Author Archive

2013 : The Year of the Festival

Reading Festival 2011This year you need to replace your usual two week sun holiday with a load of weekend camping trips because this summer is the summer of festivals. Last year there was no Oxygen or Slane but its all happening and then some this summer. With upcoming  festival headliners being frequently announced in the press its time to start being festival aware. So before you go and buy your funky wellies and brightly coloured tents, take a look at the low down of festival fun happening around Ireland this summer. You’ll need to decide which ones to hit and which ones to miss. Big decisions will arise when you have to choose between Indiependence, Castlepalooza and Oxygen  as they all fall on the same weekend – but fear not because no matter which one you pick you are almost certainly guaranteed a weekend to remember (or not…) Don’t forget though it’s all about the music! Read more

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2013
03/09
CATEGORY
Features
Travel
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Monsters, Inc. 3D

monsters3dEleven years after it was first released Monsters, Inc. is back on our screens and this time it’s in 3D.

All the monsters are back, top scarer Sulley (voiced by John Goodman whose voice you might recognise from the beach master in Happy Feet 2 or as that of the voice of the infamous Dan Connor from the hit American show Rosanne), Sulley’s hilarious side kick Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) and of course the cutest heartbreaker to ever set foot on animation, Boo. Incredibly the cute childlike babble of the irresistible Boo is played by Mary Gibbs who was just five years old when the movie was first released.

The great thing about the re-release of this fantastic movie is that now a whole new generation get to experience the misadventures of all the team at Monsters Corp. and really get to know what is lurking in their wardrobe!

The film is funny and creative and is definitely one to take the children too. For those who have not seen the original, the story follows on the concept of monsters in your closet. The monsters collect the screams from the kids they scare in order to power the energy in the city of Monstropolis (the city where all monsters of varies shapes and sizes live). It follows on to be a story of love and determination, fighting ‘evil’ along the way.

I feel I have to give the 3D glasses a mention because they are fantastic, designed in the turquoise and purple colours of Sulley, two ‘monster hands’ are grasping the sides of the frames.

There may have been a hidden agenda bringing back Monsters, Inc. to our screens with a prequel Monster University being released this coming June 21st, but you certainly won’t hear me complaining as it is a movie that you appreciate the more times you watch it.

Directed by: Peter Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich

Written by: Peter Docter and Jill Culton

Monsters, Inc. will be in Irish cinemas on Friday 18th January 

Mary Byrne

2013
01/14
CATEGORY
Films
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The Ultimate Guide To Christmas Markets

There is about four weeks to go until the big day and the run up to Christmas is definitely the best time of the year. Streets markets any time of the year can offer unique and creative products but street markets at Christmas have that added ingredient of magic. If you have never been to a market Christmas time is definitely a great way to start. Christmas lights adorn picturesque wooden huts, with Christmas performances and beautiful Christmas music filling the sky.  The lights, the music and the sheer general ‘Christmassy’ creates a feeling of such extreme excitement for the countdown to Christmas.

Stroll up and down the stalls, mulled wine in one hand to keep the chill at bay and have a gander at all the incredible products on sale. Christmas markets are held all over the world from November to December and each offer a unique experience that only that city can offer.

I have compiled a list of Christmas markets that will take you all over the world from Galway to Prague to Dubai each offering an incredible and unforgettable experience.

Ireland

Galway Continental Christmas Market in Eyre Square is open from Friday 23rd November to Saturday 22nd December. Santa’s Grotto will be there along with lantern making and a Christmas Youth Pageant to name a few of the activities that Galway offer.

Christmas Markets at the Milk Market Limerick in Cornmarket Row runs from the 30th November to 24th December  (Friday to Sunday until 13th December and then every day from 13th December) will contain Christmas choirs, food and craft stalls.

Kilkenny Christmas Market along the Parade Kilkenny runs on certain days from 1st December to the 23rd December 10am – 6pm. There will be carol singers, wooden log cabins, daily kid’s storytelling, and traders selling fantastic Christmas gifts.

Ballina Christmas Market in Mayo runs during the weekend of the 8th and 9th December and 15th and 16th December. Two weekends of Christmas festivities, including the arrival of Santa, craft and food stalls and a Christmas carol services.

Gorey Christmas Market, Wexford will be held on the 4th December on the Main Street with craft and food stalls a carol service, mulled wine and of course Santa!

