Archive for July, 2008
The Galway Races are here again and the seven-day betting bonanza kicks off this evening at 5.10. The watering sprinklers were required at the Ballybrit course yesterday to maintain a safe surface for the many runners lining up this evening, but you won’t see too many damp spirits at Galway this week .
This year’s record prize fund that now exceeds €2m has, not surprisingly, grabbed the attention of several of the leading English trainers to add some friendly anglo-celt rivalry to the occasion. However Dermot Weld remains the undisputed king of Galway and Irish eyes will be looking to his Majestic Concorde in the highlight of day one, the GPT Galway (QR) Handicap to get the festival off to a flyer for the punters.
July 28th, 2008
On the 23rd of May this year the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Barak Obama can trace his ancestry back to a small Irish village. Further investigation revealed that the apparent location of these roots is the small village of Moneygall, County Offaly. Having conducted my own extensive research (5 mins on Wikipedia) I can reveal that his great great great great grandfather was none other than Mr Fulmuth Kearney, a shoemaker of the highest caliber by all accounts. Fulmuth emigrated to the United States in 1850 and set about setting up a life for himself in his new country.
July 28th, 2008
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of nights in Kerry staying at the fabulous Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney. If you are looking for old world elegance this is definitely the place for you. We were fortunate enough to get a room in the old part of the house which added to the charm and feel of the place. This said I am sure that all rooms are of a high standard. Killarney is a busy and vibrant town and it was really nice to be able to retreat to the tranquility of our hotel. It is a little out of town but still within walking distance or a short taxi ride if it is raining, which is highly likely.
July 22nd, 2008
Our very own Padraig Harrington joined an elite club yesterday after successfully defending his British Open title at Royal Birkdale, comfortably holding off the late challenge of Britain’s Ian Poulter.
Harrington who hails from Dublin produced a magnificent s
econd shot at the 17th to seal victory as he retained the famous Claret Jug he won after a playoff against Sergio Garcia last year. He landed his second shot within three feet of the pin. “The five-wood is my favourite club in the bag,” he said. “I used the downslope in my favour and it came out nice and low. Once I hit it, it was perfect. It’s one of the few times I think I’ve heard my caddie say ‘Good shot’ to me before the ball is finished. I would have been quite happy with it on the green and take my chances with two putts.”
July 21st, 2008
Hi Liz
We returned from Ireland on Monday evening. It was a great trip.
We enjoyed the tour and had a nice group and tour guide to travel with. And the weather cooperated, too — it was misty for a few minutes on one day only, then the rest of the days were partly sunny and cool — like fall here. I loved it! What a treat to get a break from the heat.
July 18th, 2008
At myguideIreland, the service we provide to our Guests is our biggest priority! We are obsessed with always finding ways to improve our service. We firmly believe this is what sets us apart as a company dedicated to travel to Ireland. We want to always exceed our Guests’ expectations on their Ireland Vacation. We have excellent relations with accommodation owners and we strive to create the best tours to Ireland. We visit every hotel ourselves to ensure it meets our standards before we recommend it to our Guests.
We actively encourage Guest feedback and when we receive the kind of testament as supplied here by Colin Grieve and his party, it makes all our hard work worthwhile.
July 14th, 2008
Cork Week, the biennial regatta hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Ireland’s largest sailing event, kicks off tomorrow in Crosshaven, County Cork.
This time around Cork Week has a new title sponsor in ACCBank, the first in almost a decade since the long-term sponsorship was relinquished by the Ford Motor Company. Today many still refer to the festival as Ford week, though the brand “Cork Week” has been well established in the intervening years.
While the event is built around the regatta with over 400 entrants competing on 5 different courses, Cork Week is not just about sailing! The tented village has become a permanent feature at Cork Week since 1986 and hosts live music, bands and clubbing available in four different marquees.
Each night there will be live music in four different marquees, with a new main stage playing host to the following acts:
Saturday 12th July - Revenge
Sunday 13th July - Aslan
Monday 14th July - The Walls
Tuesday 15th July - Bagatelle
Wednesday 16th July - Paddy Casey
Thursday 17th July - J-90
Friday 18th July - Bluemoose
I’ve attended the opening night on 3 occasions and believe me, with thousands of revellers attending it is much more like a music festival than a yachting festival.
For the serious yachtsman/woman, the festival really begins on Monday (August 14th) when the sailing begins competitively.
Over 400 boats with over 5000 sailors will take to the water throughout the week on 5 courses, 1 within the harbour and 4 outside the mouth of the harbour.
One of the event’s most prominent patrons is Roy Disney, former senior executive for The Walt Disney Company, who has competed 3 times at Cork week (1992, 2002 & 2004), coming 1st overall in 2 of his visits.
July 11th, 2008
H
ands up if you’re tired yet of the endless talk about a recession in the economy? For months now, there has been speculation about whether there will be one, if it’s not there already.
Well if the answer above is yes, here’s some good news at last - myguideIreland are offering you a 7 Day Ireland vacation for only $250, thats less than the price of an iPhone!
You can customize your Ireland tour in many ways all with the help of your own personal Ireland specialist. Here’s an overview of whats included in the tour:
- 7-day rental of an economy car including all fees and taxes, CDW, theft protection and location service charge
- 6 nights at one of Ireland’s finest cottage vacation rentals
- Road map of Ireland
- Heritage guide to Ireland including admission special offers
- Free calls to your personal Ireland specialist
Read on to see a detailed tour summary
July 9th, 2008
Ever wondered what makes the Irish so partial to a cup of tea?
Here, Summer of Travel writer Liz o’ Malley explains her experiences when travelling the South West of Ireland with the help of Barry’s finest amongst others….
I heard a statistic while in Ireland, that the Irish drink more tea per capita than any other country in Europe. I believe it, and I like it.
I come from Seattle, the caffeine capital of the U.S. It is the place where Starbucks was born, spawned from a culture of rainy, gloomy skies, thick arches of stoic forests, conditions that tuck people indoors, out of the wet cold, and around café tables. We love our coffee there - we love roasting it, we love the smell, we love the flavor.
Ireland has a similar marine climate, similar conditions of green and wetness. Read More
July 8th, 2008
