explore more while you’re here you are invited... Why not take advantage of your visit to Ireland during the EU Presidency and really get to the heart of the island, with an extra few days exploring the culture and scenery. We would be happy to cover up to two nights’ accommodation and travel costs in Ireland for you to research your story. This pack contains a few ideas for inspiration. If you would like to discuss a bespoke itinerary with us, we would be delighted to suggest options and make arrangements for you. The contact details for our European and US PR team are supplied overleaf. 2 TOURI Sm IRELAND OVER SEAS MARKET o FFiCeS publiCity ContaCtS AUSTRIA FRANCE NORDICS US Argentinierstr. 2/4 Irlande Tourisme Tourism Ireland Tourism Ireland 1040 Wien 33, rue de Miromesnil Nyhavn 16,3 354 Park Avenue, 17th Floor Contact: Simon Bopp 75008 Paris DK-1051 Copenhagen K New York Tel: +43 1 581 892 270 Contact: Anne Monks-Zemmour Denmark NY 10154 Email: [email protected] Tel: +33 1 53 43 12 19 Contact: Rikke Aagaard Petersen & Contact: Ruth Moran & Bernard McMullan Email: [email protected] Cian O’Callaghan Tel: +1 212 418 0832 (Ruth Moran) / BELGIUM Tel: +45 33 17 72 33 / +45 33 17 72 34 +1 212 418 0847 Tourism Ireland GERMANY Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Avenue Louise 66 Louizalaan Irland Information [email protected] [email protected] 1050 Brussels Gutleutstrasse 32 Contact: Danielle Neyts 60329 Frankfurt am Main SCOTLAND ALL MARKETS Tel: +32 26 43 21 21 Contact: Judith Von Rauchhaupt & Tourism Ireland Publicity Coordinator Email: [email protected] Monika Woermann James Millar House Tourism Ireland Tel: +49 69 92 31 85 16 98 West George Street, 7th Floor Bishop’s Square, 5th Floor BRITAIN Email: [email protected] Glasgow G2 1PJ Redmond’s Hill Tourism Ireland [email protected] Contact: Elaine Murray Dublin 2 Nations House Tel: +44 141 572 4030 Contact: Emma Gorman 103 Wigmore Street ITALY Email: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 476 3424 London W1U 1QS Turismo Irlandese Email: [email protected] Contact: Charlene Boyle, Aoife Finnegan, Piazzale Cantore 4 SPAIN Coman Kenny 20123 Milano Turismo Irlandese Assistant Publicity Coordinator Tel: +44 207 518 0800 Contact: Fabiana Marraccini & Paseo de la Castellana 46, Tourism Ireland Email: [email protected] Ornella Gamacchio 3™ Planta Bishop’s Square, 5th Floor [email protected] Tel: +39 02 5817 7302 28046 Madrid Redmond’s Hill [email protected] Email: [email protected] Contact: Pura Gimenez Dublin 2 [email protected] Tel: +34 915 77 54 58 Contact: Michael Hanahoe EASTERN EUROPE Email: [email protected] Tel: +353 1 476 3429 (Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary) NETHERLANDS Email: [email protected] Tourism Ireland Tourism Ireland SWITZERLAND Nations House Spuistraat 104 Tourism Ireland 103 Wigmore Street 1012 VA Amsterdam Baadener Str. 15 London W1U 1QS Contact: Ruairi Lehmann & Laura Flanagan CH – 8004 Zurich Contact: Jim Paul Tel: +31 2 05 306 050 / +31 2 053 06 057 Contact: Gian Gregori Tel: +44 207 518 0809 Email: [email protected] Tel: +41 44 286 99 14 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Email: [email protected] 3 The National Museum dublin As friendly as a village and as intimate as a pub, Dublin has been twice nominated by TripAdvisor as the “Friendliest City in Europe”. Extend your trip by an extra day or two and sample some of what Dublin has to offer. The Ha’penny Bridge See priceless pieces (absolutely free) and award-winning surfers of the brand’s past Dublin’s galleries and museums hold priceless iconic advertising. Finally, learn the secret to treasures – and you can visit them for free. pouring the perfect pint. Gaze at a stunning Bronze Age gold collar in the National Museum or be moved by the incredible See the “most beautiful book in the world” Iron Age bog bodies, preserved from around Marvel at the detail in the renowned Book of 400BC to 200BC. Kells at Trinity College. This lavishly illustrated Then there’s the National Gallery of Ireland’s manuscript of the Gospels dates from the 9th own spectacular discovery – a Caravaggio century, and is a marvel of Early Christian art masterpiece, The Taking of Christ. It’s one of carried out by the steady hands of skilled monks. the highlights in a collection that includes Van The 65-metre Long Room in the Old Library is Gogh, Monet, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck and Irish an incredible sight, and is fi lled with old books, expressionist Jack B Yeats. marble busts and a barrel-vaulted ceiling. This is You can stare into the artistic chaos of Francis also the room that inspired the imagery of the Jedi Bacon’s Studio at the Hugh Lane Gallery; seek Archive in Star Wars Episode II. out works by Dorothy Cross, Louise Bourgeois and fi lmmaker Neil Jordan at the Irish Museum