Malahide Castle



Tel: +353 1 846 2184

Fax: +353 1 846 2537











Malahide Castle, set on 250 acres of park land in the pretty seaside town of Malahide,was both a fortress and a private home for nearly 800 years and is an interesting mix of architectural styles. The Talbot family lived here from 1185 to 1973, when the last Talbot died. The house is furnished with beautiful period furniture together with an extensive collection of Irish portrait paintings, mainly from the National Gallery.

The history of the Talbot family is recorded in the Great Hall, where portraits of generations of the family tell their own story of Ireland's stormy history. Many additions and alterations have been made to this romantic and beautiful structure, but the contours of the surrounding parklands have changed little in 800 years,retaining a sense of the past. Malahide Castle is operated by Dublin Tourism Attractions in conjunction with Fingal County Council.

Situated in the beautiful grounds surrounding Malahide Castle is the Fry Model Railway, a delightful collection of handmade models of Irish trains which is a treat for railway enthusiasts, children and adults alike.

Also located within the grounds of Malahide Castle is Tara's Palace - one of the world's most significant Dolls Houses.


Opening Times:

January-December
Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm

April-September
Sundays & Public Holidays: 10am-6pm

October-March
Sundays & Public Holidays: 11am-5pm

Closed for tours 12.45pm-2pm.
Restauarant remains open during lunch.

Admission Prices:

Adults: €6.50
Concession: €5.50
Children: €4
Family: €18

Group Admission Prices:

Adults: €5.50
Concession: €4.50
Children: €3.15

Minimum group number is 20.

Combined tickets are available with one of the following attractions:

Dublin Writers Museum
James Joyce Museum
Shaw Birthplace
Fry Model Railway

Prices for Combined Tickets:

Adults: €11
Concession: €9
Children: €6.50
Family: €30

Group Combined Tickets:

Adults: €10
Concession: €8
Children: €5.50

Facilities:

Private banquets held in the medieval Great Hall for 30-76 persons.
Tours available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese and Finnish.

Craft shop and restaurant. Coach park, bus and car parking available.

How to Get There:

By bus: Bus 42 from city centre.

By train: Suburban rail and DART from Connolly Station to Malahide.

Why not take the DART to Malahide Castle, Fry Model Railway or The James Joyce Museum and avail of DART's special combined tickets? Click here for more details.




Email: malahidecastle@dublintourism.ie

Web: http://www.malahidecastle.com

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Shannon

A place of legendary beauty, the Shannon region embraces the counties of Clare, Limerick, South Offaly and North Tipperary and takes its name from the majestic River Shannon.

Bordered by the wild and dramatic Atlantic coastline, it’s an area replete with breathtaking cliffs, golden beaches and quiet coves along Europe’s most westerly shores.

The stunning natural landscape also includes the rugged, lunar-like plateau of the Burren in North Clare, and the idyllic waters of Lough Derg – Ireland’s main pleasure lake. With excellent visitor attractions, a whole host of activities from world-class golf to fishing and horseriding, and very friendly locals, it’s the perfect spot to forget all your worries with a trip to remember.


The Burren




The Incredible Burren

The limestone also has a landscape in miniature etched into exposed slabs of rock. The bare surfaces (pavements) are fretted with hollows and channels where acidic rainwater has selectively dissolved the rock. An extreme example of these micro landforms occurs on the coast.

Often described as a natural landscape, the Burren has been profoundly influenced by human activities. Early removal of the natural woodland induced soil erosion, enlarging the exposure of the underlying limestone.

Ecological diversity is one of the great attractions of the Burren – a remarkable profusion that is now under intense pressure.

More than 700 different flowering plants and ferns have been recorded in the Burren. Thus, although the Burren represents only 1% of the land-mass of Ireland, 75% of the Irish native species are contained in the area. In The Burren, plants from northern (“Arctic”) regions reach their southern limits, those from southern (“subtropical”) regions attain their northern limits, while plants from high mountains (“alpines”) can be found growing at sea-level; all three groups grow side by side – and in profusion – in The Burren. The Burren flora advances through its seasonal displays between April and October – but even in mid-winter, there are flowers in bloom on the “Fertile Rock”.

