City Breaks

Everybody knows a pint of Guinness always tastes better in Ireland – but beyond the famous black stuff there is so much more to explore for this year’s International Beer Day The global celebration of beer on 5 August is the perfect excuse to go on a beer journey around the array of mainstream breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs dotted across...

Take your pick from great St Patrick’s Day celebrations around Ireland   On St Patrick’s Day all the major cities on the island of Ireland stage fantastic festivals. So why not avoid the Dublin crowds and seek one out this 17 March.   This year St Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday, so Monday 18 March 2024 will be a public holiday. Lucky...

Shake off the gloom of winter with a stay in a city that offers the warmest of welcomes and a cosmopolitan calendar of events. From music and markets to theatre, art, fabulous food and cosy pubs, Dublin has everything you need for an amazing winter break. Here is a taste of what’s on offer: A night at the theatre There’s always lots...

A melting pot of local produce, flavour experiences and culinary talent will be served up at this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food ~West Waterford Festival of Food taking place 14th -16th April is not just the biggest and most diverse food festival in the Southeast, but the most fun!~ The West Waterford Festival of Food, one of Ireland’s largest and...

Relics of the martyred St Valentine are enshrined in a Dublin city-centre church, thanks to a bit of Irish charm. Every year in and around St Valentine’s Day, couples from far and wide make a beeline for the Shrine of St Valentine in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin.  Over the last few decades the church in Aungier Street, maintained by the Carmelite order,...

Have you ever spent the night on the coast’s edge, under the guiding beams of one of Ireland’s many lighthouses? Or been king or queen of a romantic castle for two? Well the Irish Landmark Trust has been saving and restoring heritage buildings throughout the island of Ireland that were at risk of being lost through neglect or inappropriate...

St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world Over 75 million people around the globe claim to be of Irish descent. So it’s little wonder St Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide phenomenon. They say everyone is Irish on St Patrick’s Day, and with parades and events happening from Australia to Zimbabwe, that’s easy to believe. When the Irish first left the...

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival continues to surprise with a 'CorkJazz AllStars'XCLSV23 collab show just announced!  We’re on the final countdown to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival (26th-30th Oct) and festival organisers have just announced a live club jazz jam - 'The CorkJazz AllStars'presents XCLSV23 - at Cork Opera House on Saturday 28th October from 11.30pm – 2.30am. Curated by Mas Exodus/ ChoiceCuts,...

Dublin Wins Smart Tourism Capital Award 2024 Accolade recognises Dublin as a leading city in sustainable innovation Dublin has won the European Commission’s Smart Tourism Capital Award designation for 2024. The accolade recognises outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity. The judging panel recognised that Dublin has...

With its warrens of narrow streets, vibrant spirit and warm welcome, Cork is the perfect city break destination for when the nights are drawing in. Here are 10 reasons why you should be in this historic city as the seasons switch. 1. Food worth travelling forThanks to an abundance of high-quality local producers and a profusion of creative and passionate chefs,...