English Market in Cork

11 December 2020 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon appétit, Shopping Reading Time:  8 minutes

Christmas 2017 © Dan Curran/cc-by-sa-4.0

Christmas 2017 © Dan Curran/cc-by-sa-4.0

The English Market (Irish: An Margadh Sasanach) is a municipal food market in the center of Cork City, Ireland. It stretches from Princes Street to the Grand Parade, and combines Princes Street Market and Grand Parade Market. The market is regarded for both its mid-19th century architecture and locally produced artisan food. The market has become a tourist attraction, has developed an international reputation, and has been described by chef Rick Stein as the “best covered market in the UK and Ireland”.   read more…

The Liberties in Dublin

28 September 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  11 minutes

Cornmarket © J.-H. Janßen/cc-by-sa-3.0

Cornmarket © J.-H. Janßen/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Liberties is an area in central Dublin, located in the southwest of the inner city. One of Dublin’s most historic working-class neighbourhoods, the area is traditionally associated with the River Poddle, market traders and local family-owned businesses, as well as whiskey distilling, and, historically, the textiles industry and tenement housing. Many places in The Liberties still have connections with a turbulent past in which political upheaval or dire poverty were the order of the day. In the 17th century, parts of them became wealthy districts, when the weaving crafts of the immigrant Huguenots had a ready market around the present day Meath Street Market, and a healthy export trade.   read more…

Theme Week Ireland – Waterford

31 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  12 minutes

Waterford by night © geograph.org.uk - Typhoon/cc-by-sa-2.0

Waterford by night © geograph.org.uk – Typhoon/cc-by-sa-2.0

Waterford (from Old Norse Veðrafjǫrðr, meaning “ram (wether) fjord”, Irish: Port Láirge) is a city in the South-East Region and is part of the province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford Harbour. It is the oldest and the fifth most populous city in the Republic of Ireland. It is the eighth most populous city on the island of Ireland. Waterford City and County Council is the local government authority for the city. Waterford is known for Waterford Crystal, a legacy of the city’s former glass-making industry. 54,000 people live in the city of Waterford and its suburbs. Waterford is home to several museums and theatres. Among the annual festivals are Waterford Film Festival, Waterford Music Fest, Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, Waterford Harvest Food Festival, The Imagine Arts Festival, and Waterford Winterval. The Tall Ships Festival took place in 2005 and 2011, marking the start of the race. Each event attracted over 450,000 visitors.   read more…

Theme Week Ireland – Ennis

30 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

The Diamond Bar © geograph.org.uk - C OF'lanagan/cc-by-sa-2.0

The Diamond Bar © geograph.org.uk – C O’Flanagan/cc-by-sa-2.0

Ennis (Irish: Inis, meaning “island”) is the county town of Clare in Munster. The Irish name is short for Inis Cluain Ramh Fhada (“island of the long rowing meadow”). The town is on the River Fergus, north of where it enters the Shannon Estuary, 19 km (12 mi) from Shannon Airport. Ennis has a population of 25,000, making it the largest town in Clare and the 12th largest in Ireland. Clare became a county under the rule of Elizabeth I and Ennis was chosen as its capital by the Earls of Thomond because of its central location and great influence. Ennis received a grant to hold fairs and markets in 1610 and some years later a Charter for a Corporation with a Provost, Free Burgesses, Commonalty and a Town Clerk. Ennis continued to expand in the following centuries, mainly as a market town and later as a manufacturing and distributing centre. Many commodities were conveyed by river to Clarecastle for shipment abroad.   read more…

Theme Week Ireland – Mullingar

29 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Market House © Ultrafighter/cc-by-sa-4.0

Market House © Ultrafighter/cc-by-sa-4.0

Mullingar (Irish: An Muileann gCearr, meaning “the left-handed mill”) is the county town of County Westmeath in Leinster province. It is the 3rd most populous town in the Midlands Region with a population of 21,000. Mullingar is famous for the neighbouring lakes, Lough Owel, Lough Ennell and Lough Derravaragh, which attract many anglers, and Belvedere House and Gardens which is heavily promoted for its beauty. Lough Derravaragh is also known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of Lir. The town of Mullingar is linked to Lough Ennell via Lacy’s Canal and the River Brosna. Another waterway of significance is the Royal Canal, which loops around Mullingar.   read more…

Theme Week Ireland – Wexford

28 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

National Opera House and a church spire rises above the old skyline © flickr.com - Sinn Féin/cc-by-2.0

National Opera House and a church spire rises above the old skyline © flickr.com – Sinn Féin/cc-by-2.0

Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman) is the county town of County Wexford. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network connects it to Rosslare Europort. It has a population of 20,000).   read more…

Theme Week Ireland – Castlebar

27 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Linenhall Street © flickr.com - Rambling Traveler/cc-by-sa-2.0

Linenhall Street © flickr.com – Rambling Traveler/cc-by-sa-2.0

Castlebar (Irish: Caisleán an Bharraigh, meaning “Barry’s Castle”) is the county town of County Mayo. It is the largest town in County Mayo. The town is linked by railway to Dublin, Westport and Ballina. The main route by road is the N5. Its economy is primarily service-based. Castlebar is traditionally a market town, and it is still a major destination for shoppers from all over the west of Ireland. It boasts an increasing number of national and international chain stores, and several new shopping areas have been developed in the past 10–12 years on what were considered the outskirts of the town. Castlebar is the second largest retail centre in the Connacht province, after Galway   read more…

Theme Week Ireland

26 March 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  < 1 minute

The English Market in Cork © flickr.com - WordRidden/cc-by-2.0

The English Market in Cork © flickr.com – WordRidden/cc-by-2.0

Ireland (Irish: Éire), also known as the Republic of Ireland (Poblacht na hÉireann), is occupying 26 of 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, which is located on the eastern part of the island, and whose metropolitan area is home to around a third of the country’s 4.75 million inhabitants. The state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the Celtic Sea to the south, Saint George’s Channel to the south-east, and the Irish Sea to the east. Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, especially in the fields of literature. Alongside mainstream Western culture, a strong indigenous culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music, and the Irish language. The culture of the island also shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing, and golf.   read more…

Temple Bar in Dublin

13 March 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  9 minutes

The Temple Bar © WolfgangSailer/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Temple Bar © WolfgangSailer/cc-by-sa-3.0

Temple Bar is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin. The area is bounded by the Liffey to the north, Dame Street to the south, Westmoreland Street to the east and Fishamble Street to the west. Unlike other parts of Dublin’s city centre, it is promoted as Dublin’s cultural quarter and has a lively nightlife that is popular with tourists. After dark, the area is a major centre for nightlife, with many tourist-focused nightclubs, restaurants and bars. Pubs in the area include The Temple Bar Pub, The Porterhouse, the Oliver St. John Gogarty, the Turk’s Head, Czech Inn (in the former Isolde’s Tower), the Quays Bar, the Foggy Dew, The Auld Dubliner and Bad Bobs. The historic name of the district was not Temple Bar but St. Andrews Parish. It was a suburb of medieval (Anglo-Norman) Dublin, located outside the city walls, but it fell into disuse beginning in the 14th century because the land was exposed to attacks by the native Irish. The land was redeveloped again in the 17th century, to create gardens for the houses of wealthy English families. Many sources agree that Temple Bar Street got its name from the Temple family, and specifically Sir William Temple (provost of Trinity College from 1609-1627), whose house and gardens were located there in the early 17th century. However, given the existence of a storied district of the same name in London, it seems that the new Temple Bar street of Dublin must have been a nod to its older and more famous cousin.   read more…

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