The Burren is a region of outstanding significance in an international context in terms of its geology, geomorphology, natural history and archaeology. Most of the area has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.

Important: The people of the Burren welcome visitors to Ireland's most extraordinary landscape. The Burren may look rugged, but it is also a fragile place and is always under threat from increased human activity. The limestone pavement, flora and built heritage are the resources on which tourism in The Burren thrives. Respecting and conserving this resource is extremely important.

There is a Burren Code and, by following it, you can help protect the limestone pavement, plants and built heritage of this irreplaceable ‘fertile rock’.

The Burren Landscape

(courtesy of www.Burrenbeo.com)
The Burren upland region is located along Ireland's mid-western coast, stretching across approximately 360km² of north Clare and south Galway, extending from sea level to modest altitudes of just over 300m, easily accessible to most hill walkers. The rich greens of the Burren's valleys are in stark contrast to the unrelenting greys of the rounded limestone hills that rise above them, and from which the name 'Boireann', meaning rocky place, is derived.

Formed some 340 million years agi at the bottom of a warm, shallow sea, the visibly fossil-rich layers of limestone that define the Burren have been shaped by millions of years of natural and cultural forces. The result is a wonderfully rich, undulating series of swirls, tiers, cliffs, caves, hollows and bare pavements, classic features of what is commonly described as a 'karst' landscape.

It is often said that water, not rock, is the key to the Burren. Ironically, water-flows in the Burren are rarely visible, most moving silently underground, though the impact of water on the Burren's surface landscape is visible everywhere, from the extensive karst features to the miniture 'karren' forms - runnels, grooves and hollows that have been etched into pavement surfaces by water solution.

When in the Burren, look out for special features such as turloughs (disappearing lakes), glacial erratics (rounded boulders perched like eggs), and of course the famous 'crazy' pavements - massive blocks of limestone (knows as 'clints') seperated by deep cracks (known as 'grikes').

Most of the Burren has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation, a title reserved for the very best natural environments in Europe. Please treat this special place with the respect it deserves and needs. Do not interfere with the limestone of the Burren, to do so will destroy millennia of natural processes. Just be careful, and enjoy your visit to this unique landscape.

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The Beaches of the Shannon Region

Located as it is on Ireland’s West Coast, the Shannon Region’s dramatic Atlantic Ocean coastline features many resort towns and fine beaches.

Below we feature the beaches and marinas that were awarded ‘Blue Flag’ status in 2005. The Blue Flag is an international environmental award made to beaches and marinas thoughout Europe that demonstrate good environmental standards and good sanitary and safety facilities. The award is made by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an independent non-profit organisation.

Blue Flage Beaches 2005 in County Clare

Cappa Pier, Kilrush, Co Clare:

White Strand, Miltown Malbay, County Clare: Close to Lahinch. Relatively small sandy beach with rocky shoreline. There are good walks around the headland.

Lahinch, County Clare: Holiday Resort town, with beach facing the open Atlantic Ocean. A large crescent-shaped sandy beach close to Liscannor. Close to the Burren area with its unique limestone landscape.

Ballyvaughan, Fanore, County Clare: Exposed beach to the Atlantic swell. Golden Sand and delicate limestone cliffs. Close to the heart of the Burren area which can be fascinating for the botanist, zoologist, archeologist and geologist to explore.

Kilkee, County Clare: Holiday resort town, crescent shaped beach of golden sand shelves gently seawards. The beach has a number of interesting pools and good cliff walks.

Ballycuggeran, Killaoe, County Clare: A small lakeside bathing area in a designated area for conservation. Lough Derg is one of the major freshwater lakes of Ireland. The area is of significant ecological interest with five habitats listed on the EU Habitats Directive.

