The Makings of a Full Irish

One of our guests has asked for the ingredients and method for our Full Irish breakfast. This is the perfect post to for a bank holiday weekend as at some stage over the weekend there should be time for everyone to enjoy a leisurely breakfast at home. The traditional Irish breakfast, aka “The Full”, “The Works” or “The Ariel House Special” is made using the best ingredients we can source from local suppliers. Why not try it over the weekend and post your pictures on our page We are very proud to have won the Georgina Campbell Ireland award for the Best Guesthouse Breakfast in Ireland 2012 and we believe the key to a good breakfast is freshly prepared and cooked food using local and seasonal produce. So, for the makings of a good Full Irish......... You will need: Back Bacon – We use Pat O’Neill’s dry cure bacon from Co. Wexford Sausages – Our Sausages come from Ethersons Craft Butcher in Dublin 7 and are made with Irish pork Black and White Puddings – Are made by Pat O’Neill in Co Wexford Eggs – Are Irish and free range Tomatoes – We use sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes on the vine Mushrooms – Button mushrooms grown in North Co. Dublin Potato Cake – Homemade by our own chefs using Irish spuds, mashed with crème fraiche, wholegrain mustard, shaped into small cakes and pan fried with butter Method Grill the bacon and pan fry sausages, Grill the black & white Pudding. Oven bake the tomatoes on the vine in a moderate oven with a little olive oil and sea salt. Oven bake the mushrooms, whole with a small knob of butter in the center of each mushroom and a little freshly ground black pepper. Pan fry the egg and the potato cake Arrange on a hot plate; serve with your favorite bread toasted and a pot of tea Happy Days!

Ariel House July "Pop Up" Nights

Thanks to the success of the April Chop House "on tour” night at Ariel House, Kevin Arundel will again cook up a storm in our kitchen on the nights of the 17th and 18th of July 2012. Dining each evening will begin at 5pm with last orders at 9.30pm. The pop up nights are open to residents and non-residents alike and we are really looking forward to having the Chop House crew visit us again. The atmosphere and food were really great on the last pop up night with the dining room at Ariel House lending itself well to the casual dining style of the Chop House. Also since the last event, the Chop House has been named as Gastro Pub of the year for the whole of Ireland, making a visit even more of a must. We have just received the menu for the evening and are not disappointed! A lovely mix of seafood, steak and local produce. Starters Pan Seared King Prawns, Lemon, Chilli & Garlic, Smoked Paprika Butter Ballantine of Chicken & Foie Gras, Shiitake Mushrooms, Port Vinaigrette Clogherhead Crab Salad, Mint & Apple Pineapple Carpaccio, Baby Leaf Salad Sashimi, Tuna, Pickled cucumber, quails egg, micro leaves Mains 35 Day Dry-Aged Hereford Beef 10oz Rib-Eye Hand-Cut Chips, Onions Confit, Béarnaise Sauce ‘Fish n’ Chips’ Tempura Beer Batter, Twice Cooked Chips, Sauce Tartare Pan Fried Fillet of Hake, Baby Vegetable, Fennel & Orange Salad, Fresh Herb Juices TJ Crowes Smoked Kassler, Jack Macs Pudding, Crisp sage, Grilled Apricot To Finish Warm chocolate fondant, pistachio ice cream Chop house Wexford strawberry mess 2 courses €25.00 3 courses €30.00 Bookings can be made through facebook, twitter @ArielHouse, email or by phone 01-6685512

Bloomsday 2012 at Ariel House

Bloomsday celebrates the day that James Joyce’s novel Ulysses takes place, 16 June 1904, the day on which it is believed that Joyce first went out with his future wife, Nora Barnacle. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the main character in Ulysses. The novel follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters – real and fictional – from 8am on 16 June through to the early hours of the following morning. Bloomsday is celebrated by Joyce enthusiasts across the globe with readings, performances, re-enactments, and a host of other events. Here in Dublin, Joyceans dress in Edwardian costume and gather during the day at many of the locations where episodes of Ulysses take place. This year Ariel House will host a small event to mark Bloomsday and to bring a hint of Joyce to the air for our guests. Rose Lawless will perform James Joyce's 'Molly Bloom,' on Saturday 16th June at 11 am in our Drawing Room. We look forward to welcoming Rose to Ariel House on Bloomsday and to her portrayal of Molly Bloom.

