Official Organ of the Irish Tourist Association Val. XIV. No. 7. APRIL, 1939. Complimentary Blarney Castle, in County Cork, has given a word to the English language. Whoever succeeds in kissing the magic stone of eloquence set in the Castle battlements will acquire the power of" blarney," that is, a soft persuasive tongue. IRISH TRAVEL April, I()39 FISHGUARD to CORK Leave Paddington *5.55 p.ro. Every Tues., Thurs. and Sat. LIVERPOOL to DUBLIN Leave Euston *6.5 p.ro. SailI0.15p.m. Nightly (Sun. ex.) LIVERPOOL to BELFAST Leave Euston ·6.5 p.m. Sail 10.15 p.m. Nightly (Sun. ex.) GLASGOW to BELFAST Direct. Sail from Glasgow 10 p.rn.t Nightly (Sundays ex.) GLASGOW to DUBLIN Direct. Mon. Wed. Sat. 5.15 p.rn. via Greenock. Fridays at 1 p.rn. GLASGOW to DERRY via Greenock. Every Monday, \\'edn('sday. Friday & Saturday Saturdays 10.30 p.m Caledonian Hotel SOUTH GREAT GEORGE'S STREET DUBLIN. Centmlly situated f01' all parts of City. BANK OF IRELAND Hot and Cold vVater all Rooms, ESTABLISHED 1788 and Reading HghLs all Beds. FACILITIES FOR TRAVELLERS Excellent Cuisine. AT Head Office: COLLEGE GREEN,DUBLIN BED, BREAKFAST, and BATH, 7/6. BELFAST CORK. , DERRY AND 100 TOWNS THROUGHOUT IRELAND; Garage for 80 Cars, 150 yards, 1/.. ighLly. EVERY DESORIPTION OF FOREIGN EXOHANGE BUSINESS TRANSAOTED ON ARRIVAL OF LINERS Telegrams :-" Caledonian Hotel," Dublin. BY DAY OR NIGHT AT OOBH (QUEENSTOWN) Telephone 28277. AND GALWAY DOOKS. IRI5Il TRA VEL April, 1939 Wbolesale from tbe SUBSCRIPTION : Itlsb Tonrbt AssoclaUon 5'· PER ANNUM, and from PO!\ Free. 1 Eason & Son, Ltd. COPIES FREE IRISH Retail from TO ALL MEMBERS all Newsagents and OF THE from tbe ASSOCIATION AND Irlsb Tourist Association. OF ITS ASSOCIATE Price 3d. DEPARTMENT. TRAVEL Official Organ of the Irish Tourist Association, Dublin --- VOL. XIV. APRIL 1939. No 7 BUT THE BLARNEY STONE IS STILL IN COUNTY CORK is not for sale," says he, " I'll buy RULY there isn't much sense Victorian period. Then the general ambition seemed to be "Every the Blarney quarry from which it in offering a man a quarry if came." "What for?" said they. T h live three thousand mile house a-museum," and auction­ away. If it were a quarry in Italy, hunting was one of the most exciting " To take it to America, of course," of Course, with rare and preciou pursuits of a generat.ion that never says he. marble', it might be worth the eemed to know how many armchairs The people voted this the incred­ freight charges for the voyage over­ it ought to possess. In the reaction ibly best bit of " blarney" that had seas, but a common lime tone into our later trim, lick machine­ ever been invented even in that quarry, the like of which you can age the auction rooms lost their metropolis of "soft talk." The fmd uncut and bramble-scored in shrine-like quality, the furniture­ visitor left and the laughter followed ~illion worshippers fell away and the otto­ his ship almost the whole way to a places, would, surely, as America. But he had the best of a gl,ft, J:>e too much of a good thing.' man and overmantels went to the firewood merchant at junk prices; the joke in the end. For he is \, t It is surprising to recall, in buying the quarry in chunks these one own experience, how many such a change of tastes and values, usele s articles one has accepted indeed, that infinite blarney would days and transporting the Blarney not now persuade us back into that limestone to D.S.A. and cutting it With gratitude, or even paid for, into ornaments and curios over there m the believe that, some day, auctioneers' paradise. Som~how, But Blarney? What a word in for sale to the multitude intrigued the thing would prove at the idea of having a bit of the servIceable. There must be in all this connection! And how suddenly apt. For here is one of the best eloquent tradition in stone and of u a caveman phobia from t.he hoping that the gift of the honeyed olel unfurnished days when the lack stories of blarney ever. A year or two ago there came a visitor to the mouth may descend upon them of . almost everything needed for with the purchase. So that's liVing reduced our ancestors to the real Blarney, an American visitor, Complexes that the neurologists of whom there are crowds at that Ireland where, in the style of the legendary castle of eloquence every best of the fairy stories, the rocks make. fortunes on nowadays. are at last turning to gold. Thl inherited fear of being tourist season. This visitor was D. L. KELLEHER In ufficiently furnished was parti­ different. CUlarly rampant in the English " ince the famou Blarney stone in" Coming Events." --===============~======================-======= 'Principal Cont~nts or this J ssu~ Page Mountaineering in Ireland-IQ: Inishowen, DeITy and Page Tyrone By Claude W. Wall 159 European Amateur Boxing Championships. ... 