Waterford Winterval Christmas Market on George’s Street will be starting 30th November and running each weekend until 23rd December with traditional Christmas food and craft stalls.

Docklands Christmas Market Dublin will be held from the 7th December until 23rd December and showcases the magic of Christmas through the Victorian fairground rides, gourmet food stalls and arts and craft stalls. Santa will be turning on the lights on the 7th December

Europe

Cologne Christmas Market, Germany, is set on the backdrop of the Cologne Cathedral and will make for a picturesque weekend trip. Cologne has six markets all eluding a different sense of Christmas, from the 26th November until the 23rd December. All six markets have their own unique spirit of Christmas from the Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral, “Home of the gnomes” Christmas Market, and the Fairytale Christmas market, the Christmas market at Stadtgarten, the new maritime Christmas Market and the Angels Market. Each Market holds Christmas performances and offers you traditional arts and craft, and delicious food and drink stalls.  Lufthansa fly to Cologne (Friday to Sunday) from €205.02

Krakow Christmas Market, Poland runs for a much longer period than the Irish Christmas markets from the 24th November to 6th January. The Krakow Christmas market will celebrate the Christmas spirit with beautiful wooden stalls selling crafts and jewellery. Nothing could be more beautiful than picking up a traditional Polish craft as you walk through white winter snow winding your way past lit up wooden stalls. Ryanair fly to Krakow Friday to Sunday from €92.00 (approximately), Aer Lingus fly to Krakow from €462.00 (approx. Friday to Sunday flight)

Outside Europe

If walking knee deep in snow doesn’t appeal to you why not skip the snow and try a Christmas Market in style. Dubai doesn’t do things by half measures and the Dubai Christmas Festival certainly showcases this. Running for three days 6th, 7th and 8th December the Dubai Christmas Festival is the ultimate Christmas festival and includes celebrity chefs, a music stage, Winter Wonderland which has bouncy castles and Christmas arts and crafts, Christmas Market and of course the man himself Santa. Etihad fly to Dubai from approx. €560.00 (flying out on a Wednesday and returning on a Monday)

Mary Byrne

2012
11/26
CATEGORY
Features
Travel
1 comment

Have a Spooktacular Halloween at Home

With a bank holiday to look forward too, an extra hour to enjoy and a whole week off school for the kids, it really just comes down to the ultimate question- what to do this Halloween?

There are loads of events around the country so you don’t need to go away to have a frighteningly enjoyable Halloween. Here is a taster of some of the great events and festivals across Ireland this Halloween.

The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival with its thriller nights and friendly witches takes place from 19th October to the 5th November.

Blackwater Open Farm in Wexford is taking on a more traditional approach to celebrate Halloween this year with face painting and fancy dress on the 28th.

Longford will see the ‘Dead of Night’ Halloween celebrations on the 31st,while the Galway Aboo Halloween Festival caters for the young and the brave as ghosts and ghouls take over Galway’s Latin Quarter on the 26th to the 28th October.

Thurles in Tipperary is holding its fifth annual Halloween festival from the 25th to 31st October. This seven day festival caters to all with a variety of events from poetry reading to a fireworks display to a street cycle race.

Kerry will host the Ballybunion Halloween Festival which takes place on Halloween night with a bonfire, beach party and street parade.

There are also LOADS of festivals throughout the Capital so check out what is going on in your local area.

Have a safe and fun Halloween.

2012
10/26
CATEGORY
Travel
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The Beautiful City of York

Take a trip back in time to the beautiful city of York.

Just 45 minutes from Dublin is a city perfect for a weekend getaway. Take a trip down the city streets of York and you will be in awe at the higgledy piggledy architecture which dates back to medieval times and beyond. It sits nestled within the York City Walls and it is like taking a step back in time walking through one of the five gateways into the city.

The shops still retain their quaint lint lined windows with some of the doors still clearly made for medieval heights. The Streets are narrow and cobbled; funky shops and boutiques line the pavements, all set against the back drop of the magnificent York Minster.

The city walls have become a huge tourist attraction, you can take a two-hour trip around these walls and because they are the most complete walls in England it takes approximately two hours to walk the two miles of the self-guided tour. The trip offers examples of Roman, Dark Ages, Viking and Medieval style along the walls.

The bars around York have the quirkiest names; ‘The Golden Slipper’ offers a perfect traditional village English pub in a city, while ‘The Royal Oak’ Pub offers good beer and good food in perfectly spooky surroundings!

