Festival Fever! Great Festivals in Ireland in 2008

Galway Arts Festival 14 – 27 July 2008
Ireland’s exciting and imaginative explosion of contemporary arts

Experience a slice of magic in Ireland’s west, enjoying the exceptional atmosphere of lively Galway city. Galway Arts Festival, Ireland’s largest and most prestigious annual arts festival will, from 14 – 27 July 2008, feature over 400 writers, artists, performers and musicians from Australia, Europe, Ireland and North America. Enjoy a spectacular programme of theatre, spectacle, dance, visual arts, music, literature & comedy and the festival atmosphere in the spectacular setting of the banks of the River Corrib.

Wexford Opera Festival 16 October – 2 November 2008
From its early Celtic and Nordic beginnings Wexford has become a thriving cosmopolitan hub, excellent for shopping and dining out, yet steeped in heritage and history. Re-live nine thousand years of history at the Irish National Heritage Park or experience the World-famous Wexford Festival Opera this fall. Enjoy much-loved operas including Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘The Snow Maiden’ and Pedrotti’s ‘Tutti in Maschera’ in one of Ireland’s most picturesque coastal settings.

Belfast Festival at Queens October /November
Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital city is steeped in culture.  Find out where great ships like the Titanic were built, marvel at the architecturally impressive City Hall or take a trip around its historic pubs by joining a Baileys Historical Pub Walking Tour.  Be enthralled by The Belfast Festival at Queens and immerse yourself in the best of Irish theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and literature.

Hillsborough Oyster Festival 4 – 7 September 2008
One of Ireland’s premiere food festivals is The Hillsborough Oyster Festival where you can enjoy the freshest of Oysters and a pint of the ‘black stuff’. Festival highlights include the Canadian Open Boat Race on Hillsborough Lake and the Irish Tug of War.
Teams participating include the Irish tug of war team and The Belfast Giants, Ireland’s only ice-hockey team.

The Oyster Eating Championship will challenge even the most avid Oyster fanatic. Come along and see if you can beat the official world record of 233 oysters eaten in 3 minutes, a record held by a local Hillsborough man, Colin Shirlow.

Enjoy street carnivals, dance the night away at the Gala ball and marvel at some of the world’s best known supercars at the ‘Super Dreamcar’ event. It’s set to be an action-packed, fun-filled festival so come along and join in on the fun!

Bushmills 400th Anniversary  Year-long – throughout 2008
This year Ireland’s oldest working distillery, The Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim, celebrates its 400th anniversary. The whiskey is named after the small village on the northern coast of Northern Ireland where it is actually made.

To mark their 400th anniversary, Bushmills distillery is launching a special edition whiskey, the result of many years experience in the ancient art of whiskey making. The special edition whiskey, BUSHMILLS 1608 Irish Whiskey is made with a process of distillation using crystal malt, a special type of malted barley which makes the whiskey exceptionally smooth. Such a high quality distilling process has ensured Bushmills longevity over the past 400 years. The Uisce Beatha (Irish word for whiskey) at Bushmills is refered to by locals as the ‘gentle giant’, because it is both “approachable and bigger than you expect.”
Bushmills is the only working distillery in Ireland open to the public and tours of the distillery are available. To celebrate the 400th anniversary Bushmills has opened a new tasting room ('The Snug') which will feature in-depth tutored tasting of the full Bushmills range. Bushmills will also be hosting a special gathering at the Distillery featuring the best of Irish music, sport, food, and whiskey.

The Hugh Lane Centenary Year-long: throughout 2008
2008 marks the Centenary year of the Hugh Lane Art Gallery in County Dublin, one of Ireland’s most popular and significant art galleries. The Gallery was first opened in 1908 by artist and art collector Hugh Lane and his friends, with the intention of showing the best of modern Irish and international artists together.

A stimulating programme of exhibitions and events will take place at the gallery throughout 2008.  One of the celebratory highlights will be an exhibition of the entire collection of 39 paintings known as the Hugh Lane Bequest of 1917. This is the first time this collection has been exhibited in Dublin since 1913. The collection features works by French impressionists such as Monet and Degas as well as Irish art sourced by Lane. The collection will be on display at the gallery between 26 June – 14 September.
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Outdoors Ireland….

