Happy Solstice to you all.
It’s great to know that after today the days will be getting longer.
I went up to Newgrange to hopefully see the sunrise light the boyne valley but unfortunately the sky was overcast and misty. Below is a video of the morning and the burial chamber.
Last night I took my mother and wife to see the Celtic Tenors in St Patricks cathedral in Dublin.
I didn’t know what to expect as to be honest I had never heard these guys sing.
All I can say is that it was a really enjoyable night and really put us in the Christmas spirit. We all enjoyed it as they sung a mixture of favourite Irish songs and others from their albums and a range of Christmas carols. The guys seemed really nice and explained each song before they sang.
My favourite of the night was Ave Marie - the violin and piano accompaniment was beautiful.
The setting was fanatastic, I loved the different coloured lights that helped create a wonderful atmosphere in the Cathedral. Although we were not allowed to take photos I did manage to record “O Holy Night” from my pocket digital camera (hiding it on my knee). They were joined by the Wesley School Choir for a number of the carols and the added to the performance.
Well it’s the day after the dreaded budget, at least the rain has stopped and the sun is shining as that is about all the good news there is - or is it?
The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) expressed its relief that marketing investment has been kept at levels that will allow for campaigns of a similar level as this year in Ireland’s main source markets.
“Early signs of economic recovery exist in our principal source markets - the United States, Britain, France and Germany,” ITIC chairman Tom Haughey said. “It is critical that Irish tourism exploits the opportunity which this presents.”
The group also said it was delighted that had been “a significant restoration of the tourism capital grant of €22 million, which will leverage substantial investment in job creation and product enhancement”.
But I hope that this money is fed down to the smaller tourism businesses who are on the ground and that it is not not eaten up by the large hotel chains etc.
Promotion is the key, we need to support the smaller businesses in helping them to promote themselves. Many of them still don’t have websites and if they do, don’t know how to promote them. I recently attended a Tourism Learning Network course where we met over a number of months. It was good in theory but at the end of it we had nothing to show for the time and money spent.
Let me vent a liitle rage here ! I can’t even get a link from Tourism Ireland website or any regional website even though I have asked several times. I even got an email from Tourism Ireland in Sweden saying they loved the website - again I asked for a link and so far no link (see the following email correspondence)
—– Original Message —–
From:
To: Look Around Ireland
Cc:
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 1:05 PM
Subject: RE: Hemsidan, lookaroundireland,
Hi again John,
Just to let you know I haven’t receive any updates on this yet but I’m forward it to my colleague Maarit here in the Copenhagen office. She is our internet expert and knows more about what is doable and not. She will get back to you on this.
All the best!
Kind regards,
——————————————————————————–
From: Look Around Ireland [mailto:info@lookaroundireland.com]
Sent: 10 August 2009 15:09
To:
Subject: Re: Hemsidan, lookaroundireland,
Hi ,
We got the translation software in Canada, I did a lot of research before I picked this one so I’m glad it works well.
We currently receive over 3500 visitors per day as I have optimised the website for various search terms. Also we created a Danny Boy video on Youtube which links to our site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jgma–0WYU It has had nearly 1.5 million views which also helps traffic.
Can you help us with links to our site ? We are not sure of the correct procedure and contact people. Even a link from your own site would be of benefit ?
We could also put a link to Tourism Ireland in return with a logo or something.
On another topic, I am running the first ever Irish Bog Snorkelling championships in September . A world championships is held every year in Wales but I decided to run an Irish one. Check out our website www.irishbogsnorkelling.com It’s a fun event to raise money for a charity.
All the best
John McKeown
Look Around Ireland
The Online Guide to Ireland
Ph: 353 (0)41 6862400
www.lookaroundireland.com
—– Original Message —–
From:
To: Look Around Ireland
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 2:00 PM
Subject: RE: Hemsidan, lookaroundireland,
Hi John,
Thanks for your updates. Sounds like a great product, and you come high up on a google search. The Translation looks good, definitely better than some other software translations I have seen!
Yes, I work for Tourism Ireland in the Nordics and we have our head quarter in Copenhagen so from here we cover Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.
