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.