Mountshannon, County Clare: Mountshannon Beach is a Lakeshore Beach. Mountshannon Municipal marina is located on Lough Derg on the River Shannon. Frequented by hired river cruisers.

Blue Flag Marinas 2005 in County Clare

Kilrush Marina, County Clare: Municipal marina, built in protected harbour which is accessed by lock gates. Full marina facilities including club house.



Have a safe holiday. Avoid water accidents



We want you to have a great holiday and offer the following safety advice which you should follow when swimming in open waters:

• Swim on safe beaches where lifegaurds are in attendance
• Check locally concerning dangerous currents that may be very strong, even for the best of swimmers.
• Never swim alone; do bring a friend with you.
• Allow about an hour for your food to digest.
• Swim parallel to shore - If you swim out too far, you may be too tired to swim back.
• Open water is colder than a pool, so don't swim out too far for long periods.
• Never call for help for fun - only in a true emergency
• Stay clear of boats - they take time to change direction, and they may not see you.

Children

Children are naturally curious about water. By following simple safety precautions, your family can enjoy the water and prevent tragedies.

• Do not let children use blow-up toys, mattresses or light inflatable boats in open water.
• Remember, water wings and other blow-up swimming aids should not be used in place of life vests. In fact, they often give a false sense of security and can even be dangerous if they deflate suddenly or if your child slips out of them.

Alcohol
Drinking alcohol or using other drugs while swimming, boating and playing water sport puts people at serious risk of drowning.

Boating
Check weather conditions and ensure your craft and equipment is in sea-worthy condition and always wear a lifejacket.

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Clare’s spectacular cliff walks – the finest in Europe

The Cliffs of Moher are amongst the most spectacular in the world - and far and away the best that can be seen in Europe within easy reach of good roads and inviting places to stay. They are in CountyClare – which offers several others. Some have the attraction of lying off the beaten track and giving a fair chance of your being the only visitor. Others are convenient to popular resorts and safe and easy for access (the cliff walks at Kilkee is worthy of special mention and is close to the centre of the Kilkee seaside resort).



Overlooking the Atlantic, even on a calm day white surf shows continually at the feet of Clare’s cliffs – the great ocean waves never cease pounding the shore. In stormy weather, the surf boils with fury, sending great plumes high up, even over-topping the cliffs. Wonderful to see the forces of the unbridled ocean, this is a time to respect its power and keep to a safe distance back from the edge!.



Winter is the time to concentrate on the form and colour of the rocks themselves. The colours are mostly shades of grey, from the limestone strata which are the main constituent of the cliffs. Above all, a cliff walk at any time of year gives a sense of space, unobtainable anywhere else in the land.



The story of the rock is as fantastic as its appearance. The limestone was deposited as a sediment in a clear, tropical sea near the Equator in the Carboniferous era, three hundred million years ago. In the course of millions of years the rock moved northwards, crumpling in places, until it reached its position to-day as a spectacular part of Ireland.



Nestling Birds

In spring the first of the nesting birds come inshore after spending the winter far away over the ocean. They are the fulmars and they glide incessantly on the thermals around the cliffs. A little later small seagulls called kittiwake come along, together with the black-and-white puffins, razorbills and guillemots. Many thousands of them find nesting places on the Cliffs of Moher and smaller numbers on the cliffs of Kilkee. Out at sea, gannets sail in the air, plummeting down from time to time to hunt for a fish beneath the surface. Seals, dolphins and even whales can be seen now and again.



To naturalists from abroad, and even from Ireland, the most exciting species is a land bird, the chough which stays near the cliffs all the year round. With glossy black plumage and crimson legs and bill, it is so striking in appearance that it has for centuries been popular in heraldry, appearing on many coats of arms. It is also rare, being confined to cliffs and never seen inland. Choughs go about in small parties, their wings spread, sailing gracefully on the wind.



Spring is also the time for the blooming of a garden of wild flowers. Pink thrift, yellow vetch and white campion make great patches of colour and there are many others to delight both botanists and casual observers, with more and more species flowering through the summer.



