Where to surf: West Cork

Surfs up! We are often asked where the best places are for surfing. This week we are focusing on West Cork.

Cork has plenty of beautiful beaches which provide the perfect spot for surfing. Our top rated picks are Barley Cove, Garrettstown or Castlefreke. Continue reading

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Galway Arts Festival July 2013

Taking place from the 15th – 28th July, is Ireland’s largest international arts festival – the Galway Arts Festival. Showcasing a diverse selection of international artists alongside the best of Irish talent, during the festival guests and visitors on Ireland vacations will be treated to a packed programme of events that includes theatres, music, comedy, arts, dance and street entertainment.
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Ireland play England in Friendly International Soccer Game

Last night Ireland played England in a friendly international soccer match. The two teams, who have not met on the pitch for many years, battled it out at Wembley Stadium where the game finished at a 1-1 draw at full time.

This was Ireland’s first visit to England since 1991. The last time the sides met however was in 1995 at the Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin. Unfortunately, the match had to be abandoned due to trouble in the crowd provoked by a few England fans. Continue reading

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50th anniversary of US President John F Kennedy’s Visit to Ireland

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of a very special event in Ireland. From the 26th of June to the 29th in 1963, Ireland was buzzing with excitement thanks to the visit of US President John F Kennedy – just months before his assassination in the US.

It was documented that in Dublin alone, half of the population made their way onto the streets to “welcome home” a man who has strong ancestral link to Ireland. 100,000 people traveled to see him in the cities of Cork and Galway, while in Wexford, which had a population of 12,000 at the time, grew to 30,000 on the day the President visited his ancestral home. Continue reading

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West Cork Chamber Music Festival 2013

The West Cork Chamber Music Festival will take place this year from 28th June – 6th July within the charming waterfront town of Bantry.
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Flights from the Med to Cork with Arkefly

Dutch airline Arkefly, a wholly owned subsidiary of travel company TUI Group, which flys to more than 70 destinations worldwide, including favoured holiday sites throughout the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and North and South America, has increased the number of available flights for passengers between Mediterranean destinations and mainland European city hotspots to Cork.
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Irish Rugby Gathering

Over 100 rugby teams from all over the world are expected to congregate in University College Dublin on Saturday 17th August to compete in festival of rugby organised by the IRFU and Lenister Rugby.
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Kurt Cobain’s Irish Roots

The Nirvana frontman who died in tragic circumstances in 1994, revealed he investigated his Irish roots in the early 90s. In an old interview with Guitar World magazine, Cobain revealed the exploration into his Irish family history wasn’t straight forward due to an error in the spelling of the surname when his ancestors first arrived on American soil from County Cork in Southern Ireland:

Kurt Cobain: I never really knew about my ancestors until this year, when I learned that the name Cobain was Irish. My parents had never bothered to find that stuff out. I found out by looking through phone books throughout America for names that were similar to Continue reading

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Enjoy Some Samba Fun by the Banks of the Boyne!

Taking place  at the end of June from the 28th – 30th, is Drogheda’s Samba Festival, a three day celebration of the Samba music, dance and costume with workshops, open air entertainment and music, pub gigs and a fantastic carnival parade.

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Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival

Where: Main Beach, Bundoran, Co. Donegal

From the 21st to the 23rd of June you can combine surf and music with this popular festival in Ireland.  With rock and dance music a heavy feature, party besides the sea in this unique festival on a stunning beach in Bondoran in Co. DonegalContinue reading

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