Gateway to The Emerald Isle’s rugged Atlantic Coast

Shannon Airport lies on Ireland’s Atlantic West Coast, 130 miles west of the Capital, Dublin.  Visitors to Ireland are guaranteed a warm welcome by a people famous for their good humour, hospitality and love not only of conversation (“craic”), but also of Guinness, the world-famous dark beer. Whilst boasting a modern “tiger economy”, Ireland holds on proudly to its traditions, whether in the field of music (uilleann bagpipes, whistles and fiddles), language (there are up to 80,000 speakers of Irish), dancing (think Riverdance), or religion (predominantly Roman Catholic). Shannon offers easy access to counties with such evocative names as Tipperary and Limerick. You will marvel at the spectacular Atlantic coastline and fall in love with the beautiful villages; furthermore, there are enough events and festivals to satisfy the most active visitor. 

Why go?
Holidays in Ireland offer the visitor beautiful, lush scenery; the chance to mingle with the highly sociable Irish people; the opportunity to learn about Ireland’s past, both heroic and tragic; a unique Celtic culture that is lovingly cherished; finally, a plethora of activities, from dolphin-watching to kissing the Blarney Stone.

When to go?
The Emerald Isle is so called because of its greenness; the winters are wet and mild and the summers are somewhat cooler than in Britain. In the winter, prices are lower, but there are fewer events and precious few sunny days. In the summer, the converse applies. Amongst the 150 local events a year; April/May sees not only the Fleadh (festival of Irish music and culture) but also the Slieve Bloom Walking Festival.

How to get there?
Shannon Airport has regular flights to and from London (Gatwick, Stansted and Heathrow). There are good road links northwards, eastwards and southwards. You can get from the airport to the nearby towns of Limerick or Ennis (both about 15 miles away) either by airport cab or by bus.

Must see
The 700ft Cliffs of Moher are not to be missed, as is The Burren, Europe’s largest natural rock garden. To the south, immerse yourself in the Gailteachd (the Irish-speaking area) of Dingle. Go mountain-biking in Ballyhoura Mountain Park or share the Irish passion for horse-racing or rugby, both in Limerick. Most of all, share a Guinness, a bite to eat, a song and a tune with the locals in that wonderful institution: the Irish pub!