The “Best in Travel 2010″ published earlier this week lists Cork as the only city in Britain or Ireland among the best places to go and best things to do in the year ahead.
Cork was listed as a “top city” alongside Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Charleston  in South Carolina, USA, Cuenca in Ecuador, Istanbul in Turkey , Kyoto in Japan, Lecce in Italy, Sarajevo, Singapore and Vancouver in Canada.

The guide describes  Cork as being now “at the top of its game: sophisticated, vibrant and diverse”.

Tourism figures in Cork have strongly welcomed the inclusion of the city as being “a major boost”. This achievement brings Cork out from the shadow of Dublin as the city destination when tourists plan travel to Ireland and may be start of a movement that will see other commentators take notice and give Cork the recognistion it deserves.

The West Cork Tourism Co-Op are aiming for one final push to re-establish the Swansea to Cork Ferry service which aims to revive the ailing tourism industry in the area.

Over €2 million has already been successfully raised from all over Cork and Kerry but they still need one final push to reach the magic €3 million figure that will see the Ferry active again.

More Roadshows announced and Kerry hotline established  for fundraising

On its dedicated website www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com ,  further details have been released on new roadshows as well as a Kerry hotline set up for ferry share pledges – details can be be found here

The Ferry service between Cork and Swansea is estimated to be worth €35 million annually to the South West region and its loss is being sorely felt amongst its business owners.

Here at myguideIreland, we wish organisers all the best and lets hope they prove successful in seeing their enormous effort get over the line and bring prosperity back to this beautiful part of Ireland.

At myguideIreland we are huge fans of Cork Airport and often receive reviews from travellers highlighting the ease of transit and the quality of the experience at Cork Airport.

We welcome the appointment of Gerry Walsh and wish hime every success in steering the airport to even greater success in the coming years.

In a deal between Aer Arann and Aer Lingus, passengers will now be able to book flights from USA airports to Cork with a stopover in Dublin. Checked luggage will be transferred automatically to the connecting flight and boarding passes will be issued for the Dublin-Cork leg in the USA.

This deal will benefit both inbound and outbound travel through Cork Airport as Irish passengers will be also be able to book flights from Cork to eg JFK via Dublin in one transaction.

Managing director of Aer Arann, Garry Cullen, issued a statement stating “The ability to through check luggage all the way to your final destination from Cork, and transfer seamlessly to Aer Lingus’ USA services in Dublin will be of great benefit to Aer Arann and Aer Lingus customers. The partnership with Aer Lingus will benefit Munster by making the region more accessible to the USA inbound tourist and USA corporate travel markets.”

The streamlined booking process allows customers to book flights both to and from Cork direct to seven destinations in the USA in one single booking transaction and opens up Cork as a final destination for US Guests wishing to travel to Ireland.

How much can you eat? Try on your own, make up for it this year by gorging yourself until you’ve got pancake batter coming out your ears.

Recipe: Pancakes

100g flour
2 Eggs
200ml milk from West Cork pastures, mixed with 75ml sparkling water

1. Sift flour into a mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it
3. Whisk well
4. Slowly add the milk and water, whisking as you go
5. Cook in a pan over a medium heat

Toppings

• Sugar and lemon juice. It is vitally important that the juice be from a plastic lemon. Otherwise it may as well be any other day of the week because it’s just not Pancake Tuesday without plastic lemon.
• Nutella. Nothing else. Okay, maybe ice cream. You’ll be bouncing off the walls for days.
• Bacon and maple syrup. Friend in work gave me a bottle of maple syrup from Canada, since all I seem to be able to find in Dublin is maple-flavored Golden Syrup.
• Blueberries. Awesome when they’re dropped into the batter as it cooks in the pan.

Along the way, I’ll have spent my euros supporting the teams, I’ll have had my say in the car and bar on the composition of the team and I’ll have thrown myself wholeheartedly into the business of being a Cork man who cares passionately about the success or failure of his team. Now it strikes me that that description probably fits the players who play for the county at every level, the administrators at all levels and the backroom team of physios, kit men, groundsmen and so on, the vast majority of whom, like the players are amateur, unpaid and do it because they love it and want to make a difference. Want in short, to win things.