Pop Up Evening at Ariel House with The Chop House June 2012

Kevin Arundel, Chef/Owner of one of our local restaurants, the Chop house will cook in the Ariel House kitchen on Friday the 22nd of June from 6pm. This is the second pop up evening to take place at Ariel House. The first night held in April was a great success with our guests and locals so we decided to make the night a regular feature. In addition to being awarded Irelands Gastro Pub of the year at the recent Restaurant Association of Ireland awards, the Chop House is a real favourite with our guests at Ariel House and this unique evening is a nice opportunity for our guests to enjoy local cuisine in the comfort of the Dining Room at Ariel House.

We would love to see you there – Dinner reservations can be made by email to reservations@ariel-house.net , on the Ariel House Facebook page, on Twitter or by telephone 01-6685512 . The menu costs €25 for two courses
€30 for three courses and will be published on our blog and social media in early June.

Glasnevin Museum and Cemetry

Glasnevin Museum and Cemetry - a guest blog by Luke Portess of the Glasnevin Trust


Glasnevin Museum offers a dynamic interpretation of Ireland’s history told through the lives of the people buried in Ireland’s necropolis. The Museum has access to a rich narrative of Ireland told through the stories of Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins, Eamon DeValera, Countess Marckievicz and Brendan Behan to name but a few. Glasnevin Museum offers daily tours and interactive exhibitions.

For more info

http://bit.ly/asFBK8

Also discover your Irish ancestors or delve further into the lives of Ireland's key figures, Glasnevin Museum's Genealogy records now online.

http://bit.ly/Ah6bi9

An Seamróg - Ours is Home Grown

An Seamróg – Ours is home grown this year!
Shamrocks have been symbolic of many things over the years. According to legend, the shamrock was a sacred plant to the Druids of Ireland because its leaves formed a triad, and three was a mystical number in the Celtic religion, as in many others. St. Patrick used the shamrock in the 5th century to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as he introduced Christianity to Ireland.
The shamrock became symbolic in other ways as time went on. In the 19th century it became a symbol of rebellion, and anyone wearing it risked death by hanging. It was this period that spawned the phrase "the wearin' o' the green". Today, the shamrock is the most recognized symbol of the Irish, especially on St. Patrick's Day, when all over the world, everyone is Irish for a day!
The original Irish shamrock (traditionally spelled seamróg, which means "summer plant") is said by many to be none other than white clover (Trifolium repens), a common lawn weed originally native to Ireland. It is a vigorous, rhizomatous, stem-rooting perennial with trifoliate leaves. Occasionally, a fourth leaflet will appear, making a "four-leaf clover," said to bring good luck to the person who discovers it.

Ariel House Granola Recipe

A new Spring addition to our breakfast buffet at Ariel House has been our home made Granola. Jennie brought the recipe home from her cookery course in Ballymaloe. The dish has proved to be a great favourite with our guests and Staff :). The recipe has been requested many times in the last few weeks so we thought it might be nice to share it on our blog. We tend to add our own twist for versatility, like dried cranberries or goji berries. Any questions on the method or ingredients just drop us a mail reservations@ariel-house.net

Ariel House Granola Recipe
Ingredients:
12ozs (350g 1 cup) Honey
8 fl ozs (225g/1 cup) oil eg. Sunflower

1 lb1oz (370g/ 5 cups) oat flakes
7ozs (220g/2 cups) barley flakes
7ozs (200g/ 2 cups) wheat flakes
3 ½ozs (100g/1 cup) rye flakes

5ozs (150g/1 cup seedless raisins or sultanas
5ozs (150g/ 1 cup) peanuts/hazelnuts, or cashew nuts split and roasted
2 ¾ozs(70g/1 cup) wheat germ and / or millet flakes
2ozs (50g / ½ cup) chopped apricots, ½ cup chopped dates etc. are nice too
Toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds are also delicious

Mix all of the flakes together in a large bowl. Mix the oil and honey together in a saucepan. Heat just enough to melt the honey. Mix well into the mixed flakes. Spread thinly on two large baking trays.
Bake in a moderate oven 180 C/ 350 F/ gas mark 4 for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently, making sure the edges don’t burn ( You really need to keep an eye on it! ) It should be just golden and toasted, not roasted!
Allow to get cold. Mix in the raisins or sultanas, roasted nuts, toasted seeds, chopped dates, apricots and wheat germ. Store in a screw top jar or air tight container. The Granola keeps for 1-2 weeks.
We serve our Granola with natural yoghurt and berries however it is so versatile it can be enjoyed with milk, rice or soy milk, with chopped banana or other fruits.

