Touristy

02/06/2024

Exploring Bloom Festival: A Day in the In Perspective Garden

This week, we had an incredible experience at the Bloom Festival, especially visiting the “In Perspective” garden by Oliver and Liat Schurmann. This garden, part of the EU Green Deal, highlights sustainability with a stunning pavilion and lush landscapes. Its serene walkways and reflective water features encourage contemplation on nature and climate change.

Why Visit:

• look around at innovative sustainable design.
• Enjoy a peaceful, thought-provoking environment.
• Discover the beauty and importance of nature.

Join us in celebrating nature and sustainability at Bloom Festival!

For more details, https://www.bordbiabloom.com/in-perspective-concept-show-garden/

Bloom is well worth a visit if you’re looking for something to do tomorrow and the sun is still beaming!!

16/08/2023

https://rip.ie/death-notice/alan-bradley-dublin-cabra-526672

The death has occurred of Alan Bradley of Cabra, Dublin Ireland, on 15/08/2023. You can view the full death notice and add your condolences here.

31/07/2023

Bray air show 2023. blew our mind. Amazing stuff. Literally feet away from each other.

The team flies the Van's RV-8, a popular kit-built aircraft known for its agility and performance. These aircraft are often self-built by the pilots, adding a personal touch to each plane.

Such a great day out. A must have experience to be added to the calendar for 2024.

Thank you 👏🏻👏🏻

24/01/2023

Is this a space ship about to leave Dublin? or perhaps it’s just ulster bank in the George’s quay plaza leaving Ireland.

George's Quay Plaza building in Dublin, Ireland is a modern office complex located in the heart of the city's financial district. The building was constructed in the early 2000s, and it features a distinctive, curved design with a glass façade.

The building is home (for now) to the headquarters of Ulster Bank, one of the largest banks in Ireland. The building is equipped with the latest technology and energy-efficient systems, and it provides a range of amenities for tenants, including a café, a fitness center, and a number of retail spaces.

The building also includes a number of green spaces, including a rooftop terrace and a courtyard garden.

Overall, it is considered as one of the most modern and prestigious buildings in Dublin's business district.

Bank of Ireland are set to leave Ireland in March this year after 160 years of trading in Ireland.

22/01/2023

A very moody Drombeg stone circle. We took a break from touring during the pandemic and had the chance to rent a to explore west cork. It was an amazing experience.

Drombeg stone circle, also known as The Druid's Altar, is a prehistoric monument located in County Cork, Ireland. The circle consists of 17 closely spaced stones, with an additional stone located to the southeast of the circle. The monument is believed to date back to the Bronze Age, around 1500-1000 BCE. It is one of the best-preserved stone circles in Ireland, and is thought to have been used for ceremonial or ritual purposes. The circle is aligned with the setting sun at the winter solstice, which suggests that it was used as an astronomical observatory. The site also includes a hearth and a small stone alignment, which may have been used for cooking or other domestic activities. It is a popular tourist attraction and is also used for modern day druid rituals.

15/01/2023

You see them at the cliffs of Moher or skelly Michael.

14/01/2023

What a morning for some hiking with friends today. This is the view from the top of Scarr mountain county Wicklow. You can see the sugarloaf in the distance. We completed a 12km loop starting from lough Dan. Nothing better than that fresh feeling afterwards.

Scarr Mountain is a mountain located in County Wicklow, Ireland. It has an elevation of 678 meters (2,224 feet) and is part of the Wicklow Mountains. Scarr is considered one of the most challenging hikes in Wicklow, it takes about 4-6 hours to reach the summit. It offers beautiful views of the surrounding area, including the Wicklow Mountains, the Irish Sea and the Wicklow Way. The summit is marked by a trig pillar, a metal structure used for surveying. The hike is mostly on peaty ground and rocky terrain, with steep ascents and descents. It is recommended for experienced hikers.

