Waterfords, Wonderful, Winterval

LLeinster is the most easterly of the four provinces of Ireland, and is the most populated with the city of Dublin at its heart. The province is made up of counties Dublin, Louth, Meath, Carlow, Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Kilkenny and Wexford. These counties have a host of historic monuments, a picture perfect coastline and cities and villages thronged with things to do and see.

Over the last few decades Ireland has established itself as one the most powerful forces in international horse racing.

Every year, a handful of lucky people gather at Newgrange, about 40 minutes north of Dublin, for the Winter Solstice on December 21st. There they hope to see the sunlight seep into the chamber to illuminate the carefully positioned interior, just as they did 5,000 years ago when they were originally built.

The curtain has just gone down on the stage of the newly appointed National Opera House of Ireland after another successful Wexford Festival Opera and already the town is gearing up to launch its inaugural Wexford Winterland event.

Some cities like Venice are designed to confuse the unsuspecting visitor. Others seem to have formed so quickly it’s hard to know where you are when you wander around the centre. But some seem designed to draw you into their very centre.

Head out of Limerick on the Ennis road towards Galway, and before you reach Shannon Airport, you’ll find yourself in the vicinity of the charming village of Bunratty.

Limerick, it has to be admitted, has suffered from something of a bad reputation. Which is a little unfair, as it’s really not that much worse than most bustling cities. Part of the problem is simply where it is situated.

The province of Connaught lies in the West of Ireland with its coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.

Westport House is found just to the West of Castlebar, where it looks out over the Atlantic Ocean. It’s one of the finest country houses you will find anywhere on the West coast, and since it opened to the public in the 1960s over four million visitors have passed through its doors.

Ireland boasts one of the proudest literary traditions anywhere in the world, with a justly deserved reputation for producing novels and plays of outstanding and lasting value.

Okay, well let’s first address the proverbial elephant in the room. Is it Derry, or Londonderry? Broadly speaking, nationalists call it Derry, and Unionists Londonderry.