The usage of Dublin Bikes has just reached the 1 million mark. It is estimated that about 15,000 tourists have used the bikes.

Dublin Bikes is a scheme which was introduced  last year by Dublin City Council when 450 bikes were made available at 40 stations around Dublin City Centre.

This has proved to be one of the success stories of Dublin with the bikes becoming very popular both with Dubliners and tourists. The bikes are easy to rent and operate, are cheap and they provide a great way to get around Dublin centre.

Fears that the scheme would collapse because of theft and vandalism were unfounded. Only two bikes have been stolen so far and these have already been recovered and are back in service.

There are plans to extend the scheme to other parts of Dublin and possibly to other cities and towns in Ireland.

Check out the bikes at Dublin Bikes Website.

The first Jeanie Johnston was built in the year 1847 on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada and was purchased in Liverpool by Donovans from Tralee. The famine was raging in Ireland in those years, driving many of the starving native population to leave Ireland. Donovans operated a lucrative trade between 1847 and 1855 bringing exiles from Tralee to North America and coming back with merchandise for Europe.
The Jeanie Johnston’s maiden voyage took place on 24th April 1848 when she set out from Blennerville near Tralee to Quebec with 193 passengers on board. During the subsequent years the ship made many more journies to North America carrying more than two and a half thousand emigrants. The Jeanie Johnston was one of the better run emigrant ships – many ships carried passengers in appalling conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Dingle is a favourite holiday destination for tourists from home and abroad. It is located in the most westerly part of Ireland in a region of beautiful mountain and coastal scenery.
Dingle had been a fishing town for centuries but more recently its main industry is tourism. Some fishing still goes on and fishing boats of all sizes are frequently berthed at Dingle pier unloading their catch.
One of Dingle’s favourite visitor attractions for the past twenty years is Fungi, the Dingle Dolphin. Fungi is a dolphin who lives in Dingle harbor. Nobody knows how long he has been in Dingle but he was first spotted in 1984 escorting the Dingle fishing boats into and out of the harbor. By mid 1984, Department of The Marine manager Kevin Flannery had made a note of the dolphin as a permanent occupant of Dingle harbour and self-appointed pilot of the fishing fleet.
The dolphin was named Fungi and over the next few years and lots of study Fungi became less shy of humans so that swimmers could swim alongside him and play with him in the water. Read the rest of this entry »

Dingle in County Kerry has been a very popular destination for years now. The combination of stunning scenery, traditional culture  and music, pubs, nightlife, and good food has captured the imagination of many and since the making of Ryan’s Daughter, tourists, including many celebrities, have been flocking to Dingle every year.
There is a great atmosphere which lifts the spirits even in the most gloomy times. The only downside is that it can be difficult to get accommodation at busy periods like mid-summer and Christmas so it is advisable to book early!
Stay in Kerry has good Dingle Hotels and Dingle Bed and  Breakfasts for booking online.

Dublin hosts some major sporting events throughout the year. These events attract visitors from home and abroad as well as local Dublin fans. These events are usually a major source of revenue for Dublin Hotels and Dublin Bed and Breakfast accommodation.
The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) hosts numerous games of Gaelic Football and Hurling in its main Dublin Stadium. Croke Park.  The finals of the Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships which happen in September of each year attract over 80,000 fans each and the semi finals also attract almost as many fans. Numerous other games throughout the year attract large numbers of fans. Read the rest of this entry »

The ever-popular show Riverdance returns to the Gaeity Theatre, Dublin 0n 23 June 2010 and continues until 28 August 2010
Mon – Fri 8.00pm Matinees: Saturday 3.00pm  Price: €10.00 – €55.00
There is plenty accommodation available around the Grafton Street, Stephens Green and Temple Bar area but early booking is advised to ensure that you have suitable accommodation on the night.
Find suitable hotels and bed and breakfasts at Dublin Overnight

Stay in Kerry, our website for tourist information about Kerry and for booking hotels in County Kerry has undergone a facelift. It is not fully operational yet but will have booking facilities added within the next few days as well as various other tweaks. See it at Kerry Hotels

Ashford is in County Wicklow about 30 miles south of Dublin. Recently while visiting Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford I came across a nice B&B. Very comfortable and quiet and they do a great breakfast and (unusually for a B&B) an evening meal on request.
I would recommend this B&B, ‘Carriglen’ as one of the better Wicklow Bed and Breakfast accommodations that I have stayed in.
Also if you have time go for a walk in the Devil’s Glen nearby.

This is the fifth year of this outdoor food festival in Dublin and about 30,000 visitors are expected. It is on at The Iveagh Gardens this year.
Outdoor dining with Dublin’s top restaurants,  chef demonstrations, wine tastings and exhibitions from over one hundred food producers are amongst the fare. A gourmets delight.
Some of Ireland’s top chefs including Derry Clarke of L’Ecrivain will be showing off their skills. For information on some of Dublin’s top restaurants see Dublin Overnight Restaurants and if you are thinking of visiting the capital for this festival you can find plenty of accommodation at Dublin Hotels.

Bewley’s were originally famous for their restaurants (the most famous was in Grafton Street, Dublin) but in more recent years they have continued the high standards they set in their group of hotels in Ireland and the UK.
They have good standard rooms and their hotel restaurants still serve the famous Bewley’s Irish Breakfast and they also have a very tasty and varied menu in the evenings.
Bewley’s Hotel Ballsbridge is ideally located for events in the RDS, matches at Lansdowne Road (now the Aviva Stadium) or for any city centre expeditions or shopping. Rooms are very keenly priced and are great value especially for couples or families.
Check Bewley’s Hotel Ballsbridge here.