161 By Sean C. Healy H7 Curiosities Around Ireland 14!l A Cycling Tour of Ireland By "Ragged Staff" 162 April, for the Trout Angler .... .... By Laurie Gaffey By J. W. Gavil! 165 151 Carlow for the Angler DUblin Spring Show and Irish Industries Fair Radio Eireann .... 169 Forgotten Fore and its Patron By Godfrey Kilroy 153 By the Winding Banks of Moy By "Z'vIoylover" 171 Canoeing for a Holiday By D. A. Roper 155 Ireland's Leading Hotels 173 175 Irish Soldiers of Fortune By 11/. N. Hennessy 157 A Directory of Irish Hotels 145 IN.1SH TRAVEL April, 1939 NOTES AND NEWS Easter, 1939 Fly Fishing Competitions .... An Oige Exhibition ------ -. Easter. -.. - - ASTER comes early in the month to bring a €,,~nts welcome break in routine. Many will use this principal 3rish E. extra long week-end as a " sampler" of Summer APRIL, 1939. Hohdays, getting a foretaste of what lies in store. April Motoring, Walking, Mountaineering, Cycling, Golf and 1 Hockey (Ireland v. Scotland), at Carlow. I Racing. Lcopardstown, Co. Dublin. Angling-these are some of the attractions for Easter 8 Irish Fly-Fishing Championships. Killarney, in Ireland. And many Irish hotels have made special Co. Kerry. arrangements to draw Easter week-enders to their 8 Racing. Phoenix Park, Dublin. neighbourhood. Out-of-doors, sports and fresh-air 9 Easter Sunday. 1916 Commemorations. 9 National Fly-Casting Tournament. Killarney, recreations take their place in Spring weather, while Co. Kerry. within, there are parties, dances and concerts planned 9 Unveiling of Fr. Mathew Monument. Thomastown, to while away the evening with pleasant occupation. Tipperary. 9 G.A.A. Congress. Dublin. Angling Championships. 9-10 Golf (Easter Championships). Lahinch. 9-10 Golf (Open Toumament). Carlow. During the Easter week-end, too, a big Event takes 10 Racing. Fairyhouse (Ward Union Hunt). place in Killarney where the Lower Lake is the 10 Racing. Vvaterford and Tramore. venue for the National Angling and Fly-casting 10 Racing. Mallow, Cork. 11-12 Gaelic League Congress. Dublin. Championships, on April 8th and 9th respectively. 12 Racing. Sligo. Well-known" rods" from all quarters of Ireland and 13 Racing. Powerstown Park, ClonmeI. also from England have entered their names for these 16 "Summer Time" begins. contests, and all that is wanting to ensure a crowning 17-22 An Oige Exhibition. Dublin. success are a blue sky, a rolling waye and the trout in 18-22 Boxing (European Championships). Dublin. 22 Racing. Naas, Co. Kildare. taking humour 1 23 Association Football (F.A. Challenge Cup Final). Arrangements for these big Championship competi­ Dublin. tions are in the care of the Irish Trout Fly Fishers' 25-26 Racing. PunchestoWll, Kildare. 28 Closing Date, Big Derby Draw. Competition Committee, but local plans are in the 29 Racing. Phoenix Park, Dublin. capable hands of the Cork Trout Anglers' Association which reports that everything is in ship-shape order DURING MONTH. Easter Week. Feis Shligigh and Feis Ceoil. Sligo. for the great event. do. Golf; West of Ireland Championships. "An Oige" Exhibition. Rosses Point, Sligo. " An Oige," the Irish Youth Hostel Association was so pleased With the results of the special Exhibition held in 1938 that it has decided to repeat this publicity and examples of the work of An Oige Sketching Group medium from 17-22 April this year, in the O'Connell will also be on display while a number of lantern slide Hall, Dublin. The Exhibition will be open each day lectures on hostels at home and abroad will be given. from II a.m. to 10 p.m. A replica of a hostel common­ On several evenings during the week the Youth Hostel room, kitchen and dormitory will be on view together Film-" Youth Hails Adventure It_will be shown in with models (to scale) of the Glendalough and Tra-na­ the Dublin City Hostel, 39 Mountjoy Square and this Rossann buildings; photographs of hostel interest Hostel will be open for inspection during the Exhibition period. Hotel Brochures. We have often commended to Hoteliers the advisa­ bility of producing special Hotel Brochures w:ith a view to di~tributing them among prospective visitors. Few things will impress the potential t.ourist so much as a tasteful booklet sent in prompt reply to his inquiry. Recently, a copy of a newcomer in such brochures came our way-that issued by Mr. Brendan O'Regan, Manager of the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, County Clare. Here is an admirable little booklet incorporating full details of the Hotel Services with an attractive guide­ survey of the neighbourhood. Printed by Messrs.