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Friday, July 29, 2011

WORKSHOP – Traditional Music Appreciation Course with Sean Garvey



Traditional Musical Appreciation Course / Open to all agesSean Garvey is acknowledged as a master of the art of traditional singing in both the Irish and the English language. He continues to sing, play, teach and give talks at festivals and gatherings all over Ireland and abroad. Since returning to live in Kerry in 2006 he has been appointed as Amhránaí Cónaitheach/Singer in Residence in his beloved Uíbh Ráthach where the larger part of his work is with the children in Irish-speaking schools.This workshop will be both of a practical nature and include some theory on the history and origins of Irish Traditional Music. Please bring along your musical instruments. Experience an advantage but not absolutely necessary.Limited places available. Early booking recommendedCost - €80 for the week
Carnegie Arts Centre Kenmare Co Kerry 00 353 (0) 64 6648701 info@carnegieartskenmare

4 star app ITB Ardmullen Manor house sleeping 8



Property Details



Foleys Ardmullen Selfcatering is a lovely private development of 4* holiday homes on the Ring of kerry road just on the outside of the town center . A 10 minute stroll into the town of Kenmare with its wonderful selection of Restaurants, traditional Pubs and craft shops this is the ideal choice for your holiday, both in terms of the style of the quality accommodation and Kenmare being the perfect location to discover the south west of Ireland. Kenmare was recently awarded the accolade of Ireland's best kept town on the whole island of Ireland and deservedly so!
THE ACCOMMODATIONEach of these bright and spacious holiday homes can accommodate 8 people .Upstairs comprises of four bedrooms with master en suite with superking bed which can be divided to make twins suitable for familys g... more Foleys Ardmullen Selfcatering is a lovely private development of 4* holiday homes on the Ring of kerry road just on the outside of the town center . A 10 minute stroll into the town of Kenmare with its wonderful selection of Restaurants, traditional Pubs and craft shops this is the ideal choice for your holiday, both in terms of the style of the quality accommodation and Kenmare being the perfect location to discover the south west of Ireland. Kenmare was recently awarded the accolade of Ireland's best kept town on the whole island of Ireland and deservedly so!
THE ACCOMMODATIONEach of these bright and spacious holiday homes can accommodate 8 people .Upstairs comprises of four bedrooms with master en suite with superking bed which can be divided to make twins suitable for familys golfers or fishing trips, all bathrooms with power showers and luxuriously appointed ,a home for home in Kenmare and two twin bedrooms or one twin and one single bedroom with separate bathroom. There is also a guest toilet downstairs. Each of the bedrooms has more than adequate storage space.
The open plan living/ dining room cum kitchen is particularly comfortable and has been stylishly furnished with all your comforts in mind. There is a colour TV and DVD player in each house along with a cozy fireplace containing an real fire.
The kitchen has been fitted with all the modern conveniences including washer/ dryer, dishwasher, electric oven, fridge/freezer, microwave and all the crockery, cutlery and glassware you would require.
All bed linen and towels are supplied. Electricity is an extra charge and is payable on departure. Each house has private parking for up to 2 cars.
All homes come equipped with:Welcome hamper Linen /Towels provided Central heating and electricty included if you book 25 jan Master en-suite superking or twin room Twin Room(s), Double Room Separate bathroom Bright and spacious open floor plan kitchen/dining room with hob, cooker, dishwasher,micorwave, washing machine/dryer, fridge/freezer, Living room with open fire, multi-channel satellite TV ,DVD,CD radio Free Broadband Internet Guest toilet downstairs Complimentary off-street parking Private secure garden/ patio furniture outside dining 10 minute walk to Kenmare Town Center or 3 minute drive 5 min walk caseys pub & restaurant ,centra supermarket well-behaved pets accepted no smoking homes All bed linen and towels are supplied Central Heating and electricity included Why base in Kenmare for 7 daysKenmare lies approximately 30 minutes drive from a host of sandy beaches and it has a very pretty harbour from where you can swim, fish or take a trip on the http://www.seafaricruise.com/ to view the wildlife in the area. Located in the centre of Kenmare is Finnegan's Bike Hire This new purpose-built Activity Centre and Bar/Restaurant is fast becoming an essential part of a family holiday in Kenmare. The centre itself is situated on the shores of Kenmare Bay and surrounded by the Caha Mountains just a five minute drive from Kenmare Town Centre. The activities on offer include kayaking, sailing, canoeing, sea kayaking, hillwalking, team games and a Wildlife Safari Cruise on Kenmare Bay. Also on offer are the children’s playground, American pedal boats, water trampoline and slide, archery range, soccer pitch with changing facilities and the family walking trail.
Bonane Heritage Park:The Bonane Heritage Park provides visitors with an 1600 metre walk on gravel paths through 5000 years of history while enjoying some breathtaking scenery. Bonane Heritage Park . GolfKenmare boasts two super golf courses. ring of kerry /kenmare There are lots of great fishing spots to choose from around Kenmare including Clonee Lake, Kenmare Bay and the Black Valley and many locations around Kenmare. There are 3 salmon rivers and at least 5 lakes stocked with trout.Hill Walking The Kerry Way and Beara Way walking routes are ideal for those with an interest in trekking or you could even join the annual summer hike to Ireland's highest mountain, Carrauntouhil. The foothills of the famous MacGillycuddy Reeks are right on Kenmare's doorstep.
Pony TrekkingPony Trekking is the ideal way to explore the hidden treasures of Kenmare and its hinterland. Professional lessons are available at Dromquinna Stables Other activities in the area include quad biking, pet farms, craft workshops and bicycle hire. The town of Kenmare, is a mecca for some of the finest restaurants in Ireland. You really will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out, from bar food to seafood and a range of other types of excellent restaurants to experience. The nightlife in Kenmare suits all ages There is a great selection of pubs and late night bars to choose from with many featuring live music from traditional Irish .We accept visa or master card at no extra charge call us on 00 353 872346282


