6 million at year end. The company had a bank loan of €30 million due within one year.

A separate company, Mataking, the holding company for the Grafton Capital Hotel, made a loss of just under €630,000 during the period between March 18th, 2009, and September 26th, 2010. A spokesman for the company said the hotels were trading well in light of the difficult environment, adding that the losses were due to property-related writedowns.

Liam and Des O’Dwyer are the former owners of a group of Dublin bars, including Cafe en Seine and Howl at the Moon, which entered receivership in late 2009. Notes to both sets of accounts state that the companies are dependent on the continued support of their bankers.

Dublin Formula 1 Event Hotels Dublin Hotels

2011-08-21T04:08:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels Dublin BOOK NOW FOR BEST RATES

Formula One cars will be racing on the streets of Dublin next year in an event which is expected to bring more than a quarter of a million people into the city.

City racing featuring the F1 cars already takes place in Moscow and Rotterdam and yesterday, Barvaria Beer, the event organisers and main sponsors, announced they were adding Dublin to the roster.

The day-long demo will take place on June 3rd next year and the organisers expressed confidence that it would prove to be a significant boost to the local economy and would showcase some of the city's key landmarks to a global audience.

The demonstration race track will start at the Central Bank before passing Trinity College and going down Burgh Quay and crossing the Samuel Beckett bridge. The track ends on Custom House Quay.

City racing, featuring the high powered Formula 1 cars, first took place in 2006 and today close to half a million people turned out in Rotterdam for the event.

'It has been 16 years since Ireland witnessed the excitement of a current F1 car but Bavaria City Racing is about to change that,' said the managing director of the event Gavin Collins.

He praised Dublin City Council and the gardai for the manner in which they embraced the concept and said the track had been specially designed to showcase some of the city's oldest and most modern sites, including Trinity, the Bank of Ireland on College Green, the Custom House and the Convention Centre.

While tickets will be on sale for some sections of the course from tomorrow, 96 per cent of it will be free to spectators, Mr Collins said. Cars from all the main F1 teams will take part and while there will be no competitive edge to the racing he said it would give an Irish audience a real feel for the high octane experience.

Solheim Cup 2011

2011-08-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Solheim Cup Meath Ireland 2011 Hotels Dublin Hotels BEST RATES

Dublin City to Killeen Castle:

•From Dublin you need to get on the N3 Navan / Cavan Road

•From City Centre this is found by heading for Blanchardstown along the Navan Road.

•From the Airport by heading Southbound on the M50 Motorway to the last exit before toll-bridge M50 at junction 6 sign-posted Cavan.

•From South Dublin by heading Northbound on the M50 Motorway to the first exit after toll-bridge M50 at junction 6 sign-posted Cavan.

•Leave the M50 at junction 6 sign-posted Cavan and head North 15 miles on N3 to the town of Dunshaughlin.

•Pass through to the top (North End) of the town where you will see Peters Bar just before traffic signals.

•Turn left at traffic signals after Peters Bar and continue past schools & GAA Club.

•At the roundabout take the exit for Dunsany (straight across). Proceed down this road until you reach a roundabout, take left exit Killeen Castle Main Entrance is on right hand side approximately 1/2 mile down this road.
Ireland is probably best known around the world for its fascination with Football, whether that be Gaelic Football, Soccer or our world class rugby team. However, much time and energy is devoted to golf in Ireland. Indeed it is described as the religion of the middle classes, particularly by those left at home while he/she plays 18 holes on a Sunday morning. Yes many of our ladies are just as fanatical about golf as our men.
Ireland has some of the greatest golfing facilities in the world. Irish golf courses have been played on by the greatest players in the world. Indeed some of the greatest players in the world have helped design our best courses.

Leaving Cert Results 8/17/2011

2011-08-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

If celebrating your exam results in Dublin tonight, please do so with care, stay in the company of friends and do not travel alone at anytime. Well done from dashhotels.com and good luck with the future.

Ten star students today shared the top spot in this year’s Leaving Certificate results, achieving eight A1s in higher level papers.

Another 39 pupils managed to secure seven A1s, while 92 teenagers will find out they got six A1s.

And some 214 students achieved full marks in five subjects.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said all candidates should be rightly proud of their achievements.

“Today is the culmination of many years of hard work and I hope that your dedication is reflected in the results that you receive today,” he said.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) revealed the number of high achievers varied from last year - when one teenager got nine A1s, six secured eight, 37 got the top mark in seven papers and 92 were awarded six.

Eleven teenagers got eight A1s and one scooped nine in 2009.

The details of the top students’ schools will be made public later this morning.

Jobs

2011-08-16T06:58:00.001-07:00

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has launched details of a major careers event in Dublin next month.

The event will take place over two days at Dublin’s Mansion House on September 10 and 11 with 50 Irish and international companies, professional bodies, educators, recruiters and enterprise organisations in attendance.

Major multinational organisations such as Amazon, Intel, Deloitte, Pramerica and Ericsson will be exhibiting at Career Zoo and will be available to the 10,000 visitors that are expected to attend.

The first Career Zoo held in Ireland last January was attended by 7,000 candidates.

Minister Richard Bruton said such events "can help create a new future, not only for the workers and the companies involved, but also for our economy".

“If we are to get out of this crisis, we must not only be highly ambitious about the number of jobs we can create in Ireland, but also ensure that we have skilled candidates available to fill the positions that are available.

"A series of recent reports have indicated that vacancies for skilled professionals exist across the economy, particularly in IT, and a key challenge for government is to ensure that our education and training infrastructures can respond to this need," the Minister said.

Irish Holidays 2011

2011-08-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

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Some 46% of people say they will stay in Ireland for their holiday this year. Research carried out on behalf of Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa in west Cork also revealed that 45% of people said they would be spending less this year on their holiday than they did in 2010. 79% of people with children believe it is important to holiday in Ireland so their children can learn about their country, while 63% of people believed that Irish hotels were reasonably priced.

Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann Cavan 2011

2011-08-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

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The 51st Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann will officially kick off in Cavan tomorrow, with events running in the town and its environs until August 22nd. This is the second consecutive year that the event, founded in Mullingar in 1951, has been staged in Cavan Town. Tens of thousands of musicians, storytellers, dancers and, of course, plenty of revellers, will line the streets and pack the venues over its nine-day duration.

Although the Fleadh is designed to promote a certain standard in Irish traditional music and dance, there will be plenty of workshops, walks and more to keep non-players and non-dancers entertained.

Many of the events will be free to attend. Highlights of the line-up this year include Sharon Shannon, Andy Irvine and Dónal Lunny. It will also be the second time that the festival has been carbon-neutral, as organisers plan to plant a native oak forest to offset the carbon expended during the Fleadh. fleadh2011cavan.ie

Moynalty Show 2011, Sunday 14th August

2011-08-09T02:29:00.000-07:00

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Moynalty Steam Threshing and Working Show
36th Annual Steam Threshing Show
Moynalty, Kells, County Meath.
Sunday 14th August 2011

This Sunday 14thAugust 2011 it is Moynalty time again. Moynalty is one of the few outings that I have in my diary each year. It is a day out that transports me back to when I was a child and enjoyed the good things in life, such as homemade butter, cutting turf, cutting wheat, using horses and donkeys for farm work that is now done by automated machine. My memories are perhaps blinkered by all that I have endured in my adult life, but for me those were great times.

2010 My Day at Moynalty: In Moynalty yesterday I viewed the most wonderful Vintage cars, tractors, horse drawn machinery, and stationary engines. These machines are maintained to the highest standard by great men and women who want the past to remain part of the present and the future, a reminder that we did not always have ATM machines, computers and mobile phones.

I then made my way to an area that was filled to capacity with volunteers as they baked bread on an open fire and skillet, pan cakes and champ (mash potatoes and spring onions – topped with real butter) thank you God. This was a feast fit for a king. I then moved towards the field that is set aside for public displays of harvesting, the way it used to be done. There were men reaping and binding the wheat, the threshing of the wheat was done by steam locomotive, horses ploughed while guided by steady hand. It was truly a flash back to the past and what a wonderful sight.

The food and craft fair is certainly the best that I witness each year as I travel around the country and this display of home baking and cooking sits majestically amongst the sounds of traditional music and Irish traditional dancing. There was also a BBQ and pig on a spit, all palettes were catered for.

The Dog Show attracted all breeds, shapes and sizes. These animals are clearly loved and cared for by their owners. Sheep, goats, dogs, ducks and any number of animals were on display and for sale; I did not buy anything this year as I am over stocked as it is, although I was tempted to buy another puppy.

There were many active crafts on display yesterday including basket weaving, cooking, woodturning, blacksmith, harness making, kitchner steam driven saw, milk churning, tinsmith, spinning, water wheel, forge and so much more all adding to the uniqueness of this annual event.

On site there is also a museum which is well worth a visit, I was able to walk around and be amazed at the collection of antiques and other historical artefacts that were used by our forefathers. This is country living at its best. For the kids there was a fairground, puppet show, face painting, swings and slides, bouncing castles and crazy golf.

The proceedings were officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mary Hanifin and the Minister reflected the view that Ireland has in recent years begun once again to fully appreciate the value of family, friends and community in difficult times.

Having listened to the Minister’s speech it was time to go for a cup of tea and enjoy a sit down after walking about five mile around the fields. It was a great day out and as usual I have taken many photos for you to enjoy. If you visit Ireland in August please put Moynalty in your diary.

Dublin v Tyrone GAA Croke Park quarter finals

2011-08-06T03:36:00.000-07:00

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Dublin and Tyrone renew hostilities at Croke Park with the Dubs looking to make it a clean sweep for provincial champions in this year's All-Ireland quarter-finals.

There was consternation last year when Kerry, Tyrone, Roscommon and Meath all failed to build on their provincial successes and crashed out at the last eight stage.

It was argued by many that the defeats proved that the gap between provincial finals and the quarter-finals put those sides with silverware at a significant disadvantage. While the Championship calendar does need to be looked at, a win for Dublin on Saturday would suggest that there is not all that much wrong with it.

Tyrone have made an unusually unassuming march through the qualifiers following their Ulster semi-final loss to Donegal. They made light work of a difficult trip to Longford before having two goals to spare over Armagh.

And their 11-point win over Roscommon last Saturday went largely under the radar due to the gripping nature of Donegal's victory against Kildare in the following game at Headquarters.

The Red Hands have struggled with injuries this summer but the youngsters Mickey Harte has brought in have performed admirably and have brought a fresh look to their line-up.

It was strange to see a Tyrone side named without Ryan McMenamin in it, but the feisty defender makes way for Justin McMahon. Harte has used his squad wisely this summer and there's little doubt 'Ricey' will make an appearance at some stage.

Martin Penrose has been given the nod ahead of Tommy McGuigan in attack but the biggest selection surprise sees Owen Mulligan replace Kyle Coney at corner-forward.

Coney has been having a fine breakthrough summer and it was only a couple of weeks ago that Mulligan had opted off the panel due to a lack of game time only to be subsequently coaxed back into the fold.

Dublin's XV sees only one change as Cian O'Sullivan replaces Paul Conlon at corner-back. The two glaring omissions are midfielder Michael Darragh MacAuley and corner-back Philly McMahon, with both players struggling with finger and knee injuries respectively.

Eoghan O'Gara's goal proved crucial in last year's quarter-final meeting between the two sides, but the Templeogue Synge Street clubman has failed to hit similar heights so far this year and can consider himself fortunate to retain his place.

Dublin were given a decent test by Wexford in the Leinster final, and they struggled at midfield. Denis Bastick and Eamon Fennell will start in the engine room again, but they will need to up their performances considerably against Kevin Hughes and Sean Cavanagh. The latter was back to his rampaging best against Roscommon, as he hit 2-03 and was unlucky not to land a hat-trick of goals.

A lot has been said about Dublin's over-reliance on the Brogans (Alan and Bernard) for scores but the big fear for Dublin supporters is how their side will manage to supply their forward line.

Donegal await the winners of this tie in the semi-finals, and it looks like that will be an all-Ulster affair.

Verdict: Tyrone

Dublin v Tyrone, 7pm Saturday 6 August, All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final (7pm) live on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ.ie (Island of Ireland) from 6.30pm.

Dublin Horse Show RDS Dublin Hotels Dublin

2011-08-03T03:04:00.000-07:00

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Andrew Montague, the man who brought the Dublin bike hire scheme to the city, will be trying out a new form of transport today – horse power.

Mr Montague travels to the RDS in Ballsbridge to open the Dublin horse show and will be travelling in the lord mayor’s coach to do the honours at the 138th Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, one of the oldest in the world.

Yesterday, there was frantic activity at the showgrounds which is the only time in the year when all parts of the arena are used simultaneously. It was the busiest day of the event for the 21 veterinary surgeons who were busily checking every animal for disease and for identification.