of Ask “What’s the story?” South William Street Modern Art; and learn about Eileen Gray – one In a city laced with literature, there’s a story around of the world’s most infl uential designers – at the every corner. And in every pub. Toast to a few on National Museum of Decorative Arts & History. the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl – an actor-led tour tracking Dublin’s literary luminaries. Pull a pint and raise a glass to the black stuff Hear the story of WB Yeats, Ireland’s most The fi nest views of the city are to be had illustrious poet, and his muse Maud Gonne at from atop Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse. The a National Library exhibition deemed “dazzling” Gravity Bar is like a glass bird’s nest, with views by the New York Times. Around the corner in St stretching from rooftops to parkland and steeples Ann’s Church, see the bust of Bram Stoker – the to mountains. You’ll have to get through the Dubliner who wrote Dracula. He married Florence Storehouse’s seven storeys fi rst, though. Balcombe, Oscar Wilde’s ex-girlfriend, in this The exhibition here has the whole sensory hallowed place. experience of the production process of Guinness James Joyce is known for setting a story or covered: you’ll touch, taste and smell what two in Dublin – from his short stories collection, goes into the world’s most famous stout. In the Dubliners, to his famous work Ulysses. Explore his advertising section, recall the toucans, ostriches, life and work at the James Joyce Centre. The Long Room, Trinity College Dublin Sir John Rogerson’s Quay 4 dublin’S doorStep Glendalough A walkers’ paradise, the Wicklow Explore an ancient refuge movie location of choice in Ireland, with and Dowth) is highly recommended and shouldn’t Mountains are a sprawling Dropped into these dramatic hills is Glendalough, Powerscourt, Kilruddery House and even the be missed. The Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre a monastic settlement founded by St Kevin in the mountains themselves forming the backdrop for near Oldbridge is also highly recommended. The landscape of rugged peaks, 6th century. Glendalough is Wicklow National Park’s productions such as Braveheart, Excalibur, Michael battle was fought in 1690 between William of blanket bog, old military roads, honeypot, welcoming more visitors than anywhere Collins, The Count of Monte Cristo and P.S. I Love Orange and King James III and you can visit the deserted villages, purple heather else in the county. But don’t stop there – more You, starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. battle site, parklands and formal gardens here. and glacial corrie lakes. An hour’s architectural oases await including Powerscourt To the west of Dublin, County Kildare is drive from Dublin, it makes the House and Gardens, and Russborough House, former Stellar stallions and prehistoric tombs famous for its horseracing festivals at The home to art connoisseurs Lord Alfred and Lady Beit. Less than an hour north of Dublin in counties Curragh, Punchestown and Naas. Also in Kildare, perfect escape for a blast of Louth and Meath lies the Boyne Valley, once the Irish National Stud is home to the country’s authentic Irish wilderness. Lights, camera, action Ireland’s ancient capital. A trip to the prehistoric most prestigious horse breeding facility, and Russborough isn’t the only Wicklow spot with star passage tombs at the Unesco World Heritage boasts wonderful Japanese Gardens and a quality. For years, the county has been Hollywood’s Site of Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange, Knowth Horse Museum. 5 KilKenny At once medieval and modern, Kilkenny is the full package with its artisan craft scene and intriguing architecture. Atmospheric and charming, it’s place that fuses medieval history with cosmopolitan modern city life. Soak up the atmosphere of a historic castle Discover a “city pad” with a difference A 12th-century castle for £50? The city’s famous Just a short distance from the Black Abbey is Norman castle was home to the Butlers of the medieval jewellery box of Rothe House and Ormonde for nearly fi ve centuries, before the Garden, a restored 16th-century Tudor home, 6th Marquess of Ormonde offered it to the city where archaeologists recently found the remains of Kilkenny for a rather meagre £50 in 1967. of an earlier medieval townhouse (thought to Filled with wonderful paintings and rich with be the “city pad” of the Abbot of nearby Duiske architectural detail, the castle is a one of the city’s Abbey - a character who liked to dine on swans must-visits. and drink the fi nest Bordeaux). These days Rothe House is a museum, with Pick up a hurling stick and make like a local a great collection of artefacts including a Viking The ancient Irish game of hurling has deep links sword and stone axe heads.