The National Gallery of Ireland - A Guest Blog by colleague & artist Ewa Krupa

My name is Ewa Krupa and I am one of the staff at Ariel Guest House where I have been working full-time in the Food and Beverage department since April 2009. Besides working in the hotel I have a huge passion for art, since childhood I have been drawing and painting. My artwork was included in various group exhibitions in Ireland, Bulgaria and Italy. In 2010 I graduated from University College Dublin with a Diploma in History of European Painting. At the moment I am continuing education at the Open University where I am studying towards a BA in Humanities with specialism in Art History. In my free time I am an Information Desk Volunteer at the National Gallery of Ireland. Due to the refurbishment of the gallery the historic building is closed at the moment and the main entrance is through the Millennium Wing, on Clare Street. Even though the gallery space is reduced because of the refurbishment it is still great place to visit. Current exhibitions are Masterpieces from the Collection and ‘The Gift of Knowledge’. The highlights of the exhibition Masterpieces from the Collection among other paintings are ‘The Taking of Christ’ by Caravaggio, Claude Monet’s ‘Argenteuil Basin with a single Sailboat’ or a beautiful painting by Irish artist William Leech ‘A Convent Garden, Brittany’. ‘The Gift of Knowledge’ is a temporary exhibition from the Library and Archives Collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, on a view in the Print Gallery. Items are on display until 15th of December 2011. Admission to the gallery and exhibitions are free.

Recipe for Halloween Tea Brack

Halloween Tea Brack

Ingredients
• 300 ml cold tea
• 4 tsp. Irish whiskey
• 110 g sultanas
• 220 g currants or raisins
• 55 g chopped glacé cherries
• 55 g chopped mixed peel
• 200 g brown sugar
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. ground Nutmeg

Method
1. Place the cold tea and whiskey in a bowl. Add in the sultanas, currants, glace cherries and mixed peel. Cover and set aside to soak overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4/ 350 F.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, self-raising flour, beaten egg, nutmeg and soaked fruit, with its soaking liquid until well-mixed.

4. Transfer the mixture to a loaf tin lined with baking paper.

5. Bake for 1 hour, 30 minutes until risen and set.

6. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in its tin, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

7. Serve in slices with butter

Dublin Living Awards 2011

Ariel House is delighted to be nominated as a finalist in the very first Dublin Living Awards. The Awards are to celebrate the Dublin businesses, organisations and people that make Dublin a great place to live work and visit. The competition organisers have had a brilliant response, the entries have been counted and the finalists have been chosen by the panel of judges. Now it is over to the Dublin public to decide the winners. As a finalist in the Hotel and Guesthouse category Ariel House would really appreciate your support. Please vote for Ariel House in the Dublin Living Awards using the link www.dublinlivingawards.ie/vote/7 or TEXT: Hotel followed by Ariel House to 51500

Fáilte go Áth Cliath agus Beal Féirste! Welcome to Dublin and Belfast!

When I booked my ticket to Dublin I knew very little about the place itself and I had no idea about the hotel I had booked. I arrived and was greeted by the sweetest lady ever and she showed me to my room. From that point I knew that Ariel House was a place I would fall in love with. It’s located close to the brand new Aviva Stadium and the DART station that will bring you in to the city centre within a few minutes.
By staying at Ariel House you will experience a friendly staff, lovely rooms and develop a love for their amazing homemade scones, a typical Irish treat.

After a long day of exploring the city of Dublin.You can relax in the lovely drawing room with a cup of tea, and just let the impressions of the day sink in. Ariel House is one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at and I recommend it with all of my heart.

The reason for me coming to Ireland that particular summer was that I was going to move to Belfast, Northern Ireland, in August. I have now lived in Belfast for a year and would like to tell you a bit about Northern Ireland that might interest you and maybe one day you will go there for a holiday?

Let’s be honest, Belfast and Northern Ireland aren’t particularly two words you associate with fun and joy, and maybe not the place you would consider for your holiday. I had the exact same idea of Belfast before I moved there, but I was determined to give it a try and hoped to go home with a new view of Belfast and Northern Ireland.