A weekend in York is an ideal location to spend this Halloween as the city is steeped in ancient and supernatural history. Spook yourself through Ghost tours and Creeper trails. The Ghost Creeper tour will take you around York City, down haunted laneways and alleyways with stories of the supernatural. While the York Terror Trail takes you on a frightening two-hour adventure around the city.

It is a beautiful little city that is often missed out to its sister city Leeds for weekend trips.

Ryanair fly Dublin to Leeds/Bradford for €29.98 return

Mary Byrne

2012
10/10
CATEGORY
Travel
1 comment

What to do while in Kaikoura, NZ

In the last post the journey to Kaikoura came alive but this time I want to take you into Kaikoura and show you all the fantastic and memorable activities that the town has to offer.

Kaikoura is not a big town but it has so much to offer that you could quite easily spend an entire week or even more there. From whale watching, to seal diving, horse riding, cliff walking, sheep shearing, bike rides, surfing, albatross experience and a unique Maori tour, Kaikoura will  keep you both entertained and will give you a lifetime of intimate, personal and picturesque memories.

This is just a taste of what Kaikoura has to offer and it most definitely has to be on your list of places to see.

1 You can visit the sperm whales, which are dotted around the crystal blue shores of Kaikoura, by either boat or plane. The plane takes you out over the ocean and gives you panoramic views of Kaikoura. This trip is definitely one for someone who is looking for the perfect picture. It takes about 30 minutes and you are almost guaranteed to see sperm whales

At NZ$165 for an adult and NZ$75 for a child it is definitely worth a trip

http://www.whales.co.nz/

2 There is a real working family farm almost at the tip of the peninsula which will let you feed lambs and watch sheep being sheared. You will get to see authentic sheep shearing in action and will also be informed about different wool types and shearing techniques. It doesn’t go on for too long and is definitely worth a stop.

It’s cheap and cheerful at NZ$10 for an adult and NZ$5 for a child.

http://www.pointsheepshearing.co.nz/

3 One of the best trips you can take in Kaikoura is the Maori trip. This is definitely one of the most amazing experiences that you can get while there.  It is not cheesy or tacky but a real life trip through the history of the Maori people and their customs. The bus tour will take you outside Kaikoura through woodlands and introduce you to Maori customs. You will be taught a Maori song (which you will be made sing by the way) and how to do weaving.

It is a personal and intimate trip that really will introduce you to the real New Zealand.

NZ$125 – Adult

NZ$65- Child

http://www.maoritours.co.nz

4 One activity that you should not leave Kaikoura without doing is rent a bike! Riding up and down the road, wind in your hair it really is so much fun and is a great way to really get to the tip of the peninsula. You can even rent trailers for kids so they can enjoy the journey aswell.

http://www.surfkaikoura.co.nz

5 A walk around the peninsula is a great way to experience the real Kaikoura. As you walk through farmland, over cliff faces, up and down hills, through towns, past houses and back into farmland you will be given a true sense of just how magnificent New Zealand is. When you will arrive back at your accommodation you will be exhausted but with a real sense that you got so much out of Kaikoura than you ever thought you could. The walk takes about three hours and you can take it at your own pace. You are not guided but you can get a map at the iSITE but it doesn’t cost anything which makes it even better!

2012
03/30
CATEGORY
Travel
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The Journey to Kaikoura, NZ

Kaikoura is a rocky and enchanting peninsula situated in the southern island of New Zealand right at the east coast. About a three hour drive from Christchurch, it is one of the most scenic places that you might come across.

The drive to Kaikoura will literally take your breath away. As you twist and turn around windy roads, dart in and out between mountains and the sea you will be stuck by the unending beauty that is New Zealand. You will drive nervously close to sheer drops and looming mountains. The dark sea crashes restlessly to your right as mountains tower right up to the sky. You will pass by quaint little houses that blend seamlessly into the surrounds.

The drive allows you understand how magical New Zealand is and see just how much beauty can be created in such a small place.

For the driver the three hour journey might seem like a long time but for the passenger the views provide more than entertainment for the journey. Eyes dart all over the landscape as they try to capture all that they can.

When you enter Kaikoura looming mountains surround and you are swallowed up into this tiny village like world that can offer you, as a visitor, just as much as a city can. Most people take on Kaikoura for a day or two. I recommend a week to really get the feel of the town and to ensure that when you are leaving you are taking a little piece with you in your memory.