Dromard - Kenmare's finest rental villa



Property Details
A beautifully located spacious and luxurious four bedroom private house situated on a one acre site with stunning views of Kenmare Bay and the surrounding mountains of County Kerry, Ireland.



Source: Trip advisor

Steeple View Holiday Homes Kenmare Kerry Ireland

Ferries To Ireland



Visiting Kenmare
What to see and do in Kenmare, Ireland
Kenmare, the city at the crossroads. The city of Kenmare is a very busy market town, known for its fertile plains and valley that are extremely beneficial for the farmers that live there. However, Kenmare is also the city that is noted on two of the main tourist routes in Ireland, the Ring of Beara and the Ring of Kerry. One can even say that half the town is focused on agricultural practices, while the other half businesses in the area cater to tourists. Since the 1990s, the city’s population has increased by a great deal, especially during the peak tourist seasons, as many Irish have invested in holiday homes in that region. From Kenmare you can easily get to the Beara Peninsula, home of the Dunboy Castle, the Copper Mines Museum, Derreen Gardens and the Puxley Mansion for instance. At the same time, from Kenmare you can head in the opposite direction to check out the Muckross House, the Staigue stone fort, Ross Castle, Lough Lane and an abundance of religious monuments. Since there are a lot of bus tours in both directions that are driving anti-clock wise, it is recommended that you start your tour from Kenmare if you are travelling by car.









Thursday, July 21, 2011

Travel Advisor Links



Top-rated B&Bs
1 Sea Shore Farm 48 reviews
2 Virginia's Guesthouse Kenmare 216 reviews
3 Driftwood 76 reviews
4 Shelburne Lodge 78 reviews
5 Rockcrest House 82 reviews
All 8 hotels
Top-rated hotels
1 Brook Lane Hotel 178 reviews
2 Sheen Falls Lodge 153 reviews
3 Park Hotel Kenmare 117 reviews
All 63 vacation rentals
Trusted vacation rentals
Looking for a one-of-a-kind vacation? Search all 63 of our Kenmare vacation rentals.
Find a vacation rental
All 23 things to do
Top-rated things to do
Attractions
1 Star Outdoors Adventure Centre 7 reviews
2 Glen Inchaquin Park 11 reviews
3 Our Lady's Well 1 review
Tours
1 Seafari Cruises 36 reviews
All 29 restaurants
Top-rated restaurants
1 Packie's 41 reviews
2 The Lime Tree 25 reviews
3 Jam 21 reviews
10 Hotels in Kenmare (IE)www.booking.com/Kenmare-Hotels Book your hotel in Kenmare online. Good availability and great rates!
Kenmare Hotelswww.hotelscombined.ie Compare The Best Travel Sites Find Lower Hotel Rates Instantly!


Travel Pod

When we finally got to Kenmare, we found one of the town parking lots and decided to take a short snooze to re-energize us. Check in at our B&B was supposed to be 4-6 pm and it was only 3:30. So I set the alarm on my phone and we leaned back our seats in the car. I’m not sure I actually slept much, but we both felt much better afterward.So then we walked to Virginia’s Guesthouse, where we would be staying for the next three nights. It was located on the very picturesque main street of town. We were greeted by one of our hosts, Neil, who welcomed us to winter in Ireland! Did I mention that it was cold? And windy? And rainy? It felt like winter in Seattle. But Neil got us quickly settled in, and took great care in explaining how to order breakfast, use the wireless, etc. Then he asked our plans for dinner and recommended a couple places. He also told us that there would be music at Coachman’s Pub on Tuesday and Wednesday that was one of the best box players in Ireland (similar to the accordion)

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Kenmare Ireland




We got up early and had breakfast with Tom and Cian Quigley at the Olde Bakery. We then left the B & B and headed down to the Marina Tourist office for Don and Barry's tour of Kinsale. Don Herlihy was leading the tour and he talked a lot about Kinsale's history and how it was huge part of the trans-Atlantic travel pathways. He also talked about Kinsale's evolution as a town. It was very interesting!








