The City on the Shannon

Limerick is going to be the first ever Irish City of Culture 2014.

In 2012, Limerick made it one Irish people's top ten cities in the world to visit.

And in the glorious year of 2013, I made my virgin visit to the home of Munster Rugby, the historic and noble city on the Shannon.

The Shannon, Limerick City
(c) fifiheavey

Once known as ‘Stab City,’ Ireland’s third largest city has been underestimated by the rest of the Irish population for too long - with some blame placed at the city's dire portrayal in the award winning but misery filled ‘Angela’s Ashes’ book and film.

But last year, more Irish people visited the city than before- was it just for the rugby? Or was it for the history, heritage, and stunning sights?

I had two days to explore Limerick, and I used them to the best advantage taking one day to explore the city and another to drive around the county. 

King John's Castle, Limerick
(c) fifiheavey

The Treaty Stone, Limerick
(c) fifiheavey

Sunrise, sunset and every minute of the day provides a beautiful photo opportunity of the River Shannon which passes through the city on it’s way to the Atlantic Sea. Seagulls, brave wave riders and some atmospheric landscaping is all you need for some memorable pictures. Take a walk along the water, and cross Thomand Bridge to enter as medievals would have onto Kings Island and the majestic King John’s castle. the impressive structure is even more captivating inside.

Just across the Shannon from King Johns Castle stands The Treaty Stone. The Treaty of Limerick was signed in October 1691 after William of Orange won the war over King James. There is some interesting reading around the historic stone.

Don’t bypass St Mary’s Cathedral- throw just €3 in the kitty for restoration and wander about the cathedral with walls filled with great ancient Royal names. The Cathedral is oldest building in Limerick, founded in 1168.
Art lovers - Hunt Museum hosts one of Ireland’s private collection of art and antiquities, dating from the Neolithic to the 20th Century, including works by Renoir, Picasso and Yeats.

Limerick is Rugby - Munster Rugby and Thomand Park is the throne. Also if you are looking for the future of Limerick take a drive or a stroll to the University of Limerick. I was struck by how big the area is, full of life during the week - pop into the Student Bar for a Philosophical chat!

Adare Village

Outside of the city you must visit Adare Village. In the Summer this picturesque village is thronged with tourists, so this time of year is perfect for an indepth look about. English style cottages, Adare Manor Hotel, Desmond Castle, Trinitarian Priory and the cutest little village park I have ever seen, will keep you occupied for a few hours. 

Statue of King John, Limerick
(c) fifiheavey

Seafood is the speciality down here, and it is delicious and fresh. The Chowder at the Strand Hotel and anything from the menu at Freddy’s Bistro come highly recommended.

Insurance against natural disasters?

The flights are finally booked, the hotels have been reviewed to death, my credit card bill has plenty of reading on it and I can almost smell the sun cream.

There is plenty of build up time between now and holidays to get excited, but there is also one small issue (or large depending on your outlook): travel insurance.

For some, travel insurance is a must, it is essential and is booked at the same time as flights are booked and hotels reviewed. And it makes sense of course, because things can go wrong and you could be left paying a whole load of money for that 'budget trip'.

But still I ponder.

If I was to take a short trip to the UK or Europe (under 5 days) there is no way I would take out travel insurance. I would think of insurance as a silly additional cost.

Flights are of course delayed – but only by a few hours usually and there are always plenty of flight options available. Medically as an EU citizen I know I will be treated without question. I don't have medical insurance at home – so why should I panic just because I am travelling?

I have of course taken out travel insurance for holidays before – because it make sense, it is a fail safe, a peace of mind – a fall back.

But when travelling to Cuba a few years ago I was told I would not be covered there. The trip went ahead successfully, with no problems.

Then last year I went on a cruise to Israel. It was only at the last minute I remembered travel insurance, I was sitting in the airport about to depart and it sparked with me. I consulted with my travel partner and we decided to go on ahead. Nothing bad happened. We enjoyed the trip. We didn't need travel insurance.

I know I have been lucky, I have never been stranded for days in an airport, left in hospital with serious injuries or had all my stuff stolen. I also know the other stories the scary ones about thousands of euro of legal fees, medial treatment.

Some insurance companies are now covering against natural disasters. But I feel like travel insurance is putting a downer on my hols:

Passport – check

Money – check

Suncream – check

Insurance in case my boyfriend dies in a horrible complicated accident – check

Is travel insurance essential. Pic: telegraph.co.uk

So travel insurance – is it really essential?

Holiday Vs Trip

“Going anywhere nice this year,” the hairdresser queries as she starts her process of small talk.

“Nothing planned yet, but Im going for four days to Berlin in April” I inform her.