Walking
From the mountains and glens to the loughs and canals, there’s a whole host of outdoor options in Ireland to keep those feet moving. Ireland offer a diverse range of walks across a range of exciting themes, including coastal, island, mountain and hill, bog and moorlands, historical, archeological and even the wonderful world of mythology.

Everywhere you go, you’ll be surrounded by the physical beauty of the island and will never find yourself too far from much-needed amenities.

Walkers can interact with local communities and savor the relaxed pace of life in rural Ireland. And if you’re not sure where to start, there’s a plentiful selection of linear walks available across the countryside. With a mild year-round climate and tons of well-established walking routes and trails, experience Ireland’s beautiful countryside up close.

Mournes Walking Festival 27 – 29 June 2008
The Mourne Mountains are the most picturesque mountain district in Ireland. They offer spectacular coastal views towards England and Scotland and the valleys below are a sight to behold. The twelve peaks include Slieve Donard, which at 850m is Northern Ireland's highest mountain. The Mournes are visited by many tourists, hillwalkers, cyclists and rock climbers.
The Mournes Walking Festival is a fantastic way to walk in glorious countryside, see spectacular Irish scenery and meet friendly local people along the way. Over the three days of the event there will be walks on offer to suit all levels of ability, experience and fitness with lowland routes ranging from 10-40 km in length.

After an exhilarating day spent walking unwind with fellow in a local pub listen to traditional music with a great pint of Guinness. The highlight of the weekend will be the ‘Blister Ball’ on Saturday night with a hot buffet and entertainment and lots of dancing!

Cycling
Leafy lanes and quiet rural roads amidst unspoiled countryside - Irish cycling holidays have it all!
Cycling is a popular way to discover Ireland, offering you the freedom to explore the magnificent countryside at your own pace. The Emerald Isle’s rugged landscape can be exhilarating at times, but there are lots of sublime cycling routes winding through some of the most beautiful scenery the country has to offer.

Wherever you cycle in Ireland, you are guaranteed to find scenic beauty, a varied landscape, friendly villages, the Irish tradition of generous hospitality and the warmest welcome in the world.

Tour of Ireland (Cycling) From Kilkenny to Dublin, via Cork, Killarney, Tralee, Ennis, Galway. 22 – 26 August 2008

Ireland’s premiere professional cycling race takes place in the South, West and Midlands of Ireland between August 22-26 2008. This world-class sporting event features 126 top professional cyclists from Europe and the US who will compete in an adrenaline-pumping tour which will test the stamina of even the most renowned athletes. Beginning at Kilkenny Castle, the tour will pass through Cork, Kerry, Clare, Limerick and Galway and offers unrivalled glimpses of some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland.
There will be a potential live spectator audience over the five days of upwards of 500,000 at stage starts, finishes and along the race route. Come and join the fun in what is sure to be a spectacular race!

Golfing in Ireland – Grab your club…Let’s go!
Like golf? You’ll love golfing in Ireland. The Emerald Isle offers more golf than any country of comparable size on the planet! 30% of the world’s links courses are in Ireland, and all of them are accessible to the visiting golfer. For golfers, the lure of testing skill and talent against course and weather on Irish links courses is irresistible. Experience the invigorating feeling of tasting the salty sea air while navigating a course that has been carved out by nature. Some of the world’s most beautiful courses are waiting to be discovered with a stunning array of lakes and rivers, mountains and drumlins, cliff tops forests and seascapes.

Ireland has produced many great golfers including Christy O'Connor, Fred Daly, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, and Darren Clarke. Play the same courses that helped shape these champions, as well as courses that gave golf's international superstars some of their proudest moments. Tiger Woods traditionally spends the week before a British Open savoring the delights of Waterville or Royal County Down. And Tom Watson liked Ballybunion, with its jumbled dunes and rugged setting on clifttops overlooking the Atlantic, so much that he said it offers some of the finest and most demanding shots into the greens of any course.