In all, there will be about 1,500 horses and ponies at the arena for the five days and they will be competing in more than 100 events before the event draws to a close on Sunday night.

“There is very little bother with the international animals as they are constantly on the circuit and have all their passports and other documentation in order,” said one of the veterinary staff.

Already many of the international horses and riders had arrived on the grounds. Riders and animals came from France, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the United States.

The riders are focused, as are the Irish team, on the week’s main event on Friday – the Nations’ Cup, for which the Aga Khan trophy is awarded, and the 14 other international jumping competitions.

Doing a practice gallop around the warm-up ring were the Ukrainian cossacks who have astonished audiences throughout the world with impressive stunt riding on their famous mounts.

Friday is the busiest day of the horse show when the 300 temporary staff, 300 voluntary stewards, 65 judges, veterinary surgeons, 12 commentators and 20 medical doctors are all on their toes.

Over the week they will have looked after the needs of visitors to the show, judged nearly 100 competitions and will have presented nearly €1 million in prize money and sixty trophies.

The event, which costs €3.9 million to stage and normally just breaks even, is primarily aimed at fostering the Irish horse and the equine industry generally in the Republic.

A spokesman for the society said it had frozen most of its ticket prices for a couple of years but that this year’s season ticket increased from €57 to €60. The season ticket allows entry to the show for the five days.

The family ticket increased from €52 to €54 and allows admission to two adults and four children.

General admission prices range from €21 for adults and €15 for students, old age pensioners and children.

Kings of Leon Tour USA Cancelled

2011-08-02T03:22:00.000-07:00

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Kings of Leon have cancelled their US tour after singer Caleb Followill was hit by vocal problems and exhaustion.

The cancellation comes three days after Followill left the stage mid-show in Dallas, Texas, due to what he called “excessive” and “unbearable” heat.

But other members of the family band said over the weekend that its problems went beyond dehydration, something that was not addressed in a statement yesterday.

“Thanks to all our true fans for understanding and helping us through this hard time,” Followill said on Twitter.

His exit led to vows to replay the show by his brothers, drummer Nathan and bassist Jared, and cousin guitarist Matthew, on Twitter.

But Jared Followill also acknowledged the band had “internal sicknesses & problems” that go beyond dehydration.

A statement says the band are “devastated, but in order to give their fans the shows they deserve, they need to take this break”.

They will return to the road in Vancouver, Canada on September 28th. The cancelled shows will not be rescheduled.

After years of buzz, the Nashville, Tennessee, band named after the brothers’ father stormed the international scene with the singles Sex On Fire and Use Somebody from their breakthrough album, the multi-platinum Only By The Night, in 2008. They released their fifth album, Come Around Sundown, earlier this year and headlined Slane.

They have been bankable touring stars, though not without a few notable problems. They had to postpone some dates earlier this year when Nathan Followill injured an arm while working out.

The band also walked off stage in St Louis last year because of pigeon droppings falling from the rafters, but returned a few months later to make it up to fans.

Caleb Followill told the crowd repeatedly last Friday that he was too hot and that his voice was suffering for it. At one point he said he was ill and would be back after taking a few minutes to recover, but he never returned.

The Followills, known for their sense of humour and willingness to circle the wagons when criticised, took to Twitter to apologise. Matthew Followill even went so far as to apologise to individual followers.

Jared Followill tweeted yesterday that he was “utterly depressed” and that “family has to come 1st”. But then he tried to lighten the mood.

“Don’t jump to conclusions guys,” he wrote in a subsequent tweet. “We’re not breaking up. BRB. Just got a text from Nathan..... Ummm.... Eesh. So about what I just said....... ”

Then he posted: “Kidding! Kidding! Not breaking up.”

Dublin Theatre Festival 54th Ulster Bank Event

2011-07-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

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The world premiere of ten plays, including a new work by Colm Tóibín, are among the pieces of theatre to be staged across the capital.

The 54th Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival will run over 18 days from September 29th, with 28 shows in 25 venues.

Artistic director Loughlin Deegan said his fifth and final festival programme includes a particularly strong Irish programme, alongside many international artists and companies. Programme and ticket details are on dublintheatrefestival.com

Opening the festival in the Gaiety Theatre is Donka, A letter to Chekhov, a dazzling feat of aerial acrobatics, multi-media illusion and circus magic.

Others highlights include Tóibín’s Testament, which is directed by Tony award-winner Garry Hynes and performed by one of Ireland’s foremost actors, Marie Mullen.

Elsewhere the exciting programme features international works from theatre giants Kneehigh, les ballets C de la B, and world renowned directors Ivo van Hove, Daniele Finzi Pasca and Alain Platel.

Meanwhile Behind Closed Doors will focus on the private lives of Dublin city’s inhabitants not always in the public eye, giving a glimpse into an often forgotten facet of Irish society.

Elsewhere, the doors of the last Magdalene Laundry to shut are set to reopen to stage a controversial play called Laundry, which will feature personal stories from women confined to the notorious workhouse on Sean MacDermott Street in the north inner city.

The family season will also continue at The Ark, a cultural centre for children, with three of the best theatre companies in the world from Belgium and Denmark.

Mr Deegan revealed the programme includes a number of world renowned International theatre companies and directors many of whom he has been trying to bring to Dublin for many years.

“The festival continues to nurture and showcase the work of young Irish companies alongside many Irish theatrical giants,” he added.

Dublin Hotels Dublin, Italian Corner Restaurant

2011-07-22T03:00:00.001-07:00

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The Italian Corner Restaurant Poem ©

At the heart of the city, in Temple Bar
Modern décor, Italian flare
World class service, Italian fare
Enjoy the view, without a care
Fantastic food, prices fair
Your satisfaction, very aware
Wine selection, to your taste
Nicely chilled, carefully cased
Your choice, they have it here
From Champaign, to cooled beer
Watch the Liffey, as people descend
To enjoy fine food, talk with friend
The Italian Corner, is the place
Fine dining, friendly space
The Temple Bar experience, is not complete
Until you make your reservation, book your seat
At the Italian Corner, on Wellington Quay and Eustace Street.

Wine and Dine simply Devine

2011-07-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

WINE: Looking for something light to suit the mellow days and long nights? Try a glass of rosé, a sparkling wine such as cava, or an Australian pink. They can put a stretch into your euro as well as the evenings

OVER THE NEXT few weeks, I will be covering summer wines. Other than sparkling wines, all will cost less than €15 a bottle, and under €12 where possible. For the most part, I have tried to select lighter wines that are suitable for drinking by themselves or with light meals.

It is only right that when holidaying in Ireland we should try to buy local. However, if you know your off-licence has an unexciting and over-priced range of wine, why not buy online or by mail order? It will allow you to choose from a far more interesting range of wines. You could also have it delivered to your door. Most wine merchants offer a mail-order service, and at this stage, most have websites as well.

My own favourites include The Wine Store in Kildare (great for French and Spanish wines), Wines Direct in Mullingar (which has a retail outlet just off the motorway), and Le Caveau in Kilkenny, but there are plenty of others too, including Wineonline, Red Nose Wine, Curious Wines, the Corkscrew and Simply Wines.

Now that we have a burgeoning micro-beer market, you can buy really good local beer in many parts of the country. See beoir.org for a list of brewers and stockists. You could even give the brewery a call to see if they accept visitors.

Bottles of the week

ROSÉ WINES

Domaine de Millet 2010, Cótes de Gascogne IGP, 11.5%, €9.35 A lovely fragrant strawberry nose, with ample sweet, juicy ripe strawberries on the palate. A great crowd-pleasing wine for sunny days. Stockists: Wines Direct, Mullingar, winesdirect.ie

Le Petit Berticot Rosé, Merlot 2010, IGP Atlantique 12.5% €10.50 A delightful fruit-filled rosé with a crisp, dry finish. Great easy summer drinking on its own or with salads and seafood. Stockists: Claudios Wines, Newtownmountkennedy; Ardkeen, Waterford; Marlay Wine Shop, Rathfarnham; Listons, Camden Street, Dublin; Nectar, Sandyford; Cashel Wine Cellar, Cashel; Next Door Outlets, nationwide; Mac’s, Limerick; 1601, Kinsale; The Wine Centre, Kilkenny

Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2010, Central Valley, Chile, 13.5%, €11.99 A rosé with a bit of attitude and fruit, perfect for barbecued fish or chicken dishes. The strawberry and raspberry fruits are nicely balanced by some fresh acidity in this medium-bodied wine. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; Ardkeen, Waterford; O’Driscoll’s, Ballinlough, Cork; Fresh, Northern Cross; Conway’s, Ratoath; Sláinte, Galway; O’Sullivan’s, Blarney; Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork; Molloys Liquor Stores; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Next Door Off Licences and other independent off licences

Petit Bourgeois Rose 2010, Loire Valley, 12.5%, €11.99 A delicious pinot noir rosé that is pure summer in a glass. Light, fresh delicate strawberry and redcurrant fruits with a crisp acidity and dry finish. Just the thing with a plate of seafood. Stockists: O’Briens

Domaine la Sarabande 2010, Faugères Rosé, 12.5%, €13.95 This very charming wine has a delicate nose of strawberries and lovely medium to light-weight ripe cherry fruits. It is restrained, long and dry. A very flavoursome southern rosé to drink with or without anything else. Stockists: Redmonds of Ranelagh; The Wine Store, thewinestore.ie

SPARKLING WINES

Yellowglen Pink, Australian Sparkling Rosé NV, 11%, €14.39 I am told that females between the ages of 20 and 30 find Pink irresistible. I haven’t had the opportunity to test this, but if you want to impress someone in this age group, maybe you should give it a try. Light, medium-dry with creamy strawberry fruits. Stockists: Tesco; Supervalu; Dunnes Stores; Liz Delaneys, Northside Shopping Centre, Dublin; Worldwide Wines, Waterford; Joyces, Knocknacarra

Les Bulles, Touraine Sparkling Brut 2006, Jean-François Mérieau, 13%, €19.50 Made from chenin blanc and aged for three years on the lees, this is a cracking bottle of wine at the price: rich, complex, with plenty of brioche and bready notes to complement the exotic peaches and lightly honeyed touch. You could certainly drink it on its own, but I would imagine this would be even better served with a wide variety of dishes, including fish and crustaceans, but also salads and more substantial fare. Stockists: Terroirs, Donnybrook, terroirs.ie

Crémant d’Alsace Brut Extra NV, Domaine Meyer-Fonné, 12%, €19.95 Alsace produces some excellent sparkling wine, made by the traditional Champagne method. This wine, made from a blend of pinot blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir is bone dry with just two grammes of residual sugar. It is a very stylish wine, with a lightly bready nose, wonderful clean crisp citrus acidity, balanced perfectly by some lovely ripe fruit. It is streets ahead of most Champagne at this price. Stockists: Redmonds of Ranelagh; Fallon Byrne, Exchequer Street; Le Caveau, Kilkenny, lecaveau.ie

Cava Castellroig, Penedes, Spain, 11.5%, €20 I am not normally a fan of cava, but this really impressed me: very superior, clean pineapple and pear fruits with a crisp dry finish. Not the cheapest cava on the market, but a class above the rest, and pretty good value as a sparkling wine. Stockists: On the Grapevine, Dalkey, onthegrapevine.ie; Cabot Co, Westport, cabotandco.com

Beer of the week

Eight Degrees Howling Gale Ale, 5%, €2.39 for a 33cl bottle From a brand new Irish micro-brewery in Mitchelstown comes this fairly full-flavoured ale, with a broad maltiness on the mid palate and a nice, refreshing, crisp hoppy finish. This has plenty of flavour and certainly avoids the temptation to dumb down to please drinkers of watery lager.

Lughnasa Beer Festival

The second Lughnasa Beer Festival will take place on August 19th from 5.30pm to 10.30pm in the Pod bar complex in Dublin. More than 300 beers, including a host of Irish micro-brews, imported beers and other treats will be available for tasting, along with food from artisan producers and live music from the Cujo Family and the Folksmen. A limited number of tickets at €20 are available at beerfestival.ie.

Hotel Reviews, City North Hotel Dublin

2011-07-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

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City North Hotel by dasher

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

The Four Star City North Hotel is quietly set back from the hassle of city life, yet convenient to city living, being located just 15 minutes north of Dublin Airport along the M1 Dublin-Belfast motorway at junction 7, City North Hotel is easy to find. I had travelled to the City North Hotel on Friday, 24th June, 2011 to attend performances by the irredeemable Jerry Fish and the Mud Bug Club, and the main act of the evening the sensational Irish guitarist and vocalist Damien Dempsey, born in Donaghmede on Dublin's Northside in 1975, Damien Dempsey is the voice of that underclass and the quintessential Irish singer songwriter.