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Monday, July 18, 2011

Picnic time



GO IRELAND: Pack the sandwiches and lemonade. LORRAINE COURTNEY lists her favourite secret spots for that quintessential summer activity, a family picnic
Urban escape
While Dublin’s fair city has many famous treats, pleasures and tourist traps that are more hype than substance, it also has the odd secret garden to picnic in. St Kevin’s Park on Camden Row used to be the graveyard to the ivy-strangled church at its centre. Nowadays, it’s a charming little park that is almost always empty.
Some say that the park is haunted by the agitated souls of those folks whose gravestones have been moved to the edge of the now manicured lawns, but it’s hard to imagine that any of this gang are the chain-rattling sort if you read the holier-than-thou life stories told in the memorials and plaques that dot the grounds.
In fact, this is an oasis of bucolic bliss in the city, an impression that’s heightened by its proximity to bustling Camden Street. Summertime brings buzzing bees and the twitter of birdsong, and it’s definitely one of the most calming places in Dublin to sit on a bench imbibing the serenity.
The picnic : Avoca’s (avoca.ie) flagship Suffolk Street shop serves delicious food-to-go like potato cakes, soups, pies and salads as well as gourmet Irish deli produce and jars of Avoca loveliness in the form of country relish and hedgerow jam.
Aqua delights
Cork’s got its very own natural aquarium in Lough Hyne, Europe’s only inland sea lake and a geographical freak that positively teems with luminous jelly fish, sea squirts and assorted saltwater exotica. The scenery there is glorious, with fuzzy ancient woodlands, profusions of wildflowers and butterflies fluttering everywhere.
Turn left 4km west of Skibbereen on the Baltimore road. Park at the small lay-by and follow the twisting pathway up through Knockomagh’s oak- and beech-swathed slopes. The hike takes a solid half hour, but the views are only stupendous over the cerulean waters. You’ll also spot Castle Island, in the middle of the lake, still holding the ruins of Labhraí Loingseach’s castle, the king with the donkey’s ears who had his barbers killed lest they tell anyone.
The picnic : Manning’s Emporium (027-50456) just outside Bantry is a kind of food mecca. Under the striped awnings are crammed fruit and vegetable baskets, row after higgledy-piggledy row of jars, local cheeses, breads from Kenmare’s Breadcrumb bakery and offerings from unusual wineries.
Deserted beach
The holy grail of travelling is the beach that hasn’t been ruined by hordes of tourists. Up on Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula lies the secret Kinnagoe Bay. You drive past whitewashed fishing villages, wild headlands and clifftop ocean lookouts before reaching this Kodak-ready crescent-shaped strand with vast expanse of white sand petering out into perfect blue sea. The track down is a brake-searing ride but the powdery sands are worth the nail-biting.
The pleasures here are simple ones: searching for sea shells, building sandcastles, dodging diving seagulls, burying Dad in the sand. For history buffs, there’s the wreck of La Trinidad Valencera , just one of the many ships of the Spanish Armada that foundered on the Irish coast in 1588. There’s a raw beauty here, with great hulks of rock which have been battered into sculpture-like shapes including a soaring ring of stone.
Take Route 238 north from Derry to Moville and then onto Leckemy, turn right to Kinnagoe Bay.
The picnic : Ryan’s Artisan Foods (ryansartisanfoods.ie) in Donegal town uses Breton baker, Franck Pasquier, to produce its croissants, sourdoughs, spelt, traditional French loafs and speciality breads with smoked bacon, blue cheese, black olives and sundried tomatoes. You can also fill up on Irish farmhouse cheeses and various condiments.
Garden party
The turreted Duckett’s Grove might have been plucked from an Arthurian legend and transplanted onto the verdant Carlow countryside. The Gothic Revival castle dates from 1830 and it has had a very lively history. It was utilised as a training camp by the IRA in the 1920s, later it was owned by a local farmers’ co-operative and later still was taken over by the Land Commission.