“That will be a lovely holiday, never been there myself,” she states.

The Berlin Wall
(c) fifiheavey

But it isn't a holiday. I specifically said four days. Everyone knows that is a trip, right?

Like really it is just a long weekend Thursday – Sunday. How could she possibly have mis-interpreted that?

A holiday is seven days or more, probably over ten days really to suffice the 'holiday' title.

Over the last few years a “holiday” to me also needs to include a long haul flight or at least a different continent and usually has to have some sort of “adventure days” and “relaxing days.”

That is a holiday to me.

Not a city break, or a get away weekend or a brief rendezvous.

Fiji
(c) fifiheavey

What does a holiday mean to you?

The Rock of Cashel

The Golden Vale in Co Tipperary has some of the best pastures in Europe. From this luscious, sweet, green, flat carpet rises up an impenetrable fortress.

For over 1,000 years The Rock of Cashel boldly stood as a symbol of power and high faith, today it towers over the valleys as a testament to ancient Irish history.

The Rock of Cashel can be viewed for miles around
(c) fifiheavey

The song does not lie – it certainly is a long way to Tipperary from the North West of Ireland. I was starting to question my destination for a weekend away just before The Rock came into view. The actual Rock on which the Carraig Phádraig (formerally St Patrick's Rock) is built on looks so harsh in this pretty setting. It looks dangerous, something out of a fairytale – a location which must be conquered to free the princess. But that is what makes it all the more important.

The impressive round tower dominates the Rock (c) fifiheavey

The Rock of Cashel took our attention on entrance and exit of the historic town, but we saved it as the last thing to do on our weekend away. As we took in the delights of Dundrum Manor House Hotel and fine dined our way around the town of Cashel, the rock loomed over, beckoning us.

Closed on Saturday, despite the decent crowd of foreign tourists peering in the locked gates, we waited until Sunday to brave the cold and the wind on top of the craggy top.

Perfect day for discovering The Rock (c) fifiheavey

The site of the conversion of Aenghus King of Munster by St Patrick in the 5^th century, the Rock boasts the original St Patrick's cross. Which does not take the form of what we now use as the crucifixion cross. The Rock makes room for a beautifully intact round tower, the impressive Cromac's Chapel, the Hall of the Vicar's Choral and an audio visual theater as well as a large number of graves, many marked by glorious high crosses.

One of the many of the High Crosses on top of Cashel (c) fifiheavey

The stone carvings particularly took my interest, especially the symbols which can still be viewed on GAA and sporting crests today.

A visit to The Rock of Cashel comes much recommended, but make sure you avoid the parking fee. The car park beside the rock costs over €4 (all day) which is steep when really you will probably spend about 30 mins up at the rock (especially if it is gusty.) You can park in the town or further away from the rock for much cheaper and it is timed. Our admission was €6 each with 50c extra for a tourist map. I found the price a bit steep without any tour guide, but it was off season.

Make sure you have plenty of room in your tummy for some excellent food choices in Cashel. We really filled up on fine cuisine at Kearney's Castle Hotel and Bailey's Hotel. Oh and leave some room for Wonka Sweets!

Make room for some delightful Wonka Sweets when in Cashel!
(c) fifiheavey

  

Simple weekend away

Lets take a short hotel break – anywhere, I don't mind I just want to get away.

• But it has to have a ... gym, swimming pool, spa, bar, restaurant, disco ...

It is not easy to pick a hotel for a weekend away. I took on the task this week, all I wanted was a good deal, or so I thought.

A nice two night BB including a dinner – no expectations, just somewhere to get away and relax.

The hotel has to have a spa.

Maybe somewhere new, where I have not been before. (That really tightens the list!)

A massage would be nice though – so it has to have a spa.

The other half has started a new training regime. “It has to have a gym” he pipes up.

City or country I ponder. It would be lovely to take in some scenery – city life needs too much energy we need R&R. Country it is.

A castle would be perfect - too expensive though.

Maybe an old Manor house or a spanking new resort.

Comfort is a must.

I whittle the selection down to a handful and show off the contestants.

“This one is nice” I display, pointing out its recent awards, and the superb high gloss photos.

“Oh it doesn't have a swimming pool” was the response.

Oh and the hotel needs a swimming pool ...

It needs to have a swimming pool? “Well it would be nice” I am told.

So we pick the one with the swimming pool, gym, spa, nice price and attractive website.

(Well if you can't keep a good website – what state must the hotel be in?!)

It only took a few hours ... over a few days. We were not looking for much really, something simple ;o)

What makes or breaks a hotel selection for you?

Irish Tourist Season

Bust those January Blues with a super saving weekend deal at ....

