Croke Park

September is the month for sport fans!

All Ireland finals are held in Football and Hurling at the GAA stadium, Croke Park. Croke Park is the largest stadium in Ireland and holds 82 300 spectators.

The stadium was the scene of a bloody massacre in 1920, when the British backed Royal Irish Constabulary entered the stadium during a Dublin-Tipperary match and killed or fatally wounded 14 spectators and players. In the spirit of reconciliation Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited Croke Park during her state visit to Ireland in May 2011.

But Croke Park is much more than just a sports stadium, it also hosts international music superstars like U2, Westlife and Take That. Croke Park offers world class meeting rooms and offers a comprehensive conference package. One of the latest and maybe most unexpected developments has been that you can now get married on the hallowed pitch!

The GAA Museum is hosted in the Croke Park stadium, in all fairness there is no better place for it. The museum traces the birth and growth of the GAA in Ireland and abroad, and shows the unique role the GAA has in the national movement and cultural revival in Ireland. The GAA museum was refurbished in 2010 and is bigger and better than ever!

Check out their website Croke Park for more information.

Glasnevin Museum

What to do when you think you’ve done it all?

Glasnevin Museum opened at Glasnevin cemetery in April 2010. It quickly got a reputation as a worthwhile destination for a day out. It is a must see Dublin attraction for anyone interested in Irish Heritage & Genealogy. The exhibitions show the social, historical, political and artistic development of modern Ireland through the lives of the generations buried in Ireland’s Necropolis – 1.5 million people have been buried here.

The cemetery is the largest in Ireland , it opened in 1832 as somewhere Irish people of all religions could bury their dead – it has developed to become a national monument of historical importance.

The Museum is modern and shows the heritage of past generations – showing us and future generations the legacy they have left us.

There is a large permanent exhibition that shows the burial practices and religious beliefs that lie behind this important ceremony. With such a large number of burials and the large expanse of space covered by the cemetery a meticulous record keeping is essential and the exhibition shows you how this is managed.
There is also two galleries with a succession of special exhibitions. Currently the census from 1911 is featured in a specific show until the end of August – so go now to make sure you don’t miss it! The census from 100 years ago shows the way Dublin was, how people lived and died.
Heritage Week is on this year from 20th to 28th August, in Glasnevin they are offering free admission from 5 pm to 9 pm. There is also a free tour of the cemetery at 5.30 pm. There are also 2 free talks, one on 23rd August at 7.3 pm about the census 1911. On the 25th August there is a talk on Michael Collins.

Find more information and details on the museum check out their website glasnevinmuseum.ie

A good day out for the summer holiday!

The kids are off school – what do you do to fill the days?

Dublin and the surrounding counties have a plethora of choice when it comes to family attractions.

One of the newer additions is Tayto Park. Located outside Ashbourne, Co Meath, it is easily accessible from Dublin in a car or by train. Family tickets and season tickets are available.
Check out their website here

The main attraction for the slightly older children is the exciting “sky adventure zone” that includes a climbing wall, a sky walk and air jumpers – all very popular so if you are in the park early go here first to avoid the queues. 

There is a large playground, a factory tour, pets corner and falconry displays at weekends.
For your mealtimes there are picnic tables if you want to bring your own lunch, there is also a lovely restaurant that serves sandwiches and dinners – all at reasonable prices. The cute “tea house in the tree house” serves coffees and ice cream.
The native American village has teepees where children gather around for story time – at weekends there is face painting and balloon animals for the children to enjoy.

It might sound strange, but a potato in a jacket has built a pretty good adventure park for the whole family!

St Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day (Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a religious holiday celebrated throughout the world on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland. It originated as a Catholic holiday and has been an official feast day since the early 17th century.

Over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day has grown, green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become an ever-present feature of the day.

In 1903, Saint Patrick's Day became an official public holiday in Ireland and the first Saint Patrick's Day parade held in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in. Although secular celebrations now exist, the holiday remains a religious observance in Ireland, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.

The first Saint Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009's five-day festival saw close to 1 million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, and fireworks.

So, what does the St Patrick’s Day Festival have in store for us in 2011? Running from Wednesday the 16^th to Sunday the 20^th of March they have a vast array of events for young and old!

There’ll be Funfairs in Merrion Square, Wolfe Tone Park and Custom House Quay to light up the city with top-notch carnival attractions, from carousels to roller coasters, family attractions to ferris wheels!

Where: Merrion Square
Date: Wednesday 16th of March - Sunday 20th of March
Time: Wednesday 18:00 - 23:00, Thurs - Sun 11:00 - 23:00

Where: Wolfe Tone Park
Date: Wednesday 16th of March - Sunday 20th of March
Time: Wednesday 17:00 - 20:00, Thurs - Sun 11:00 - 20:00

Where: Custom House Quay
Date: Thursday 17th of March
                                                                  Time: 10:00 - 20:00

There will be Comedy Nights on Friday the 18^th and Saturday the 19^th in the Laughter Lounge on Eden Quay. For St Patrick’s weekend The Laughter Lounge have 3 top class Irish comics; Paul Tylak, Ian Coppinger and Joe Rooney ‘Father Damo’ from Father Ted. ‘Text in the City’ - The audience begins the night by texting in suggestions to the comedians on stage who have a huge mobile phone screen behind them – and then it is up to the comedians to make these text messages as funny as possible!
Dates: Friday 18th and Saturday 19th March
Time: Doors 7pm.  Show 8.30pm
Tickets: €25 available

We Irish love the Craic so needless to say there’ll be a Céilí or two around the city (so be sure to bring your dancing shoes!!)

