Halloween in Ireland

Halloween is an adaptation of a much, much older tradition called Samhain, a pagan festival that was held in the deep mid-winter of Celtic Ireland, at a time when the land lay barren and dormant. Our ancestors believed that the Gods of the Earth controlled fertility, so they paid homage to them in hope of a fruitful and abundant harvest.

It’s easy with hindsight, to see how that ethereal crossover between the pagan Gods and the Spirit world got woven into a Christian tradition, which the emigrant Irish carried with them when they left these shores during famine times for America. What’s harder to reconcile is the huge crass, commercial event it has morphed into all over the world, but then look what they did to Christmas?

Other Celtic festivals, such as Imbolg-Spring, Bealtaine-Summer and Lughnasa-Autumn are quietly being rediscovered and revived here in Ireland. Funnily enough, in much the same tradition as our ancestors, but with a new and timely respect for the land, and our global environment.

Brigits Garden in Moycullen, County Galway heralds this new awareness, each of the ancient Celtic festivals named above are laid out in a series of gardens which reflect the changing seasons and the ancient traditions associated with them. It’s a great place to go if you want to see and experience some real Irish folklore, or learn about our first language Ogham, each scratch or letter signified the name of a tree. The garden is a registered charity, run for the benefit of the community, and ultimately the world.

Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/

Largest stalactite in the Northern Hemisphere in County Clare

Doolin Cave or Pol an Ionáin, opened to the public in 2006 enabling visitors to view for the first time, what is reputedly the largest free-hanging stalactite in the northern hemisphere. Originally, discovered by speleologists in the 1950’s, it then took the owners John and Helen Browne, almost 20 years to attain planning permission to open the cave to the public, following the strictest environmental protocol. This year, the new visitor centre was officially opened and named after their friend, Irish author Nuala O’Faolain.

And what a triumph it finally is, the whole visitor experience is extremely professional from start to finish. You are immediately aware of their commitment to science, safety and conservation by being asked to wear a hard hat and carry a torch. In doing so, you seamlessly step into the role of an explorer/adventurer which adds enormously to the experience. Numbers are limited to 20 per visit. which lasts approximately an hour with a cap of a total of 55,000 visitors a year.

The guides are excellent, extremely well informed, patient and friendly throughout. As you descend through the main shaft, they explain how the engineers bored and shuttered the shaft in concrete sections 80 feet deep and 20 feet across. They then had to dig out 100 metres of chamber, enlarging the former river bed for access using air explosives, to ventilate, light and monitor the whole operation daily.

Most Irish visitors would have touched on the geology of the Burren in school, it being a prime example of a Karst limestone region on our doorstep, but to actually experience it a 100 feet below the surface, just inches away from real calcite features possibly 1000’s of years old and still being formed is something else entirely. No book, classroom, or internet site can ever replace the real thing.

Then assembling in darkness in the main chamber prior to the stalactite being lit up, I must admit to being wary of perhaps some “Disney” style theatrics which thankfully isnt the case. Subtlety lit, the huge beautiful stalactite stole the show silencing any sceptics or tired seen-it-all before types amongst us. What strikes you first is the sheer size of it, 7 metres long, some 10 tons in weight and hanging incredibly from a crack in the ceiling, in exquisite curtain like folds which changed colour owing to ore deposits, that possibly has taken 400,000 years to form and incredibly is still in the process of being formed, as you watch and listen one drip at a time.

Doolin Cave is a true wonder of the natural world, go and see it next time you are in Ireland.

For further information on Doolin Cave or to book your tickets online visit http://www.doolincave.ie/

Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/

Re : Article - New York Times 22nd Oct 2010

With respect?

What a miserable piece of rubbish Matt Gross wrote about being 'Lost in Ireland' in yesterdays New York Times. Three pages of a whingeing, self-pitying comdemnation of Ireland and its people, which could have been avoided if the bold Matt had done a little bit of forward planning?

I mean which one of us here in Ireland, would land up in the USA with out some sort of a plan? What are your chances of 'losing yourself' while simultaneously 'having a good time' and connecting with the 'locals' setting off from the rental carpark of Newark of JFK without an itinery or even a map?

I get queries everyday from extremely well clued in Americans who visit my website http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/ who are planning their trip to Ireland with laser like precision and I am more then happy to help them achieve that authentic experience of Ireland they all dream about.