Upon arrival at the City North Hotel I noted the spacious FREE car parking which is well landscaped with an array of shrubbery and young trees. The tasteful landscaping allows the City North Hotel to sit easily into the natural local environment.

The reception area of the North City Hotel is modern with clean lines and minimalist décor; the main walls were adorned with the work of known artists’ Ian Fleming and Mary O Rourke. The featured piano in the reception adds a light classic mood of tradition and hospitality and I was informed that on Saturday evenings relaxing melodies are played by Peter Devine the popular cocktail pianist. The receptionists while busy were pleasant, professional and courteous to the many guests arriving for their short breaks and overnight stays.

Having been given clear directions to the concert venue and being invited to retire to the The Tara Lounge at the City North Hotel to enjoy something to eat or drink, I was quickly seated and viewing the menu. The Tara Lounge is directly accessed from reception, and while upon my visit it was busy it has a relaxed atmosphere and friendly service.

The Tara Lounge is set in a modern bar atmosphere where young and old, families and couples, groups and individuals sit comfortably to enjoy fine food and drinks. The Tara Lounge menu offers a wide range of fine food and value for money prices. On Friday 24/6/2011 a Special 10oz Irish Beef burger with side orders was also on offer at a reasonable price of 10 Euro.

The wine list is favourable with a decent French Red costing 20.45, Croix des Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays d’Oc, a fruity cascade of deep red, with hints of blackberries and spicy overtones. This is a full-bodied wine with a structure that is soft yet intense, just what was needed before engaging with Jerry Fish and his many inter-audience activities. A full and satisfactory wine list is available.

Disappointment with the Tara Lounge came at two points; firstly there was no water on the tables, which is a given practicality in most eateries in 2011. Secondly, was timing, while my order for the Americano style 10oz Sirloin Steak was taken promptly and politely, forty-five-minutes after having my order taken I found myself engaged in conversation with customers at surrounding tables who had been waiting for up to an hour for their orders. These were not complicated dishes with some customers having only ordered the Burger that was on Special.

While front of house staff seemed to be plentiful in number, one could not help wonder if the kitchen had been left short, with a Faulty Towers type episode unwinding in back of house. However, all was not lost, when my meal was delivered it was presented to the highest standards. This was a good cut of locally produced steak, which was succulent and very, very, tasty. This steak was cooked to Pierre White standard and was garnished with fresh salad and homemade chunky chips. The meal was worth the wait and was a feast on scrumptiously cooked fresh local produce. The Table d'Hote menu is available all day and through the evening until 9.30pm.

I was informed that there is a daily carvery 12-3pm and 12-5pm on Sundays, that carvery caters for all dietary requirements and daily specials including a vegetarian option. The Tara Lounge also offers afternoon cream tea at a reasonable and value for money 25 Euro per couple.

The City North Hotel has live entertainment each weekend, FREE 24 Hour coach transfer service and FREE parking for the duration of your holiday. It hosts a fully fitted Fitness suite, kid’s games room, beauty treatment and massage suite.

Lazy Sunday is a speciality at the City North Hotel, where relaxation, catching up with friends and the Sunday papers is central to the ambiance; the City North Hotel presents relaxing live music playing in the hotel lobby each Sunday. From double bass & piano, to harpist or soulful samba rhythms, enjoy the experience any Sunday from 1.30pm, patrons told me that Sunday is a must at the City North Hotel.

Having enjoyed my hearty meal, I entered the function room where I was treated to a crescendo of musical delights with Jerry Fish followed by the legendary Damien Dempsey.
While the City North Hotel may be Four Star it gets the maximum ***** 5 Stars from dasher.

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

The 4 star City North Hotel is within easy reach of Killeen Castle in Meath - home of the 2011 Solheim Cup.

Enjoy genuine value hotel packages for music concerts, rugby and soccer matches, festivals and events throughout the year when staying at ****City North Hotel. The price for overnight in a deluxe guestroom with return coach transfer (to any of the venues listed above in Dublin) is €45 pps ALL YEAR ROUND.

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

Dublin Guest House 49 Euro Room Best Rates

2011-07-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

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Dublin’s Premiere Guest House is offering mid-week breaks for 49 Euro. The Anchor Guest House is a family run business with a long tradition of quality service and customer satisfaction. The Anchor Guest House is only minutes from the main cultural, historical and architectural sites in Dublin including the pulsating heart of Dublin, Temple Bar. While at the heart of city life, the Anchor Guest House is a quiet retreat when it is time to kick off your shoes and sit by the open fire.

Video Tour of the Anchor Guest House Dublin CLICK HERE

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Temple Bar Poems, Dublin Hotels Dublin

2011-07-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

Hotels Dublin, Hotels Temple Bar, Hotels Ireland, BEST RATES

Temple Bar Poem ©

Cobbled Streets and flowing guests
Cultural beat, as traveller rests
Guinness Store House, is close by
Trinity College, where they ponder why
National Gallery, to browse and enjoy
Museum of Modern Art opens eyes
Christ Church Cathedral, architectural surprise
Old Jameson Distillery, as Luas cries
Bachelors Walk and Ormond Quay
Italian Quarter, for evening tea
Smithfield Market and Museum of Decorative Arts
Molly Malone and her wheelbarrow cart
Cockles and muscles, alive, alive, ho
All close by not far to go
Leprechaun Museum, only a throw
Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle too
Lots to see, lots to do
When the Vikings landed, what did they do
Created history and culture for me and you
In 1673 it was put on the map
In 2011 it soaks up the social sap
Hotels, restaurants, cafes galore
What cultural adventurist could ask for more?
Pubs and nightlife, they do it well
Call dashhotels.com and stay a spell.

Anchor House Dublin Poem ©

To Temple Bar, no Bus or car
Cultural delights, not too far
Café and restaurant, a few minutes’ walk
Time to reflect, time to talk
Architectural monuments, to enjoy
Luas tram, our latest toy
O Connell Bridge and GPO
Summer sun, winter snow
Short break in Dublin, theatrical show
O2 concerts, Croke Park throw
Aviva Stadium, O Driscol mow
Quality living, that’s what we know
Stay at the Anchor, you won’t want to go.

The Italian Corner Restaurant Poem ©

The Italian Corner Restaurant Temple Bar Dublin

2011-07-14T01:24:00.000-07:00

The Italian Corner could not be more conveniently situated. It is beside the River Liffey on Wellington Quay, within the famed Temple Bar area, a stone’s throw from O’Connell Bridge, a hop, skip and jump from the Ha’penny (Halfpenny) Bridge a short ramble to Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral, and St Patrick’s Cathedral and convenient to Grafton Street, Henry Street and the traditional Moore Street markets. Also don’t forget to pay a visit to the Guinness factory visitors centre in James Street.

Hotels Dublin, Hotels Temple Bar, Hotels Ireland, BEST RATES NOW

Trinity College, the Olympia, Gate, Abbey and Gaiety Theatres are all within walking distance. Temple Bar is the rejuvenated ‘West Bank’ of Dublin. Nightlife is abundant with real Irish Pubs, music venues, art galleries and cafes. Buses stop beside The Italian Corner and the nearest DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) station, at Tara Street, is less than ten minutes away. The new LUAS tram stops just across the Millennium footbridge from "The Italian Corner".

If you are seeking the best positioned accomodation in Dublin, you would be well advised to book early at our renowned Eliza Lodge guesthouse (situated over "The Italian Corner" restaurant) to arrange quality, comfort and great value rooms with our sister company Eliza Lodge.

For more information or to make a booking visit www.elizalodge.com

Easily accessible, both "The Italian Corner" and Eliza Lodge are definitely on the map!

Dublin Scene
Dublin, the home of James Joyce, Guinness, U2, Sinead O’Connor, Riverdance, Trinity College and "The Italian Corner" of course, has grown into one of the most popular cities to visit in the world, or in which to live. Friendly, trendy, vibrant and culturally eclectic, there is a unique experience to be enjoyed in Dublin.

Whether your tastes include pub life, theatre, music, art, shows, sport, shopping, business, finance, museums, history and heritage, or all of the above, you’ve come to the right place. Nothing compares to Dublin music talent, and Dublin theatre is world-renowned. The Book of Kells, in Trinity College is a must when you visit Dublin, as are the National Museums, the National Art Gallery, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral and the City Hall.

Horse racing, international soccer and rugby matches are a great experience. The recently renovated Croke Park (84,000 accomodation) is the centre of Gaelic Games – including Hurling, Football and Handball. Hurling is one of the most amazing games in the world when it is played at the highest level like an All-Ireland final.

After all of this activity there is nowhere better to dine and stay than at The Italian Corner and Eliza Lodge.

Hotels Ireland, Dublin Hotels, Irish Hotels

2011-07-13T01:03:00.000-07:00

NO BOOM AT THE INN: INSIDE IRELAND'S HOTELS: Occupancy is steady but spending is down at Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny. So the hotel has hit upon a survival strategy, writes KATHY SHERIDAN.

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IT’S A Monday night in the five-star Lyrath Estate hotel – which “fuses contemporary hotel design with the original 17th century house” – and the hotel restaurant is surprisingly busy. Middle-aged couples engage in desultory chat or awkward silences, gazing out at the landscaped gardens. “You’ll be having the crème brûlée,” says a woman tonelessly to her man. Four voluble Irishmen, unmistakeably engaged in agribusiness, are expounding loudly on the subject. One demands to know the birthplace of the waitress. “Lithuania,” she says pleasantly, calmly collecting the plates.

A tour group of Americans from Minnesota has already dined. At around 9pm, says a veteran guide, they’ll start ringing reception to enquire about the air conditioning, looking for ice buckets and directions for the TV remote. “We start and finish early,” says one of the tour group, a quiet, retired bus mechanic, over black coffee at 7am next morning. Later, he and his wife will have the full breakfast, before climbing back on the bus.

Lyrath’s owner, Xavier McAuliffe, will be hovering in the lobby at breakfast time, at pains to point out that he is no Johnny Come Lately builder/developer.

“I’ve been in this business for 45 years. And there were no tax breaks then . . . I never got a grant.” He quibbles over the alleged €50 million price tag put on Lyrath. It was “over €40 million”, apparently, but he agrees it was crazy. “You’ll never get it back.”

McAuliffe clearly loves the business, and Kilkenny. He chats easily to the staff, enquiring amiably about one employee’s “date night” with her husband. Meanwhile, he insists the business is paying its way.

Lyrath Estate must make €670,000 a month to meet its costs, says Patrick Joyce, the boyish-looking general manager, who – like many of the youthful senior staff – is still in his 30s. This includes a swingeing rates bill of €250,000 a year (equivalent to 8 per cent of every room sold) and, probably, some bank repayments. According to an accountant, the latter can account for about 20 per cent of a hotel’s costs.

It’s a detail McAuliffe’s Nama-locked counterparts don’t have to worry about, according to hotel lore. “Basically banks are saying ‘keep the cash flowing and the staff and suppliers paid and all is well.’ So they have a cushion,” says another hard-pressed midlands hotelier.

Most hotels have a story about losing out to a “Nama hotel” because they simply can’t compete on bedroom prices.

Joyce has the scars to prove it. He has had to make 18 redundancies since he arrived. The staff is now around 180 and the wage bill last week was €76,000. The hotel’s two restaurants now operate only on alternate nights. The second bar and the doorman only operate at weekends.

Though only five years old, Lyrath has had a bumpy history – and that’s apart from the reality TV show about its opening. Joyce became its fourth general manager in about 18 months when he arrived here in 2007 (via five-star resorts in the Maldives and Thailand).

He wasn’t here to witness the “ramping up” of boom-time Ireland, so the reality was a shock. People would go up to the bar, order two pints of beer and hand over a €50 note, then return 45 minutes later, and throw another €50 note at the bar for another two. Clearly the challenge of fishing out the change from the previous round was too much.

He’s not convinced that the recession has kicked in, even now. “I read a recent report saying we still have the third highest wages in Europe. People are still drinking cappuccinos from the coffee shop out of paper mugs.”

His suggestion that Lyrath’s occupancy has fallen only slightly in recent years appears to chime with that. “It was always 63 to 65 per cent. This year, it’s around 63 to 64. June is up by 12 per cent. And we have €200,000 in forward bookings for July – a huge amount of Irish families. August is slightly back on the same month last year but you’ll always see a sudden surge in bookings when the sun shines.”

But as with elsewhere, customers’ spend is down, hovering at 15 to 20 per cent below its peak.

Though some 28 per cent of bookings are made online, the client will invariably follow it up with a phone call to extract maximum value. Most ask for an upgrade. It’s worth a try, if the timing is right, says rooms division manager Elaine Scott. A reference to a birthday or a honeymoon can also be effective, although one gent has had no fewer than five “honeymoons” in the past 16 months and another appears to have several birthdays a year. “The thing is, they’d get an upgrade anyway as they’re repeat visitors,” Scott says.