In the Stephen’s Green expert callers will lead you through dances such as the Siege of Ennis, the Walls of Limerick and lots more. The Céilí is open to all - young and old, beginners and self proclaimed pro’s. Watch, learn and dance; you’ll be doing jigs and reels in no time!!

Date:                Wed, 16^th March

Where:             St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2

Time:                4:30 pm

Kilfenora Céilí band will also feature in the National Concert Hall. 102 years and still on the road! From village parties in the early 1900s to bigger dances in the ‘30s, broadcasts in the ‘40s, commercial recordings in the ‘50s, foreign tours in the ‘60s right down to their current international profile, each new generation of Musicians slots in seamlessly. The Kilfenora features fiddles, flutes, banjo, and squeezeboxes, they have consolidated their position as one of the world’s greatest and longest running Irish céilí bands.

Date:                Wed, 16^th & Thurs, 17^th March

Where:             National Concert Hall

Time:                8:00 pm

And, lets face it, St Patrick’s day just wouldn’t be St Patrick’s day without the Festival Parade!
The St. Patrick’s Parade will open the festival with a dazzling display from street theatre troupes, artists, dancers and marching bands.  Thousands of onlookers will line the parade route as many millions more can tune in to the RTE 1 broadcast on TV and live streaming on-line.

Date:                 Thu, 17 Mar

Where:             City Centre, starting at Parnell Square, Dublin 1

Time:                12:00pm

Visit Dublin this Christmas!

Dublin has much to offer over the Christmas season...from festive markets and fairs to concerts, pantos and much more besides!

Staying in Dublin City offers access to many of the events nearby while Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Luas allow ease of access to those highlights outside of the city. Public transport in Dublin typically runs on normal schedule until lunchtime on Christmas Eve while a special holiday schedule is in place for the time between 24th December and New Year's Day. Visitors should note that there is no bus, train or Luas services on Christmas day however taxi services would still be available but we would recommend booking in advance.

We Dubliners love Christmas...we love the build up through the month of December, Christmas day with Friends and family and the wind down into the new year. This year there will be a Christmas Market (with a Magical German Twist!!) down at the Dublin Docklands from the 3^rd to the 22^nd of December to help us get ready for our favourite day. The Docklands Christmas Market has been running for 5 years now and features fantastic stalls from some of Germany’s more experienced marketers creating that magically festive atmosphere that can only be associated with Christmas.

The market this year will be filled with seasonal German stalls, some of our very own Irish stalls as well as some new and unusual African traders all housed in festively decorated wooden huts and chalets and selling a vast array of gifts, decorations and hand made arts and crafts. Visitors will also be able to enjoy some of the traditional fare associated with Christmas markets – roasted nuts and raisins or a warm glass of steaming Gluhein wine for example.

There is no entrance fee and opening times are:

Mon-Thurs: 12.00 pm - 08.30 pm

Friday: 12.00 pm - 09.30 pm

Saturday 11.00 am - 10.00 pm

Sunday 11.00 am - 8.00 pm

Visitdublin.com for more information

The National Concert Hall have many fantastic events scheduled for the month of December but the one not to be missed has to be ‘The Snowman Movie – Live Concert’ running as part of it’s Family Christmas Show. The animated movie plays out on a large screen and is accompanied by The Orchestra of The National Concert Hall under the baton of conductor Fergus Sheil while Brian Ormond (Irish TV Presenter) will tell the story of James and the flying snowman as you watch the film on a big screen.

Tickets from €15 for Children and €20 for Adults (Family tickets also available)

December 12th, 11.30am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm

December 18th, 11.30am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm

December 22nd, 11.30am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm

December 23rd, 11.30am, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm

Nch.ie for more information

For those that are feeling more energetic then why not check out ‘7UP Christmas on Ice’?

This year 7UP Christmas on Ice opens on the rooftop of Arnotts from 12th November as well as in the RDS, Simmonscourt from the 3^rd of December – both will run until the 9^th of January. At Arnotts they plan some exciting themed events including School Skate, Decks on Ice and a Silent Disco on Ice!

Each ice rink will be open daily, closing only on Christmas Day and there will be nine hourly skating sessions daily; the RDS rink will be open from 10.30am to 10.30am while Arnotts will open from 9.30am to 9.30pm.