Have you approached our head office in Dublin? They might be able to assist with links on our web site etc. I think you have a great product and I’m sure you must get a good few hits every day, especially with the great benefit of covering so many languages. Can you rate the clicks from country to country?
Kind regards,
Tourism Ireland
Nordic Headquarters
Nyhavn 16,
DK-1051 Copenhagen K,
Denmark
Tel: +45 33 17 72 32
Fax: +45 33 32 44 01
Email:
www.discoverireland.com
So there you have - rant over but I still believe that the smaller guys are not supported!
(all contact names have been deleted as I don’t want to get them in trouble)
We are into first week in December 2009 and the lure of a Christmas in Ireland should be getting more magnetic. Traditionally the 8th of December was the beginning of the real run into Christmas as shoppers from the countryside descended on Dublin city to devour up the fare on offer. Shops would be packed with the likes of Clerys, Arnotts, Brown Thomas and Roches Stores brimming with adrenaline-filled customers picking their presents and bring a fantastic warm atmosphere to Grafton Street and Henry Street.
Sadly, this great occasion has gradually diminished in recent years as large shopping centres and retail parks opened in towns all over the country during the building boom. Now, one did not need to catch train or undertake the long drive to Dublin to find the latest and most trendy gear – they had come to a shopping centre near you. In a sense the magic of the 8th of December evaporated with these developments. In Ireland, the 8th December is a Feast Day, or Holy Day of Obligation, and thus all schools are closed. Entire families, young and old, used to make the journey to Dublin and young wondrous eyes would view the Christmas themes in the windows of Brown Thomas with gaping awe.
This year the country is in a state of complete negativity as we endure the worst economic meltdown in the history of the state. We have, in such a short space of time, gone from almost arrogant affluence and confidence to downbeat pessimism and sullen fear of the future. Jobs are being lost by the thousands, mortgages are not being paid, house prices have tumbled and the consumer is afflicted with a dread of spending any money with this being reflected in empty shops and desolated retails parks that are fast becoming empty monuments to the glorious credit-filled past. Many towns are not putting up Christmas lights this year and there is a surreal feel to it all, as though one were watching a movie that embraced and imparted all your worst fears in slow motion.
Resilience is a wonderful Irish attribute that has seen us through wars and famine and the most desperate of times. Never more do we need it than we do now to bring back the spirit of an Irish Christmas and to conquer those fears of the future which will become self-fulfilling if we continue to believe in them. Now is the time to lift our heads and invoke the spirit of that 8th of December pilgrimage to restore the wonder of it all.
Not feeling well today.
In bed with chest infection but powered up the laptop and did a bit of browsing.
I found this video on Youtube, I think you will enjoy it.
Have a great weekend.
I read today that two Dublin lads who are twins are being lined up to appear on the Simpsons. I presume that means they will be animated but watching these guys over the last few weeks they could use the real thing.
John and Edward Grimes (Jedward) from Dublin have been on the English TV show X - factor and while they are not great singers they were great entertainers with everyone guessing what their act would be each week.
They were voted off last week and have appeared on numerous tv shows since. They say they have two or three appearances each day up till Christmas.
A spokesperson for producers Fox told The Sun newspaper: “Castings are not something we can talk publicly about but we are taking a look at the boys.
“We love anything Irish -we set a whole show out there last year.
They are certainly charming and good looking fellows.”
Well I can only conclude that the Simpsons must be Irish descendants as it seems they love this country and I know a few people whom may be related to them!