TRY:
Royal Portrush and Royal County Down in the North.

Ballybunion and Waterville in the South.

The European on Brittas Bay in the East. 

Enniscrone and Lahinch in the West.

And that’s not all… there’s also Baltray, Tralee, Doonbeg, Ballyliffin, Carne, Castlerock and Portstewart, to name just a few.
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Great Scenic Attractions in Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway: Walk in the footsteps of an Irish giant…
Be spellbound by the majestic Giant's Causeway - Ireland's top tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk over amazing basalt stone columns that were formed from volcanic eruptions 60 million years ago.

The spectacular Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is an area of outstanding natural beauty rich in history and folklore. Travel along the ‘Causeway Coastal Route’ and experience some of the world’s most dramatic coastal scenery. Some 200 kilometres of stunning coastline will transport you past rugged and windswept cliffs, fabulous unspoilt beaches and lands dotted with historic castles, churches and forts.
Climb over curiously shaped basalt stone columns and imagine how these amazing geological treasures were formed by a vast volcanic eruption all those millennia ago. Look in awe at the Causeway stones, of which there are up to 38,000 in all, and marvel at their appearance. Most of the unusual stones formed from molten lava are six-sided but others range from 4- to 8-sided and some stretch to 12m high.

Be captivated by legendary tales linking the Causeway with the great Irish giant, Finn MacCool. It is said they were formed by the legendary Irish giant, Finn MacCool, who roamed the north-west coast. He is reputed to have built a causeway of stones so that a great rival of his, Benandonner, could have no excuse not to travel across the seas from Scotland to face him in battle.

The Cliffs of Moher
Unchanged for millennia the landscape of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare will leave you awestruck. Towering 214 metres over the waters of the Atlantic ocean, let your senses be arrested with the sheer drop of these imposing sea cliffs. Looming over County Clare's west coast, the Cliffs stretch for 8 kilometres and offer stunning coastal walks.

Nearby County Mayo has the dramatic splendour of the atlantic ocean, and boasts the award-winning town of Westport and Ireland’s holy mountain Croagh Patrick among its many sights. Magical, romantic, dramatic and utterly memorable, the West of Ireland has landscapes that will be etched in your memory forever.

The Aran Islands
The three Aran Islands, Inis Mór (Big Island), Inis Meáin (Middle island) and Inis Oírr (East island) are situated at the mouth of beautiful Galway Bay. Perched at the edge of Europe, these spectacular islands are richly unique and offer landscapes of Limestone rock, a stretch of cliffs facing the moods of the Atlantic, large bolders, rock formations, and kilometers of sandy beaches.
The islands are also steeped immense cultural heritage and history. Gaelic language is the first language of its residents. It is considered the foothold of Irish culture. The Islands themselves are an outdoor museum of artifacts of religous and cultural importance. Here is a place to sense the spirit of Gaelic Ireland, to touch the past, but with all the comforts and facilities of the present. The Aran Islands will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. These are islands of great peace and tranquility, but also of great fun and activity. With welcoming and friendly locals, a memorable experience awaits you…
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The Gardens of Ireland
From the sub-Arctic flowers of County Clare to the wild strawberry trees of Kerry and Cork, Ireland is ablaze with colour throughout the four seasons so take a tour and set your senses alight! Filtered sunshine, mists of fine rain and the warmth of the Gulf Stream have crafted some of the finest gardens in the world. Visit Ireland in 2008 and discover why the entire island is considered one beautiful garden.

Here are just a few of the garden gems that await you…
Overlooking Strangford Lough in County Down lies Mount Stewart House and Gardens considered one of Europe’s most exemplary gardens. Stroll around the formal gardens, enjoying its rare plants and dramatic views across Strangford Lough. The nearby Mourne Mountains are the most picturesque mountain district on the island and offer the perfect outdoors vacation retreat.

