Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival

The culmination of six weeks of activities throughout the county of Clare! Willie & Son

The biggest ’singles’ event in Europe and one of the oldest festivals in Ireland. Located in the Spa town of Lisdoonvama, with its Spa wells Health centre and the only working Spa in Ireland, the sulphur baths, famous for their therapeutic treatments are an excellent way to relax after the rigours of the matchmaking festival. The cosy bars of Lisdoonvarna have live music (and dancing!) daily, and according to www.matchmakerireland.com ‘romance and craic are to be had in abundance’!

The Final Weekend of the Matchmaker Festival, featuring the grand finale when the best-matched couple are picked and awarded the coveted titles of ‘Mr Lisdoonvarna’ and ‘Queen of the Burren

Are you planning to head to Belfast for spending your valuable weekend here? Then you are on the right destination where there is no end to scenic beauty, excellent nightlife, fantastic shopping places and other tourist places as well. Those interested in exploring facts about Belfast’s history can visit the famous landmarks of the city for detailed information. There are many good hotels in Belfast with best accommodation facilities. You can check the city’s hotel guide to find out Belfast hotels and facilities provided by them. The one that suits to your budget and interest can be booked by any good online hotel booking website. 

The city of Belfast is full of life and glamour, devoid of any violence. Belfast tourism have been in the upswing as increased number of tourists around the globe are exploring this city. Although the tourism industry is still in developing phase, but slowly and steadily the things are looking better for Belfast tourism industry. Places to see was earlier shadowed due to negative publicity but now the publicity is being done in the right manner. The credit goes to the present government who have very well identified the natural resources of the city, developed it so that it draws tourism it is worth for. 

Belfast hotels are becoming talk of the town as there is major development in the area of tourism with great enthusiasm and vitality. For film lovers, the Belfast film festival is organized where small as well as big productions from all over the globe is shown. You can take a tour of this mesmerizing city by means of boat, taxi, bus or by walking.   Reaching to Belfast has become very convenient with budget airlines giving regular access to the city of Belfast. People here are very warmly, social, co-operative and have a zest for life. 

As far as hotel accommodation goes, hotels as available in all ranges to suit your budget and interest. Right from low budget to medium and high budget hotels, you can find all sorts of Belfast accommodation. Just log on to a reputed and reliable Belfast hotel booking website and select based on your preferences and requirements. Hotels in Belfast are build in main marketplace to secluded destinations in the lap of the nature.  

Whether you are planning to go with your family or friends Belfast has something unique and interesting to offer to all people. Doing booking of accommodation in Belfast ensures well-organized and peaceful stay at this spectacular tourist location.

For more details of hotels in Belfast visit http://belfasthotels.ebookireland.com/

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Distillation is the process by which water is separated from alcohol, made possible because their boiling points differ. Scottish whisky – usually spelled without the e – has traditionally been distilled once or twice. Irish whiskey – traditionally spelled with the e – is usually distilled three times. However, Jameson Irish Whiskey is of unique provenance as a single distillery Irish whiskey, originally manufactured by a Scot. In 1780, John Jameson established the Bow Street Distillery in Dublin but the whiskey is today distilled in Cork (the vatting still takes place in Dublin).

Since before Victorian times, Jameson has been a popular international brand as a smooth single distilled whiskey with (some say) just a mild hint of vanilla. Unique features of Jameson include the distillation process: Jameson combines malted barley with unmalted or green barley. It also uses a “Pure Pot Still” method in its manufacture – even stubbornly retaining this through periods when, due to competition with cheaper Scottish brands, it was far less economically viable to do so. Indeed, litigation regarding what could be marketed or branded as whiskey was brought against the Scottish whisky makers, but they won their case in the end.

A steam museum located in Straffan, County Kildare, houses among its various contraptions and locomotives a number of engines that served purely industrial rather than transport purposes. A large beam engine is on display that was used in the Midleton whiskey distillery in County Cork. The steam museum also has a pumping engine that was used at the Jameson distillery in Dublin.