For you, as a tourist based in Dublin, you might be interested in seeing some more of the beautiful country you are already in. I can strongly recommend visiting Northern Ireland, and I can guarantee you, all your prejudices about Northern Ireland and Belfast will be gone when you return to Dublin.

They are very friendly and open, and also interested in your home country and your language. If you’re lucky you might pick up a cúpla focal (a few words) in the native language Gaelic.

When you’re in Belfast, the easiest way to see the city and learn the history is to go on one of the guided bus tours. Companies such as Allen’s and Belfast City Sightseeing will bring you around the city for a good price. This is a good opportunity to see both the Catholic and the Protestant part of the city, as well as the famous Titanic Quarter and other historical places. The tickets are also valid for 48 hrs and it’s a hop on/hop off bus, so you get great value for your money!
Finding the craic (Gaelic for “having fun”) is very easy in Belfast. Pubs like Robinson’s, Fibber Magee’s, Kelly’s Cellar and Madden’s have Irish music nights on every week. For the younger crowd Belfast is full of clubs and hip places. Have yourself a pint of Guinness and enjoy the craic.

Even though I’m telling you about the good things of staying in Belfast, I will have to warn you about a few things for your own safety.
Also bear in mind that Belfast is a divided society, and please do not wear either British or Irish flags or symbols on your backpack or clothes. But again, as mentioned they are not interested in harming their tourists, but this is just a little something called common sense.

Northern Ireland is such a beautiful country and deserves more positive attention. If you’re planning on going to Northern Ireland you have to visit the famous Giant’s Causeway in the very north of Co. Antrim. The coastal route is mind blowing and the scenery changes every 10 minutes. While you’re first up in the very north, pay a visit to the historical city of Londonderry or Derry. (The name will change depending on where in the country you are, but to avoid any confusion simply call it Stroke City!). Allen’s Tours will take you to Giant’s Causeway and the famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge in a day, but if you want to go to Londonderry/Derry you will need to book with the Paddywagon Tours, since they are the only company going to this particular city.

Good news for those of you staying in Dublin, you can book the Paddywagon from Dublin and it’ll drive you all the way up to Belfast and further north to the locations I’ve just mentioned.

I can also recommend cities such as Donegal, Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart. They are all easy to get to. You simply take the bus from Europa Bus Station in Belfast or jump on a train from Great Victoria Station.

I really hope that you would find this helpful and also tempted to explore the beautiful Northern Ireland.

For more info visit www.discovernorthernireland.com

I reassure you, there’s nothing dangerous about going to Belfast and Northern Ireland. They love their tourists and are constantly working on improving their cities just for you. Just keep in mind the little thing called common sense, and have fun!

Some handy information

What to do in Belfast and Northern Ireland

 Experience live Irish music in a pub
 Go on a city tour
 Visit Giant’s Causeway
 Eat an Ulster fry for breakfast
 Learn a few words in Gaelic
 Visit the Ulster Museum www.nmni.com/um
 Visit Ulster Folk and Transport Museum www.nmni.com/uftm

Accomodation in Belfast/N.Ireland
 The Europa Hotel www.hastingshotels.com/europa-belfast
 The Merchant Hotel www.themerchanthotel.com
 Radisson Blu Hotel www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-belfast
 The Fitzwilliam Hotel www.fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com
 Jury’s Inn www.jurysinns.com

City tours and bus tour companies
 Allen’s Tours www.allensbelfastbustours.com
 Belfast City Sightseeing www.belfastcitysightseeing.co.uk
 Paddywagon Tours www.paddywagontours.com


Enjoy your stay in Ireland!

Cheers,
Nadia
www.therockabillygirlnextdoor.blogspot.com

The Ariel House Winners Enclosure Dublin Horse Show 2011

We are delighted to announce that some of our guests competing at the Discover Ireland Horse Show 2011 at the RDS had great success this week.

Congratulations to Making Waves aka Splash ridden by Niamh Spurr (Pictured here). Making Waves a seven year old mare by Boden Park out of a Grange Blue Surf mare was the smallest Connemara pony in the ridden classes. Standing at 13.2hh she was placed 5th out of fifteen ponies in class 75. Owned by Norma Spurr from Ballygowan in Co. Down and ridden and produced by Niamh Spurr. Norma says " We are thrilled for Splash and that she did so well as she was up against stiff competition".