Carlow County Council has now taken it on and while only haunting ruins remain, it’s still worth the trip, if only for the pleasure grounds and exquisitely restored walled gardens with lawns and box-edge beds. The flowers in the upper garden are a seductive mix of blushing old-fashioned roses, drifts of purple sage as well as exotic crocosmias. The lower garden is more traditional plant life and is crowned by Irish apple trees.
The pleasure grounds are partly encircled by a fence of vertical stones and they evoke a Georgian idyll – a perfect place to spread your blanket.
The picnic : Hennessy’s Fine Food Store (059-9132849) is a gourmet grocery shop in Carlow that sells local cheeses, red onion marmalade, chilli jams, red pepper pesto and so on, as well as a mottled sandwich menu.
Literary lunch
Seven woods whispering by a lakeshore, with the Burren Hills and Slievecarran to the west, provide the perfect walled garden to picnic in. Even without the literary associations, and the Big House that was demolished in 1941, Coole Park is a magical place. Lady Gregory’s Autograph Tree, an enormous copper beech, has preserved the carved initials of about a dozen Irish literary greats. The glorious lake provides the perfect centrepiece, haunted by the wild duck and swans that have frequented the place for centuries.
Make a post-prandial pilgrimage to Thoor Ballylee, a 14th century Norman fortification, set among leafy trees and a gurgling river. WB Yeats bought the place for £35 in 1917 and spent more than a decade there writing some of the finest poetry in the English language.
The picnic : Sheridan’s cheese shop (sheridanscheese mongers.com), right by Galway’s St Nicholas’ church, is good for stately stiltons and goats’ cheeses from Clare. On nearby Abbeygate Street there is the Gourmet Tart Company (gourmettart company.com), a boutique bakery with mounds of meringue a permanent fixture in the window.
Holy mountain
“The most beautiful view I ever saw in the world”, wrote William Makepeace Thackeray in 1842 of Clew Bay. It was his first visit to this beguiling sweep of water speckled with 365 oddly-shaped islands amid the bleak mountains and boglands of Co Mayo. In the 150 years since Thackeray – who was usually more prone to satire than hyperbole – published his sharply observant travel narrative The Irish Sketchbook , little has changed along the shores of Clew Bay.
Nearby Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holy mountain and has a particular hold in the Irish imagination. It is a majestic 760m peak standing like the cathedral it has become above Clew Bay.
Ever since the earliest times, when pagans gathered to worship on its summit, the mountain has held a special place in the imagination and spiritual world of Irish people, an Irish Ganges or Mecca to which thousands flock every year to perform rites of penance and prayer. The summit provides a lofty perch for your picnic.
The picnic : The Food Store on Ballyhaunis Road in Claremorris (094-9362091) has an astonishing range of produce, including dishes of tantalising salads, ready-cooked foods such as Niall Heffernan’s award-winning beef stroganoff, quiches, stuffed vol-au-vents and lots of crusty homemade breads.
Island life
George Bernard Shaw described Skellig Michael’s atmosphere as “the magic that takes you out, far out, of this time and this world”. The island looms sheer from the Atlantic, a triangular slaty mound. It is dedicated to St Michael, protector against the powers of the dark side and patron of high places, who allegedly assisted St Patrick drive Ireland’s snakes over the 200m cliffs to perish in the ocean.
A solid flight of stairs leads to the monastery. Like limpets clinging to their ledge high above the sea, the grey dry-stone beehive huts are just as the monks built them 1,500 years ago. You crawl through the doors, can barely stand in the interior, and can see only with the help of torches.
On the island, there is little to mark any human presence except the headstones of the cramped burial grounds. Nothing grows but sea pinks and scurvy grass. Joe Roddy (skelligtrips.com) sails from Portmagee pier daily and offers tours of Little and Great Skellig, with two and a half hours to explore the monastery and have a picnic.
The picnic : Jack’s Bakery and Deli (jacks-bakery.com) in Killorglin is the perfect place to pack your hamper. You’ll find warm scones and a selection of breads that range from red onion with garlic to white soda, as well as farmhouse cheeses and handmade charcuterie.