What we have here in Cork is a power struggle between the old guard, the torch bearers, who for the past 125 years have caused this extraordinary cultural, social and sporting organisation we know as the G.A.A., to become the world-renowned phenomenon that it is and the legions of players who for too long have been the currency used and discarded by the very thing they have helped create. In Cork there is a passion amongst the players and supporters to be the best and for the players to be the best prepared. In the past the tradition has been that the players are told what they will be allowed to have, what can be afforded; sometimes that’s been enough but more often the standards have fallen below what is expected and indeed what is the norm in other counties. So along the way maybe we’ve not won as many titles as we should have but sure we do alright don’t we? And there is the crux of the problem. To some, the players are getting uppity and need to be taken down a peg or two, to others, the more vocal players are eyed suspiciously as fifth columnists “the enemy within” who have all sorts of agendas including pay for play. I suspect the majority just want the dispute to go away without caring how, so that the teams get out on the field and we have something to look forward to come May when the days are longer and all positive results are still possible.

For me, it’s not about democracy or indeed the G.A.A.’s preferred weapon of choice, bureaucracy, it’s about cutting the players some slack and giving them a bigger say in how things get done for them. It’s the players who work their backsides off, the players who make the sacrifices, the players who take the abuse and yes the players who also get the glory. But imagine at the end of your career looking back at the sacrifice, the pain and the glory and imagine thinking that your true potential went unfulfilled because bureaucracy and rules and egos put obstacles in your way. Wouldn’t you, given the chance to do something about it, do it? I would.

The “culinary desert” of Ireland does not exist any longer. People love to go out for food and are free to choose between a multiplicity of restaurants and a great variety of culinary delights. These days there are a huge number of international influences, which make the cuisine available on this wonderful isle more varied and even more delicious.

As a result of our history and born out of a need to keep the wolf from the door traditional Irish food was based on what people could grow themselves such as staples like potatoes and cabbage. In a time when people had little food to eat and what they eat needed to keep them satisfied for a long periods of time.

That has all changed now so why not take the opportunity to be surprised and enjoy the new variety available around our wonderful country!

You can take a culinary trip through Ireland: start off in Dublin where you get the most unusual pizza I ever had; then onto Cork to the Hayfield Manor for the most exquisite breakfast buffet; to Kinsale for the best fish, the best smoked salmon you buy in Castletownshend, the most romantic dinner you can enjoy at the Glin Castle, child friendliest service you experience at the Adare Manor, the best cooked breakfast incl. champagne sorbet you enjoy at Sheedys in Lisdoonvarna and the best chips (Irish) / French Fries (according to my daughter Alexandra) you will be served at the Ardagh Hotel in Clifden. You see the variety is huge and nobody has to eat the same food every day.

BON APPETIT!

Cork airport has a brand new airport terminal building. It is bright, modern and airy and you will find your way very easily through it. The airport is situated only ten minutes from Cork city centre. There are buses and taxis right outside the terminal. Cork city itself is a nice destination for a city break or long weekend. Cork airport is also the ideal base to start a trip along the Irish West Coast. In two hours driving, you can reach the famous Ring of Kerry and Killarney Town.

More and more airlines have opened routes to and from Cork. The city is connected to many big European cities. If you have an early morning flight, you can stay in one of the two airport hotels, the Radisson SAS Cork Airport and Cork International Airport Hotel, both situated five minutes walking distance from the terminal. Within the terminal, there is a good choice of facilities to eat and shop.

For a relaxing beginning and end to your holiday or short break you couldn’t find a more convenient and stress free airport. So why don’t come and see yourself.

Today one of our team here at myguideIreland leaves us and it’s fair to say his leaving will create a huge hole in our hearts. The word “unique” is overused, usually when people can’t think of another word for special or unusual but in the case of Yuichi Hashimoto the word is tailor made for him: “existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics ” (definition courtesy of Dictionary.com)

Yuichi came to our company to work for the Japanese market inbound to Ireland having already lived in Cork city for some time. He arrived in Ireland with a sense of adventure, very little money and a patchy knowledge of the English language. By the time he arrived at our offices unannounced and looking for a job, he had developed a strong Cork city accent, a mastery of northside Cork City slang and quite a few shall we say “interesting” phrases in the Irish language. So what did he bring to the company? Boundless enthusiasm, energy, optimism, fun, surprise and the uncanny knack of saying something funny loudly when it was not meant for an audience and sparking a wave of laughter throughout our open plan offices. Yes he worked hard and contributed greatly to our company but he gave us many more intangible things which are harder to decribe.

His unquenchable enthusiasm for eating fish, his developing skills as a soccer player with our company team “Who Are Ye? FC” despite never having played at an organised level before, his contributions (not only monetary!) to our Thursday night poker games, his golfing skills honed on the great pitch and putt course in the sand dunes at Rosscarbery, his ability to strike up a conversation with anyone, of any age, anywhere; how are those attributes measured and weighed in a career resume?