But the clear impression is that it’s young women and not men who are germane to Lyrath’s survival strategy. Joyce saw the potential when a heavily pregnant women phoned to say she was coming to meet friends and asked to be collected from the train station. Joyce himself picked her up (more evidence of the great multi-tasking revolution), and while driving her back, heard a radio news item to the effect that 80 per cent of unemployment was male-orientated. The conjunction of groups of female friends with women holding the more stable jobs clicked. Packages such as “Girls Allowed” were born. “It went off like a rocket”, Joyce says. In fact, according to McAuliffe, 80 to 90 per cent of weekend guests are women – “a lot of them civil servants”, he adds, perhaps in mischief.

AS THE WEDDING INDUSTRY increasingly provides Lyrath’s “bread and butter”, in Joyce’s words, this is another area where young women are assiduously courted.

Weddings have climbed from a few dozen in 2007 to 80 this year. “They’re a tremendous source of business and we are very appreciative of it,” says Joyce.

But again, spend has fallen. Guest numbers have fallen from an average of 180-200 to 140-160 and menu prices from €75 a head on average, to around €60. As we speak, events manager Dervla O’Connor is having an exchange of views with a future bride. The deal is struck for 160 guests, whereupon the bride suggests that maybe O’Connor can toss in another 40, free of charge. O’Connor is almost dumbstruck.

“Brides are a lot more panicky now,” she says. The “miscellaneous” list can run to several pages from the positioning of crystals around the candelabras, to sweets in a basket for the ladies’ toilet.

Which brings us back to the well-worn theme of corkage. The hotel doesn’t “do corkage”, O’Connor says. “Yes, you can get your wine for a fiver a bottle, but you won’t get the staff standing there wearing white gloves for the night, ready to pour it, nor will you be met at the door by Tom in a top hat, nor a pianist in the lobby.”

The challenges don’t end there. The once highly lucrative corporate convention market has fallen victim to shareholders’ optics. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, are not allowed to use hotels with spas – so Lyrath soft-pedals the spa and has removed it from the name. They also play down the five-star billing, and market the hotel and convention centre as separate entities.

THE HOTEL BUSINESS BRINGS out the best and worst of human nature. Deputy general manager Emma Jayne Eaton still remembers a guest who took against the recorded female voice used in the lift, and then went around demanding each of the pictures be straightened.

And of course, there are the perennial “accidents” people can have (hoteliers’ stories can chill the spine); EJ, as she’s known, understands them. She is less sanguine about the ones “who actually destroy a room”. Smokers often feature. One pulled a shower cap over the smoke alarm, and covered that with a sock. Within seconds, the computer sensed the system was faulty, triggering a 3am evacuation.

Budgeting pressures are evident in the figures scrawled on a massive wallchart in Elaine Scott’s office, detailing monthly sales targets and sales achieved. The pressure to make the sale is there on the wall. But how to satisfy a woman who wishes to book a babysitter for a date in 2012 and wants the babysitter’s name, NOW? It’s not an easy job, despite the calm, easy aura projected by staff.

It’s Monday and Patrick Joyce is plainly upset by a withering email addressed to The Irish Times from a guest, still in situ, who is hopping mad about levies relating to breakfast in the room and the use of the hydrotherapy pool attached to the spa. Breakfast in bed is charged at €10 a head, she fumes. It’s not, it’s €10 a room, Joyce insists.

The guest sends photos of the breakfast order form, clearly stating €10 a head. Joyce finds the room directory showing it at €10 a room.

“There is genuinely a typo on an old order form,” he concedes wearily. A cynical head might accuse him of chancing his arm, but his pained insistence rings true. After a civil meeting, where he has offered her a complimentary stay, including breakfast in bed, she declines, adding that she understands the “thinking behind both charges” for the in-room breakfast and outdoor pool. But she still believes they are “ridiculous and insulting”.

Did you know it takes 45 minutes and costs between €7 and €8 on average to arrange, deliver and remove a room breakfast order?

Maybe the truth is that we just can’t afford all that stuff anymore.

Free Admission Heritage Sites

2011-07-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

Brian Hayes TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) announces free access to all OPW Heritage sites on the first Wednesday of every month, starting Wednesday 6th July.

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Note: The First Wednesday of Every month from July until December 2011.

The Minister said “I have decided to waive the entry fee to all OPW managed heritage properties in order to stimulate an interest in our built heritage and to encourage visits by a wider section of all communities living in Ireland, in addition to visitors from abroad.”

The Minister continued: “I have decided that this free day, which is aimed at the independent traveller, will be the first Wednesday of each month and will apply, as a pilot project, until the end of 2011 when it will be reviewed and I would encourage people to visit www.heritageireland.ie where further information on all OPW managed sites with a guide service can be viewed.”

For further information please contact Neil Ryan, OPW Press Office (046) 942 6128 or (087) 947 5552 or e-mail neil.ryan@opw.ie

Visit an OPW Heritage Site For Free

The Office of Public Works is pleased to announce that commencing Wednesday 6th July and continuing the first Wednesday of every month in 2011, all OPW managed Heritage Sites will offer FREE ADMISSION to individuals wishing to visit! A full list of participating sites is given below, and full details on each can be found on www.heritageireland.ie

Please Note that the following sites are not managed by the OPW and normal arrangements apply:

Muckross House & Gardens, and Muckross Traditional Farms; Glenveagh Castle.
Visitors may experience delays at some of our busier sites. Access to some sites is by guided tour only. Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

COUNTY

SITE

Charles Fort
Desmond Castle (French Prison)

Cork
Ilnacullin (Garinish Island)
Donegal Castle
Donegal
Glebe House and Gallery
The Casino, Marino
Dublin Castle, State Apartments
Dublin
Kilmainham Gaol
Athenry Castle
Aughnanure Castle
Dún Aonghasa
Portumna Castle and Gardens
Galway
Patrick Pearse's Cottage (Teach an Phiarsaigh)
Ardfert Cathedral
Derrynane House, National Historic Park
Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir, The Blascaod Centre
Kerry
Ross Castle price reduced from 30/05/2011
Kildare
Castletown
Dunmore Cave
Jerpoint Abbey
Kilkenny
Kilkenny Castle
Laois
Emo Court
Leitrim
Parke's Castle
Louth
Old Mellifont Abbey
Mayo
Céide Fields
Battle of the Boyne – Oldbridge Estate
Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Newgrange and Knowth)
A: Exhibition
B: Exhibition & Newgrange
C: Exhibition & Knowth
D: Exhibition, Newgrange & Knowth
Hill of Tara
Trim Castle (including keep)
Meath
Trim Castle (excluding keep)
Offaly
Clonmacnoise
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
Sligo
Sligo Abbey
Cahir Castle
Rock of Cashel
Roscrea Heritage (Castle and Damer House) and the Blackmills
Tipperary
Swiss Cottage
Waterford
Reginald's Tower
John F. Kennedy Arboretum
Wexford
Tintern Abbey
Wicklow
Glenda lough Visitor Centre

Temple Bar Dublin Quiet Contemplation

2011-07-12T03:17:00.001-07:00

Temple Bar is the pulsating heart of Dublin and is the life blood of Irish Culture and tradition in the capital. The cobbled streets of Temple Bar are soaked in the history and culture of Ireland, and that richness is enhanced by an endless stream of international globetrotting life lovers, who visit Temple Bar and the Capital City for a pilgrimage of cultural richness, traditional enjoyment, fine food, great fun, world class accommodation and the uniqueness of the Irish Pub©.

If you are visiting Temple Bar Dublin or the Historic Capital and want the Right Accommodation at the Right Price, Please contact dashhotels.com Best Rates Guaranteed. Phone: + 353-1-8644066

Dublin Hotels Dublin Stats

2011-07-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

Stats by location for dashhotels.com

Ireland 3,122

United States 824

Germany 444

United Kingdom 231

France 42

Sweden 34

Singapore 33

Russia 32

Australia 28

Belize 26

River House Hotel Temple Bar Dublin Ireland

2011-07-11T11:18:00.001-07:00

If you are visiting Temple Bar Dublin or the Historic Capital and want the Right Accommodation at the Right Price, Please contact dashhotels.com Best Rates Guaranteed. Phone: + 353-1-8644066

Oxegen 2011 Final Day

2011-07-10T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Oxegen music festival continues today with performances from Beyonce, Coldplay, The National, Slash and Pendulum.

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Headline acts Foo Fighters, Eels and Deadmau5 closed proceedings on a high last night.

Artic Monkeys, Paolo Nutini, Brandon Flowers and Beady Eye, the new vehicle of Oasis man Liam Gallagher, also graced the Punchestown stages yesterday and the weather has been particularly kind to fans visiting the racecourse venue.

The good weather drew tens of thousands of fans out of their tents and into the main arena this evening for sets by Two Door Cinema Club, Professor Green, Plan B and Imelda May.

"What a day," said Johnny Flynn from Belfast. "We couldn't have asked for more."

Two Door Cinema Club pulled in one of the largest crowds and the Co Down band were quick to comment on the good weather at Oxegen, something of a rarity in recent years, after taking the stage.

"What the f**k is going on," asked frontman Alex Trimble. "It's not raining."

The band gave the crowd exactly what they were after and blazed through numbers from their album Tourist History. The single Undercover Martyn, which has featured in a number of television adverts drew one of the loudest cheers of the day, as did Do You Want it All? and Sleep Alone , which Trimble said was likely to feature on the band's next record.

"It's so nice to be back in Ireland playing a show," Trimble said to a warm reception. "You're the most mental f**kers in the world."

Professor Green and his band whipped up a minor frenzy in the Heineken Green Sphere tent with a set which sampled everything from Dr Dre to The Pixies.

The Londoner compelled the audience to bounce, sing and throw their hands in the air, and they duly obliged.

Big Country, The Little Cars, Touchwood and surprise additions Amanda Brunker and DJ Church, aka Irish rugby player Cian Healy, opened yesterday's proceedings but crowds were in short supply at that stage.

Model cum writer Brunker's addition to the bill, replacing the injured Jessie J, raised a few eyebrows. Her performance on the Vodafone stage, the second largest at Oxegen, was short and sweet to say the least.

Accompanied by Gitano, Brunker sang one song, a stripped down cover of U2's With or Without You less the majority of its lyrics. And that was it. "I didn’t have the bravery to do anymore," she told the crowd.

A reasonable crowd, some wearing Leinster shirts, gathered to see Healy get things started on the Electric Ballroom stage. He was accompanied by DJ Gordo and played a set which he described as featuring house beats with acapella samples.

Afterwards Healy said he was delighted with the tunout for his set, which he described as "unbelievable".

Asked if he felt similar nerves getting on stage to taking to the rugby pitch, Healy said neither were an issue for him.

"Pressure is for tyres," he said.

A number of people are arriving at Oxegen today with day tickets. Gardaí have warned those planning to attend to only buy tickets from reputable sources as a number of forged day passes and wristbands have been seized.

Dublin Hotels River House Hotel Dublin

2011-07-09T06:04:00.000-07:00

The River House Hotel is one of Dublin city's most centrally located hotels, right in the heart of Temple Bar. With our prime location we are one of the top hotels in Dublin for city breaks, midweek deals and weekend special offers. We are within walking distance to Dublin's top bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as all the main tourist attractions and theatres.

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All of the River house Hotel rooms are tastefully decorated in a modern style with the emphasis on comfort. Each of our 35 bedrooms consist of a private en-suite bathroom, tea / coffee making facilities, TV, radio, hair dryer and direct dial telephone. Value for money, The River House Hotel is ideal, save on price not on quality.

The River House Hotel is conveniently located if you are coming to Dublin for a concert in the O2 Arena, or to watch your GAA team play in Croke Park Stadium, or to support either the Irish rugby team or the Irish football team as they battle it out in the Avivia Stadium.

Coming from Dublin Airport we recommend that you take the 16A Dublin bus from outside the arrivals hall. The River House Hotel is approximately 2 minutes’ walk from the bus stop, indicated on the map below.

The nearest car park to the hotel is Jervis Street Car Park, this is safe and secure parking, and you will get a generous discount when you get your ticket stamped at the River House Hotel.

The Mezz Venue downstairs boasts Temple Bar's most intimate and funkiest interior, with state of the art digital sound system and LED lighting system.

Barrys Hotel Dublin Hotels

2011-07-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Barrys Hotels Dublin Hotels

Built in the latter part of the Georgian Period, Barry's Hotel is one of Dublin's oldest Hotels situated in the City Centre just 3 minutes walk to O'Connell Street. Michael Collins, the famous patriot of Ireland, shot at soldiers from a window above the hotel reception now one of the guest bedrooms just after the 1916 rising when surrounded by the British army.

Guests staying in Barry's Hotel in Dublin will be sure of good value for money, excellent quality, comfort and a warm welcome. Offers a 24-hour reception service, with the residents' bar open until 4am; please note that a nightclub operates under the hotel and is open 5 nights a week.