10/01/2023

A must do when in Ireland and you get the chance. We were lucky to be able to visit the skellig islands last year and see so many puffins. We’ll post a few images of our times in a future post but for now just look at the smaller wild island of Little Skellig.

Little Skellig (also known as Skellig Michael) is a small, uninhabited island located about 13 miles (22 kilometers) off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is the smaller of the two Skellig islands and is situated about 1.4 miles (2.3 kilometers) west of Great Skellig. The island is known for its steep cliffs and rocky terrain, as well as its population of seabirds.

Little Skellig is home to one of the largest and most important gannet colonies in the world, with an estimated 30,000 pairs of gannets nesting on the island. The gannets are present on the island from April to September each year. Other seabirds that can be found on Little Skellig include guillemots, kittiwakes, and puffins.
In addition to its seabirds, Little Skellig is also known for the remains of an early Christian monastic site that can be found on the island. The site, which dates back to the 7th or 8th century, includes the remains of several beehive-shaped stone huts, a church, and several crosses. The monastic site is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Great Skellig Island.

Access to Little Skellig is strictly controlled by the Irish Office of Public Works, due to the island's ecological sensitivity and to protect the nesting birds. Only a small number of visitors are allowed to land on the island each day, and the number of visitors is limited to protect the island's fragile ecosystem. Visitors must be accompanied by a guide, and landing on the island is only possible during the summer months when the seabirds have finished nesting.

08/01/2023

Grace O’Malleys castle at Kildavnet, Achill.

The Tower at Kildavnet, in the south-east corner of Achill Island, is a perfect example of a 15th century Irish tower house. The Gaelic Chiefs of the time copied a Norman design and constructed many such tower houses. The tower at Kildavnet is thought to have been constructed by the Clan O’Malley in about 1429, but is associated locally with a descendant of the original builders, Grace O’Malley or Granuaile. This legendary pirate queen is thought to have been born around 1530 and died in about 1603. The Tower at Kildavnet is one of a series of such strongholds that Granuaile established along the western seaboard (she is said to be buried in a similar tower on Clare Island) as she dominated the waters during the 16th century.

Words from the achilltourism.com website.

Such an amazing place and energy. We love Achill. Cannot wait to visit again.

Photo taken from 2020 ☘️

03/01/2023

Newgrange is a Neolithic passage tomb located in the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. It is one of the most well-known and best-preserved passage tombs in Ireland, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some interesting facts about Newgrange include:

It is estimated to be over 5,000 years old, making it older than the Pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge.

It is a massive structure, with a diameter of over 85 meters and a height of over 13 meters.

It is built using large stones, some of which weigh over 50 tons.

It is aligned with the movements of the sun, and the main passage and chamber are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise.

It was built by a culture that had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and engineering.

It was rediscovered in the 17th century and excavated in the 1960s.

It is open to the public and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

One of our most popular tours include the boyne valley, the hill of Tara and sometimes Slane castle or Howth village.

01/01/2023

The secret waterfall in Donegal. Located near largy.

Largy is a small village in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located in the northwest of the country, in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region). The village is known for its beautiful natural setting, with rolling hills and lush green landscapes. Largy is located near the Atlantic coast, and there are many opportunities for outdoor activities in the area, such as hiking, fishing, and birdwatching. There are also many cultural attractions in the area, including traditional music and dance events, as well as historical sites and landmarks. If you are planning a visit to Largy, you may want to consider staying in a local bed and breakfast or guesthouse, as there are a number of options available in the village and surrounding area.

01/01/2023

This is the view from up the hill at the back of Howth castle, Ireland.

Howth Castle is a historic castle located in Howth, County Dublin, Ireland. It was built in the 12th century by the Anglo-Norman knight Sir Amor de Valence and has been the home of the St. Lawrence family for over 800 years. The castle is set on a hill overlooking the village and the Irish Sea and is surrounded by extensive gardens and parkland.

Very easy to walk too and just look at the scenic view of Dublin. So beautiful.