Yuichi is moving to London with his girlfriend, Fabiana – the Japanese speaking Italian girl he met in Cork - and we will miss them both. Okay, so they won’t be so far away and we will see Yuichi again I am sure. It’s just that it is natural for us to get a bit misty eyed. It’s always tempting to think of your loss when someone leaves, what we will miss, how different it will be and that’s where Leonard comes in. You see he is a very wise man and what the song says is “I will miss you when you leave but I celebrate knowing you”. So today let’s celebrate.

After spending the night in a very comfortable hotel room provided by the brand new Clarion Hotel in Cork my colleague Sylvie and I caught an early morning flight from Cork to Dublin with Aer Arann.

After partaking of a large coffee at Dublin airport we were met by the girls from CMV, Alison, Dara, Marta and Orla. From there we boarded our Kerry Coaches tour bus and were introduced to our driver, Gary as well as travel agents who had come from as far away as New York, Italy, France and Belgium.

Our first stop was Cabra Castle just outside the village of Kingscourt in Co. Cavan. I must say I’m somewhat biased when it comes to castle hotels as staying in a castle is such a once in a lifetime opportunity and a truly special experience. The one thing I would say about Cabra Castle is that most of the rooms are actually outside the castle in the courtyard area. However they are beautifully furnished to the highest standard and you have the added comfort of the on-site security guard – a beautiful Irish Wolfhound called Oscar.

After some gorgeous scones and more coffee from our hosts at Cabra Castle it was back on the bus for a and onto our next stop at Errigal Country House near the village of Coothill. I must say I personally did not like the décor in the rooms although they were certainly large in dimensions. Unfortunately however they only had double beds, even in the honeymoon suite and my overall impression was of a lot of brown. On the plus side the spa facilities were fabulous and the restaurant was a lovely warm room where they provided us with a gorgeous buffet lunch which exceeded all expectations. The service throughout the hotel was warm and friendly and I also noticed that they had a very good selection of wines.

After being waved off by the friendly staff at Errigal House it was time for some serious fun so we headed to the Causey Farm Experience just outside Kells in Co. Meath where we were to be Irish for the day. Now for the Irish amongst us like myself I’m sure we were all thinking there was nothing new for us here but I have to admit even I learned something new! While being a great fan of watching our national sport of Hurling I had never actually tried it myself and our lesson from Matt gave me a new appreciation for the skills involved. And while I bake bread myself I got a few new tips from our traditional soda bread making lesson. I’d also never seen a sugan rope (a traditional rope made from straw) being made nor had I seen sheepdogs gather a flock of sheep as speedily as Matt’s dogs managed it. I’d also never seen an American milk a cow! And it was amazing how quick and easy it was to learn to play the Bodhran (an Irish drum) under Deirdre’s expert guidance.

The Murtaghs who run the Causey Farm Experience, have been farming in this area for a thousand years. Nowadays they have a beef cattle and sheep farm with a small herd of Connemara ponies.

There were originally ten in the family – Tom, Lilly and their eight grown-up children – seven sisters (Deirdre, Angela, Nuala, Camilla, Della Bernadette and Una) and one brother (Matt). Most are now settled and there are eight grandchildren. Deirdre, Angela and Matt are involved in the Be Irish For A Day business. Some of the other things you can experience include Traditional Turf Cutting, Ceili Dancing Class, Tractor and Trailer Ride and if you are there at the right time even an Irish wake.

After a great afternoon of fun and games it was back to the Headfort Arms in Kells to wash off the smells of the farmyard and get ready for dinner. After a speedy bath I reconvened with the rest of the group in the bar for a welcome glass of bubbly. After a tour of the spa facilities we made our way to our private dining room for the most wonderful dinner. The duck was succulent and the stick toffee pudding was melt in the mouth! After dinner we were joined by Deirdre from Causey Farms along with 2 of her friends and they proceeded to entertain us with some great Irish music and song. I retired to my room at the witching hour of midnight and proceeded to sleep like a log in complete comfort.

After a speedy breakfast the next morning we were all back on the bus and ready for road by 9am, some of the party looking a little the worse for wear having sampled the delights of the Headfort Arms on site nightclub. Our first stop on today’s itinerary was Lough Rynn Castle in Co. Leitrim, the newest addition to the Manor House Hotels. This was by far the most luxurious of the hotels we had seen so far and struck me as a wonderful location for a wedding or indeed for anyone who wanted to get away from it all and experience the peace and tranquility of a country manor estate. It is also a mecca for fishermen and golfers alike while their lady companions can while away the hours in the state of the art spa facilities. As for the rooms, pure luxury – I wanted to check in there and then. Sadly we only had time to sample the divine shortbread cookies before we were once more on our way.