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Dublin Hotels Dublin, Wynns Hotel, Abbey Street

2011-07-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

Wynns Hotel
35/39 Lower Abbey Street
Dublin 1
Dublin 1
Call: +353-1-8644066

BEST RATES RIGHT NOW

About Wynn's Hotel has been a well-known Dublin landmark for over 150 years. During this time it has provided luxury accommodation to countless numbers of people including many famous personalities and dignitaries.Today Wynn's is a family run concern and they are keen to preserve the emphasis on personal attention and friendly service that has long been the hallmark of the establishment. With its traditional bars and lounges, superbly prepared food, delightful bedrooms and its downtown location close to fashionable shopping areas, theatres, cinemas and places of interest, Wynn's Hotel is your ideal address when visiting Dublin.

Location
Wynn's Hotel is perfectly located right in the heart of Dublin, only a couple of doors from O'Connell Street. The shopping area of Henry street is a 2 minute walk and Grafton Street is a 5 minute walk. Temple Bar is only 5 minutes walk from the hotel and is bustling with bars and restaurants. Dublin's theatres are all within walking distance and the famous Abbey Theatre is only 50 yards from the hotel. Directions to Wynns Hotel from the N2, main Dublin/Derry Road Head towards Ashbourne and on into Finglas, heading towards the City Centre. pass by Glasnevin Cemetery towards Glasnevin, take a right turn onto Withworth Road. Go to the endof Whitworth Road, taking a right turn onto Dorset Street. On Dorset Street take the third left onto Gardiner Street. Onto Gardiner Street, pass by Mountjoy Square and take the next right turn after the Hill 16 Public House, onto Parnell Street, taking an immediate left turn onto Cathal Brugha Street. Here, take a right turn heading onto O'Connell Street. Pass down O'Connell Street pass Clery's Department Store on the left and take the next left turn onto Lower Abbey Street & park on the left hand side in the loading bay for further assistance from the Porter of the Hotel at the main door to the Hotel.

Rooms
Our 70 bedrooms, comprising single, double and twin rooms are bright and tastefully furnished with many features to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. These include remote control colour television, direct dial telephone, hair dryer and trouser press. In addition a 24-hour room service is available.

Other
Peacock Restaurant at Wynn's Hotel The Restaurant at Wynn's is renowned for quality food, superbly presented and served with special attention to detail. A delicious carvery lunch is served daily from 12 noon to 3 PM and a-la-carte dinner from 5.30 PM to 9.00 PM. Compliment your meal with a bottle of wine chosen from our extensive wine-list. A Pre-Theatre Set Dinner is available from 5:30 pm until 7pm Monday to Friday. Saints & Scholars Bar at Wynn's Hotel The Lounge at Wynn's hotel has long been a favourite rendezvous point with Dubliners and visitors alike. The elegant environment featuring a beautiful teak and mahogany bar is popular with theatre and cinema goers, young couples, old friends meeting for a chat and many others. Guests may choose from a large selection of quality drinks served by our friendly professionally trained bar staff. Shopping near Wynn's Hotel Grafton Street > Grafton Street, located between Trinity College and St Stephen's Green is a popular shopping area with fashionable stores such as Brown Thomas, the department store catering for many designer showcases, both foreign and local. Dublin's leading and most exclusive jewellers, Weirs, is also here, as well as the most popular of the famous Bewley's Cafés. Other principal shopping streets in the area include Wicklow Street, Dawson Street, and South Great Georges Street. The nearby Powerscourt Towncentre is one of the nicer, albeit small, shopping centres in the city. Also close by is The Georges Street Arcade, an indoor market well worth a visit. Henry Street > Henry Street has department stores such as the popular Arnotts, and an assortment of popular clothing and footwear stores. The ILAC shopping centre and the newer Jervis Street Shopping Centre are both here. The well-known outdoor food market of Moore Street is always full of bargains. The nearby O'Connell Street, Dublin's main thoroughfare, is home to the excellent Clery's Department Store and Eason's Booksellers and many smaller shops. Places to See near Wynmn's Hotel General Post Office (GPO) > Built in 1818 halfway along O'Connell Street (formerly Sackville street), the GPO became a symbol of the 1916 Easter Rising. Members of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army seized the building on Easter Monday (24th of April) and Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish republic from its steps. The rebels remained inside for almost a week, but shelling from the British eventually forced them out. Inside the building is a sculpture of the legendary Irish warrior Cuchulainn, dedicated to those who died for their part in the Easter rising. > Location: O'Connell Street. > Opening Hours: 8am-8pm Monday-Sat. 10.30am-6.20pm Sunday. > Admission: Free. # Trinity College > Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth. It was not until the 1970's that Catholics started entering the university, as they were banned by the archbishop. Among many famous students to attend the college were playwrights Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Beckett. Trinity's lawns and cobbled quads provide a pleasant haven in the heart of the city. The major attractions are the Old Library and the Book of Kells, housed in the Old Library. Location: College Green. > Admission: Free to the college: admission to Book of Kells, &euro8. Bank of Ireland, College Green > The prestigious offices of Ireland's national bank began life as the first purpose-built parliament house in Europe. Completed in 1739 it served as Ireland's Parliament until the Act Of Union in 1801. This imposed direct rule on Ireland from London. Today attendants lead tours that point out the coffered ceiling and oak panelling. There are also huge tapestries of the Battle of the Boyne and the siege of Derry, and a splendid 1,233-piece crystal chandelier dating from 1788. The present building also known as Grattan's Parliament was completed in 1808 after additions were made. > Opening hours: Monday- Wednesday & Friday 10am-4pm, Thursday 10am -5pm. > Guided Tours: Tuesdays: 10:30am, 11:30am, & 1:45pm or by appointment. > Telephone: (01)-6615933 (01)-6615933. > Location: College Green. > Admission: Free Leinster House - Dáil Éireann - Irish Parliament > Originally built for the Duke of Leinster in 1745, the building's Kildare Street façade resembles that of a large town house. Bought by the Royal Dublin Society in 1815. The government obtained it in 1922 for parliamentary use and bought the entire building two years later. Visitors can arrange to tour the main rooms, including the Seanad chamber, and can sit in the public gallery in the Dáil. > Location: Kildare Street. > Admission: Free. > Telephone: (01)-6789911

Oxegen Festival 2011 line up

2011-07-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

Oxegen Festival 2011 line up

Town House Dublin Ireland Hotels

2011-07-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

Town House Dublin
No.47 Lower Gardiner Street
townhouseofdublin.com

We have a wide variety of rooms.
For reservations call +353 1 878 8808.

Established in 1978 The Townhouse has a long standing commitment to the comfort of our guests. The Townhouse offers you a unique range of bed and breakfast accommodation in a relaxing, comfortable and friendly atmosphere.
The Townhouse is located in the heart of historic Dublin, a short walk from the leafy Trinity College (the second oldest university in Europe), the fashionable shopping streets, Temple Bar, the International Financial Services Centre, the O2 Arena, National Conference Centre, Croke Park, Aviva Stadium, museums, art galleries and a myriad of pubs and restaurants.

Double Rooms:
Spacious accommodation, the Townhouse has over 80 private rooms, some with private balconies overlooking a beautiful Japanese Garden, others enjoying Georgian sash windows with views of the surrounding cityscape. Most have private bathrooms. All rooms include multi-channel television, telephone and tea and coffee facilities. All of our double rooms have freshly laundered white bed linen and all rooms are serviced daily.

Twin Rooms:
The mixture of double and twin rooms each with comfortable white bed linen, some with complementary wifi, multi-channel television, telephone and tea and coffee making facilities make the Townhouse a very enjoyable experience. Each room provides an in room safe and hairdryer. Enjoy a restful and productive stay in an atmosphere blending tradition and technology.

Single rooms:
Each of our single rooms are decorated to a unique style boasting the modern convenience you should expect from a beautiful Georgian building. Amenities include multi-channel television, telephone, and tea and coffee facilities. All single rooms are en-suite and boast freshly laundered white bed linen. Some of our singles enjoy a private balcony overlooking a Japanese Garden full of beautiful greenery.

What our guests have said...

"All beautiful. When I'm back home I will talk to all my friends about this Townhouse and I hope to come again." Sagliette Flammio - San Remo, Italy

"It is the best place I've stayed in the last four years of travelling in 60 countries. A nice end to a long journey." Laurie North - Oregon, U.S.A

"I particularly liked the 'family-run' charms which the Townhouse has in combination with the highly professional commitment of the staff." Willi Schlapfer - Basel, Switzerland

"Lovingly restored, The Townhouse is...a warren of elegantly decorated rooms...in keeping with the period style...and at this price, a steal." The Sunday Independent.

Dion Boucicault
Your room is named after a play written by Dion Boucicault (pronounced Boo-seek-O) who lived in this house in the 1830's ('he house was built about 1808). He was a flamboyant character by any standards.
Immensely famous and wealthy (he made £500,000 on one play alone) at the peak of his career. He married three times and died broke! (I'm only reporting the facts!) He was prolific. He wrote more than 150 plays - as well as acting and directing many of them.
In The Townhouse lobby you will see many of the original Playbills and posters for his plays. For example, The Shaughran (an Irish language term for a good natured bowsie who always seems to outwit his detractors and land on his feet) first opened in the famous Wallack's Theatre, in November 1874. You'll see posters (over reception) for productions in London's National Theatre in 1990, and the Sydney Opera House Theatre in 1995. Still enjoying rave reviews after 120 years! There's so much to report about Boucicault that it's difficult to condense into a short pressay.
(Richard Fawkes has written his most comprehensive biography - Quartet Press). Born in 1829, Dionysius Lardner Boucicault was one of the great dramatists of the Victoria era. He also pioneered the role of the theatre director and was responsible for many innovations in stagecraft, making him an influential figure of the theatre in Ireland, England and America. His spectacular quarrels with colleagues, his passion for women and his making and losing fortunes caused scandal during his lifetime and continue to make him fascinating a hundred years after his death.
This house No.47 Lower Gardiner Street was his childhood home (his birth is shrouded in mystery).
Later he ran away to become an actor and was a successful playwright by the time he was twenty-one? Indeed he was a significant influence on Wilde, Shaw, Synge and O'Casey. It was O'Casey that remarked 'Shakespeare's good in bits, but for colour and stir give me Boucicault'. But Boucicault didn't care who he offended and he had enemies enough to do him down.
However, after his bigamous marriage to Louise Thorndyke even his friends decided to ostracize him. And therein lies the reason that he is not better known today. It’s as though there was a conspiracy during his later life to ignore his very existence. Jim Connolly, artist and sculptor, remembers him at his flamboyant best. His half size bronze statue that stands by the lift in the lobby captures Boucicault in his finest regalia (he spent thousands on clothes).
Mr. Lafcadio Hearn
Mr. Lafcadio Hearn...or better known to his Japanese friends as Koizumi Yakumo, was born of Irish-Greek parentage in 1850, on the Ionian Island of Lefkas.
In 1851, when Charles Hearn (an assistant Surgeon in various regiments) was assigned to the West Indies, he sent his wife and infant son, Lafcadio, home to his mother in Dublin, Number 48 Lower Gardiner Street. Rosa, Lafcadio's mother did not speak English and was treated very much as an alien by the conservative Hearn family.
In 1853 Charles returned home from the West Indies, but relations between himself and Rosa were strained, in turn leading her to return to her native Greece in 1854, leaving behind her son whom she was never to see again.
Throughout the next 40 years, Lafcadio Hearn's life was to remain as tragic and unstable as his beginning years, moving from Ireland, England, France and America. It was while in America that Lafcadio took the assignment with the newspaper "Harper's" that led to his first glimpse of majestic Fujiyama, Japan, 1890. Subsequently he married a Japanese lady, took a Japanese citizenship and adopted the name "Koizumi Yakumo".
As a journalist and writer he poured out book after book about the land of his adoption. Through his keen intellect, poetic imagination and clear style, he became the great interpreter of things Japanese to the West.
It was in 1904, after, as some would say possibly his best work "Japan, an attempt at Interpretation" that Lafcadio died of a heart attack aged 54.
The renewed interest in Hearn and his works, a hundred years later, is an acknowledgement of his interpretation skills of the inner life of Japan for the west and the west of Japan.
He remains today as a popular literary figure and adopted son of the Japanese people, of whom many are welcome to see the beginning of a great man at the Townhouse, 48 Lower Gardiner St., Dublin.

Barrys Hotel Dublin Ireland

2011-06-30T03:26:00.000-07:00

Dublin Hotels Dublin

River House Hotel Dublin Ireland

2011-06-30T03:21:00.000-07:00

River House Hotel.com

The River house Hotel is one of Dublin city's most centrally located hotels, right in the heart of Temple Bar. With our prime location we are one of the top hotels in Dublin for city breaks, midweek deals and weekend special offers. We are within walking distance to Dublin's top bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as all the main tourist attractions and theatres.

