In this Issue:

Tourism News Travel News Events Summer 2009 Recipe Brain Teaser Final Thought

Tourism News

Ideas for Tourism
March saw the launch of an independent, citizen’s initiative based Idea's Campaign, providing the Irish public with a platform to present ideas to encourage economic recovery. The campaign covers various industries including tourism. The Taoiseach commended the campaign and added "I will be fast-tracking the ideas to the Cabinet sub-committee on Economic Renewal for assessment and implementation, where appropriate. I would like to congratulate all those involved in giving their time free of charge to this independent and non-political campaign."
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Cork - Swansea Ferry Update
The Board of the Co-op recently announced that the Cork-Swansea ferry service will now return on 1st March 2010.

"We reluctantly took this decision in the light of the large part of the booking season already lost to the service (due to the unexpectedly long negotiations), and the fact that many potential passengers have already made their bookings for the crucial July, August and September sailings."
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Travel and Tourism Statistics

The Central Statistics Office have released Travel and Tourism statistics for the first quarter of 2009. The following table shows where visitors came from and the type of accommodation they chose.
more... (.pdf)

Travel News

Waterford Airport improves reduced mobility services
Waterford Airport has established ‘Stair-climber’ equipment to improve its services to passengers with reduced mobility. The E.U regulations state that if the airport itself does not have jetties, the passenger is to be carried onto the Aircraft. With the introduction of the 'Stair-climber' this will no longer be necessary.
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Air Travel tax should be re-assessed
Subsequent to the decision by Aer Lingus to cut US winter services in Shannon, Chris O'Donovan, IBEC Director for the Mid West stated "The decision to withdraw services between Shannon to Chicago is disappointing."
Aer Lingus has found it necessary to cut flights from Shannon, Belfast and Dublin this winter is cutting flights in Shannon, Belfast and Dublin this winter as it endeavours to cope with the economic downturn and a decrease in passengers, citing the travel tax introduced in last October’s Budget as a significant factor.
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Irish Ferries - Children travel free
Kids travel free on all Irish Ferries crossings between 4 July and 31 August when booked by 30 June and 14 days before sailing.
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New Bus Service to Lough Derg
Bus Éireann has announced a new summer service to the tranquil and peaceful island of Lough Derg. The service will operate until Saturday, August 15th 2009.
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Events Summer 2009

Clonmel Junction Festival 2009
4th - 12th July 2009
Junction Festival is unique in its ability to bring people onto the streets of Clonmel to celebrate the wealth of cultural activity taking place, and indeed, to celebrate the town itself. With a rich mix of modern theatre, dance, family spectacles, street theatre, rock, world music and trad, the festival has grown to be one of the most significant cultural celebrations of the Irish Summer festival season. So don't miss out on this year's festival, mark it in your diary now
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Rose of Tralee 2009
21st - 26th August
The Irish Regional Final is held every year before the Rose of Tralee International Festival to determine which Irish Roses represent their counties at the International Final in August. The event was established in 2005 in recognition of the fact that now every county in Ireland selects a Rose.
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Summer Festival - Galway Races
27th July - 2nd August 2009
The Summer Festival Race Meeting at the Galway Races is renowned worldwide for its electric atmosphere, excellent racing and infectious sense of fun.
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Puck Fair - Killorglin, Co. Kerry
10th - 12th August 2009
The fair is one of Ireland's oldest and longest celebrated and is held without fail on 10th, 11th and 12th August every year with 12 hours of free family street entertainment.
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41st Annual Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival
14th - 21st August 2009
The Annual Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival remains a favorite time of the year for many people; an opportunity to catch up with visiting family and friends; to welcome tourists from home & abroad; a chance to interpret new artistic and cultural experiences, offering a wealth of choice about where to go and what to see each day in your own home town.
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Heritage Week
Heritage Week 2009 will run from the 22nd to the 30th of August. It’s a week long celebration of who we are and where we’ve come from. Heritage Week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union. In Ireland Heritage Week is co-ordinated by the Heritage Council with support from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
more>>

List an event for free
Do you have an event you would like to see listed? Whether you are holding a festival, fair or workshop, we offer free publication. Check our event calendar for events all over Ireland
Events Calendar>>

Recipe

Barbecue Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken breast singles (no skin or bone, please)
4 cloves garlic, very finely chopped or even minced (depending on how energetic you’re feeling)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 heaped tablespoon thyme (fresh is best)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2+ ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon red pepper/ chilli flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
cooking spray

Directions
Put chicken, one at a time, inside a plastic bag and secure the top.
Put chicken into a flat-bottomed dish.
Into a small bowl, combine the garlic, wine vinegar, thyme, mustard, honey, red pepper/ chilli flakes, sea salt & pepper.
Mix well.
A few drops at a time, add in the olive oil, stirring after each oil addition. Pour your delicious marinade over the chicken, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 or 4 hours.
Turn the chicken over once or twice during the marinating and refrigeration process.
Preheat barbecue/ grill.
After the chicken has marinated, remove them from the marinating dish, saving the delicious marinade.
Reserve and put them on the barbecue/ grill.
Put the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow marinade to simmer gently for 2 minutes.
Spray barbecue/ grill with a little cooking spray.
Put the chicken on the barbecue/ grill and cover.
Chicken should be allowed to cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side.
Use the marinade to baste the chicken every couple of minutes during the cooking process.
Serve while hot with a crisp salad or over steamed rice or mashed potato, using the remaining marinade as a sauce.
Serves: 4.

For more Barbecue ideas click here more>>

Brain Teaser

Can you determine the 5 letter words?

- - lta	- - yss	- - pty	- - dth	- - day
- - ybe	- - dex	- - fth	- - nda	- - aph
- - alp	- - era	- - njo	- - eue	- - xty

Answer click here>>

Final Thought

"That leaves 93 percent of "potential" untapped. Humans only use 10 percent of the brain and 7 percent of company databases, yet we’re always 100 percent sure of everything. That just doesn’t add up."
Christina Bultinck,

Slán

Travel Directories Ireland
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