Our next stop was Knockranny House Hotel in Westport. Here I was on more familiar territory, not because I had been there before but because I had booked many guests into this hotel and in turn heard many good things when they reported back to me afterwards. And may I say I was not disappointed. Knockranny House has everything you could want from a hotel although I was particularly taken with the surprisingly spacious spa, spas in Ireland tend to be a little cramped as a rule and the Salveo spa at Knockranny was anything but. We also got to see the wedding facilities all set to go as they were expecting the bride and groom shortly after our departure, in fact I was rather disappointed that the champagne at the front door wasn’t for us after all! After seeing the wonderful suites that Knockranny has to offer (more like a house than a suite!) we had a wonderful lunch before meandering down the hill into the town of Westport.

Westport is a beautiful little town nestled in the foothills of Croagh Patrick with views of the many islands that are sprinkled liberally in Clew Bay, the largest of which is Clare Island which makes for a great day trip. In the heart of the town is the Clew Bay Hotel a quaint country hotel which forms an integral part of the town itself with it’d busy restaurant and coffee shop. It is a family friendly hotel to the point where when I went to find the manager I found him with a baby in arms. When I enquired whose it was it turned out to be a guest staying at the hotel so like I say family friendly at every level. They even have a playroom off of the bistro dining room, a genius idea I’m sure you’ll agree. Another point to mention that rather amazed me is the beauty rooms at the Clew Bay feature a make-up artist trained by MAC and as such can offer their guests MAC products, not something you expect to find in a rural country hotel, that’s for sure! After more coffee and petit fours we spent a happy hour shopping up a storm in Westport.

After our afternoons activities it was back on the bus for a snooze as we retraced our steps back to Kiltimagh, our destination for the evening. After a quick tour of the Cill Aoidan Court Hotel in the centre of the village a couple of us waved goodbye to the bus and strolled the short distance to the Park Hotel which lies on the outskirts of Kiltimagh. The walk was badly needed after all the good food we’d been indulging in along the way.

We were greeted at the Park Hotel with Irish Coffees while our bags were taken up to our rooms. Then after a quick freshen up we were eating again, this time dinner in the restaurant at the Park Hotel, Kiltimagh where the oysters were the best I’ve tasted in a very long time. The evening was spent relaxing in the bar listening to the resident band and watching those brave enough to take to the floor for a waltz. I’m not sure what time it was when someone suggested trying the outdoor hot-tubs but due to the late hour we thought better of it and retired to bed.

Sunday morning dawned far too quickly and I was reluctant to leave my very comfortable and cosy bed. By a happy coincidence I was getting very familiar with the beds in the Park Hotel Kiltimagh as I had spent the previous Friday sleeping off the effect of a transatlantic flight in the very same hotel. This is due to the hotels close proximity to Ireland West Airport Knock where I had flown in from JFK. It was the ideal place to sleep a day away and get back onto the local time zone. The hotel also provides a free shuttle service to the airport, a nice way to avoid airport parking charges.

Luckily I had been organized the night before and as I was beautifying myself in preparation for the day I was greeted by the happy arrival of room service with my breakfast. After relaxing over my egg and toast it was back on the bus and off to Ballina.

Just outside Ballina is the Mount Falcon Country House Hotel and I have to tell you I fell in love with this property. It is set on an estate of 100 acres of landscaped gardens and (my favorite) woodlands. The swimming pool is surrounded by glass and extends out into the woodland area allowing you to feel like your swimming in a fairy woodland while still staying inside in the cosy warmth. The restaurant is set in the original kitchens of the old house and features a specially designed menu based on that mine of information, Mrs Beeton! The River Moy runs through the estate giving access to some of the best salmon fishing in Ireland. In addition to the hotel there are also self catering properties on the estate in three unique locations, the woodlands, the courtyard, and the lakeside. Above all the Mount Falcon Estate has a unique feeling about it that you have somehow come home.

Reluctantly we waved goodbye to Mount Falcon, re-boarded our bus and had a snooze while Gary drove us to our final destination, the Abbey Hotel in Roscommon. Here we had our last meal and made our farewells before heading back to Dublin airport and our flight home to Cork.

Overall it was an enjoyable and informative FAM trip and I’m happy to say it has expanded my knowledge of these midland counties and the accommodations available therein. A big thank you to the girls at CMV and we’ll look forward to seeing them again some time in the future.