Trains and buses can also take you from Christchurch to Kaikoura and are a great way for everyone to experience the journey.

I recommend the tranzscenic train which has open carriages to allow you breathe in the beauty of journey. At around NZ$78 one way it is well worth the price http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz

Intercity coachlines will take you from Christchurch to Kaikoura for around NZ$33 http://www.intercity.co.nz

Mary Byrne

Next week – Things to do in Kaikoura

2012
03/06
CATEGORY
Travel
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City in Focus: London

London has so more on offer than simply the London Olympics 2012. Why not take a sports free trip to this exciting and cultured city before the Olympics start? With only a few months to go before the opening ceremony on July 27th you better hurry.

With flights starting from around €15.00, one way, it is a must do weekend for most budgets.

London is cool and sleek. The shopping leaves nothing to the imagination; Selfridges and Harrods are both classic symbols of London. Cafe’s and restaurants wrap around Trafalgar Square which takes on another form after dark as it lights up the night sky.

Spend a day experiencing all the cultural aspects that London has to offer.  Take in Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Wembley Stadium, and the London Bridge Experience. The hop on hop off bus tour of London is a great way to see a lot of the sights of the city.

Finish the day off at London’s Westend Theatre, topped off with a feast for your eyes and stomach at Planet Hollywood.

For animal lovers ZSL London Zoo has got to be on your itinerary. Take a picnic or treat yourself to a traditional fish and chips at the zoo to charge your batteries. Its eco-friendly aswell. Who said you had to go to the Amazon to experience the rainforest, ZSL London zoo has it all on offer. Don’t miss the Amphitheatre where you can see eagles soar and learn all about the animals at the zoo.

If you’re not too exhausted after strolling through the zoo why not take a trip over to Primrose Hill and do some celebrity spotting, you never know who you might meet!

Before you leave the bright lights of London you have to take a trip 135m above the city. As it slowly rotates, the London Eye will let you experience all the wonderful sights of London at a lovely leisurely pace.

Mary Byrne

Hop on Hop off http://www.theoriginaltour.com/

London’s Westend Theatre http://www.londonwestendtheatretickets.com

ZSL London Zoo http://www.zsl.org/

EDF Energy London Eye http://www.londoneye.com/

2012
02/26
CATEGORY
Travel
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City in Focus: Family Friendly Chicago

This summer why not try something different.

Chicago is a beautiful city that has so much to offer for the whole family. Why not soak up the atmosphere of a real American baseball game (more suitable for the older child), shopping down Magnificent Mile, strolling through tree-lined streets and enjoying an original Chicago style pizza. Chicago has beautiful scenery and an authentic American character with accommodating and friendly people. Towering sky scrapers loom over head as it mixes the old with the new. With Lake Michigan right in the city centre you really feel like you have the best of both worlds.

Why not take a family trip to the windy city and enjoy all the delights this city has to offer.

Here are my top five things to do in Family Friendly Chicago:

1 Swim in beautiful Lake Michigan. It is quite strange sitting on the sand with the serene quiet blue water In front and a busy loud road to your left, but it works.

 
2 The beautiful FREE Lincoln Park Zoo is a delight for all the family. Open from around ten in the morning it is a fantastic way to    entertain the children without spending a fortune. Entrance is free but parking can be quite expensive so take public transport or walk if you are staying in the local area. Lockers and strollers can be provided by the zoo.

 
3 Let the children enjoy Chicago from a different angle. The John Hancock Observatory stands 100 stories high and is the fourth tallest building in Chicago. It is a great place to take the kids as they can take in all 360 degrees of Chicago from 1,000 ft up. At around $44 for two adults and one child it is a great way to idle away a few hours.

If you are really like to live on the edge why not try the Ledge in the Skydeck experience in the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. The Willis Tower stands at 103 stories (1,353 ft) and offers visitors a chance to stand on a glass ledge that allows you look straight down on the City. At around $46 for two adults and one child it is an experience you as a family will never forget.

4 Navy Pier is the ultimate day out for the children. Fun rides, toy shops and ice cream what more does any young child want! Get the water taxi from Union Station to Navy Pier it is great excitement for all the family and is a perfect way to avoid traffic!

5 Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium stand in the same campus and are a great way to spend an entire day.