Ronan talking rugby




SOME say grumpy, he says focussed. Others say serious, he prefers driven. And for all the success he has celebrated in his professional life, Irish rugby hero Ronan O'Gara's greatest ever achievement is becoming a father.
Probably not the most likely topics you'd imagine talking to Ireland's most famous outhalf about, but when the Rose of Tralee's newest ambassador chatted with The Kerryman in Tralee
the weekend, he seemed happy to discuss them all.
After attending the Rose Buds selection ceremony in the Carlton Hotel on Friday night, the Munster and Ireland number 10 met with yours truly the following morning to discuss his involvement with this year's Rose of Tralee festival. He explained that having worked with festival sponsor, Newbridge Silverware, for several years, getting involved with the Rose of Tralee was somewhat of a natural progression.
A self-confessed fan of the international competition, he explained that he was very happy to accept an offer of becoming a judge this year. That new role, however, had always been dependant on his hectic rugby commitments and he conceded on Saturday that it's now looking unlikely that he can fulfil that role because of an international match the same weekend, as well as the impending Rugby World Cup.
He is adamant, however, that he'll get to Tralee at some stage over the festival and will continue to be an ambassador for the Rose of Tralee and Newbridge.
"There is a possibility of me getting out for a night, so hopefully that will happen," he said. "I've always had a liking for the Rose of Tralee as it's a big Irish tradition and I was happy to come on board."
A regular visitor to Kerry for over 15 years — staying in his wife's grandparents house in Dooks — the Cork man says he loves to get away to Killarney, Kenmare and Glenbeigh, and even admitted the odd off-season 'blast' at Paídí Ó Sé's in Ventry with his Munster colleagues.
His grá for Kerry also extends to the Kerry football team and he loves nothing more than a good battle between the Rebels and the Kingdom.
"I'm a big fan of both
at teams and it's important for Munster football to have these two teams going hammer and tongs at each other. It's similar to Munster and Leinster — they're dominating Ireland as well as the provincial battle and that's great," he said.
As for the recent Munster final, and predictions for this year's All-Ireland, he reckons it's all to play for.
"Cork will have been disappointed with their first half performance [in the Munster final] but they have plenty to work on and still have the comfort of winning the All Ireland last year. On the other hand, Kerry have proved their ability down through the years so it's all to play for," he said.
On the subject of provincial battles, I had to ask about the muchpublicised rivalry between the Munster star and his Leinster counterpart, Jonathan Sexton, whose parents both hail from north Kerry. Is that rivalry as intense as it's made out to be?
"Yeah, of course. There's a big rivalry there. The two of us are competing for a starting position on the Irish team. The Irish outhalf position is steeped in tradition so the only comment I can make on it really is that there's big respect there."
As for up and coming Munster centre, Danny Barnes from Ardfert, the Irish number 10 is full of praise.
"Danny was hugely impressive [last season]. He was thrown in a small bit at the deep end against Leinster and the Ospreys and he excelled, he didn't just hold his own, and that's a big compliment," he said. "The biggest compliment I could give him is that he's a better player than trainer and I like that in a player. There are plenty of Tarzans in training but he's the opposite of that."
In a career that has spanned almost 15 years, Ronan O'Gara has experienced plenty ups and downs, but picking a high and a low of his career came easy. Ireland's grand slam victory over Wales in 2009 rates as his greatest professional achievement, while the on-and offfield disappointments of the 2007 World Cup in France was undoubtedly his lowest.
"You can handle the playing side of things, but off the field there were rumours about every single player on the Irish team during that time and that's not tough for me, but for those who know me," he said of the rumours that marred his world cup campaign four years ago.
Thankfully, he says, experience and drive have taught him to put these things to the back of his mind and get things in perspective.
"For me, I can switch off very easily, because if you think about it 24/7 you'd burn out," he said.
Knowing what it's like to be knocked back as a youngster, but still managing to overcome the setbacks and become one of Ireland's most gifted rugby players, Ronan O'Gara has some valuable advice for the young rugby players of the Kingdom.
"What I'd tell them is follow their dream and make sure it isn't squashed by the opinion of one coach or mentor. Mental skills are just as important as physical skills in this game so they need to have a really thick skin and be prepared for disappointment," he said. "It can crush you as a person, never mind as a rugby player, but they should work hard and follow their dream. It's not about how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up."
But for all the incredible highs Ronan O'Gara has experienced in his blistering career, his greatest achievement, bar none, is being a dad. Although he admits it's not always easy to juggle a demanding career and family life with three children under three, he certainly knows where his priorities lie.
"Being a father has given me the most joy and would surpass any rugby achievement," he said. "The joy you get out of family life is incredible and it's only when you experience it that you truly value what it means. For me, having a happy home makes me a happy person and helps me perform to the best of my ability."
When asked what he considered his best quality to be, he said it was his caring nature, but quickly added that he is fully aware he's not perceived that way. He knows that people consider him to be grumpy, but that perception doesn't cost him a thought.
"To me, grumpy is focussed and that's the way I go to work," he said. "From my point of view, after 13 to 15 years of performing consistently week in week out, I have to have my game face on," he said. "Then if you're doing simple things like going to the shops, you can't stop and talk to everybody, so again that perception is there. But for people who know me, they know that wouldn't be the way I am."
And his flaw? A smile and a concession that he has many is followed by an admission that he can be impatient — a trait, he says, that comes with the territory.
When the tape stopped rolling and the notebook was put away, he asked if I was one of those people who would have perceived him as being grumpy. My answer: Not anymore.
Being a huge fan of Munster and Irish rugby, and one of Ronan O'Gara's biggest admirers, I was well aware of that old adage that you should never meet your hero. The verdict? I'm very glad I risked it.