Footpaths on the cliffs are maintained at the Cliffs of Moher and Kilkee. Fences give a degree of security and both have beautiful posters describing the rock formations and the natural history of the cliffs. At Kilkee the cliff walks are close enough to the resort to make a perfect after-dinner walk on a summer’s evening and watch the setting sun. Shops and food are available within walking distance of the cliffs. The Cliffs of Moher are a few kilometres by good roads from the popular centres of Lahinch, Liscannor and Lisdoonvarna. An information centre, craft shop and restaurant cater for visitors.



Loop Head

Off the beaten track are the cliffs of Loop Head and the Bridges of Ross. The nearest village is Kilbaha and the resort of Kilkee is just over 32 kilometres (20 miles), much of the journey along the coast road. Loop Head, with the ocean on one side and the Shannon Estuary on the others, gives a feeling of standing at the end of the world. The bridges of Ross, have a great variety of rock formations, finest of all being the natural arches, cut away by the waves. The particular attraction of these two is that very few people go there and there are chances of having the entire ocean to yourself. But treat it with respect: there are paths but no fences – this is true wilderness.

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The Peatlands (the bogs) of the Shannon Region

‘Peat’ is the international term – in Ireland we call it ‘turf’ and we call the peatlands ‘the bog’. Whatever the name may be, they are a wonderful entity which cover one sixth of the Irish countryside. The peatlands spread like a blanket over the greater part of the mountains and hills of the west and they form immense areas of almost level ground in the midlands, especially in the valley of the River Shannon.

Turf means different things to different people. For thousands of years farmers who lived within walking distance of the bog dug the sodden turf every summer, dried it in little stacks and carried it home for fuel. Thousands of people still do this, while hundreds of thousands in towns and suburbs buy ‘briquettes’, bales of compressed and polished blocks of peat produced in factories in the midlands. The briquettes burn to make a cosy fire – with smoke which is renowned as free from pollutants.

Conservationists point out that, over the greater part of Europe, peat has been dug away to such an extent that the bog has almost disappeared from many countries. Ireland and Finland retain a greater proportion of it than any other lands. This makes it a precious feature of our heritage and great areas of peatland are now carefully preserved for posterity. The bog has a unique assemblage of beautiful wild flowers and is a haven for many species of birds and other creatures. At the other extreme, the peat is a valuable industrial fuel. Excavated by enormous machines, it is carried on miles and miles of special railway track and fed to power stations, brought to briquette factories or baled as a garden soil improver. Over the past fifty years this has provided employment for thousands of people in regions where there was very little other work.

Blanket bog is rather scattered in the Shannon Region but expeditions along narrow roads on the hills of Slieve Aughty on the Clare/Galway border, on some of the hills of the Burren of Clare and on the Slieve Bloom and Silvermines Mountains of Tipperary, bring visitors face to face with it. In a few places banks of hand-cut peat may still be seen – but they grow fewer and fewer. Increased prosperity has taken away the drudgery of digging out the fuel. Hill walkers are more likely to be met with than turf-cutters. Although it is not a place where anybody wants to live, the bog is lovely to look at and visit for a while. The drier parts are covered with heather and small flowers such as the bright yellow tormentil and bog asphodel. The wet regions have grasses and sedges, some with green leaves, others with red. At the end of the summer, the damp parts are white with the fluffy heads of bog cotton. In places there are tiny lakes, in others pale green mosses.

In the old days whole families with their donkeys used to go out on the bog and the sods of turf were brought home sometimes in donkey carts, sometimes on a sled and sometimes in creels on the donkey’s back.

The character of the lowland bog is quite different. It extends as far as the eye can see, interrupted by hills and ridges. The bog in its untouched state is covered by low shrubs, or patches of birch trees and gorse. The ground is too soft to build on and the soil too poor and wet to grow grasses – so there are neither people nor animals to be seen. In contrast, the hills are bright with green pasture and dotted with farmsteads and cattle. Narrow, lonely roads connecting the hillsides make it easy to explore the region and find hidden castles, churches and holy wells. Two walking trails, the Offaly Way and the Grand Canal Way go through the bog for miles and miles.