So, next time Matt? dont go wandering off on your own, give us a shout and we will sort you out.

Yours sincerely,

Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/

Hugh Lane Gallery, a unique collection of Irish Art in Dublin.

The Hugh Lane Gallery, in Parnell square in Dublin, not only has a great history but an exciting new future, having recreated Francis Bacon's studio in situ, which is proving to be a great tourist attraction. It also contains the Lavery paintings which are not only very beautiful but a colourful and haunting portrayal of Irelands past history including a depiction of the assinated Michael Collins. Did you know it was that Johns Lavery's wife Hazel was the face of Ireland on the old Irish pound note?

Sir Hugh Lane was the nephew of Lady Gregory who along with William Butler Yeats led the revival in Irish at the turn of the century. Well connected he amassed a valuable collection of works of art from leading impressionists such as Monet, Manet, Renoir and Degas which he bequeathed to the Irish nation, who unfortunately lost some of them to London, due to ambiguities in his will, leading to possibly the longest courtcase in Ireland which is still ongoing and unlikely to be resolved in the near future......


However the Gallery has scored a major coup in acquiring the entire Reese Mews Studio of Francis Bacon which was generously donated by his sole heir Michael Edwards. Francis Bacon was born in Dublin but lived and worked in London. 7000 items from his Reese Mews including pieces of the wall he had wiped his paintbrushes on were moved transported here from London and faithfully reconstructed at the gallery. There is a current retrospective including many previously unseen works of his at the gallery celebrating his centenary. Which is not exactly my thing, I have a soft spot for tradition but one has to be open to innovation and admire the foresight in the Huge Lane gallery in staging it, it's well worth a visit and it's free!

10 other things to do and see in the area are.....

1 Visit the Writers Museum on Parnell Square.
2 Enjoy quiet time in the Garden of Remembrance.
3 See The Moving Crib, a very Dublin Christmas tradition celebrating 50 years in 2009.
4 Take a peak at the Rotunda Maternity Hospital.
5 Enjoy the banter in Moore Street Market.
6 Check out the shopping in the ILAC centre.
7 Wander up to the infamous Black Church.
8 Take a bus out to the Botanic Gardens.
9 Visit Glasnevin Cementry burial place of Irelands greatest.
10 Have a pint in the Gravediggers Arms.

For more information on things to do and see in Dublin visit www.irelands-hidden-gems.com
or download the free iPhone city guide My Dublin by Susan Byron

Dublin Castle - a once forbidden visitor attraction

Dublin Castle is quite the fairytale inside and out. Massive medieval fortress walls protect an inner sanctum of majestic staterooms, filled with enough fabulous artwork, furniture and crystal to please any King or Queen ?

The only thing is we Irish don’t do royalty, we even managed to mislay the crown jewels! The nearest we got to a truly noble figurehead was Michael Collins who received the keys of the castle in 1922 ending some 800 years of British rule and tenancy. The question then was, what would we do with it?

Apart from being used as a centre of intelligence, Garda headquarters is still there it is now mainly used for elaborate state occasions. The last visiting dignitary to stay there was Dame Margaret Thatcher, who incidentally turned 85 last week just as the Chilean miners emerged from their incarceration......

And while it is open to the public with excellent informative guided tours conducted daily, including an underground tour of the Viking ramparts, not many Irish people seem to visit? Perhaps, because it has always being deemed more of an English institution then an Irish tradition, and an interest in anything with an English association was certainly frowned upon when I was a child. The chapel royal has only recently been reopened and has a very special ornate gothic interor. There is even an enclosed medieval knot garden on the site of the original Dubh Linn or black pool at the epicentre of the original city where the castle cat still reigns peacefully over his minions.....

But the real jewel in the crown, see I told you we still had some, is the Chester Beatty Library in the grounds of Dublin Castle. It houses a wonderful collection of oriental art and rare manuscripts and is a million times more interesting then the Book of Kells and its free! In the same building is the wonderful Silk Road Cafe whose cuisine is based on the delights of the Far East....its a 10 out of 10 place to eat or have mint tea, coffee and turkish delight.


For more information on Dublin visit http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/ or download my free iPhone app guide My Dublin by Susan Byron

Dublin City, an insider's guide to the capital city of Ireland

Welcome to Dublin, I was born and bred here so I should know what I am talking about, right? Possibly of Viking descent? my maiden name Doyle means Dubh Ghaill or dark stranger and we can trace our roots back to Font Hill, right next door to the Guinness brewery which kind of explains a lot?