Dublin, 14th July: The overall leader's classification jersey of this year's An Post Rás na mBan, Ireland’s premier international women’s cycling race, was launched in Dublin today. The distinctive pink leader's jersey has been redesigned this year to include the new sponsor, An Post and coincides with the expansion of the event from three to five days. This year’s event, which marks the 25th anniversary of international Women's stage racing in Ireland, runs from 14th – 18th September and is set to be the toughest yet as riders face an extra two days of hard racing in the rugged Kerry countryside. Looking forward to challenging for the new leader's jersey in September is Kerry star Michelle Geogehegan who races full-time in Holland with the Moving Ladies squad. “I missed last year’s event through injury and this year I’ve also had a few problems with crashes and injury but if I can get myself fully fit, I’ll be fighting like mad to take that new leader’s jersey,” says the Tarbert racer who rides with Orwell Wheelers in Ireland. Also planning a concerted assault on the event is former winner Louise Moriarty who races with the UK-based Look Mum no Hands squad and last year’s county jersey classification winner Melanie Späth. “The route looks really challenging with the extra two days and I’d really love to put my stamp on the event as it moves to five days,” says Moriarty, who took overall victory in 2004 and 2008. "I missed last year's event but there was a great battle between the Ireland squad and the top UK and Dutch teams and I'd love to get involved in that this year.” Meanwhile mountain bike specialist Späth has paid increasing attention to road racing this year and is looking to build on last year’s county rider classification success in her second year at the event. “Last year’s race was a great experience and I really love hills so I can’t wait for this year’s event,” says German-born Späth who races with support from Cycleways. “This year’s race will be a step up for everyone, from the full time riders to the part time amateurs. It was such a friendly race last year that the atmosphere was absolutely perfect before during and after each stage." About the Race An Post Rás na mBan riders will take on some of the most famous climbs in Irish road racing including the Healy Pass, Coomaciste and Molls Gap. The latter climb appears on the 58k first stage which begins in Sneem, Co Kerry. Stage two will see the riders take on a daunting 88 kilometre loop starting and finishing in Waterville, while stage three will take the riders across the fabled ‘Healy Pass’ en route to the stage finish in Kenmare. Saturday’s fourth stage is four laps of a rolling 17km loop around Sneem and Tahilla followed by a 2km individual time trial in Sneem that evening. The concluding stage of the race is the longest stage of the event, a 95 kilometre spin from Sneem to Waterville and back, including ascents of the Coomaciste climb from both sides. With the very best of Ireland's racing talent set to do battle with top international teams, interest has been strong in this year’s revamped event with squads expected from the UK, Holland, Belgium and Germany as well as the usual strong entry from local teams and riders.2011 An Post Rás na mBan






Route:Stage 1 “Molls Gap” - Wednesday 14/9 Sneem-Kenmare-Derrylea-Sneem. 58km including climb of Moll’s Gap - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/438102Stage 2: “Waterville” - Thursday 15/9 Waterville-Cahirciveen-Valentia-Waterville. 88km including two QOM climbs - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/446356Stage 3: “Healy Pass” - Friday 16/9 Kenmare-Healy Pass-Kenmare. 82km - Three QOH ascents including the Healy Pass -http://ridewithgps.com/routes/438120Stage 4: “Tahilla” - Saturday 17/9 Sneem-Tahilla-Sneem Circuit x 4. 69km rolling roads - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/438112Stage 5: “TT” - Saturday 17/9 Sneem Time Trial - N70 to Sneem Village - 2kmStage 6: “Coomaciste” Sneem-Waterville-Sneem, 95km including two ascents of Coomaciste - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/446280

Monday, July 11, 2011

Kenmare Golf Club 2 Sisters Golf Tournament

The first 2 Sisters competition was held in Kenmare Golf Club over the weekend. This event, the first of its kind was exclusively for golfing sisters and proved an outstanding success for the 64 teams that took part.


After the Friday foursomes a local team, Chris O’ Siochru and Breda Morgan Sullivan topped the field, closely followed by Geraldine McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy from Mallow.


With another fine day on the Saturday and singles to play the result was still in doubt. Despite some fine play by the McCarthy Sisters, the O’ Neill Sisters and the Brosnan Sisters the Morgan sisters hairdressers from Kenmare proved to be a cut above the rest and held on to their lead.


Kenmare Lady Captain Breda Murphy was delighted “This weekend was a great success and all thanks to the committee and to those behind the scenes who worked so hard to make this happen. To get 64 teams from all over Ireland and abroad into Kenmare was truly fantastic. But of course this couldn’t have happened without the support of our sponsors and in particular I would like to thank Finbar Cotter Newbridge Silverware Cork.


Finbar Cotter from Newbridge Silverware commented, “We are delighted to be associated with the “2 Sisters” and are looking forward to our continued involvement in this unique event.


1st: Morgan Sullivan Sisters (Kenmare Golf Club) 100 pts


2nd: McCarthy Sisters (Mallow Golf Club) 92 pts


3rd: O’ Neill Sisters (Callaw Golf Club) 87 pts


4th: Brosnan Sisters (Kenmare Golf Club) 87 pts


5th: Sheila O’ Connell/Eileen O’ Leary (Macroom Golf Club) 84 pts


6th: Jakki Cronin/Nora Roche (Douglas/East Cork Golf C.) 82 pts


7th: Roni Dunn/Cathy Dooley (East Cork/Killiney Golf Club) 81 pts


Best Team Friday: Mary F. O' Sullivan/Kay Britton 39 pts


Best Team Saturday: Mary Brosnan/Eleanor O'Dowd 46 pts


Individual Score 0 - 22: Mary O' Doherty (12) 42 pts


Individual Score 23 - 36: Eileen McGowan (34) 43 pts


Nearest the Pin Friday: Chris O' Siochru.