All of the River house Hotel rooms are tastefully decorated in a modern style with the emphasis on comfort. Each of our 35 bedrooms consist of a private en-suite bathroom, tea / coffee making facilities, TV, radio, hair dryer and direct dial telephone. Value for money, The River House Hotel is ideal, save on price not on quality.

The River House Hotel is conveniently located if you are coming to Dublin for a concert in the O2 Arena, or to watch your GAA team play in Croke Park Stadium, or to support either the Irish rugby team or the Irish football team as they battle it out in the Avivia Stadium.

Coming from Dublin Airport we recommend that you take the 16A Dublin bus from outside the arrivals hall. The River House Hotel is approximately 2 minutes’ walk from the bus stop, indicated on the map below.

The nearest car park to the hotel is Jervis Street Car Park, this is safe and secure parking, and you will get a generous discount when you get your ticket stamped at the River House Hotel.

The Mezz Venue downstairs boasts Temple Bar's most intimate and funkiest interior, with state of the art digital sound system and LED lighting system.

Bon Jovi RDS Dublin Hotels

2011-06-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

Bon Jovi Dublin: Hair metal legends, 80s relics, and they haven’t changed their sound, or their leather trousers in decades, so what is it about Bon Jovi that keeps the punters coming back for more of that bad medicine? Seems you don’t need giant claws or multiple costume changes to stay on top. You just need some good old-fashioned workingman’s rock’n’roll. World class music, top class accommodation, CALL US NOW.

Louis Walsh sex claims man charged

2011-06-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

A man (24) has been charged with falsely accusing music industry manager judge Louis Walsh of indecent assault at a Dublin nightclub.

Leonard Watters, who was granted bail on condition he does not contact Walsh or anyone from the Westlife band, is charged with making a false report to gardaí. He appeared at a brief sitting of the Dublin District Court just before 1pm.

Walsh has described the investigation over the last week as hugely distressing.

Mr Watters was charged under section 12 of the Criminal Law Act, and penalties for the offence range from a €500 fine to five years in prison.

The accused has told investigating officers he has no fixed abode, but the court heard he is from Navan, Co Meath.

Judge William Early granted bail on a total of three conditions. As well as avoiding contact with Walsh and Westlife, he must not interfere with any other potential witnesses and must provide an address within the next 24 hours.

The court was told Mr Watters, who was ordered to pay a €300 bond to secure his release on bail, is unemployed.

The accused made no reply when charged, arresting officer Det Insp Michael Cryan told the court.

There was no objection to bail from the State solicitor and the case was adjourned until September 7th at the District Court.

Music industry manager Walsh became a judge on The X Factor in 2004 and is the only remaining member of the original panel. He has managed a number of groups and performers, including boy bands Boyzone and Westlife.

Central Hotel Dublin

2011-06-29T01:05:00.001-07:00

The Central Hotel by dasher: Central location, with a central view, luxury accommodation, lots to do, fine food and wine, with service divine, keeping up standards while others decline, modern touch with classic tradition, pulse beating with modern life, contemplation in the library bar, good company never far, call us now and enjoy a stay, Best Rates Guaranteed, That’s What You Pay. Phone: 00353 1 679 7302.

Louis Walsh Sex Claim False

2011-06-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

Leonard Watters, Navan, County Meath.

X Factor judge Louis Walsh has welcomed the news that gardaí in Dublin have dropped an investigation into an accusation of an alleged indecent assault.

The music mogul was commenting as it emerged that a 24-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of knowingly making a false report to police.

Leonard Watters was detained in Navan town and taken to Dublin for questioning, where he can be held for up to 24 hours.

The penalty for such an offence ranges from a €500 fine to five years in jail.

Walsh said it had been a "hugely distressing time" and he was now pursuing legal action over publication of the story.

He said: "I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that I am now no longer under investigation.

"I have robustly maintained from the outset that this alleged incident did not occur."

Walsh said he was "outraged" that the story was ever published and he had instructed his libel lawyer.

He added: "I have no intention of letting this matter rest until I have received total and absolute vindication.

"This has been a hugely distressing time for me, but I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues for their support and I am now just looking forward to getting back to work."

The Irish star became a household name in 2004 when he became a judge on The X Factor, and is the only remaining member of the original panel.

He has managed a number of groups and performers, including boy bands Boyzone and Westlife.

dashhotels.com: City North Hotel Dublin Ireland

2011-06-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

dashhotels.com: City North Hotel Dublin Ireland: "City North Hotel plays Damien Dempsey City North Hotel pianist Peter Divine The Tara Lounge City North Hotel by dasher Tel: 01 690..."

Whelans Dublin, Whelans Live

2011-06-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

Upcoming gigs

PEADER KING 28/06/2011
NO ROLLER 29/06/2011
BRESSIE 29/06/2011
THIS WILL DESTROY YOU 30/06/2011
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
w/ 27B 30/06/2011
THE YEAR THE MONKEYS LANDED 30/06/2011
BLACK KAMIKAZE ORCHESTRA (FRONT BAR) 1/07/2011
HEROES IN HIDING
*ALL AGES SHOW* 2/07/2011
HEROES IN HIDING 2/07/2011
CATSCARS 2/07/2011

Dublin Attractions, Dublin Hotels

2011-06-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

EMMA SOMERS is in week four of her triathlon training programme and is determined to ditch the pool and join the sea swimmers in Seapoint, Dublin – with barely a wetsuit in sight

DECLAN O’ROURKE lit a smoke up on a candle, and somewhere a sailor died. And despite the fresh sea air, the bright blue skies, the bustle of early-morning swimmers, it’s the Ballyfermot singer’s melancholy lyrics that lap into mind at the water’s edge in Seapoint.

Until this week, Seapoint meant nothing to me other than a stop on the Dart; a reminder that Dún Laoghaire would be along shortly. Who knew that at first tide each day, its Martello Tower attracts a band of brave Dubliners for a dip in the bay?

From around 9am, swimmers of all ages – although most of them are over 70 – gather in the lukewarm sun and ready themselves for the sea, barely a wetsuit in sight. One sprightly septuagenarian does push-ups on the pier after her swim. It would put you to shame, I can’t help thinking, forgetting the purpose of this early start.

It’s cold. There’s no getting away from it. Our proud gesture to forego wetsuits like the hardy regulars seems less inspired by the second. One, two, three... head under. Jesus wept.

And then you swim. Because it’s the only way to keep warm. And because there are two things in life you never regret doing: brushing your teeth, and going for a swim. So says a wise friend of mine with a sparkling smile.

Once you get moving, the cold becomes bracing, warming your cockles just enough to take in the view and mingle briefly at the blue railings – “sure it’s grand once you’re in, isn’t it?” – before swimming off to keep the blood flowing.

I say swimming. But in the sea, my fancy new moves from training evolve into more of a determined flailing. It doesn’t help that the goggles are buried at the bottom of my bag; without them, the tendency is to swim with gusto into people and walls. And so I’m up to my old tricks: head bobbing out of the water like a panicked otter; legs dipping and kicking wildly with no discernible purpose other than infuriating anyone caught in my wake; arms swinging like an angry monkey.

“Let’s head out to that buoy and back,” my new triathlon partner suggests. Not a hope in hell. To the next railing and back, maybe. But emerging from the water, the feeling is of elation – style and distance be damned. One dip in the great outdoors has washed away the tedium of the lessons, the stench of so much chlorine, the indignation of being asked to move aside in the casual (not even slow) lane, the grubby showers, the forgotten hairdryer/socks/moisturiser. Instead, our heads are filled with the nostalgia of summer days on Dollymount Strand, the delicious sensation of shivering back into dry clothes after splashing about in the water, those odd stripey chimneys looming in the distance.

The sea took us away.

LESSONS: WHERE TO GO

I didn’t sign up for this triathlon to slosh about in chlorine alongside grumpy office workers with no regard for the learner swimmer. But after a dip at Seapoint, there is hope that the means will justify the end. There are any number of group swimming lessons available around the country, particularly at this time of year. I’ve tried them, and failed. This time around, I’ve opted for private lessons and lots of practise, and it’s doing the trick. Sort of.

The Markievicz Centre on Townsend Street in Dublin offers half-hour lessons for €15, if your skin can handle the chlorine and distraction of a generally full pool. A little less central and a lot more expensive is the Mespil Pool, off Leeson Street. Lessons cost €45 for 45 minutes, with a discount if you book more than four. (I found Jenny very patient and helpful. And honest. “You just need to practise. Come back to me if you’re not getting the hang of it.”)

City North Hotel Dublin Ireland

2011-06-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

City North Hotel plays Damien Dempsey

City North Hotel pianist Peter Divine

The Tara Lounge

City North Hotel by dasher

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

The Four Star City North Hotel is quietly set back from the hassle of city life, yet convenient to city living, being located just 15 minutes north of Dublin Airport along the M1 Dublin-Belfast motorway at junction 7, City North Hotel is easy to find. I had travelled to the City North Hotel on Friday, 24th June, 2011 to attend performances by the irredeemable Jerry Fish and the Mud Bug Club, and the main act of the evening the sensational Irish guitarist and vocalist Damien Dempsey, born in Donaghmede on Dublin's Northside in 1975, Damien Dempsey is the voice of that underclass and the quintessential Irish singer songwriter.

Dublin Hotels Dublin

Upon arrival at the City North Hotel I noted the spacious FREE car parking which is well landscaped with an array of shrubbery and young trees. The tasteful landscaping allows the City North Hotel to sit easily into the natural local environment.

The reception area of the North City Hotel is modern with clean lines and minimalist décor; the main walls were adorned with the work of known artists’ Ian Fleming and Mary O Rourke. The featured piano in the reception adds a light classic mood of tradition and hospitality and I was informed that on Saturday evenings relaxing melodies are played by Peter Devine the popular cocktail pianist. The receptionists while busy were pleasant, professional and courteous to the many guests arriving for their short breaks and overnight stays.

Having been given clear directions to the concert venue and being invited to retire to the The Tara Lounge at the City North Hotel to enjoy something to eat or drink, I was quickly seated and viewing the menu. The Tara Lounge is directly accessed from reception, and while upon my visit it was busy it has a relaxed atmosphere and friendly service.

The Tara Lounge is set in a modern bar atmosphere where young and old, families and couples, groups and individuals sit comfortably to enjoy fine food and drinks. The Tara Lounge menu offers a wide range of fine food and value for money prices. On Friday 24/6/2011 a Special 10oz Irish Beef burger with side orders was also on offer at a reasonable price of 10 Euro.

The wine list is favourable with a decent French Red costing 20.45, Croix des Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays d’Oc, a fruity cascade of deep red, with hints of blackberries and spicy overtones. This is a full-bodied wine with a structure that is soft yet intense, just what was needed before engaging with Jerry Fish and his many inter-audience activities. A full and satisfactory wine list is available.

Disappointment with the Tara Lounge came at two points; firstly there was no water on the tables, which is a given practicality in most eateries in 2011. Secondly, was timing, while my order for the Americano style 10oz Sirloin Steak was taken promptly and politely, forty-five-minutes after having my order taken I found myself engaged in conversation with customers at surrounding tables who had been waiting for up to an hour for their orders. These were not complicated dishes with some customers having only ordered the Burger that was on Special.

While front of house staff seemed to be plentiful in number, one could not help wonder if the kitchen had been left short, with a Faulty Towers type episode unwinding in back of house.

However, all was not lost, when my meal was delivered it was presented to the highest standards. This was a good cut of locally produced steak, which was succulent and very, very, tasty. This steak was cooked to Pierre White standard and was garnished with fresh salad and homemade chunky chips. The meal was worth the wait and was a feast on scrumptiously cooked fresh local produce. The Table d'Hote menu is available all day and through the evening until 9.30pm.

I was informed that there is a daily carvery 12-3pm and 12-5pm on Sundays, that carvery caters for all dietary requirements and daily specials including a vegetarian option. The Tara Lounge also offers afternoon cream tea at a reasonable and value for money 25 Euro per couple.
The City North Hotel has live entertainment each weekend, FREE 24 Hour coach transfer service and FREE parking for the duration of your holiday. It hosts a fully fitted Fitness suite, kid’s games room, beauty treatment and massage suite.

Lazy Sunday is a speciality at the City North Hotel, where relaxation, catching up with friends and the Sunday papers is central to the ambiance; the City North Hotel presents relaxing live music playing in the hotel lobby each Sunday. From double bass & piano, to harpist or soulful samba rhythms, enjoy the experience any Sunday from 1.30pm, patrons told me that Sunday is a must at the City North Hotel.

