breaking in!

 

We’re being official here and using a code to crack into Technorati and their wonder of wonders!

The Irish love cracking codes, so here we go!

A3CTKUV84HGC

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

Hot Spots:  Dublin

Annie, an artist from Chicago, had just flown into Dublin.  Her hotel, tucked in the Temple Bar area, was perfect.  But take a nap?  Impossible.  The medieval, cobbled streets were an irresistible temptation.   She picked up her map of Dublin, and then decided to leave it behind.  This was a day for adventure.  The River Liffey, rolling with the city’s rhythm, tumbled beneath her as she crossed the bridge.

Local gathering spots rang with rollicking talk and hearty food.  Outside, women pushed strollers with pink-cheeked babies.   Pale glimpses of a pagan past hovered by the harbor.  She shared jokes with strangers and weavers.  Then, a walk into the heart of Dublin, Trinity College, to sit and relax. To enjoy the mist rising from lush hills.

Finally, inside to see the Book of Kells.  That dark-robed man who breezed past… Was he real?  And did it matter?  Last stop, a throbbing pub with traditional music and a fine shot of Jameson’s.  Only then was Annie ready for sleep, her dreams filled with the cheer and voices of Dublin’s vibrant streets.

The Authentic ExperienceWe’re the Irish travel business that can take you to places that are off-the-beaten path, give you a taste of castles and manor houses, a joyous time in pubs with traditional music, arrange romantic getaways, and tease your senses with scenic beauty and ancient sites.

Food, Love and Holidays

Oatmeal and Bushmills Whiskey Pudding

For a nice after dinner by the fire…

• 1 ounce oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Bushmills Whiskey
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pint cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar to dust cakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put the oatmeal in a shallow dish and bake until oatmeal is brown and smells good.  Take it out from oven, and pour whiskey over top.  Take a sip,  At least one… Turn down oven to 325 degrees.  Stie together sugar and egg yolks, now add the cream and oatmeal.  Put into four small ramekins in deep pan that has enough water to come up halfway to the sides of small dishes.  Now, stick it back in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the pudding is set.

Take out of the oven.  Let it cool.  Or, heat it warm and lick your licks.  Kiss your sweetheart.

 

Yes, it’s true!
The Oscar that’s handed out at the Academy Awards every year was designed by Cedric Gibbons, who was born in Dublin in 1823.
Gibbons emigrated to the US, went to work, and became one of MGM’s top set designers working on over 1,500 films.
After designing the coveted prize, Cedric (which sounds suspiciously like “Oscar”) went on to win a dozen Oscars himself.
Go Cedric/Oscar, our Dublin Friend!

The Oscar is Irish!

We Were Dolphin Trainers on Atlantis

THE ARAN ISLANDS

The Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland continue the Burren plateau.  And still… There is something very different about them.

In Celtic mythology, going into the west has been associated for ages with the mythology of going into the Otherworld.  (All right, one person’s mythology is another person’s religion.  We understand.)  Anyway, when these islands shroud themselves in mist they becoming eerily invisible.

The west coast is also associated with the lost civilization of Atlantis.  Go to the Aran Islands… Listen.  Can you hear the voices from the past echoing across the land?  We do.

And, note this:  Until the 16th century, the mythical island of Hy Brasil, the Island of the Blessed, was still marked on maps.  Some people still see an island off the seaward cliffs of Inishmore when the light is absolutely pristine and perfect.

No matter how often we visit, we still want more.  If you’ve been to the Aran Islands, and if you have felt the magic (or seen it), please do let us know!  We would love to hear your story.

Happy, Happy, from The Crew at Authentic Ireland

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Dublin!

Love your St. Patrick’s Day parties, festivities, and planning?  Then what could possibly be better than spending St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin?

We are brewing up a special kick-off event and countdown, so stay tuned.  You may just find yourself celebrating St, Paatrick’s Day in the Heart of Dublin.  And Authentic Ireland Travel will pick up the tab.