We had another winner in the Lightweight Cobb class. Toy Boy, a Cobb owned by our guest Colleen Lowry from Blessingbourne and produced in Co. Wicklow won a purple ribbon, coming 5th in his class. Well done and congratulations to Toy Boy also.

Dublin Horse Show

The Dublin Horse Show will be held between the 3rd and the 7th August at the RDS stadium in the heart of Dublin. It promises to attract local, national and international horse shows, show jumpers and equestrian exhibitors including the world-famous Ukrainian Cossacks. The buzz of horse show week brings an unmatched atmosphere to the Ballsbridge area.


There will also be over 300 shopping stands with art, books and fashion equestrian items on sale to all visitors.

This year’s blossom hill ladies day will take place on Thursday 4th August and the winner will win a fantastic trip for two to California and Napa Valley, the home of Blossom Hill, worth €10,000.

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For RDS accommodation around the event visit Ariel House

Leinster Vs Toulouse - A Guest Blog by Rebecca Warrington

Lansdowne Road is the same on a match day no matter if it’s the old stadium with is banked terraces or the Aviva with its sweeping roof and Perspex outer shell. The atmosphere builds as fans from both sides pour out of the surrounding pubs on to the road itself. Different nationalities and languages mixing together down the tree lined road bathed in April sunshine passed the beautiful terraces of Lansdowne Road. The match kicked off a fan fair of cheering and song that is so customary at Leinster matches. Even if you don’t know the words at the start you will by the end with the help of the friendly and welcoming Irish fans. Toulouse kicked of the better team with a flurry of activity that put Leinster very much on the back foot. A quick Florian Fritz try and David Skvella conversion put Leinster in the doldrums. In true Leinster style they slowly crept back into it with some penalties from the boot of Sexton. A drop goal put Toulouse ahead but after much deliberation from referee Dave Perarson he finally awarded a try on thirty minutes to Jamie, who as always sent Leinster fans into rapturous song. Disaster struck on 35 mins when Irish Golden boy and my hero and idol, Brian O’Driscoll was sent to the bin to have a think about his actions. It was a decision widely deliberated amongst Leinster fans which meant the resulting penalty was not taken in customary respectful silence. A late Jonny Sexton penalty made for what was a nervous 16-13 half time lead for Toulouse. Leinster fans still debating O’Driscolls binning for coming in from the side were in confident buoyant mood. They began the second half with song but that was soon silenced with a Toulouse try and conversation which meant 4 points had been conceded with talisman O’Driscoll in the bin. A penalty on 48 brought Leinster back to within a point of Toulouse. The atmosphere was electric with a new sense of belief in the crowd (and a new song). O’Driscoll soon made up for his spell in the bin with an excellent try which was certainly celebrated by every Leinster fan in the ground with myself whooping like a banshee from the Gods that took the score to 29-20 to Leinster - they never looked back from this. The French top 14 leaders and four time Heineken Cup Champions looked decidedly lost and confused and lacked inspiration with a flurry of substations on the hour mark. This did seem to rally the French champions who had a period of sustained pressure between 70 and 73 minutes making the crowd glittery. I lost count of how many times I looked at the clock over the last 10 minutes with 5 minutes to go a late Toulouse penalty brought the score to 29-23 but the 50,073 fans needn’t have worried as Leinster finished with a flourish as Sexton slotted the final kick of the match to send the crowd into raptures and on to the final in Cardiff with a score of 32-29. As always the craic is phenomenal between Leinster fans and the French. As an English fan of Leinster and a lover of all things Irish the fans are welcoming and friendly and always happy to help and encourage you to sample the local delicacies in many of the surrounding pubs or bars within the ground, where festivities and songs continue well into the night, many sore heads in the morning.

