Following is a look at recent and upcoming developments throughout
Ireland. Contact numbers are below.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo
All guest rooms have been refurbished, each in a distinctive
style.
Recently opened Ireland's first falconry (hunting with birds of
prey).Chief O'Neill's Hotel, Dublin
73-room hotel is part of Smithfield Village.
4-star property opened April 1999.
Located north side of Dublin.Da Vinci's Hotel, Derry
70-room independent hotel under construction.
Opening scheduled for May.
Located within a half-mile of Derry's city center.Dromoland Castle Hotel, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County
Clare
Opened 24 new luxury Club Suites in October, all with
fireplaces, deluxe appointments, business support peripherals.
Recently completed a new swimming pool, an expanded business
center, refurbishment of all guest rooms, and a half-million
dollars in improvements to the gardens.
Added a Castle Keep Cottage last April.Faithlegg House Hotel, Waterford
Luxury hotel occupies 1782 manor house and newly constructed
extension; opened May 1999.
14 rooms in main house, 68 in the extension.
Facilities include oak-paneled billiard room, large Jacuzzi,
steam room, sauna, gym, treatment rooms.Forte Posthouse Belfast
170-room flagship property under construction.
Opening later this year.Four Seasons Hotel Dublin
New 254-room deluxe hotel to open in late spring.
Located on 3.5 acres of the historic Royal Dublin Society's
42-acre show-grounds.
Georgian-style exterior and the use of old stone create a
traditional Irish atmosphere.Hastings Hotel Group, Northern Ireland
Fall opening is planned for an 11-story, 56-room addition under
construction at the Europa Hotel in Belfast; total room count when
complete will be 240.
A $5.6 million expansion at the Culloden Hotel in Hollywood
includes the addition of 28 guest rooms and an extended kitchen;
completion in 2001.
A new glass front to the reception and meeting area at the
Stormont Hotel in Belfast was completed in November.Holiday Inn, Belfast
Construction under way on a new four-star Holiday Inn at Shaw's
Bridge.
Completion slated for February 2001.Malone Lodge Hotel, Belfast
Refurbishment and expansion project nearing completion.
Adding 18 rooms for a total of 51; also new function
facilities, larger dining room and mini-gym.
Three-star hotel due to reopen in February.The Morrison, Dublin
95-room contemporary Irish boutique hotel opened June 1999.
Created by Irish designer John Rocha.
Located on Ormond Quay overlooking the River Liffey.Stakis Park Hotel, Templepatrick
New 18-hole golf course opened in September.
Championship 7,000-yard course on the outskirts of Belfast.
130-room Stakis Park Hotel debuted in June 1998.The Westin Dublin
164-room property under construction.
Located in downtown Dublin opposite Trinity College.
February 2001 opening planned.ATTRACTIONS
Hot Press Irish Music Hall of Fame, Dublin
Contains memorabilia, exclusive interviews, footage and
mementos of Ireland's top stars.
Featured acts include: U2, Thin Lizzy, Van Morrison, Sinead
O'Connor, the Cranberries, the Corrs, Riverdance and others.
Opened May 1999.Millennium Theatre Complex, Derry
Millennium Square, a covered piazza with shops, cafes and
spaces for performing arts, and a 1,000-seat auditorium.
Due to open in November 2000.
Complex occupies last remaining site within Derry's 17th
century walls.Oscar Wilde House, Dublin
Newly restored Georgian-style house opened in July 1999.
Residence of Oscar Wilde from 1855 to 1876.
Built in 1762.St. Patrick Centre, Downpatrick
July opening planned for visitors center in heart of
Downpatrick.
Interprets the story of Ireland's patron saint and the early
Christian church.
Interactive multimedia exhibition.Smithfield Village, Dublin
Multifaceted facility located on the site of the Old Irish
Whiskey Distillery opened April 1999.
Includes Ceol -- The Irish Traditional Music Centre, an
interactive center that explores the evolution of traditional Irish
music and dance.
Features Chief O'Neill's Cafe/Bar, a venue for live traditional
music that serves traditional food.TOUR OPERATOR PRODUCT NEWS
River Shannon Barge Cruises
In April both Abercrombie & Kent and Maupintour will launch
six-night sailings on the 12-passenger Shannon Princess.
Vessel travels from Athlone to Killaloe in the west of
Ireland.
Visits to 6th century monastery, riverside villages, "singing
pubs," manor houses.
Departures: Weekly through September.Abercrombie & Kent Country House Walking
Tours
Abercrombie & Kent six-night program debuts this year.
Accommodations in two private Georgian homes.
Intermediate-level walking (six miles daily) in counties
Monaghan and Cavan and coastal Sligo.
Departures: June 18, July 16.Aer Lingus Vacations
Expanded fly-drive brochure for 2000, including a larger
selection of pre-book lodgings in Northern Ireland.
Minimum stay reduced to three nights for "Go As You Please"
fly-drive program.
Extended grace period on car rentals for up to eight hours on
day of return.
Promoting a deluxe four-night Culinary Seminars package at
Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, in conjunction with
a two-for-one special on Aer Lingus' Premier Business Class
service; available through March.Brian Moore International Tours: Castles and
Manors
New seven-night escorted itinerary; promoted as a luxury tour
at affordable prices.
Lodgings: Two nights at Clontarf Castle Hotel in Dublin, one at
Faithlegg House Hotel in County Waterford, two at Rangles Court
Clarion Hotel in Killarney (County Kerry), and two nights at
Dromoland Castle Hotel.