The January sales are here for hotels all over the world. And while many will spend the month slowly watching the very few pennies left in the bank, others will take the opportunity to go on a short cheap break.

What a brilliant opportunity to visit somewhere new in Ireland, tick something off the to see list and all for a nice tidy price, I thought.

But the Irish Tourist Season is not open for business. The doors are closed until March.*

You know because of earthquake season...

And it is still sort of cold I guess, there are definitely clouds in the sky and no one owns a coat here.**

It does rain a lot in Ireland ... Downpatrick Head, Co Mayo
(c) fifiheavey

I found a great deal for a hotel in Cashel, Co Tipperary. The hotel looked lovely and I jumped at the opportunity to visit the Rock of Cashel which received huge publicity during the Queen's visit last May. But the doors are closed.

Clonmacnoise, Co Offaly would be nice to see, the ancient monastery, the graves, the high towers. Closed to tourists until March though.

Skellig Michael, Co Kerry

World Heritage Site Skellig Michael, co Kerry looks intriguing, spectacular – but the experience center is closed yep... until Tourist season opens.

UNESCO Geopark in Cavan and Fermanagh which includes the Marble Arch Caves a window into 650 million years ago could be a nice detour... but this is not the time of year for fun.

Yes many other attractions around the country are open, but why not all? Can we not be open for tourists all year around? Is it the rain – because I think anyone who doesn't live in a dungeon knows it rains here.

We all don't get our two weeks holidays in August, people travel all year around. Do we need to rely our entire tourism industry on just the three Summer months?

Tourist Season March to October should maximize our tourist attractions, but certainly not eliminate them for the rest of the year.

Our slogan should not be:

Cead Mile Faile go hEireann (March – October only)

* True

** Not quite true 

Trusting Tripadvisor

I have a love hate relationship with Tripadvisor.

I love the idea (a place where real people give their honest opinion of their accommodation provider) – I hate the result (Fake reviews and hotels sabotaging others credibility).

Saying that, I have never booked a hotel and not consulted Tripadvisor, before I send off my credit card details I always take time to scroll through the comments, skimming the positive ones and closely reading the complaints.

But all of what I read is taken with a large shaking of sea salt. Too many negative comments and I swiftly dismiss the hotel, but too many positive ones and I begin to get suspicious.

The ASA Advertising Standards Authority started to investigate the website in September for fake reviews and the investigation has led the website to change their global slogan from “Reviews you can Trust” to “Reviews from our Community.”

There are thousands of fake reviews on the site, whether or not they can be easily spotted by those administrating the site is not for me to know. But there are there and you need to be weary of them.

Hotels need good reviews, their business depends on them. But in my opinion they need bad reviews too – just so we know they are real.

There are thousands of tourists (note: tourists not travellers) who exaggerate everything, who expect five star standards in a minus two hostel, who don't enjoy their holiday so blame the hotel, who didn't like the food, the texture of the bed linen, the view from their window or the foreign language on the TV ... bad reviews like these help me choose my hotel.

Room with a view in Greece

Tripadvisor has over 45 million reviews with 23 new opinions every minute (I, myself am a senior contributor) and although there are some great tips for travllers hidden among the reviews, obviously with this level of traffic you will find many which are untrue.

Travel Guide giant Fodor are collaborating with Tripadvisor, from 2012 their guidebooks will include hotel reviews alongside professional accommodation recommendations – so their value is still seen as worthy.

As a result of complaints Tripadvisor have set up new customer phone liens to help eliminate “untrue” reviews – but who are they to trust – the hotel owners?

Www.ihatetripadvisor.co.uk is a website set up by accommodation providers who are boycotting the site. Of course I understand that any bad review can damage their business but the site was not set up to just publish “good” reviews – that defeats the purpose.

Are you looking for a plush hotel or a traditional cottage?
Melbravo Resort Fiji (c) fifiheavey

Here are my tips for using Tripadvisor:

• Decide what you want the hotel to excel in. If you want to party, night time noise won't be a problem, if you want to relax a lack of entertainment will suit you fine, if you have no kids you don't need a clean kiddies pool etc.

• Skim the positive reviews, yes friendly, clean, helpful, blah blah - if there are no negative reviews in the top 20, book with extreme caution.

• What was the negative comment about? (my pillow was soft ... the lighting was dim) Do you care? Would that thing bother you?
• Where is the reviewer from? Have you read any previous reviews from this person?

• The main words to seek out are: food poisoning, bed bugs, double booking, no locks on door, money/ jewellery stolen, prisoner of war camp – if you see these it would be wise to reconsider your option!

When things don't go toasty

When reviewing a hotel it is of course important to analysis every aspect of it's facilities, location, the staff, service, atmosphere and value but sometimes just one aspect of your visit can sway your feelings and there is nothing you can do about it.