The exploited peatlands present a different picture. Huge yellow machines scrape away at the surface of the bog, leaving a smooth brown landscape – with white stripes where the excavated peat is covered with miles of polythene sheeting. Railway lines go here and there, with trucks to collect the peat and bring it to the processing plants. Ultimately, the machines reach the lowest levels of the bog and the mining phase comes to an end. Then all sorts of exciting things happen. Forests are planted in some regions, grassland in others and, in some cases, tracts of ‘cutaway’ bog are set aside as nature reserves.

Boora Bog and the Turraun Wetlands are two of the finest reserves. Lakes, swamps, birch woodland and scrub of yellow-flowering gorse provide a rich habitat for birds and fishes. In spring the silence is broken only by singing birds. In winter wild swans, and other species which breed in the far north, gather to feed off the grasslands and rest in safety on the lakes.



Take a rail tour of the bog on-board the Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway

Not far away, at Blackwater, parts of the railroad are used to carry visitors – as well as the peat. The Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway takes people on a tour of one or two hours through the peatlands, in a unique experience. As the train winds its way through the bog, the story of the bog is told and a stop is made for a hands-on demonstration of cutting turf in the traditional way.

A day in the bog – whether wandering on your own and enjoying the solitude and distant horizons, or visiting one or other of the centres – will prove an unforgettable experience.

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The Shannon Region abounds in places that, somehow or other, are ‘less travelled’ by visitors. Some are a little distance from anywhere else, others are tucked away off main roads and are not quite big enough to draw crowds. But all of them have some particular beauty and the special attraction of offering an element of solitude for those of us who want sometimes to escape from our busy, crowded lives. Here we suggest eight such spots, two for each County in the Region – but the list could be extended to hundreds or maybe even a thousand.

Co. Clare
Loop Head is the cliff-girt headland that separates the sheltered water of the Shannon Estuary from the fury of the Atlantic Ocean. The tip of the head is occupied by a graceful lighthouse, the land is level and bright with wild flowers, pink thrift, yellow vetch and white campion. To the north there are four great promontories and cathedral-sized caverns. Seabirds by the thousand, fulmars and kittiwakes and others, make their nests on the rock ledges. A little way to the east are the Bridges of Ross, natural arches of limestone. Farms are scattered and few and the entire area has a heavenly feeling of remoteness.

Lough Graney lies, surrounded by mountains, in a broad valley reached by roads that go nowhere in particular. There are two villages by the lakeside, with welcoming pubs and little landing places for anglers’ rowing boats. The water leaves the lake in a sparkling stream under an old stone bridge, from a bay fringed with graceful reeds. This is the land of the Midnight Court, one of the most delightful poems ever written in the Irish language. The immortal poet Brian Merriman lived there in the 18th century and taught the children of the poor in a ‘hedge school’.

Co. Offaly
Birr: Since the 17th century, the Parsons family have lived on the edge of this old midland town. They designed and built beautiful squares and malls of town houses – and that would have been enough for most landlords. But many of the Parsons were also men of genius, above all in the 19th century when the head of the family, the 3rd Earl of Ross and his son, the 4th Earl, were amongst the most distinguished astronomers in the world - besides having a more than ordinary interest in landscape gardening. The 3rd Earl in the 1840s built the biggest telescope that had ever been made. It is still there, to be seen at the Birr Castle Demesne and Historic Science Centre and has been renewed and is working. It is one of the biggest attractions at the centre, along with the formal gardens, the historic science exhibitions and the National Birds of Prey Centre, where hawks, eagles, falcons and owls can be seen at close quarters.