BEYOND THE STAR is, indeed, another Michael Londra gift to us all. Click here for a more info
A collection of 11 seasonal–and seasonless–songs plus a wonderfully surprising and fun bonus track (”The Donkey Song” by Michael, age 10 with the Wexford Male Voice Choir), the CD is a truly contemporary work from a truly contemporary performer whose influences range from Steven Sondheim, Mario Lanza and Brian Stokes Mitchell to Mary Black, Sandy Denny and Beoga to Justin Timberlake and The Killers. “Ave Maria,” “O Come, O Come Emanuel” and “Magia Sara” are classic showcases for the breadth, depth and range of Londra’s shimmering vocals. Before County Wexford was known for its opera, it was–and still is–known for caroling. “The Wexford Carol” is a part of a tradition that has continued for more than 300 Christmases in that county’s Kilmore Village. Londra’s version is pure and true. The glory of song and the glory of language meet in his Irish-English renditions of “Silent Night” and the beloved Irish carol “Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil.” Unlike many of his peers, Londra has also ventured into songwriting, and the album’s title track is an example of his multi-faceted talent. “I wrote ‘Beyond the Star’ years ago, but didn’t see its potential until my producer, Steve Skinner, helped me flesh out the song. I get lots of requests from choirs around the U.S. to sing it at Christmas. I never thought I’d see the day when people would listen to and like something I wrote.” Skinner, who has worked as a producer/arranger with talents diverse as Celine Dion, Taylor Dayne, Chaka Kahn and the late Arif Mardin also co-wrote the memorable “With Strings of Lights.” Another song on the CD familiar to fans of Londra’s annual “A Celtic Yuletide” concerts is “Winter, Fire and Snow,” written by Brendan Graham, who wrote Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up.” “I love his writing,” Michael explains, and have sung this song in my concerts for a few years.” Uillean pipes combine with Londra’s voice on “In the Bleak Mid Winter. “They are my favorite instrument–if they are played properly,” he says. “Magnificent, plaintive and guaranteed to make me homesick. Chicago-based Pat Broaders plays the pipes here. He is annoyingly talented, and fun to work with and a friend. I only work with people whose company I love. It is almost as important as their particular musical gift. I have no desire to work with brilliantly talented people who are miserable.” This Christmas season–as in seasons past–Londra will be touring with “A Celtic Yuletide,” an evening that features An Dóchas, the dynamic young group from Washington state that infuses traditional music with new life, and the Haran Irish Dancers. His stories will be full of warmth and humor, his songs overflowing with the spirit of the season and the seasonless joys of life and living that he shares on BEYOND THE STAR.
It’s the first day of December and panic starts to set in as we try to remember everything we have to do before the big day but….
Another important day in this month is the 21st of December - The winter solstice. For the last number of years I have visited Newgrange chamber on this day and for me it is the start of Christmas. We get up early, wrap up warm and head over to Newgrange at about 7.30 am waiting for the sunrise to light up the Boyne Valley and the Central Chamber of Newgrange.
Access is limited and is usually only for so called dignatatries during the actual event but I think it is more fun outside the chamber with the large crowd. People are allowed in free of charge after the dignataries have left and the event is simulated inside the chamber.
After that we head home for a warm breakfast and look forward to the next few days!
Sea eagles are being re introduced to Ireland for the last number of years following the successful reintroduction of the Golden Eagle in Co. Donegal.
The White Tailed sea eagle was once native to Ireland and the last recorded sighting of the animal before it was reintroduced was on the coasts of Kerry and Mayo in 1898. The eagle was traditionally hunted by farmers who feared that they were damaging crops and livestock.
There have been 55 white tailed sea eagles reintroduced in County Kerry since the project began in 2007. It is hoped that double that number will be released into the wild.
Unfortunately some of the eagles have been found in distress. Since 2007, it has been confirmed that 5 White-tailed Eagles, 1 Golden Eagle and 2 Red Kites have been poisoned illegally. We strongly suspect several other birds have been poisoned but have not been recovered.
Why people would do this is unsure but it is suspected that farmers are scared of these birds and they suspect them of killing their livestock.
I am not sure if they actually kill livestock, I thought they mainly fed on fish or sea birds.
County Clare tourism cycling routes have been voted in the world top ten of the Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2010’ guide, Flan Quilligan, Shannon Development, Tourism Product Development Manager said,” We are delighted that Co. Clare has been named in the top ten super cycling routes in the world by the Lonely Planet ‘Best in Travel 2010’ guide.
The Lonely Planet’s guide has put Clare cycling centre stage ranking them with nine other top cycle routes around the world including the US, Canada, France New Zealand and the UK.
Currently there are 102,000 overseas visitors participate in cycling holidays in Ireland annually. This should now increase numbers.
Hi, John here. Please add a comment or send me a joke!