A visit to Ireland is not complete without heading South to Fota House and Gardens in County Cork, an estate rich in history and Irish heritage, with magnificent architecture and breathtaking gardens all year round. The name "Fota" is derived from the Irish "Fód te" meaning warm soil, which allows tender and exotic plants to thrive in Ireland. Garden and culinary enthusiasts will delight in nearby Ballymaloe House, an organic farm and guesthouse that offers Irish cookery and gardening courses.

In County Kerry tour the world renowned Muckross House and Gardens on the banks of Muckross Lake, amid the splendid and spectacular landscapes of Killarney National Park. The gardens of Muckross House are famed for their fine collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, extensive water garden and an outstanding rock garden hewn out of natural limestone.

‘The Garden of Ireland’
County Wicklow, more commonly known as ‘The Garden of Ireland’, boasts beautiful scenery, a spectacular coastline and some of the world’s finest gardens. Set in the magnificent surroundings of the Sugarloaf Mountains, Powerscourt House and Gardens is a breathtaking estate of gardens, terraces, lakes and a beautiful waterfall. Nearby Mount Usher Gardens is ablaze with color in the fall
and contains 5000 different species of plants and trees. The International Garden Festival in Wicklow (May-August 2008) is a must-see event with over 41 houses and gardens taking part. Be sure to visit Glendalough, an ancient 6th century monastic settlement set in a valley of crystal lakes. After a busy day touring, unwind in the charming local village of Avoca.
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Food and Drink in Ireland

Do you enjoy fresh, healthy, and delicious foods? Awaken your senses to Ireland’s rich and varied food culture. No matter what part of Ireland you may visit, a memorable food experience awaits you…..

What’s all the fuss about?
One of the great pleasures of holidaying in Ireland is the food. Topping the list as a major gourmet destination, Ireland’s food scene is vibrant, cosmopolitan, varied and among the most dynamic in Europe. Right now, the island is at the centre of a culinary revolution and gourmet travellers are flocking to Ireland to savour a raft of super-fresh produce, supreme seafood, top cookery schools, excellent artisan industries, and Michelin-starred restaurants.

Where should I go?
While Ireland’s big cities invariably contain the biggest saturation of restaurants, markets, delis and cafes – it’s not all about the urban scene. Many of the country’s top places to eat are nestled into remote, rural countryside, and even the tiniest villages boast gourmet farmers’ markets.

What about farmers’ markets?
Farmers’ markets are not only wonderfully atmospheric places to browse around, they’re also ideal for sampling local, organic and artisan produce with exceptional farmhouse cheeses, melt-in-the-mouth fudge and salamis straight from heaven. Plus, you’re likely to stumble across one in most towns and villages across the country.

And food festivals?
The Irish like festivals, and the Irish like food – so the food festival is a big deal in Ireland. Food Festivals are wonderful ways in which to experience Ireland’s vibrant food culture and to mingle with Irish people eager to praise locally grown, farmed and harvested foods. Try the Harvest Feast Festival in Leitrim in September, the Kinsale Food Festival in October, the Hillsborough Oyster Festival and the Galway Oyster Festival in September, and the Taste of Cork Culinary Festival in June.

What’s on the menu?
Ireland is justly famous for its seafood with smoked salmon, smoked fish, oysters, mussels and crab topping the bill. But it’s not just fish that gives Ireland its reputation – the country also produces excellent lamb, beef and pork, too.

Finally, it would be foolish to miss out on some of the country’s top produce including black pudding, homemade candy, farmhouse cheese, soda bread and, of course, Guinness and maybe a drop of whiskey!
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Accommodations in Ireland
Lavish country houses, sumptuous castles, modern boutique hotels and warm, welcoming B&Bs – wherever you want to stay, Ireland has a spot to suit.

With over 1,000 hotels, 3,500 b&b’s and numerous self catering, farmhouse, and guesthouse properties, there’s bound to be something for you. B&b’s remain one of the most popular accommodations in Ireland and with superb quality accommodations, home-cooked full Irish breakfasts and an average cost of $50Canadian dollars per person per night, it’s easy to see why!

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