Departures: Every two weeks starting in May.Celtic Tours: London -- The English Countryside and
Ireland
Celtic Tours' combination tour is new for 2000.
10-night air-inclusive package includes five-night escorted
coach tour in Ireland and five-night independent stay in
London.
In Ireland: Kilkenny Castle, Waterford Crystal Factory, Blarney
Castle, Cobh Heritage Center, Blarney Woolen Mills, knitwear and
woolen outlets and a castle banquet.
Departures: Saturdays, April 22 to Sept. 30.CIE Tours International
Additional departures for its more popular escorted coach
tours, including 11-day Irish Supreme Deluxe and 14-day Irish
Classic Tour.Conway Hammond Tours: Irish Postcards
New four-night escorted package focuses on the west coast of
Ireland.
Highlights: Limerick, Adare, Blarney, the Dingle Peninsula,
Kinsale.
Package dovetails with self-drive or chauffeur-driven
add-ons.
Departures: Every two weeks.ETM Travel Group: City Packages in Derry
Derry city packages new for 2000.
Three-nights include city walking tour, admission to Tower
Museum.
ETM city packages also available in Dublin, Cork, Shannon,
Killarney and BelfastMaupintrek: Gaelic Hiking Expedition
New seven-night hiking and walking program by Maupintrek, a
division of Maupintour.
Highlights: County Donegal, Glenveagh National Park, Tory
Island, Rossnowlagh, Wicklow Way in County Wicklow.
Easy to moderate activity level; group size limited to 20.
Departures: July 7 and 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 1.Sceptre Tours
An expanded land program will include value-priced
chauffeur-driven programs.
Additional departures planned for escorted air-inclusive six-
and seven-night motorcoach tours.
First introduced in 1999; air travel is via Aer Lingus
scheduled service.AIR TRANSPORTATION NEWS
Aer Lingus
Launched service from Los Angeles to Dublin and Shannon
gateways last May.
In late spring, service out of Los Angeles will increase to
five weekly, daily during peak summer season.
Service out of Boston increases to 11 flights weekly in
February and twice daily in the summer.
From Chicago, schedule increases to nine flights weekly in the
summer and six times weekly during off-peak.
New alliance agreements with American Airlines and British
Airways in November include frequent flyer program reciprocity and
code-sharing.
Agent pay maintained at 8% with no caps for tickets plated on
Aer Lingus.Delta Air Lines
Launched service from New York to Ireland in July 1999.
Daily flights from Kennedy to Shannon and Dublin.Contact NumbersACCOMMODATIONS
Adare Manor: (800) 462-3273
Ashford Castle: (800) 346-7007
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel: (011) 353 95 31006
Belle Isle Estate: (011) 44 28 6638 7231
Castle Leslie: (011) 353 47 88109
Chief O'Neill's Hotel: (011) 353 817 3838
Dromoland Castle Hotel: (800) 346-7007
Faithlegg House Hotel: (011) 353 51 382000
Forte Hotels: (800) 225-5843
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts: (800) 332-3442
Galway Great Southern Hotel: (011) 353 91 564041
Green Book of Ireland: (011) 800-1-676-2555
Hastings Hotels: (011) 44 28 9074 5251
Hidden Ireland: (800) 688-0299
Holiday Inns: (800) 465-4329
Kilkea Castle: (011) 353 503 45156
Killyleagh Castle Towers: (011) 44 28 4482 8261
Kinnitty Castle: (011) 353 509 37318
Malone Lodge Hotel: (011) 44 28 9038 8000
The Merrion Hotel: (011) 353 1 603 0600
The Morrison (011) 353 1 878 2999
Park Hotel Kenmare: (011) 353 64 41200
Prima Hotels: (800) 447-7462
Shelbourne Dublin: (011) 353 1 676 6471
Stakis: (800) STAKIS-1
Utell: (800) 448-8355
Waterford Castle: (011) 353 51 878203
Westin Hotels & Resorts: (800) 228-3000
AIRLINES
Aer Lingus: (800) 223-6537
Continental: (800) 231-0856
Delta (800) 221-1212
EVENTS
Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival: (011) 28 8224 3292
Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival: (011) 44 28 7126 7284
Belfast Festival at Queen's: (011) 44 28 9066 7687
Belfast Summerfest 2000: (011) 44 28 9027 0466
Bloomsday: (011) 353 280 9625
Dublin Film Festival: (011) 353 67 92937
Fleadh Cheoil: (011) 353 54 37950
Fleadh Nua 2000: (011) 353 65 6842988
Galway Arts Festival: (011) 353 91 562594
Guinness Cork Jazz Festival: (011) 353 21 278979
Kilkenny Arts Festival: (011) 353 56 63663
Leopardstown Christmas Festival: (011) 353 8351965
Northern Ireland Festival of Racing: (011) 44 28 9262 1256
Opera Week: (011) 44 28 9024 1919
Sligo Arts Festival: (011) 353 71 69802
St. Patrick's Festival: (011) 353 676 3205
Walled City Festival: (011) 44 28 7126 7284
Wexford Festival Opera: (011) 353 53 22144
World Irish Dancing Championships: (011) 44 28 9027 0466
FERRY SERVICES
Norse Irish Sea Ferries: (011) 44 28 9077 9090
P&O European Ferries: (561) 563-2856 (Scots-American Travel
Advisors)
Sea Cat: (011) 44 232 313 543; (800) 432-7245
Stena Line: (011) 44 990 707070