Nearest the Pin Saturday: Collette Langan.


Longest Drive Friday: Chris O' Siochru.


Longest Drive Saturday: Clara Brosnan


CHECK OUT OUR FACKBOOK PAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS !!!!!








Saturday, July 9, 2011

Ireland by car



The best places to see and things to do on a three-week road trip around Ireland? JOAN SCALES has the answers.




Three weeks to tour Ireland
My boyfriend and I are planning a three-week trip around Ireland this summer. We will be travelling by car from July 20th. Neither of us has seen much of the country and our route, so far, is basically travelling around the coastal counties in a clockwise direction from Dublin. What must-see spots, villages, festivals or drives do you suggest? We’re looking for easy hikes, and perhaps the occasional horse-ride/ other activity. Our budget is fairly limited so we plan to bring camping gear as an alternative to hostels/B&Bs. What websites would you suggest to source cheap but decent accommodation?


SB, Dublin


What a brilliant trip and one that many people would love to do.
There is a great list of camping sites on camping-ireland.ie. When you need a solid roof over your head, you will find that hostels are good, cheap and friendly places to stay: see hostelbookers.com, hostelworld.com and anoige.ie. For B&Bs try try bandbireland.com.
Every town and village in Ireland has something for you to see or do. Take your time, talk to people and you will enjoy it more. It is festival season and you will be able to take in one or two on your route: see discoverireland.ie. During your trip the following festivals are on: Spraoi in Waterford city; Independence, a boutique music festival in Mitchelstown; Killarney Summerfest; Galway Races; Ballyshannon Trad Fest; Greencastle Regatta, and more.
For horse-riding, there are plenty of stables around the country: see discoverireland.ie for a list of stables and maps of Irish looped walks.
Here are some places worth seeing: Glendalough, Roundwood and Enniskerry in Wicklow are lovely villages. Wexford is famous for its beaches, so definitely a walk on the sand there. Travel up the Nore to see the medieval city of Kilkenny, where there are great pubs with good music.
The Copper Coast in Waterford often gets over looked and Cork, Ireland’s biggest county, is famous for its coastal towns and scenery. No trip around the country would be complete without an island visit, and from Baltimore in west Cork you can visit Cape Clear, Sherkin and Heir islands – why not camp on one?
Kerry has so many places to see that you could spend weeks there. My favourites are Kenmare, the Black Valley and Inch Strand. Drive the Ring of Kerry for some great scenery.
You could skip Limerick by taking the Tarbert to Killimor ferry that leaves you in Co Clare or travel around the coast into Limerick city. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are fun to visit to see Irish heritage.
In Co Clare, visit Lahinch for the surfing and fun, the Cliffs of Moher for the views, go to a music session in Doolin for music, hop inland to see Lisdoonvarna and take either the Corkscrew Hill road or the coast road into Ballyvaughan, both lovely drives.
Stop a while in Galway to experience this busy city and then drive to Connemara. Don’t miss Roundstone or Clifden. From Clifden take the Sky Road for a spectacular drive. You could also see one or two of the islands here with ferries from Cleggan and Roonagh to Inish Bofin, Inish Turk, and Clare Island.
Into Mayo and the drive to Mulranny is gorgeous. Go to Achill Island for beautiful beaches and then head to the Ceide Fields to see the Neolithic site. A stop in Westport would be lovely for Croagh Patrick.
On your way to Donegal pass through Sligo – it’s got great scenery and is largely unspoiled. Sligo town has some good pubs and music sessions. A walk up Knocknaree gives you a chance to see Queen Maeve’s cairn and the greenness of Yeats country.
In Donegal Bundoran has been the holiday centre of the northwest for years, but just give it a little look and then move further north towards Rossnowlagh and Ardara and continue up the coast for spectacular scenery and great beaches. You can also see the Inishowen Peninsula and then take the ferry from Greencastle to Magilligan Point in Derry for a visit to that city (discovernorthernireland.com).
The drive along Derry’s north coast is interesting. Stop at Downhill Demesne to see the iconic Mussenden Temple, a Roman beauty on the cliff top. As you drive Antrim’s Causeway coast stop at Dunluce Castle, the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.
Following the coast around will bring your to the small towns of Cushendun and Cushendall and where the glens of Antrim sweep down to the coast. Continue all the way to Belfast, where you should stop for a night or two to explore the city. Take the road towards Newcastle and continue along the Down coast towards Warrenpoint and Newry.
Avoid the motorway at Newry by taking the Carlingford Lough road and explore the Cooley Peninsula. Stay a while in Carlingford where there is music most nights in the pubs. You are only an hour from Dublin now on the M1, but take the coast road and discover the little villages along the way.

