In this Issue:

Tourism News Travel News Recipe Final Thought

Tourism News

Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards 2014
An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag Award and the National Green Coast Award recipients for 2014. A total of 134 awards were presented by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D, at an awards ceremony held on Skerries South Beach in North County Dublin. Speaking at the awards ceremony Minister Hogan said, “I am pleased to say that a total of 134 beach and marina awards will be made today. This represents an increase of 15 on the 2013 awards and is testament to efforts of communities, local authorities and An Taisce and the sterling work they do. Results might even have been better except for the devastation of the storms last winter which caused significant damage in some areas.”
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Irish Government react to Arthur’s Day scrapping
Dublin Senator Catherine Noone has welcomed Diageo’s announcement that Arthur’s Day is no more. Guinness’ marketing director Stephen O’Kelly had denied that negative press surrounding Arthur’s Day and the issue of binge drinking had any impact on the move to scrap the event. But Noone was adamant that the event had run its course, with ambulance call outs up one third on event days alone over the past two years.
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Tipperary Culture Night
Culture Night is an annual public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. It will take place on Friday, September 19th from lunchtime until late into the night! Tipperary County Council is now inviting groups, organisations, schools and artists to submit an event to be included in the Culture Night programme of events. Funding for events is available, but all events must be free of charge to the public.
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Travel and Tourism Statistics
The following table shows trips made to Ireland between January and May 2014, compared with the same period in 2013 and also indicates where the visitors came from.
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Summer Festivals

Spraoi International Street Arts Festival
1st - 3rd August 2014
Spraoi International Street Arts Festival has been staged in Waterford, Ireland, since 1993. For three days each year residents of this medieval city take to the streets and enjoy an international programme of street arts and spectacle. The festival is staged on August Bank Holiday Weekend, always marked by the first Monday in August.
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Indiependence Festival 2014
1st - 3rd August
NOMINATED FOR BEST SMALL FESTIVAL - EUROPEAN AWARDS 2013
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Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
10th - 17th July 2014
Ireland's biggest traditional Irish music festival takes place in Sligo in August. Concerts, street music sessions, competitions and a whole lot of fun!
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Heritage Week
23rd - 31st August 2014
2014 is the UN 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and to celebrate the theme for National Heritage Week 2014 is, ‘Family … generations exploring heritage together’.
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Travel News

Bus Éireann and the Wild Atlantic Way
Travel with Bus Éireann on this epic journey of discovery along 2,500km of Ireland’s western seaboard - The Wild Atlantic Way – Ireland’s first long distance driving route. Hop On and Hop Off as you please when you purchase our great value “Open Road” ticket. The Open Road bus pass allows you unlimited travel on all Bus Éireann scheduled services. These tickets are easy to use - simply decide when you want to travel, and then enter the first date of travel when purchasing your ticket online.
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Iarnród Éireann Smartcard moving to Leap Card by 31st August
Iarnród Éireann would like to advise customers that our interim Smartcard is being phased out. Please note that you can top-up via Ticket Vending Machines at stations until 31st August 2014
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Lower EU Roaming Charges
People travelling in Europe should enjoy lower mobile phone call and data costs from July 1st. The implementation of new rules from the European Commission will see the cap on some roaming charges cut by more than half. The cap on the cost of making a call will drop by a fifth, while maximum charges for receiving a call will fall by over a quarter.
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Recipe

Peach Melba knickerbocker glory

Serves 4
300g raspberries
50g caster sugar
200ml double cream
4 ripe peaches, halved, stones removed
8 scoops good-quality vanilla ice cream
handful flaked almonds

1.Blitz half the raspberries with half the sugar and a splash of water to make a raspberry sauce, then tip into a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream with the remaining sugar until stiff and spoonable, then set aside. Thinly slice the peaches.
2.In tall sundae glasses, layer the peach slices, raspberries and raspberry sauce, finishing with scoops of ice cream, a generous spoonful of whipped cream and a scattering of flaked almonds. Serve straight away with long spoons.
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Final Thought

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
Dr. Seuss


Slán

Travel Directories Ireland
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