Ireland

The value of (European) art

When it comes to the valuation of art, I’m a pessimist. Especially after the experiences I made as a musician in Germany, before moving to Ireland.

In direct comparison (although I’m not an expert) I would say there is a noticeable difference between Germany and Ireland when it comes to the valuation of art and acceptance of new artists. From what I’ve seen, the independent artists here in Ireland are much more easier accepted as artists by the public than in Germany, where most artists are only considered so when this is declared as profession on their tax declaration.

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Everyone's Irish on March 17th

For most people, the 17th of March every year marks the one day when everyone can become Irish. And rightly so: wherever there’s an Irish pub in this world, may this be Macao, Cancun or even Reykjavik, you’ll get the chance to sip at a Guinness and try your singing skills at the “Irish Rover” and (of course) “Whiskey in the Jar“.

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And how to celebrate St. Patrick’s day? (more…)

The Dubliners

I have a personal interest in the blog I’m praising today, I have to confess beforehand.

That’s because I’m one of the writers of the Dublin Community Blog, and I’m really proud of it. The blog was originally set up in 2006 by main man Daragh MacGrath to promote Dublin and to drive interest in blogging, and has been going strong ever since. A really big thing for us was winning the Irish Blog Awards for Best Group Blog in 2009 – and we also have been longlisted for the 2010 awards!

We are a diverse community of writers (loads of Irish veteran bloggers like Red Mum and Roseanne, plus expats from the US, Germany, Romania and Holland), all with different interests and topics that we write about – so you’ll get a pretty diverse picture of the Irish capital when reading our posts. And you’ll even find tailor-made guides for visitors! So by all means visit us in Dublin – or on our blog.

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Culchies?

One of the most-read Irish blogs in my feedreader is culch.ie. A gathering of some of Irelands mot prolific bloggers and writers, among them Darren Byrne and Rick O’Shea, this funny bunch supplies a constant flow of blogposts on all things pop-culture, Irish and world-wide.

So if you are interested what movies, concerts and youtube-videos are the talk of the land here, please pay them a visit.

And, by the way, a culchie is a person from rural Ireland, often used in an insulting sense. But this should not put you off.

Read more:
Irish blogs on Blogs of the World
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Ireland’s top five tourist destinations without tourists…

Ireland’s top five tourist destinations without tourists…

..or at least a limited number. As Ireland is a major holiday destination (especially during the summer months), it’s quite difficult to escape the guided-tour buses and camera-wielding crowds most of the time, even more so when you visit the “must-sees” as mentioned in most travel guides: the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle (and Blarney Stone) or the Ring of Kerry.

That’s why I thought I’d give you an overview of some of Ireland’s not-so-crowded destinations, which will still give you a good (first) impression of the Emerald Isle. You may also combine these with a longer intineray.

Dunmore East

If you’re looking for a nice little getaway at the sea, with Waterford and its impressive Viking history at hand, Dunmore East is the place to go. Excellent connection to road and rail network, but still a feeling of remoteness prevails here with the 5 local pubs, 3 bed and breakfasts and 1 hotel.

I recommend to visit it in Autumn or Winter to enjoy a look at the ocean battering at the quay wall while sitting snug into a pub and enjoying a warm fireplace and a cold Guinness. It only gets crowded during the annual Bluegrass Festival.

West Cork

Less crowded than the Ring of Kerry or Connemara, this is scenic Ireland at it’s best. Travel along the N71, passing by the small towns of Baltimore and Schull, and end your journey at Irelands most south-western point, where the Atlantic splashes against the rocks beneath the Mizen Head-lighthouse.

Slieve League

Impressive sea-cliffs are your thing? Forget about the Cliffs of Moher. The Slieve League-cliffs are the highest sea-cliffs in Europe and not for the faint-hearted. Avoid after rainfalls. The ground gets slippy….

Achil Island

In the very north-west corner of Ireland lies this little gem, almost a miniature-Ireland in itself. Extrordinary beaches allure flocks of surfers in summer, but also outside the main season the Atlantic Drive and the scattered ruins all along the mountains make for a nice and scenic visit.

Glendalough

Glendalough, you are asking? The one tourist attraction that’s easiest accessible from Dublin and Lonely Planet lists as “the one thing to see when Ireland”. And still it is on this list. Because if you visit in autumn, during a heavy rain shower, or in winter when everything is cold, damp and miserable, I promise that you’ll have the place almost for yourself. And Glendalough during heavy rain (and with the right attire) has an eerie charm for itself. But by all means don’t. Visit. During. Summer. It’s like an Irish Disneyland complete with foodstalls and buses full of schoolchildren.

image source

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All about Dublin. And hats!

On the pages of the St. Stephens’s Green Preservation society you’ll find tons of usefull information on the going ons in the capital of Ireland, interesting for both visitors and locals.

Here’s what they write about, in their own words:

What we hope to achieve with this blog is to give people out there some ideas about things to do in Dublin when you’re alive. As opposed to things to do in Denver…well, you get the idea. Gigs, markets, exhibitions, good pubs – nowhere is safe from our gruesome grip of tyranny. Or our recommendations. To be honest, we’re just going to do whatever takes our fancy on any given day. We’re considering a Hat of the Week section. But people dig hats right?

I personally dig hats, so I see no reason why you should not pay a visit to this outstanding blog – especially if you are looking for something to do that is not listed in the Lonely Planet-Dublin edition.

Read more:
Irish blogs on Blogs of the World
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