Banagher: is a last refuge of the corncrake – and that brings it visitors every summer. The corncrake was a well-known bird a couple of generations ago when farmers made hay late in the season. Changes in agriculture have almost banished it, but in the Shannon callows, the low-lying water meadows by the great river, traditional methods are encouraged by the authorities and the cheerful ‘crek-crek’ call of the corncrake can still be heard. But Banagher is beloved by more than birdwatchers. Charlotte Brontë spent a happy honeymoon there and Anthony Trollope lodged for years in the hotel on the main street. Modern Banagher is a vibrant old village with a new marina where you may hire boats to enjoy the beauties of the River Shannon.

Co. Tipperary
Terryglass: This village and harbour stand on the shores of Lough Derg, one of the biggest and most beautiful of the lakes of Ireland. It is far from the main roads and known to few besides the boating and fishing people who love it. Terryglass was a great monastery in ancient Ireland and the place where the Book of Leinster, one of the most important medieval manuscripts, was compiled. Few traces of this monastery remain – but the spot is marked by a beautiful churchyard on the hillside, with pale grey, lichen-covered tombstones from past centuries.

Holycross: was one of the most picturesque ruined monasteries of Ireland. Reflected in the calm waters of the River Suir, its pale grey walls, with beautiful stone tracery in its great windows, contrasted with the green of the surrounding fields. People who visited it felt that its was so well preserved that all it needed was a new roof to bring it back to life as a church. And that is what happened in 1971, eight hundred years after its foundation and five hundred since its previous restoration. Once again, pilgrims come to pray at its shrines. Visitors, religious and secular, can find self-catering accommodation nearby and they and their children will love to meet the friendly – and rare – breeds of animals in the pet farm down the road.

Co. Limerick
Lough Gur is a most attractive lake, so much so that people have been farming and building there since the stone age and haven’t stopped yet. The lake is a truly hidden place, tucked away amongst gentle green hills and only visible from the roads that actually lead down to it. It lies in one of the richest archaeological regions in Ireland, surrounded by stone monuments of many kinds that span five thousand years of life and death. A beautiful place to visit, particularly to drive through the hazel woods and down to the secluded lake shore, Lough Gur also welcomes visitors to its theme park and reconstructed stone-age dwellings.

Curraghchase was a great demesne, with a magnificent classical mansion on a hillside, looking down to a beautiful lake. The house was abandoned after a fire in 1941 – but its walls remain, giving an impression of its past splendour. It was the home of the poet Aubrey de Vere and a place where some of the greatest writers of the 19th century used to stay. Now owned by the state and maintained as a forest park, the house, reed-fringed lake and fine old trees are hidden away from the outside world, an ideal spot for woodland walks in peace and quiet.

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Richly endowed with Great Attractions

One of the great appeals of the Shannon Region is that it is richly endowed with a range of visitor attractions that provides the visitor with a wide choice of opportunity for enjoyment, whatever the weather. The Region's attraction includes castles, folk parks, show-caves, museums, water-worlds, sea-life centres, pet-farms, boat trips and much more.

Some like Holy Cross Abbey in Tipperary, have been bequeathed to us out of a colourful history, and lovingly restored. Others like famed Bunratty Folk Park or the Craggaunowen Bronze-Age Project, are faithful recreations of the living conditions enjoyed by our ancestors in both the recent and distant past.

More recent attractions, like the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, Caherconnell Stone Fort or the Seaworld Centres in Lahinch use state-of-the-art technology to creatively give insights into aspects of Ireland - our past, our culture, our environment.

Man-made attractions are always placed in persective by a visit to the Aillwee Cave in Co. Clare - where nature demonstates her architectural supermacy.

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The Midlands is a truly beautiful region of Ireland that offers everything from sports and historical monuments to walking trips through the stunning countryside. The natural beauty of the Midlands will truly astonish you and a stroll beside one of the many lakes or rivers is a breathtaking experience.

If you are a golfer, some of Ireland's finest golf courses are found in The Midlands, including the world-famous K Club. The Horse Museum and National Stud is also here, and is home to some of the world's finest thoroughbreds.

One of Ireland's oldest Christian settlements, Clonmacnoise, is also found in The Midlands, on the banks of the Shannon. Founded in the sixth century, it includes the remains of eight churches and three high crosses.

