Ireland

Ireland Insight

Boasting stunning scenery from lush fields and dramatic coastlines to vibrant villages and cosmopolitan cities, there’s no better place than Ireland to enjoy a hearty meal or a pint of Guinness with the lively locals.

Enjoy the Emerald Isle in style with Insight Vacations, offering premium escorted tours by luxury motorcoach, with more legroom and comfort and a maximum of 40 people.  The services of experienced tour directors will ensure you enjoy your trip to the fullest with a dazzling array of sightseeing highlights, impeccable service and delicious dining experiences.

Country Roads of Ireland 12 days from $3025 per person
This well paced tour includes two night stays in Killarney, Galway and Dublin and attracts both experienced and first-time travellers.  Perfect for those with Irish heritage or those fascinated by the Irish way of life.

Irish Elegance 8 days from $2599 per person
This tour showcases the undisputed ‘gem of Ireland’; the Ring of Kerry, St. Patrick’s great Rock of Cashel, the wild Connemara and, of course, the earm-hearted capital of Dublin.  From the amazing views of the Connemara Coast to the elegance of historic Ashford Castle, you are sure to be enchanted and delighted!

Focus on Ireland 7 days from $1899 per person
This tour features tow-nights in Killarney, and overnight stays in Galway and Waterford.  Explore the living museum at Bunratty, experience a jaunting car ride in Killarney, enjoy the beautiful green countryside and listen to the ‘lilt’ of Irish voices.  These are just a snippet of what you can expect on this ever popular tour.

For more information on tours, visit Insight Vacations

Small island, big trip

Ireland sits just off the west coast of Britain and is 134,000km2 of rugged coastline, sandy beaches, winding roads, green hills and thousands of years of history for you to explore and discover.

Home to 5.7 million people, many of them who will want to chat and share a drink with you, Ireland is a melting pot of old warm charms and new world discoveries.  Whether you head north, south, east or west on the island, there is an abundance of things to do, sights to see and people to meet.

Dublin in the south and Belfast in the north are the two main cities on the island. 

Dublin is one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities, with plenty of trendy bars, shops and luxury hotels to keep you occupied.  Home to literary greats such as George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce and Oscar Wilde and boasting some of the best Georgian architecture in the world, there is plenty of culture to loose yourself in if bar hopping and shopping are not your thing. 

Belfast is, sadly, probably best known for its political troubles over the years.  Thankfully, these seem to be in the past and Belfast is emerging as a truly great tourist stop.  Not as twee as its southern counterpart, Belfast offers a warm welcome to all, with the kindness and humour of the city’s people being its greatest asset.  This city launched the Titanic and boasts the finest Victorian architecture to be found in Europe.

Getting away from the city life in Ireland is easy by car, train, boat or bike.  Northern Ireland has such gems as the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, Mourne Mountain in County Down and the Bushmill’s Distillery.  Also home to the Lady of the Lake Festival and the Apple Festival, Northern Ireland has plenty to keep you entertained

With some of the best beaches on the island, Ireland’s east coast is perfect for family holidays.  With horse racing, golf courses in abundance and water sports on the many lakes this area boasts, this is a holiday destination for the active.

The west coast of Ireland is probably the Ireland that most people imagine.  Buffered by the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is rugged and beautiful and places such as Galway, Limerick and Donegal offer some of the world’s most breathtaking sights.

Ireland’s south coast is a tranquil haven, great for getting away from it all and enjoying the local seafood and hospitality.  Home to the famous Waterford Crystal Factory its also a great place for picking up a few bargains!

With so much to see and do, planning your trip is vital to ensure you get the holiday to remember and deserve.  Discover Ireland have a holiday planner for 2009, which will give you ideas, information and help you plan your journey around the Emerald Isle.  To obtain a copy, call 02 9299 6177 or visit Discover Ireland.

250 years of Guinness

No visit to Ireland would be complete without a pint of the black stuff at the top of the Guinness Tower. With 2009 being 250 years since the Guinness Company signed the lease on the world famous St. James Gate Brewery, the Guinness Storehouse will be better than ever.

To celebrate the vision of Arthur Guinness all those years ago a whole floor of the Guinness Storehouse will be dedicated to the man who started it all. Visitors can view the original lease and even take home a copy.  The History of Stout tour will give you an insight into why this drink is revered around the world and why the Irish claim it tastes better in Dublin than anywhere else.

Do not be misled into thinking that if you don’t like Guinness, you won’t enjoy the tour.  So important to the people of Ireland, and Dublin in particular, is this creamy stout that the history of the city is intertwined with the developments in the brewery and the popularity of the drink throughout the world.  The display of advertising material and showing of previous television advertisements may jog memories long forgotten.  Once you’ve wound your way around this interactive, modern museum, stop off at the bar on the top floor, enjoy a pint of the black stuff and take in the wonderful views of Dublin.

To make a visit to the Guinness Storehouse even more appealing, you can skip the queue and get a 10% discount on adult ticket prices by booking in advance at www.guinness-storehouse.com.

Technology of the Irish

If you thought the Irish were a quaint, backward nation, think again. They have the technology to make sure you don’t even have to leave your own home to enjoy a trip round Dublin, you can even send a postcard!

Thanks to Visit Dublin, you can check out a live webcam feed of Dublin, listen to the history of Ireland in a pod cast or search through birth records in Ireland to see if you have some Irish in you.

Send an Irish E-card
Why not send your friend’s an Irish E-card. There are 32 to choose from in a number of different themes and of course are free. Send one today with your personalised message

Listen to Irish pod casts
These pod casts provide you with a wealth of information and knowledge about the history of Ireland and its great people. With twelve different themes to choose from, you can learn a lot for free!

Watch a live webcam in Dublin
Streaming live from Dublin to your computer screen, this live webcam operates 24/7 and gives you a brief look at a busy Dublin during the day or night.

Irish Genealogy
With over three million genealogical records on their database, the Central Signposting Index is a good place to start when tracing your Irish roots

Hoofing it

The laid back way of life and deserted roads make seeing Ireland on horseback ideal.  But if getting saddle-sore isn’t your idea of fun, then why not try a horse drawn caravan?

A unique way of enjoying the countryside is to sit back and go at the pace of your horse, stopping when you feel like it for a spot of golf, fishing or local pub lunch.  Sleeping four people, your caravan has cooking facilities and will allow you to spend nights in the field of a friendly farmer or the grounds of a country house.

There are several tour operators around Ireland offering this unique experience.  For more information, contact Discover Ireland or the operators listed directly.

- Clissmann Horse Caravan, Craigmore, Co. Wicklow

- Into the West Horse Drawn Caravans, Loughrea, Co. Galway: Email:

- Mayo Horsedrawn Caravan Holidays, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Foodie’s delight

Food features heavily in Ireland’s culture and history, with the emphasis on simple dishes, which rely on excellent local produce to highlight their brilliance.

For most of us food is very important and the availability of good food can make or break a holiday. Good Food Ireland aims to guide you through some of the best eateries in the country, make sure you sample the best food Ireland has to offer and that you experience the generous hospitality that make Ireland a foodie’s haven.

To order your touring map, book your foodie holiday or simply see what’s on offer, visit www.goodfoodireland.ie.