However, the steam museum in Straffan is not the only place in Ireland to learn about the production and history of Jameson Whiskey. The Old Jameson Distillery, in Smithfield, a market area of Dublin of near ancient origins, is home to a museum on the site where the whiskey was once produced. You will first watch a video presentation before taking a guided tour through the distillation and maturation processes of this significant Irish spirit brand. Provided you’re of age, you can then enjoy a glass of the whiskey in the pub above the museum. The tours can begin early, so if you’re on a tour in the early afternoon, just be sure to pace yourself in the pub afterwards.

Jameson Whiskey Heritage Centre in Midleton, County Cork, has restored its old distillery too, to further showcase the manufacturing process. Whiskey has been distilled on this site since 1825, and the modern distillery is nearby. The heritage centre is home to the world’s largest pot still. Visitors are also free to examine the old corn stores, still houses, warehouses and maltings. Artefacts and displays, demonstrations and working models, all combine for an enjoyable cultural experience.

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The Dublin Theatre Festival was founded in 1957 with the intention of showcasing the best in international theatre while also bringing attention to new Irish productions. It’s the oldest festival of its kind in Europe.

            The Dublin Theatre Festival, sponsored by Ulster Bank, this year runs from September 24 until October 11. The Dublin Fringe Festival, sponsored by Absolut, takes place between the 05 and 20 September. While the main theatre festival features mostly mainstream dramatic works, the alternative festival showcases dance, comedy and theatre in various other guises.

            Many of the shows at the Dublin Theatre Festival are family friendly, with several shows aimed at children. A cultural centre aimed at this age group, The Ark, will host a number of shows through the course of the festival for kids of various ages, including four productions from Denmark. The Danes, who count Hans Christian Andersen among their number, know a thing or two about children’s entertainment and have a strong tradition in the field. The theatre festival includes an adaptation of Hansel and Gretel. There is also a musical specifically aimed at toddlers.

            More adult themed fare can be found elsewhere at the festival, although some of it deals with the education system. For those living or staying outside of the city, an adaptation of Pat McCabe’s The Dead School goes on tour, playing in Blanchardstown, Tallaght and Dun Laoghaire. Central to the play is the clash between traditionalism and modernity, with an older school teacher critical of a younger teacher’s techniques.

            Tradition and modernity also feature in Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, with a wilting class of privilege being supplanted by the search for meaning in modern life. Chekhov has a high profile in Ireland, thanks in part to acclaimed Irish playwright Brian Friel’s recent adaptations of his work. A Russian production of Three Sisters – featuring a renowned cast and an award winning director – runs at the Gaiety Theatre between 29 September and 3 October. The play will be performed in Russian, so you may want to hear Chekhov’s lyricism in his native tongue (or ascertain whether the great playwright had a poetic ear at all). English surtitles are provided.

            An adaptation of The Birds – the short story by Daphne DuMaurier, made famous by the Hitchcock film, also based on it – can be seen at the Gate Theatre. The adaptation is written by award winning Conor McPherson and features a strong cast.

            Meanwhile, the Dublin Fringe Festival, which precedes the main festival, has a less conventional format, and the tickets are in general less expensive too. It features a more widespread selection of performance art. Some of the pieces are site specific. For example, “Basin” is performed at Blessington Street Basin in Dublin 7. It is an examination, through multimedia and more conventional live theatre, of the history of Blessington Street Basin. In keeping with the non-conformist expectations of the fringe festival, it has some magical elements, and includes a ninja duck poacher, ghost children and a trip through Narnia.

            Die Roten Punkte at the Metro Bosco Theatre ably parody Germany’s industrial music scene, with some very strong musical numbers that would fit into any 80s top ten chart, alongside great comedy. The name of their “hit single” says it all: “Ich Bin Nicht Ein Roboter (I Am A Lion)”. Reviews for this mock concert show have all been extremely favourable.

Dublin Theatre Festival Box Office: 01 677 8899

Dublin Fringe Box Office: 1850 374 643