Famous for its horses, racing and stud farms, Kildare’s famous racecourses – The Curragh – Punchestown and Naas are the home to exciting racing festivals, while the Irish National Stud is testament to the county’s strong horse breeding tradition. The county offers a range of special interests in addition to horse racing and horse riding such as golf , motor racing, fishing, ecology, cruising and walking. In September 2006, The K Club will host the most prestigious international golf even "The Ryder Cup".

County Kildare’s many heritage attractions are of great importance and provide much to interest the visitor. Note the heritage towns of Athy and Kildare, Leixlip where ‘Guinness’ was first brewed and the University town of Maynooth. Visit the many houses and gardens such as the magnificent Castletown or experience Peatland World Visitor Centre that interprets the wilderness of the Bog of Allen.

Fact File:
Facts on Co. Kildare

Towns and Villages:
Click here for Town's and Village's in County Kildare

Tourist Information Offices:
Click here to find the nearest Tourist Information Office

Accommodation:
Click here for Accommodation in County Kildare

Attractions:
Click here for Attractions in County Kildare

Things to do:
Click here for Activity in County Kildare

Tourism related web site's for Kildare
www.visitkildare.ie

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The South West of Ireland provides unlimited stimulation for all the senses.

The amazing panoramas that are revealed around every turn of the Ring of Kerry, the quality of the seafood restaurants in Kinsale and the ultimate relaxation of its four-star hotels and spas are only a few examples of what a holiday in the region can deliver.

And if you tire of the quiet life, Ireland’s second city, Cork, is overflowing with ways to inject a little excitement into your break.

The Cork Kerry Region with over 1000 kilometres of coastline has numerous beaches to choose from, these include 23 Blue Flag beaches (year 2005).

Each Blue Flag beach meets a range of EU environmental and safety criteria, which collectively represent a high level of environmental quality. While using the beaches in the Cork/Kerry Region do make sure to follow the advice of lifeguards where this service is provided. Read warning signs carefully. Failing that, seek local advice regarding the safety of individual beaches for swimming.

Cork

Barleycove
Garretstown
Garrylucas
Garryvoe
Inchydoney
Owenahincha
The Warren (Rosscarbery)
Tragumna
Youghal Claycastle
Youghal Front Strand

Kerry

Ballinskelligs
Ballybunion North
Ballybunion South
Ballyheigue
Banna
Derrynane
Fenit
Inch
Kells
Maherabeg
Rossbeigh
Ventry
White Strand Cahersiveen

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Cork City

The second city of the Republic of Ireland has a population of over 160,000 people. Like Venice the city is built upon the waters, and Cork centre is built on an island in the River Lee, just upstream of Cork Harbour. The two channels of the River Lee which embrace the city centre are spanned by many bridges, and this gives the city a distinctive continental air.

However it is often said of Cork City that it has all the amenities of a large city, but still manages to retain its pleasant atmosphere and extreme friendliness, which you will experience on your visit. Cork is a city of remarkable charm, and the visitor cannot fail to be captivated by its hilly streets, bumpy bridges, peaceful backwaters and inconsequential air.

The city has been designated European Capital of Culture for 2005. Visitors to Cork City can avail of numerous activities including golf, dining and language learning.

There are many attractions for visitors to Cork City to savour. The imposing St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral is one such attraction. It stands on perhaps the oldest Christian site in Cork. Tradition has it that a monastery was founded on the site in the 7th century by St. Fin Barre.

The English Market is located in the heart of the city and the visitor will find a variety of shops here selling everything from bread, cheeses, poultry, meats, olives and fish. The local Cork delicacy of tripe and drisheen can be bought in the Market.
The Market has existed since 1788. A fire in 1980 seriously damaged part of the Market, but it was carefully restored. The elegant 19th century fountain at the centre of the market was made locally by W.R. Harris of Great Georges Street and was once the main source of water supply for the traders.

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