Having enjoyed my hearty meal, I entered the function room where I was treated to a crescendo of musical delights with Jerry Fish followed by the legendary Damien Dempsey.
While the City North Hotel may be Four Star it gets the maximum ***** 5 Stars from dasher.

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

The 4 star City North Hotel is within easy reach of Killeen Castle in Meath - home of the 2011 Solheim Cup.

Enjoy genuine value hotel packages for music concerts, rugby and soccer matches, festivals and events throughout the year when staying at ****City North Hotel. The price for overnight in a deluxe guestroom with return coach transfer (to any of the venues listed above in Dublin) is €45 pps ALL YEAR ROUND.

Tel: 01 690 6666 E-mail: info@citynorthhotel.com

Dublin Hotels Dublin

Dublin Hotels Dublin

2011-06-24T01:07:00.001-07:00

BOOK NOW FOR BEST RATES GUARANTEED

The George Frederic Handel Hotel is located on Fishamble street in Temple bar. Although the hotel was built in 1996, it is located on one of the most historically important streets in Dublin.

The site on which the hotel now stands once housed the music hall where Handel’s “Messiah” was first preformed. To this day, Handel’s famous work is still recited once a year right outside our front door.

Our beautifully appointed 3 star hotel boasts individually appointed and upgraded rooms. All of our bedrooms are en-suite with bath and shower, flat screen 26” satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hot beverage facilities as well as mini fridges and crisp white linen. We can offer Double, Twin and Triple rooms or if you need a little more space, we can facilitate you in one of our executive doubles.

Dublin Hotels Dublin

2011-06-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

IHF QUARTERLY BAROMETER REVEALS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM AMONG HOTELIERS

20th June 2011

· 64% of hoteliers are optimistic about the viability of their businesses

· 53% report an increase in overall business levels

· 94% feel the State visit by Queen Elizabeth II has had a positive effect on Irish tourism

· 66% say the Government’s jobs initiative will benefit the tourism sector

With the summer season underway, Irish hoteliers are cautiously optimistic about the outlook for their businesses according to results of the Irish Hotels Federation’s (IHF) of hotels and guesthouses. The survey of IHF members throughout the country reveals that 64% of respondents are optimistic about the viability of their businesses over the next 12 months.

Compared with this time last year, 53% of respondents report an increase in overall business levels; 36% report a decrease and 11% indicate no change. Results indicate that business levels are up in the domestic market with 46% of respondents seeing an increase in business from the island of Ireland. This contrasts with 29% who are experiencing static business levels and 25% who are witnessing a further deterioration in business from the domestic market.

Early indications suggest a mixed performance from the British market, Ireland’s largest and most important source of overseas tourism revenues. While 38% of respondents are seeing an increase in business levels, this is offset to a large extent by the 33% who see no change and 29% who see an actual decrease in business. Respondents are more positive about the US market with 49% seeing an increase in business (31% see no change while 20% see a decrease).

Results indicate that business levels to date are mixed for both Germany and France, Ireland’s two biggest markets in continental Europe. Compared with this time last year, 23% of respondents are seeing an increase in business from Germany (55% see no change; 22% see a decrease) while 17% are seeing an increase from France (65% saw no change; 18% see a decrease).

When asked about the recent State visits, 94% of hoteliers who took part in the survey feel the visit by Queen Elizabeth II has had a positive impact for Irish tourism with 83% saying they expect to see an increase in visitor numbers as a result. A similarly positive sentiment is expressed for US President Barack Obama’s visit with 92% saying the visit has had a positive impact and 77% saying they expect to see an increase in visitor numbers as a result. The IHF expects the full benefits of the State visits to feed through to increased visitor numbers in the medium to long term.

When questioned about issues impacting on their businesses, hotels and guesthouse owners identify local authority rates as the most pressing issue. This is followed by utility costs (electricity and gas), wage costs, excess capacity, weakened consumer confidence and limited availability of credit. Over half of all respondents (53%) indicate they have experienced difficulties accessing standard credit facilities from their banks during the last year.

Tim Fenn, Chief Executive, IHF states: “While hoteliers are still facing issues around cost competitiveness, initial indications are that business levels are up and we’re beginning to see a turnaround in the sector. We’ve had a catastrophic decline in visitor numbers since 2008, so the sector is starting from a very low base. However, given the right conditions, we’re optimistic that hotels and guesthouses will see a return to growth this year.”

Job Creation Potential

Hotels and guesthouses broadly welcome the Government’s recent jobs initiative with 66% of respondents saying the range of measures announced would have a positive effect on the tourism sector. This comes at a time when employment in the hotels sector has experienced significant downward pressure: 40% of respondents indicate a reduction in staffing levels over the last 12 months (40% indicate that staff numbers remained constant while 20% saw an increase in staffing levels).

Commenting on the prospects for employment growth, Mr Fenn states that the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system remains a serious barrier to job creation and must be abolished to enable hoteliers to unlock the significant additional employment capacity within the sector:

“The hotels sector offers huge potential for creating jobs very quickly if the Government allows hotels to achieve viability based on a sustainable cost structure. Key to achieving cost competitiveness is the abolition of the JLC system, which puts hotels and guesthouses at a serious competitive disadvantage compared to our biggest competitors such as Northern Ireland and Britain. Wages now account for 42% of turnover in Irish hotels which is over a third higher than in Britain. This is clearly unsustainable in the current environment when job creation is a key objective for the economy.”

Mr Fenn states that the overriding objective for the Government must be job creation, getting people started in work and giving them an opportunity to develop their skills base and careers. He states that, coupled with control of other cost inputs within the economy and a continued programme to improve Ireland’s image abroad, Irish tourism can create a further 20,000 jobs by 2015. This is in addition to the 180,000 individuals already employed throughout the sector.

dashhotels.com: Village Venue Dublin

2011-06-17T02:20:00.000-07:00

dashhotels.com: Village Venue Dublin: "http://www.thevillagevenue.com/#frontpage-slideshow"

Village Venue Dublin

2011-06-17T02:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.thevillagevenue.com/#frontpage-slideshow

dashhotels.com: Take That Dublin

2011-06-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

dashhotels.com: Take That Dublin: "Take That bring their Progress tour to Dublin this weekend and with it a bonanza for hard-pressed hoteliers. Dublin Hotels Dublin The ..."

Take That Dublin

2011-06-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Take That bring their Progress tour to Dublin this weekend and with it a bonanza for hard-pressed hoteliers.

Dublin Hotels Dublin

The band play two concerts on Saturday and Sunday night as part of their Progress tour, which has just finished in the United Kingdom.

The combined capacity for both concerts in 165,000 spectators with promoters MCD expecting that production tickets that were put on sale on Tuesday will be gone by the weekend.

The hotels.com website is reporting that 235 hotels and guest houses in Dublin have no availability at all on Saturday night. Of those that do the Gresham Hotel has only a few rooms left at €390 each and the Fitzwilliam Hotel had one room left at €380.

A room at the Travelodge in Dublin Airport is €69 on Friday night and €220 on Saturday night.

Irish Hotels' Federation president Paul Gallagher said Take That were a “phenomenal driver” of demand for hotel rooms at the weekend and he expected all the city’s hotels to be full on Friday and Saturday night and mostly full on Sunday with fans accounting for nearly 15,000 of the 48,000 beds available in the capital over the weekend.

He said very few acts, with the exception of U2, could generate such demand for hotels rooms.

He said it was a “silly bugger story” to suggest that fans were being ripped off by hotels.

“This is about market force yield; it is not about a rip-off. Hotel rates are fluid every day of the year upward and downward. For 360 days of the year hotels are offering heavily discounted rates with some rates below a profitable offering.”

The Progress tour is one of highly anticipated of recent years especially when it was announced in November that Robbie Williams would be reunited with his old bandmates.

Williams has sold out Croke Park as a solo artist in June 2006, but he admitted his performance then was below par and he suffered from stage fright.

The band’s crew were still building the stage yesterday which stretches past the half-way line. Its centrepiece will be a huge robot called Om, which malfunctioned at one the Manchester concerts, forcing members Howard Donald and Mark Owen to use a ladder to access the stage.

The Manchester Royal Infirmary reported a 10 per cent rise in admissions to A&E mostly as a result of drunk fans who had fallen over and hurt themselves at the band’s series of concerts in the City of Manchester Stadium last week.

Supt Sean Ward from Fitzgibbon Street station said there was no such problems at the band’s performance in Croke Park two years ago and he did not anticipate any repeat over the two nights in Dublin.

“I would advise people to enjoy themselves within limits and make sure that they are not removed to hospital. They need to look after themselves while they are there.”

GAA Fixtures SFC Qualifiers

2011-06-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

GAA: The GAA today confirmed times and venues for the first round of SFC qualifiers with the eagerly-anticipated fixture between Louth and Meath to be played at Breffni Park.

All eight fixtures will be played on Saturday, June 25th with the repeat of last year’s Leinster final at Breffni Park having a 7pm throw-in and will be shown live on RTÉ 2.

Although Louth had home advantage after being drawn first in last night’s draw in Carrick-on-Shannon, the game will be played at the neutral Dublin venue because the Louth county ground, Drogheda, has a capacity of just 4,000.

Last year’s provincial final between the two sides ended in controversy when Meath won the game with a disputed late goal from Joe Sheridan.

The game will be preceded by the meeting of Cavan and Longford, which has a 5.00pm start at the same venue.

Elsewhere, last year’s beaten All-Ireland champions, Down, will travel to Cusack Park, Ennis to face Clare, with the game throwing in at 3.00pm.

The throw-in times for next weekend’s All-Ireland SHC Preliminary Round games were also been confirmed.

Cork travel to Portlaoise, where they will face Laois at 3pm, while the meeting of Antrim and Westmeath also has a 3pm throw-in at Casement Park.

All-Ireland SFC Round 1 Qualifiers
(Saturday, June 25th 2011)

Clare v Down, 3pm
Cusack Park, Ennis

Laois v Tipperary, 5pm/7pm*
Portlaoise

Antrim v Westmeath, 2pm
Casement Park

Louth v Meath, 7pm
Breffni Park

London v Fermanagh, 1.30pm
Ruislip

Cavan v Longford, 5pm
Breffni Park

Wicklow v Sligo, 5.00pm
Aughrim

Offaly v Monaghan, 7pm
Tullamore

(*If part of double-header with SHC Laois v Offaly, throw in will be at 5pm. Or as stand alone game throw-in will be at 7pm)

Brian Lenihan TD Death

2011-06-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

The President and Taoiseach have today led tributes to former minister for finance Brian Lenihan, who died today aged 52.

In a short statement, Mr Lenihan's family said he died at home early this morning. Mr Lenihan had been battling pancreatic cancer.

His diagnosis was first reported over Christmas 2009, and in January 2010, Mr Lenihan released a statement saying cancerous tissue had been identified and that he intended to begin treatment for the condition.

Despite his illness, Mr Lenihan continued to serve as minister for finance under former taoiseach Brian Cowen and contested the Fianna Fáil leadership before losing out to Micheál Martin. He then became Fianna Fáil deputy leader.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny today said he was deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of Mr Lenihan.

"Throughout his political career, Brian Lenihan displayed huge commitment to public service and carried out his responsibilities with integrity and compassion," he said.

President Mary McAleese said the "untimely death of such a young and talented public servant" was distressing for all his family, friends and colleagues. “I first knew Brian when he was a student at Trinity College Dublin. He was a brilliant scholar whose early promise as a student was fully vindicated in his subsequent career as a barrister and public representative.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Mr Lenihan had fought “a brave and courageous battle” with cancer over the past 18 months and that he had never once flinched from his public duties.

"He was tested - and tested hard - but he played a stellar role in meeting the fiscal crisis head-on. When Ireland was in the eye of the storm, Brian Lenihan never faltered," he said.

Mr Lenihan’s aunt Mary O’Rourke, a former minister, said the news was “kind of unbelievable”. She said he had been hospitalised “on and off” in recent weeks but had died at home. “We figured he was on the last lap but that he would get some months on that last lap but it wasn’t to be, and it was lovely that he died with [his family] at home,” she told RTÉ radio.

Mr Cowen appointed Mr Lenihan as minister for finance in 2008. A month after taking up the post, Mr Lenihan said he had the "misfortune" to take the job as the economy slumped.

With investors shunning Irish sovereign and banking debt, Mr Lenihan was forced to seek a bailout for the State in November 2010. "I have a very vivid memory of going to Brussels on the final Monday and being on my own at the airport and looking at the snow gradually thawing and thinking to myself: this is terrible," Mr Lenihan said in a BBC radio interview earlier this year.

The son of former tánaiste Brian Lenihan, Mr Lenihan studied law at Trinity College Dublin and Cambridge University.

He was first elected to the Dáil in April 1996 in the byelection caused by the death of his father, who had been a deputy in Dublin West since 1977.

