“Rain is…very difficult to film, particularly in Ireland because it’s quite fine, so fine that the Irish don’t even acknowledge that it exists.” – Alan Parker, director of “The Commitments” Poor old Ireland, continually painted as the rainy isle where you’ll get drenched running from car to door. Always keen to bust a myth or [...]

Now you all know us Irish are humble to the bone, and are loath to ever mention our accomplishments.   So naturally you know we’d hate to make a fuss, or call attention to ourselves, but we thought we’d quietly point out that the holiday coming up on the 31st October, the second biggest celebration [...]

Looking for a place to rest your feet and feast your eyes on the sights and sounds of Dublin’s fair city? Award-winning photographer Dave G Kelly shows us his favourite benches for people-watching, view-soaking and cuddling around the capital    King’s Inn No, your eyes are not deceiving you; this really is a tree slowly [...]

Ever been to a play where the actor’s last line is delivered, lights dimmed, curtain lowered and the audience erupts…in riots? Welcome to Dublin, and its amazingly chequered theatrical past and present, says Julie Basque. Okay, don’t fret, you didn’t miss the morning paper! The whole riot thing happened back in 1926 when Sean O’Casey’s [...]

Hey ladies, reckon your gaze holds a particular, indefinable “truth in your eyes”? If so, you may just be the next Rose of Tralee and winner of a five-day festival seeking the sweetest ‘Rose’ based on her intellect, ambitions and aspirations. And those truthful eyes? Well, they’re taken from the 19th century song The Rose [...]

One of Ireland’s leading landscape photographers Chris Hill reveals how he captured the breathtaking image that was to become the cover for his latest book. And don’t you know, it just had to be in the wonderful West of Ireland… In June 2006, myself and my very good friend Colin McCadden set out in a [...]