It can’t be beat, and it can’t be missed!

Walking Festivals in Ireland

Walk Ireland's Back Roads. What Views!

Try Irish Adventure on a walking tour!  Looking for an intimate, authentic experience with the country and her people?  If so, you may want to spend a few days walking in Ireland.

Walking Festivals?  Absolutely.

You don’t have to be a marathon athlete to join, just open yourself to Irish adventure, glorious countryside and backroad surprises.  Most importantly, be prepared to have a rollicking, social time with the people you’ll be walking with!

Walking festivals are held from March through April.  Following is a small sampling:

March:   Achill, County Mayo;  Andara, County Donegal
April:     Glen of Aherlow, County Tipperary;  North Leitrim, County Leitrim.   South Sligo, County Sligo.   West Cork, County Cork
May:       Ballyhoura Int’l, County Limerick;  North West Mayo, County Mayo;  Slieve Bloom, County Offaly;  Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow
June:      Mourne Int’l, County Down.   Sliabh an Iarainn, County Leitrim
Aug:       Sperrins, County Tyrone
Sept:      Curlew Walkers, County Roscommon;  Hills of Donegal, County Donegal;  Wee Binnians, County Down
Oct:        Donegal Int’l, County Donegal;  Fingal, County Dublin

Walking in Ireland is a pleasure, an honor, and a promise to respect the land.  It is an experience to be treasured once and forever.

Authentic Ireland is happy to plan your walking holiday, whether you choose to join a festival, use one of our guides, or go on your own.  We will arrange the sort of accommodation you want that follows your path, and wraps you in comfort and good cheer for the evening!

Best  to you from the crew at Authentic Ireland!   www.authenticireland.com

Dublin, the Friendliest City in Europe

Dublin, a pasionate beauty, was voted the friendliest city in Europe.  Her heartbeat pulses down its streets and alleys.  It flows down the River Liffey and runs into the sea at Dublin Bay.  Embraced on one side by soft hills and on the other by a tempestuous sea, there may be no finer time to enjoy Dublin than in the autumn.

Like all interesting people, Dublin has a mysterious past.  Her ancient Celtic founders, farmers and fishermen, built megaliths older than the pyramids on the outskirts of their community.  These places await you.

Roll with the flow of Dublin’s unique energy. Leaves flutter through the Temple Bar area past vibrant theatres and dazzling pubs.  They circle the ankles of street performers, gathering in doorways of pubs filled with music.  Wander down elegant Grafton Street.

Very quiet, on a cool evening, you may hear the lyrical voices of Dublin’s literary children: Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Becket.  The creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker.   Listen, there’s James Joyce…

Looking for a taste of ancient magic?  Dublin is a focal point of Celtic art and wisdom.  Stop and see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, and don’t forget the Beatty Library.  With a collection of rare books and intriguing art that’s more than 4,000 years old, a flight of fancy is limited only by your imagination.

There has never been a better time to visit Dublin. Come to the city with a heartbeat as familiar as your own!

Best to you from the Crew at www.authenticireland.com

Irish Goddess is Caught on Film by Featured Traveler!

Win a Trip to Ireland, Become a Featured Traveler!

Go to Ireland on us! While in Ireland, take videos and tell us your stories.  It doesn’t matter if you have a pricey camera or an i-phone, just have a terrific time recording something that moves you.  Shoot a place that you love best, a quirky character, a musician, a conversation with your B & B host, a group of sheep munching at the base of a Celtic cross.  Set it to music, speak over your photos, or forget about sound altogether.  Become our Featured Traveler!

The only requirement is this:  Let your imagination go. 

You are in Ireland, after all! Upon your return from Ireland, upload your videos and send to meredith@authenticireland.com.  Each month we’ll choose a winner from our featured travelers.  After we’ve collected the videos, someone will win a free trip to Ireland.

It’s that simple!  

Happy Travels,  The Authentic Ireland Crew!   www.authenticireland.com