Ice Skating Prices:
Adult = €12.50
Child = €10
Family* = €38

christmasonice.ie for more information

Halloween Hellfire Excursion

For those of you who are daring and Brave...not for the faint of Heart: Dublin Walking tours bring you the Halloween Hellfire Excursion

Running each night from the 26th to the 31st of October at a cost of €22 per person (over 16’s only) this tour picks up from St Audeon’s Churck (at the Cook Street entrance) and takes you by bus to the Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains. En route they will take you past famous landmarks such as St Patrick's Cathedral, Rathfarnham Castle and Kilakee House, recounting some of the many legends as you find your way to that lonely place.
After a brisk uphill 20 minute walk you will find yourself faced with the burnt out shell of this haunted hunting lodge dating from 1725. The Hellfire Club is known for its association with Satanism, the supernatural and the occult, so be warned! A storyteller will recount the history of the Club, including the infamous card game with the “cloven-hoofed visitor.”
The historical "Haunted Hellfire" excursion should last approximately 2.5 hours (inclusive of travel time to and from the Dublin Mountains) and Dublin Walking Tours will provide torches on the night (1 between 2) but you can never have to many torches when visiting the Hellfire Club so I would suggest bringing your own too!!

For further information on the Halloween Hellfire Excursion check out their official website here

Dublin Tourism launch new smartphone App for Dublin

The Visit Dublin app was launched this week.  It promises to deliver a new and exciting way to discover Dublin, the app has several interesting and easy to use features. It's like an interactive and always up to date guidebook, right there in the palm of your hand.
The most notable is the "point and learn" feature where you point your phone at a building or landmark and the app will tell you the information about it.
It also offers audio guides to over 80 points of interest around Dublin City. If you see a restaurant or hotel that you would like to book the app offers a "point to call" button where you can call the establishment to book your table or stay.
Like any good guide book you can use the app even without an internet connection, most of the information on the Visit Dublin App is cached and stored on your phone. It even works in flight mode, all this means less roaming charges if you are not in a free WiFi zone!
If you're not in Dublin yet, you can still plan ahead and Discover Dublin before you even get here, the App will allow you to virtually explore the city from anywhere in the world.
See more details on this exciting new development here.

Dublin Marathon 2010

The Dublin Marathon 2010 is being held on the October Bank Holiday Monday - 25th October- at 9 am.

An expected 10 000 people will participate in the 31st Dublin Marathon this year, and the course will bring them from the historical city centre to the leafy suburbs of Dublin.  This years main sponsors are Lifestyle Sports and Adidas. Runners come from all over the world to participate in one of the major worldwide marathons.

Check the marathon course here Dublin Marathon

The Trinity Capital Hotel will do a special Marathon Package again this year - Stay in the hotel with breakfast and a tasty pasta dinner the night before the Marathon from only 64.50 Euro per person sharing. Check out our website for more information.

Science Gallery - One of Dublins Top Ten Attractions

Despite being open only since February 2009 the Science Gallery on Pearse Street has already made it to the list of the Top 10 attractions in Dublin.  According to a Failte Ireland report the museum has had as many visitors as Farmleigh House or the Jameson Distillery. 
While most museums are dusty places with old objects and stuffed animals, the Science Gallery looks to the future for inspiration for the vastly different exhibitions they host on their state of the art premises.Since opening they have had exhibitions on many diverse subjects ranging from polpular science to the downright creepy. Some tasters on their past exhibitions:

• Light - our ability to control it and it's ability to control us.
• Robots - the worlds most talented robots and their makers
• Bubbles - the physics of foam
• Love Lab - what makes us fall in love, does romance exist or is it all in our genes already?

Currently the Science Gallery is running an exhibit on music - Music is a central part of the human experience, but what is the natural force that drives us to sing, strum, drum and dance? What is the scientific basis of whistling, humming and toe-tapping?

If you're in Dublin it's definitely worth a visit - and to make it even better - on most of their exhibitions entrance is free!!

The Trinity Capital Hotel is only a 5 minute walk from the Science Gallery.

Trinity Capital Hotel makes the Expedia Insiders Select list

Trinity Capital Hotel Ranked as One of World’s Best Hotels on Expedia® Insiders’ Select™ List

Expedia® travelers have ranked Trinity Capital Hotel among the world’s best hotels on this year’s Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list. The list formally recognizes individual hotels worldwide that consistently deliver excellent service, a great overall experience and a notable value.  The full list represents only a small percentage of the world’s top hotels from the more than 110,000 hotel properties offered on Expedia.

The Trinity Capital is one of only two 3 star hotels in Ireland that made the Insiders Select list this year, and we are understandably very proud of this achievement.

“Delivering our guests superior service is a top priority at Trinity Capital Hotel,” said Denyse Campbell, General Manager of the Trinity Capital Hotel. “We are pleased that our efforts have been acknowledged by Expedia travelers and look forward to extending our high level of service to even more guests.”

The 2010 Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list is compiled based on the more than one million Traveler Opinions hotel reviews collected by Expedia, combined with a value rating and the local market expertise of more than 400 Expedia employees in local markets worldwide, resulting in an easy-to-browse list that provides travelers with a powerful way to find the perfect hotel using the trusted insight of other travelers like them. The list showcases the diverse selection of travel destinations and hotel properties. 

Check our website for the best rates : www.trinitycapital-hotel.com