St. Patricks Day Festival 2011

St. Patricks Day is a worldwide celebration with all eyes on Ireland through global coverage of the day’s celebrations. In Ariel House our celebration will begin before breakfast on the morning of the 17th where each guest will receive complimentary shamrock to wear in their lapel. Irish Coffees will then be served as our guests leave for the parade.
In Dublin the St Patricks Day Festival 2011 began today with The Céilí Mor which took place at St. Stephens Green and by all standards has brought the city to a standstill. The event ran from 4.30pm-7.30pm offering a unique and fun filled way to spend an afternoon dancing your heart away. Expert callers took those who attended through the Siege of Ennis, the Walls of Limerick and lots more.The Céilí was open to all - young and old, beginners and self-proclaimed pro’s. It’s a great opportunity for friends and family to get together and join award-winning musicians and dancers. Watch, learn and dance; you’ll be doing jigs and reels in no time!
The Parade
In honour of Dublin’s UNESCO City of Literature designation the festival parade will bring specially commissioned short story “Brilliant” by Roddy Doyle, to life on the streets of Dublin, in spectacular fashion.
Inspired by the outrageously whimsical story; Ireland’s finest performance companies will present the chapters in their own inimitable style. Marching bands from Ireland and across the globe will animate the streets with their magnificent musical mastery as they march through the heart of Dublin city.
Ireland’s leading Pageant Companies will interpret different chapters of the story using their own performance style. Follow each company to see how they approach the story in a different way.

Parade Route
The Parade begins on Parnell Square and continues on to O’Connell Street and over O’Connell Bridge to Westmoreland Street. It then winds its way down Dame Street and Lord Edward Street passes by Christchurch Cathedral and along Patrick Street where it finishes just past St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

DublinSwell –Words and Voices for the City of Literature In a new and exciting move for the festival, DublinSwell –Words and Voices from the City of Literature, offers the public a cultural evening celebrating Dublin as UNESCO’s new ‘City of Literature’. This unique ticketed event will bring together a star studded line up of Irish faces from literature, music, film and theatre. Sebastian Barry, Roddy Doyle, Paul Durcan, Glen Hansard, Paul Howard ( Ross O’Carroll Kelly), Declan Hughes, Paula Meehan, Joseph O’Connor and many more will make the city come alive in an evening of imagination and inspiration. The event will take place in the Dublin Convention Centre and promises to be a fitting and inspiring tribute to literary Dublin.

Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon, one of Ireland’s most accomplished musicians will present an evening of traditional music at the National Concert Hall. Her unique style of accordion playing is celebrated worldwide, and her home-coming is sure to be a heartening musical experience.
This is just the St. Patricks Day Festival 2011 at a glance; A snippet of events that will take place in the city over the next few days. For Full information see the Festival website 2011.

Festive Cheer Begins Here!

Festive cheer begins here... Some recommendations from the team at Ariel House on how to spend Christmas week in Dublin and make the best of the build up !

The Docklands Christmas market 2010 is running until the 22nd of December 2010. This year the market is filled with brightly decorated wooden huts and chalets selling unique Christmas gifts, including beautiful Christmas decorations, hand made arts and crafts, and other unusual stocking fillers. The Docklands market also plays host to almost one hundred German traders as well as plenty of home grown Irish stalls. The market is open from 12noon to 8.30pm each day. So whether you're looking for that special gift, a seasonal snack or simply looking to soak up some festive feeling, The Docklands Christmas Market 2010 is the perfect injection of yuletide cheer with a beautiful German twist
The National Concert Hall Family Christmas Show will take place on the 22nd of December where this year they stage Howard Blake’s Christmas masterpiece ‘The Snowman Movie – Live Concert. The animated movie will play out on a large screen accompanied by The Orchestra of The National Concert Hall under the baton of conductor Fergus Sheil. Brian Ormond will tell the story of James and the flying snowman as you watch the film on a big screen. The Family Christmas show will also feature seasonal favourites by an all singing and dancing theatrical group, adding to the spirit and excitement of Christmas.
Now celebrating its 8th year, 7UP Christmas on Ice at the RDS Dublin offers all the fun of real ice skating on a spectacular covered rink. Ballsbridge and the RDS have a unique Christmas atmosphere with lots of festive fun to be found. There's something for everyone from families and school children to teens and social groups. Christmas on Ice at the RDS runs until the 9th of January 2011.
Christmas is not complete without a visit to the panto at the Gaiety! This year the story of Aladdin will be brought to life at the Gaiety Theatre. Starring Boyzones Mikey Graham in the role of Abanazar and the voice of X-Factors Louis Walsh as Master of the World. The performance runs until the 30th of January 2011 and tickets are available from the Gaiety Box Office.
Finally what will we be doing on Christmas Eve ? Ariel House will close for Christmas holidays on Thursday 23rd of December and will reopen on Tuesday 28th. Most of our overseas colleagues will fly home to spend Christmas with family and friends. Those of us who are staying in Dublin will take a trip into the city centre on Christmas Eve morning. Soak up the atmosphere of Grafton Street and the Brown Thomas window which is beautifully decorated this year and perhaps some last minute Christmas shopping or the odd impulse buy! Lunch at Pichet Restaurant followed by a visit to the Nativity Scene at the Mansion House. A quick Hot Port at Keoghs Heritage Pub and then its home on the bus to prepare for a visit from Santa. Happy Christmas Everyone!

