Posted by Corey | 0 Comments

360 Degree Views of Ireland

Between trips to Ireland, most of us could use a break from the day-to-day doldrums of our non-Emerald Isle lives. Thanks to the Internet, there are a few photographers offering 360 degree panoramic photos that allow us to use our computers to step into a scene. Some of these shots are spectacular, and many of them are able to give a very good sense of what it’s like to actually be there. Gorgeous stuff!

Here are three I’ve been getting “lost” in…

• Virtual Visit Northern Ireland

• 360VR

• DublinTown.net

• Ireland 360

(looks like only one panorama is available right now at Ireland360)

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Posted by Corey | 1 Comment

Two New Blogs Covering Ireland Travel

Two new Irish travel blogs have popped up recently, and we’re enjoying the extra dose of Ireland travel information. And even better… although the blogs are new, they come from reliable sources: Discover Ireland and Engaging Ireland.

Discover Ireland – http://blog.discoverireland.com
The Discover Ireland blog shows that the Irish tourism body has embraced the blogosphere (better late than never, right?), and they’re doing a nice job with it. At the moment, Lisa G posts link-rich posts covering events, sites and places in Ireland.

Engaging Ireland – http://dailyblog.engagingireland.com/
Meanwhile, Travis and Kathy from the Engaging Ireland podcast have created a new area on their site for travel news and information. They’re keeping them short, sweet and useful.

So, here’s two more sites to add to your regular blog-reading. Enjoy.

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Posted by Corey | 4 Comments

Around Counties Galway and Mayo

My train trip has begun and so far it’s taken me to Counties Galway and Mayo. Here’s a peek at some of the things I’ve seen…

More Pics from Galway >>

More Pics from Mayo >>

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Posted by Corey | 6 Comments

Touring the NEW Waterford Crystal Factory

The city of Waterford has a new sparkling gem to celebrate its crystal-making history. The new factory and visitor centre, called The House of Waterford, has just opened on the Mall in Waterford city, and the facility is pumping new life into Waterford’s tourism identity. In the past, the old crystal-making giant was located on the road leading out of town making city centre an afterthought for visitors. The new, smaller centre pairs with the Waterford Treasures Museum to bookend the heart of Waterford City and establish the place as a true visitor destination.

Improvements are already underway on buildings surrounding the new complex, and as the city prepares for next summer’s Tall Ships Races, Waterford will likely begin unveiling its new look — a pedestrian-friendly hub of activity. Quite an achievement for a city that always seemed to struggle balancing its commerce, cultural, tourism, civic and business offerings.

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Posted by Liam | 5 Comments

Free Downloadable Guides for Irish Towns & Cities

Here’s a resource to add to your travel planning. www.ArrivalGuides.com has produced free guides for Cork, Dublin, Galway, Killarney and Limerick… all places connected by Ireland’s rail network… and they are downloadable for FREE.

The guides provide a very basic overview with a handful of highlighted sites, restaurants, accommodations and shops. The maps that are included in the printed version do not pinpoint the sites mentioned, but they are a decent resolution to keep them readable when printed, and they may come handy for taking notes.

Check it out, and let us know what you think.

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Posted by Corey | 21 Comments

Belfast In Your Pocket Turns Five & You Can Get a Present! – Two Giveaways!

Has it been five years already? It’s hard to believe Belfast In Your Pocket has been showering us with nuggets of useful travel info about Northern Ireland for THIRTY issues? Wowsers!

To celebrate, they’re offering everyone a chance to win two nights B&B and one evening meal for two at any of the Jury’s Inn’s 31 UK and Ireland hotels. It’s totally free, you just have to answer a little trivia question about Belfast. Find out more here.

Hats off to Heidi McAlpin and her team for consistently delivering a great product for visitors like us. And an even bigger thanks for making all that info FREE and available for us to read online or to download on our computer.

To join the celebration, we’re giving away a gorgeous Celtic tile from Earthen Craft Pottery.

To enter our giveaway, simply comment on our Facebook page or anywhere on the blog… maybe a nice comment below about Belfast In Your Pocket or about our Ireland by Rail plans. We’ll also count retweets on Twitter. Giveaway closes Monday, June 14, 2010.

Update June 15, 2010: Congratulations to Irish Mason on winning the Celtic Tile!

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