In pubs, bars and discos my radar goes straight to the bathroom – if I don't like the set up, cleanliness, or style of the ladies powder room, the venue goes down in my estimation. For fairness I always either take a sneak peek (just a look in the door) or ask a male counterpart to also comment on the gent's side of things. Mean or not that is the way I do things – I almost ALWAYS visit the toilets in any establishment I visit – it has been a tradition for me since I was a little child!

I would like to think that I have quite a bit of experience with accommodation providers hostels, B&Bs, hotels, airport lounges, a friend's couch ... and the one thing that stands out in my list of things to ticked is the breakfast service.

I have only ever missed breakfast once while staying on a hotel B&B package in my life – and I did it just to prove I could, but I certainly wasn't happy about it.

I don't like to miss out on something I have paid for, but more importantly I feel it is an integral experience of staying in a hotel.

You would think that the service you receive depends on the money you pay – the quality of the provider, but I have often found this not to be always the case.

My main gruff is the toast.

I don't mind whether my order is taken or if I have to serve myself, both have their merits BUT it is the toast situation that gets me riled up.

I cannot stand the bog standard toast grill which you must (as a paying customer) place the toast in and stand for two minutes before it pops out, barely warm. You then must proceed (and probably holding up a queue of toast hungry people) to place the luke warm slice back into the grill and wait another custom two minutes before it pops out: black.

Burned toast – the smell, the taste, the wasted time, the indecency. Breakfast is ruined, the most important meal of the day is ruined ... why do hotels let this happen??

At a B&B (and at a fraction of the price) you are asked what you would like for breakfast and you are served the breakfast, plus tea/ coffee and toast to your table and quite often asked if you want more.

Hotels often grumble about how they have been hit my the recession, but when you can't get breakfast right – when the hospitality is replaced by a grill 'do it your self' toaster – is it any wonder?

All I would like is some nice golden toast to enjoy with my breakfast, it isn't that difficult, it stops the ugly line of people trying to balance plates and bowls and juice while deciphering who owns what slice of toast at the end of the queue.

“Sir/ Madam would you like tea or coffee and some toast?” - what a perfect way to start the day!

Romantic, relaxing, hectic weekend planned

I spent Valentine's evening hovering the house, putting a washing on and sitting down to watch the Irish election leaders debate. But don't feel sorry for me because I am heading away this weekend for a romantic break with my boyfriend.

Well we are not so sure if it is going to be a romantic weekend, we haven't decided on the category of weekend it is yet.

He wants a “relaxing” weekend, you know lie in on Saturday and Sunday, hit the breakfast just before it stops, maybe head for a back massage, a lazy swim and just chill out in the room, making a time for a bit of … before dinner and few drinks.

As usual I want to go see and do. I really want to have a gawk at the Newbridge Museum of Icons (we are staying near by) maybe drop into Kildare Village for a quick look and maybe a spin around to Naas, stopping off for a bite to eat there.

But we are not only celebrating Valentine's Day but also our anniversary (we are not married) – so it has to be romantic.

Problem: the weekend cannot be relaxing, include sightseeing and shopping and also be romantic.
So you see predicament. It is actually a re-occurring situation we seem to find ourselves in.
I love going away for weekend breaks around the country, it is a fun way of discovering the island in small segments, it gets us away from the routine of weekends at home and we actually spend quality time together. But once we get there my lover and I often quarrel over how exactly we should spend the time away!

“Relax and unwind” he tells me as he lies on the massive bed in his boxers flicking through the channels. But I don't want to waste my time sitting around doing nothing, if we are going to relax let's do it at the spa, let's give it a time slot so then at least I know that come a certain time “relaxing” is over with and we can move onto something else … like romancing or eating or sightseeing!
I know loads of couples who go away for a weekend to a hotel and barely step outside the bedroom for the three days, and they come back glowing but I would see that as a wasted opportunity to get out and see what is around.

You may be able to tell but 'Spontaneous' doesn't work for me, I am an organised person I like to know what is going to happen, because leaving it to chance usually means sitting looking at each other doing nothing! The problem with this weekend is that I have way too much to jigsaw together, each of them are fine by themselves, I could even successfully manage two of the above categories – but three, three is a challenge.

Of course I have done out a rough draft of the weekend:
Friday – travel to hotel, have dinner, romance
Saturday – Breakfast, spa/ relaxing time, shopping, eating out, romancing
Sunday – Breakfast, romance, sightseeing, lunch, home

Keeping my boyfriend to my invisible schedule of events could prove difficult though, and if one category runs a lot over time I may have to sing out load to drown out the alarm bells in my head …

You know sometimes it is less stressful to just stay at home!!