Never mind, Dublin is steeped in history from medieval times to the present day with an 800 year chunk of British rule which hugely influenced the built environment and of course our culture? We Dubliners are fiercely proud of our city and its history, especially the rebel bit? And although it has seen enormous changes in the last few years with the rise of the Celtic tiger, now extinct..... we all have our favourites, places we grew up with that are much the same as they always were, full of real history and character and well worth seeing if you want the real deal....

The following are my Top 10 attractions in Dublin most of which are free listed alongside each of these are 10 other interesting things to do and see in the area that you wont find in many of the guidebooks. The city is very compact and easy to get around, you can always, hop on a city tour bus, the Luas tram or just pick an area and walk around and Go n'eiri an t'adh leat - Good Luck !

Susan's Top 10 favourite attractions in Dublin

1 Dublin Castle
2 Guinness Storehouse
3 Collins Barracks, National Museum of Decorative Arts.
4 Hugh lane Gallery, Parnell Square
5 Christchurch Cathedral.
6 IMMA, Irish Museum of Modern Art.
7 Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park.
8 The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle.
9 The National Museum, Kildare Street
10 Dublin Zoo

For more information on each of the above visit http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/dublin.html or download my free Iphone app guide My Dublin by Susan Byron

The Burren - a rich and rare limestone landscape

A lifetime would be too short to fully explore the Burren, never mind a short holiday or day trip. For a start you will probably never find it? Although 'it' covers some 360 sq kms ie nearly all of County Clare, most people end up getting lost and constantly asking for directions when in fact they are often already 'there'. What people seem to envisage is an actual, neat, little place as in ‘The Burren’ somewhere, complete with limestone pavements, wild flowers etc. It does exist, it is just that it's huge and everywhere!

Look over any stone wall in the springtime and you will see the famous Burren orchids,blue gentians and a whole host of other wild alpine wildflowers you wouldn’t expect to find growing there, like Edelweiss and Mountain Avens. Marvel as you walk across the bare limestone pavements that were once the ocean beds of warm tropical seas millions of years ago. Or go underground into one of the many caves to truly understand how erosion has moulded this magnificent landscape and is continuing to do so at the rate of the thickness of a sheet of paper each year, so there's no hurry it will be here for a while yet ....

10 Other things to See and Do in the Burren....

1 The Cliffs of Moher, stunning views out over Ireland's own lost city of Atlantis with an excellent state of the art, all-weather visitor centre, restaurant, shop and facilities.

2 Drive out to Blackhead, for more views, park the car at the lighthouse and climb up the mountain to the stonefort of Cathair Dhuin Irghuis.

3 Ailwee Caves & Birds of Prey Centre, guided tour of underground caves discovered by a man out walking his dog? Fly falcons or try out award winning cheeses in the farm shop.

4 Ballyvaughan village and harbour, pretty thatched cottages, nice crafts shops and restaurants, farmers market in the summer. The Burren in Bloom festival takes place on the first weekend in May and celebrates the wild flowers.

5 Bishopsquarter beach, named after the Bishops who had the rights to 'the finest oysters in Dooneen Bay' some 600 years ago. A great place to have a picnic, take a walk, picnic, or fly a kite with safe swimming and powdery sand dunes to play in.

6 Burren House Restaurant and Craft centre, have a nice lunch here with one of the best views out over Galway Bay, browse around their well stocked souvenir & clothes shop afterwards.

7 The Flaggy Shore, described by our own celebrated poet Seamus Heaney as capable of ‘blowing the heart wide open’ is a tarred road used as a walk, encircling the coast at New Quay.

8 Corcomroe Abbey, Bellharbour. Ruined 600 year old Cistercian abbey and graveyard, site of the wonderful Easter dawn masses of yesteryear. A revered and holy place, the road up to it cuts through a ringfort.

9 The Burren Perfumery,Carron Irelands only perfumery with an award winning herb garden, shop and organic tearooms, free admission.

10 Kinvara, another nice harbour village. Home to the Cuckoo Fleadh & Crinniu na mBad festival. Medieval banquets held in Dunguaire Castle.

For more information about Ireland visit http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/index.html

Susan Byron