31st Dublin City Marathon

Over 13,000 runners will descend on Fitzwilliam Square on this morning, 25th October for the 31st Lifestyle Sports-adidas Dublin Marathon ensuring Dublin’s status as one of the “friendliest” marathons remains intact. Despite the recession over seventy-four nations will be represented and the 2010 Irish field is the largest ever present.

This is the first time race organisers have exceeded the 13,000 mark. Race Director Jim Aughney says the key reason is the big increase in Irish entries. “Irish people are back running again, and it bodes well for the sustained growth of Dublin into the future”

Whether the other course records are broken in 2010 remains to be seen, but with current record holder, Russian Alexsey Sokolov making a return this year, organisers expect there to be a real challenge to the record held since 2007. In the Women’s Elite category, last year’s winner Kateryna Stetsenko (Ukraine) will be hoping for her second consecutive win in Dublin.

The Irish Elite field is strengthened by the presence of a number of the Marathon Mission 2012 candidates. The Marathon Mission Team was set up earlier this year to improve the competitive depth in quality of times being run by Irish Marathoners.

Joe McAllister is among the favourites to finish in a strong position whilst in the women’s field Gladys Ganiel O'Neill, Barbara Sanchez and Breege Connolly are also expected to make an impact.

While the elites will dominate the headlines on Tuesday, most of the 13,000 field today will be running for personal reasons. Among starters will be “The Oireachtas Team”, led by Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan. Deenihan’s Leinster House running colleagues including Lucinda Creighton, Mary Upton, Barry Andrews, James Reilly, Nicky McFadden, Brian O’Domhnaill, Fidelma Healy Eames, Frank Feighan and Damien English, all of who are running on behalf of various charities close to their hearts.

Lord Mayor Gerry Breen will get the 31st running of the Lifestyle Sports adidas Dublin Marathon underway in Fitzwilliam Street Upper at 9am this morning, and the first runner home will be expected in Merrion Square North shortly after 11am. Regular race updates will be available on FM104 and all results will be available on www.dublinmarathon.ie after 5.30pm.

Something to do with the Family this Weekend!

To celebrate the extension of the LUAS green line to Cherrywood the RPA have organised a family fun day on Saturday the 16th October which is free of charge for all the family. The events run from 11am to 6pm. Entertainment includes a vintage tram and samba band at the St. Stephens Green Stop, face painting at the Balally stop, make your own instrument at the Sandyford stop, paint you’re your own canvas at the Leopardstown stop and storytelling and lantern making at Carrickmines stop. An organic food market will take place at Brides Glen the terminus stop where there will also be a teddy bears picnic and a toy swap shop. For times, details and lots of other events log onto www.luas .ie

Open House Dublin

This weekend is the fifth Open House Dublin organised by the Irish Architecture Foundation, where over 100 Dublin buildings from all eras open their doors to the public. free guided tours to each of the buildings are given by professional guides. Details of participating buildings can be found at the Architecture Foundation website.I think we will try to get Ariel House on the list for the 2011 event !

Michael Bublé Plays Aviva Stadium

Michael Bublé; If you “havnt met him yet” then maybe you can sort that out with a trip to The Aviva Stadium this weekend.
He’s the newly crowned Best International Male Artist from the 2010 Meteor Awards. He’s had his entire tour in May sell out in 55 minutes; he’s fast becoming one of the most popular artists in the music business. For all his top covers of classic tunes his song “just havnt met you yet” is the tune that has really put him on the map with immense radio play. He has 6 albums in the Irish charts at the moment and his current album Crazy Love has been certified platinum NINE times.
His concert will be the first live gig to be played at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road where he will play to almost 100,000 over the two nights 24th and 25th of September 2010.
If you are going to the concert, enjoy! Being on the doorstep of the stadium, the Ariel House staff look forward to being serenaded as we work over the weekend!