Mr Lenihan also served as minister of justice from June 2007 to May 2008. He was also Minister of State with responsibility for Children at the Department of Health and Children, and served in the the Department of Education and Science.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his children Tom and Claire; brothers Conor, Niall and Paul; sister Anita and mother Ann.

Funeral details will be announced later.

Junior Cert Leaving Cert

2011-06-09T12:15:00.001-07:00

AFTER MANY years of consultation, the NCCA published the report Junior Cycle Developments, Innovation and Identity, the summary of its consultation findings in February.

The new Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn has now set September 2012 as a target date for the introduction of a revised Junior Certificate programme.

As a precursor to the NCCA consultation process, the ESRI carried out research into the experiences of students in the junior cycle. Among the many issues highlighted, the research identified discontinuities in the learning experiences between primary and post-primary school; that students were often taking what appeared to be an excessive number of subjects; that curriculum provision in some schools was relatively “unbalanced” with many students having no access to subjects with a practical orientation; and that the pressure experienced by teachers to complete the course for the examination meant that, at certain times, an over-reliance on giving extensive notes or on textbooks become the norm.

At the same time, students expressed a preference for more varied approaches to teaching and learning, and were more engaged with learning when these approaches were used.

Four overarching concerns have emerged from the NCCA consultation process:

First, the existing junior cycle programme has inbuilt inequalities and does not meet the needs of all students. The challenge for any new curriculum is that it be accompanied by the resources required to ensure that disadvantaged students can benefit equally from it.

Second, there is the issue of how to get the balance right between a locally-devised curriculum and central control. Everyone agrees that schools should have more flexibility and freedom to develop programmes to meet their students’ needs, but the danger is that this will lead to highly differentiated learning experiences for students, escalating inequality and leading to a two-tier provision.

Third, there is the question of how to improve the connectivity between the new curriculum at junior cycle, and the primary and senior cycle education system. The negative influence of the Leaving Certificate programme and the points system on teaching and learning is highlighted.

Finally, there is broad agreement that any new junior cycle should have its own identity and not be seen as just a preparation for the Leaving Certificate.

Three outcomes for students at the end of the junior cycle are identified as desirable: that they become both independent and resourceful learners; that they develop confidence in themselves and their abilities; and that they become effective communicators enabled to interact with others.

To roll out this new curriculum within a little over a year is ambitious in the extreme. The scale of the changes being considered in both the curriculum to be presented to incoming first years in September 2012, and the teaching methodologies proposed to transmit it, will require intensive retraining of teachers as well as an information campaign to inform parents of the proposed changes.

The fact that all schools will have an additional 33 hours of time available to them from September 2011 onwards, may facilitate the beginnings of a long-term in-servicing of the existing pool of teachers, but if the proposals as outlined in the consultation findings just published are to be implemented in full, it will be many years before all of them can be realised. For all its faults and failings, the existing Junior Certificate programme has many strengths, which should not be jettisoned lightly. Let us proceed resolutely on this process of reform, but with caution.

Ireland Holidays

2011-06-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Mary and Michael Lydon’s working farm in Meath combines the right amount of fun for kids with the right amount of comfort for grown-ups. No sleeping on extra-comfy clumps of heather here but rather in farm buildings nicely renovated as cosy accommodation.

The real appeal, however, is out in the yard where youngsters follow Mr Lydon like newly hatched chicks as he goes about his morning and evening chores, like milking cows by hand, feeding ducks and petting donkeys.

There are ponies to ride, a playground to enjoy and a trampoline to bounce on and, if mum and dad fancy heading off to see the cultural sights nearby, kids can stay and join in the summer camps the Lydons run for locals, with toys aplenty in the old cow barn playhouse.

Cost: three nights self-catering accommodation for four costs €360, including free passes to Rathbeggan Lakes, an outdoor fishing/play centre nearby.

Hotels Dublin Hotels

2011-06-05T03:59:00.000-07:00

The George Frederic Handel Hotel is located on Fishamble Street in Temple bar, Dublin. Although the hotel was built in 1996, it is located on one of the most historically important streets in Dublin.

The site on which the hotel now stands once housed the music hall where Handel’s “Messiah” was first performed. To this day, Handel’s famous work is still recited once a year right outside our front door.

Our beautifully appointed 3 star hotel boasts individually appointed and upgraded rooms. All of our bedrooms are en-suite with bath and shower, flat screen 26” satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hot beverage facilities as well as mini fridges and crisp white linen. We can offer Double, Twin and Triple rooms or if you need a little more space, we can facilitate you in one of our executive doubles. See rooms for full details.

FREE Transfers: We are located right in the heart of Temple Bar and can offer guests who book on our website complimentary transport in from the airport when they use the 748 bus.

You should not require a car when you come to Dublin as everything is easily reached on foot but should you require parking while you are here, we can offer you a discounted rate at the Christchurch Car Park.

George Frederic Handel Hotel

16-18 Fishamble Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Phone: +353-1-6709404 Fax: +353-1-6709410

Email:info@georgefrederichandelhotel.com

http://georgefrederichandelhotel.com/

Travel aer lingus

2011-06-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

Up to 30,000 Aer Lingus passengers scheduled to travel on Tuesday face the prospect of serious disruption following the collapse of talks between management at the airline and pilots aimed at averting a dispute over rosters.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has called on Aer Lingus management and pilots to re-engage in talks with a view to settling the dispute.

A spokesman for the minister said today Mr Varadkar was calling on the parties to use the State’s dispute resolution mechanisms to reach agreement. The Minister believes any dispute would be “extremely disruptive”, the spokesman said.

The Irish Airline Pilots Association (Ialpa), which is a branch of the trade union Impact, said earlier that further conciliatory talks seemed unlikely at this stage.

However, both the union and the company has said they are available for further discussions.

Ialpa said that while considerable progress had been made the talks broke down on the longer-term issues around roster arrangements.

Some informed sources said that pilots had sought the introduction of “fixed pattern rostering” which would see them receive a specific number of days off after a specific number of days on duty.

However sources said that the company had concerns about productivity issues surrounding such a system.

Aer Lingus said that now consider what contingency plans could be put in place for its customers to deal with the planned industrial action.

"Customers who wish to cancel bookings for travel on June 7th and 8th or wish to change to an earlier of later date can do so via aerlingus.com", it said.

The dispute centres on rosters which the Irish Airline Pilots Association, a branch of the trade union Impact, has argued are excessively onerous.

Pilots claim that under the current roster arrangements, they may only get one day off after working five or six days. They say this is due to an overall shortage of pilots at the airline.

Management has maintained the problem was not pilot shortages but pilot productivity.

Pilots have said that from Tuesday, they will not work on days that they are not on the roster or on annual leave days, and would report for duty one hour later than their rostered reporting times.

Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller said earlier this week that the planned withdrawal of flexibility by pilots would “destroy our ability to operate a proper schedule as we will miss our airport slot times, parking stands, gate positions and will be unable to fulfil flight connections for customers”.

dashhotels.com: Obama Ireland

2011-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

dashhotels.com: Obama Ireland: "President Barack Obama said Ireland and the US are bound by “history, affection and bonds of friendship'. Addressing a crowd of approximate..."

Obama Ireland

2011-05-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama said Ireland and the US are bound by “history, affection and bonds of friendship".

Addressing a crowd of approximately 28,000 people at College Green in Dublin this evening, Mr Obama said never has a nation so small inspired so much in another.

"Irish blood is spilled on our battlefields...Irish sweat built our cities...there's always been a little green behind the red, white and blue."

"An American does not require Irish blood because the two countries are bound by history, affection and bonds of friendship."

To rousing cheers he introduced himself as: “Barack Obama, of the Moneygall O’Bamas. I am here to find the apostrophe that we lost along the way”.

He also paid tribute to former taoiseach Dr Garret Fitzgerald, who died last week.

On the current economic crisis facing the country, Mr Obama said Ireland had faced trials before which it had endured and overcome. "We're people, the Irish and the Americans, who never stop imagining a brighter future."

"This little country that inspires such great things...your best days are still ahead...If anyone tells you otherwises, remember the simple mantra, Is féidir linn. Yes we can," the US president said in conclusion.

The speech was the final official engagement of his visit to Ireland and the president is expected to cut short his visit and depart from Dublin airport this evening.

The early departure is based on fears that an ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland may force the closure of Irish air space tomorrow and effectively trap him here.

Earlier, the president travelled to Moneygall, Co Offaly by helicopter with his wife Michelle where they were greeted by Mr Obama's cousin Henry Healy and spent about 20 minutes meeting people in the village before visiting his ancestral home.

They then spoke to locals over pints of Guinness in Ollie Hayes' Bar. Mr Obama said "sláinte" before taking a healthy gulp of his drink and insisted that he "always pays his bar tab".

The Obamas spent a few more minutes greeting the crowd gathered in Moneygall before leaving the village shortly before 4.30pm.

Following a meeting earlier today with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Farmleigh Mr Obama said the bond between the United States and Ireland is not just one of trade and commerce, but carries a “blood lineage”.

The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including the EU-IMF bailout, the banking situation and unemployment.

They also discussed the peace process in Northern Ireland and the consequences of Queen Elizabeth II's visit here last week.

Mr Obama and his wife Michelle arrived in Dublin this morning shortly before 9.30am at Dublin airport and were transferred to the Phoenix Park by helicopter, where they met President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Mr Obama then travelled to Farmleigh for a meeting with the Taoiseach. Mr Kenny said the two leaders had discussed issues such as the use of Shannon airport by the US and the role of Irish peacekeepers in Afghanistan.

Speaking after the 40-minute meeting, Mr Obama said he was “extraordinarily grateful” for the welcome he and his wife had received from the Taoiseach and the Irish people. He said the friendship and bond between the United States and Ireland “could not be stronger”.

"Obviously it is not just a matter of strategic interests. It's not just a matter of foreign policy, for the United States and Ireland carries a blood lineage," he said. "For millions of Irish-Americans this continues to symbolise the homeland and the extraordinary traditions of an extraordinary people."

Mr Obama said the US wanted to help strengthen the bonds of trade and commerce between the two countries, and to do everything it could to help Ireland on the path to recovery. “Ireland is a small country but punches above its weight on a range of issues,” he said.

On progress in Northern Ireland, Mr Obama said it spoke “to the possibilities of peace and people in longstanding struggles being able to reimagine their relationships”.

He noted the “mutual warmth and healing” that accompanied the visit of the Queen here last week, which sent a signal not just here in Ireland but around the world, he said. “It sends what Bobby Kennedy once called a ripple of hope.”

Mr Obama paid tribute to all those who had “worked tirelessly” to bring about peace in Northern Ireland. The president said he was proud of the part that America had played in getting both sides to talk and to provide a space for that conversation to take place.

Mr Obama is the sixth US president to make an official visit to Ireland during his period of office, beginning with John F Kennedy in June 1963. Richard Nixon visited in 1970, Ronald Reagan came in 1984, Bill Clinton was here three times between 1995 and 2000 and George W Bush visited in 2006.

Obama Dublin Ireland Visit

2011-05-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

WESTLIFE, IMELDA May and Jedward, along with actors Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea and Gabriel Byrne, will warm up the crowd at Monday’s public event for US president Barack Obama at College Green.

Sporting stars Padraig Harrington, Robbie Keane and Brian O’Driscoll are expected to make appearances, as are Sharon Shannon, Mundy, the Coronas, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, soprano Celine Byrne and Co Monaghan songwriter Ryan Sheridan. The event, described by the Government as a “public celebration”, was planned to last 90 minutes, but may be shortened. Some acts may be dropped.

Mr Obama is scheduled to arrive back from his visit to Moneygall, Co Offaly, during the performance, and will be introduced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. He will be accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, but the couple’s children, Malia and Sasha, are not attending as they are in school.

The event is open to the public and is free. Tickets will not be required. People have been advised to go early – security gates open at 2pm, three hours before entertainment starts.

The public should enter the security gates at the intersection of Parliament Street and Dame Street in front of Dublin Castle. They will have to arrive from the west or north as other access routes will be blocked. Adjoining streets will be blocked and car parking severely restricted.

Signs, banners, food and beverages will not be allowed, though cameras and mobile phones will be.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton is scheduled to meet Mr Obama when he travels on to London on Tuesday.

A US diplomatic source said the visit, which includes his family homestead in Moneygall, was primarily a personal journey: “He knows plenty about his Kenyan side; now he’s anxious to know about the Irish side of his family”.

The visit will cause some air traffic disruption next week, mainly when Mr Obama arrives at Dublin airport on Monday morning and departs on Tuesday morning.

The Irish Aviation Authority said other air traffic would be suspended for about half an hour on each day.

It isn’t clear how many people will attend the College Green event, but the venue was chosen because it could accommodate crowds of varying size. Signposts, street lamps and other street furniture were being removed yesterday for the event.