Kenmare Select






Nestled on the windswept southwest coast of Ireland, Kenmare Select has been practising the art of smoking for over twenty years. Using exceptionally fresh Irish Salmon, sourced from the deep, clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the company smokes its fish delicately to create a subtle, yet distinct, taste unlike any other smoked salmon.
Founder and former chef, Rémy Benoit has brought his own unique character to the process. His innate understanding of fine foods, coupled with years of experience working in gastronomy, has created a truly special product, desired by starred chefs and food connoisseurs alike.


Kenmare Select began with one desire: to create an exquisite smoked salmon worthy of appreciation by gastronomes around the world
In the 1980s, Rémy developed the idea of the smokehouse as a chef of his own restaurant. The inspiration was to create an exquisite mild smoked salmon that could be used as an ingredient in innovative dishes for world-class chefs. This was to move beyond the traditional seafood platter. In the 1990s he worked with many prestigious chefs to demonstrate the culinary versatility of Kenmare Select.


With over twenty years experience in supplying to the very high-end of the food industry, Kenmare Select has remained true to its founding principle: to create an exquisite smoked salmon worthy of appreciation by gastronomes around the globe. Each of the company’s smoked salmon products received a prestigious award in 2010; reflecting the outstanding quality of the Master Smoker Séan Jones and team at Kenmare Select.


In continuing its spirit of innovation, Kenmare Select launched an Organic Irish Salmon smoked with Seaweed; ranking as the best cold-smoked organic salmon of the British Isles in 2010. This year in 2011 Kenmare Select is proud to introduce the Smoked Shellfish range: Smoked Oysters; Smoked Scallops; and a delicately-tasting Smoked Scallop Pâté.


About Kenmare Select
Kenmare Select is a family business. Its products are enjoyed at the very premium end of the food market; examples,
Four Seasons Milan, Henley Royal Regatta, Peck Milan, Cartier International Polo Day at Windsor, Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki, Villa Serbelloni and a variety of Irish Embassies in Europe.


A highly respected chef and food professional, Rémy has been working in the industry for almost 40 years. As a chef, he was inspired to create a delicately smoked salmon that could be used as an ingredient in innovative dishes by world-class chefs. The idea was to move beyond the traditional seafood platter. With this in mind, Rémy sold his restaurant and began the Kenmare Select story.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Dance/Drama Workshop - MarDel Dance from USA July 11th - 15th at The Carnegie Arts Centre


Dance / Drama Workshop MarDel Dance from the USA

Monday the 11th - Friday the 15th of July

10am - 3pm each day.

This workshop will focus on dance and drama.

Please contact The Carnegie for more details or to register interest.

Ages 6 - 18

ADMISSION €80 for the week.

064 6648701

www.carnegieartskenmare.ie

Cruise Holidays

Venice
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Venice River Cruise Special - Cruise the magical floating city full of history, culture and European charm. This 5 day river cruise is from EUR1039ppDeparture Date: 06 Nov 2011Based on 2 Adults sharing.

Spain
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Spanish Mediterranean Cruise hot deal - Amazing 9 night fly/cruise from EUR599pp, includes return flights to Barcelona (including all taxes and charges).9 nights onboard Norwegian Jade Interior State RoomAll meals and entertainment included!Departs 08th December 2011Based on 2 Adults sharing


For more go to

Posts Tagged ‘Kenmare Ireland’ from Journey Shirts



Exquisite Countryside Accommodations In Kenmare, Ireland.






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Willow Lodge B&B holiday accom Kenmare, Ireland









Welcome to Willow Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Kenmare,
County Kerry, Ireland

Kenmare Bed & Breakfast, Willow Lodge, is a lovely purpose built and approved B&B with all rooms en suite, some with jacuzzi baths and all with television & hair dryer. Most of our B and B rooms have two beds - one double and one single. For groups and families, we can also make available rooms with other combinations such as three beds or two double beds.

With a warm welcome, fresh tea or coffee can be taken in our guest lounge on arrival and these facilities can also be provided in your room, along with free WiFi internet access.

Conveniently located a short two minute walk from the centre of town, just past the Holy Cross Catholic church, Willow Lodge BnB Kenmare is quietly situated in the gardens of the former Poor Clare's Convent. It offers restful Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Kenmare with private guest parking in our own grounds.

The town of Kenmare has a very good selection of restaurants and pubs to suit all budgets and there is a lot to do in the area, not excluding some of the most scenic coastal drives around the Ring of Kerry and Ring of Baera.
www.willowlodgekenmare.com/thingstodo.html

We have been recommended by several American guide books (Rick Steeves, Michelle Erdvig etc), written up in "The Hidden Places of Ireland", the Los Angeles Times as well as received a "Welcome Award" from Tourism Ireland. So you can be confident that your stay with is at Willow Lodge B&B will be a pleasant one.

For more details or to make a booking enquiry:

Call us on: +353 64 6642301
Or email us: willowlodgekenmare@yahoo.com
Or look us up on: http://www.willowlodgekenmare.com/

We look forward to welcoming you.

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