The Adler Planetarium offers exhibitions and special theatre shows for all ages. Planet Explorer is a space exploration exhibition specially designed for ages 3 – 8 so even the youngest of your clan will both learn something new and enjoy themselves.

General admission, not including shows or extras, is $12 per adult and $8 per child (3-11)

The Shedd Aquarium will amaze and delight the whole family as it offers a chance to see very unusual sea creatures. Zebra Sharks, Penguins and Moon Jellies are among the 32,500 animals on show.

General admission works out at $8 per adult and $6 per child.

2012
02/13
CATEGORY
Travel
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City in focus: Christchurch

Beautiful and Charismatic Christchurch

This summer why not make a trip to a city with soul and character. Push the boat out and prepare for your heart to be captured by a city that doesn’t relent in its beauty.

Christchurch is not just a holiday, it is an experience and for many a once in a lifetime trip. Travelling over 18,000 miles, spending over €800 on flights and sitting for nearly 30 hours beside strangers is worth it when you step out into mesmerising Christchurch.

Christchurch is just like home yet so very different. The city oozes a quirkiness that is hard to find in most places. Just like ‘Ireland of the Welcomes’, Christchurch welcomes travellers with open arms.

The scenery leaves nothing to the imagination. It’s all there.  Looming, snow-capped mountains, lush shades of green, a never-ending beauty lies all around.

But there is more to Christchurch than just mere encapsulating beauty. Take a trip down to Christchurch Cathedral Square, it’s what Christchurch is all about. The Cathedral stands tall in the centre of the square and although it has been damaged by earthquakes it undoubtably stands just as awe-inspiring.

There is so much to do in one city that the iSITE tourist centre in the heart of Christchurch is a must stop to ensure you fit in as much of Christchurch into your trip as possible.

Cream and red trams travel a route that brings passengers around the heart of the city. A relaxing way to see Christchurch as it leisurely travels through the city.

A day trip out to the pretty seaside town of Lytton is a must for the itinerary.  Lytton is a pretty seaside village where houses are set in the mountains and where you travel through windy narrow streets to get to places. To get there you have to drive through Lytton Tunnel which is a road going straight through a mountain.

Lytton Harbour is set in a crater and this is where you will find the rare Hector Dolphin. Take a trip out to see these rare tiny dolphins but you have to be quick to be able to spot these magnificent creatures.  My main advice for this trip would be to bring a coat because it gets very, very cold on the boat.

The International Antarctic Centre is both educational and inspiring and encapsulates just how close New Zealand is to the cold continent. The centre allows visitors to stand on ice from the world’s most northern and southern continents.

Not only does the centre give visitors a taste of life in Antarctica but it also allows visitors a chance to see the little blue penguin up close.

Don’t leave the International Antarctic Centre without having a trip in a Hagglund. It is not for the faint hearted and will have you screaming in fear and exhilaration as it goes over hills and through water

There is so much accommodation around the city ranging from budget to high expense. I would recommend renting an apartment as it will allow you to take in the city at your own pace. Apartments are great for travelling families as they offer a home from home. What you spend on accommodation you save in food by going grocery shopping.

Wandering up and down the aisles you get of sense that even though you are very far from home some things just don’t change.

Christchurch introduces you to a home from home and a never relenting arresting beauty. It is a must see travel destination for both the relaxing and exhilarating traveller.

While over there ask a New Zealander what they call flip-flops and you will be pleasantly surprised!

Mary Byrne 

Christchurch’s top five:

  • Get the Penguin Express to the International Antarctic Centre for an insightful and exhilarating frozen experience www.iceberg.co.nz
  • The Christchurch Grand Tour will take you across the city and includes a relaxing punting experience down the Avon www.tram.co.nz
  • The Orana Wildlife Park will allow you feed Giraffes and see a Lion up close in the Lion encounter, most importantly you will get the honour of seeing the rare native New Zealand Kiwi  www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz
  • Move outside Christchurch through the Lytton tunnel to swim with the Rare Hector Dolphins in a Harbour created in a crater.  Blackcat cruises will take you to go swimming with these tiny dolphins or you can try spotting them from the comfort of the boat www.blackcat.co.nz
  • For the more adventurous traveller why not fall 15,000 feet from a plane and experience New Zealand from a completely different angle www.skydivingnz.com
2012
02/05
CATEGORY
Travel
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