Limerick Races and Ladies Day October 2013

Today was the Ladbrokes Munster National & Keanes Jewellers Ladies day in Limerick Racecourse. With a €100,000 prize fund for the winning horse and €4,000 diamond ring for the best dressed lady, it was a day not to be missed.

Limerick Racecourse is easily accessible from Dublin by using the M7 and taking Exit 30. There is ample parking, all of which is located close to the front door of the racecourse. I have been to the majority of racecourses in the country and was particularly impressed with the way Limerick Racecourse is laid out. 

View from the Stands of the Racecourse

It is very spacious and there is no issue getting a drink, even when the bar is busy. The stands are positioned for the perfect vantage point of the track, which has a beautiful water feature in the middle. The roof on the stands is surprisingly big, which is sure to keep the punters dry. Thankfully though, it did not rain today.

There is also an excellent catering area with a full carvery menu. However, if you would rather a more formal dining experience, there are many options available with their dining and hospitality packages.
 

Racecourse Stands

There are many places to bet in the Racecourse, including various Tote outlets and the outdoor bookies which are located to the left of the Stands. Most other racecourses have the bookies just in front of the track which obscures the view. This is a great idea by Limerick Racecourse by keeping the bookies to the left and the view of the course clear for the punters!

Horse Racing Action

The fashion stakes were very high today making it a difficult decision for the judges to pick the final ten best dressed ladies. The top prize was sponsored by Keanes Jewellers, an impressive €4000 diamond ring. There was also additional prizes for the best hat, best shoes/bag and for the two runners up. The competition was judged by Suzanne Jackson and Aisling Maher.

Ladies Day - Top 10 Finalists

More Photos from the Day:

Parade Ring

The Finish Line

Taking a walk before the race!

Horse Racing Action

Neck and Neck

The Final Straight

A Cheeky Smile!

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Blessington Lakeshore Co. Wicklow

Blessington is located approximately 30km from Dublin City and can be easily accessed using public transport, more specifically the No. 65 bus from Hawkin Street, which is just on the Liffey. A Google maps link to the Blessington Lakeshore is provided at the end of this post.

To complete construction of the Poulaphuca Dam, a town called Ballinahown was submerged and the Blessington Lake was formed. Work started on the Poulaphuca Dam in 1937 and was connected to the electricity grid in 1944.

The heart of the Blessington Lakeshore is the Avon Ri resort which over looks the entire lake and offers some spectacular views, especially on a sunny day. Thankfully this was the case yesterday!

Blessington Lakeshore - View from Avon Ri

The Avon Ri resort has a range of outdoor activities that you can undertake around the lake such as mountain biking, tennis, archery to name a few. We were not feeling that adventurous and undertook a scenic walk around the lakes instead! I have done the clay shooting there before which is great craic.

Blessington Lakeshore Walkways

Views of the Lake from the Walkways

During our walk we saw construction of a pathway that will allow you to walk all the way to Russborough House via the lakes. We have done a blog post on Russborough House if you plan to visit.

Our walk took 1.5 hours and if you are feeling thirsty after it you can always go to the Avon Ri, for a cold pint (or cup of tea) and a bite to eat. They have several picnic benches outside and also an upstairs terrace which is perfect for a sunny day! 

More pictures of the Blessington Lakeshore:

The Cross!

The Beach

The Lakes

Google Maps Link to Blessington Lakeshore

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A morning walk along the Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher is a must see if you are visiting the west of Ireland. The cliffs, located in Co. Clare stand 214m tall and stretch 8 km along the Atlantic Ocean.
 

The views are absolutely fantastic and the breeze that hits you along the walk is refreshing. I have learned some tips from my visit, which will hopefully be of some use to you. A Google maps link is provided at the end of this post.
 

The Cliffs of Moher

If you decide to follow the main road signs to the cliffs you will be brought to the car park, which is located half way. From here, you have the option to walk south or north. The cost to park is priced €6 per person. If you have a large family this could work out expensive.
 

During our walk on the cliffs, we encountered some friendly locals. They informed us that you can park at the very south point of the cliffs for free. They were walking the entire stretch to Doolin and were getting lunch in a pub there.
 

Unfortunately, we did not have this information at the time and paid €12 at the car park. The visitor centre at the cliffs is a unique experience! Food, tea and coffee are available inside. There is also an interactive 3D video about the cliffs which you can watch at no extra charge. Separate to the visitor centre, there are several individual gift shops which you can visit outside.
 

Souvenir Shops at the Cliffs

Fortunately, we had arrived at the Cliffs at 9.30am and it was not busy. We immediately headed south towards Moher Tower. On our way back at around mid-day the crowds had arrived and there was a lot of people walking towards us. Thankfully we had started early and I advise you to do the same.
 

Moher Tower

Moher Tower was a little dot in the distance and our progress during the walk was based on how far we were away from it. We got some great pictures on the way to Moher Tower. We did not walk on the north trail, towards Doolin but will do that the next time we visit! We did however drive to Doolin and got a good lunch in a local pub there also.
 

More Pictures of the Cliffs:
 

South View of the Cliffs

South View of the Cliffs

Mini Cliff!

Stack your Rocks!

Google Maps Link to the Cliffs

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The Curragh Racecourse Co. Kildare, Ireland

The Curragh Racecourse in Co. Kildare is an excellent day out for all the family. Today was the Juddmonte Bereford Stakes and the Irish Pony Club. The sun was beaming which made it all the better! A Google maps link to the Curragh is provided at the bottom of this post.

Entrance to the Curragh Racecourse

The Irish Pony Club day showcased young horse riders from around the country. There was a Jockey Skills Training Course which took place the previous week. There were 12 participants who took part and the winner was Conor Houlihan from Waterford. There was also demonstrations from these young riders throughout the day.

Demonstration by Members of the Pony Club

Members of the Pony Club Race on the track

There are many places to bet in the Curragh, whether you fancy the Tote, Paddy Power or the various bookies which are located outside, under the stands. If I am placing a bet on a single horse - win or each way, I usually venture out to the bookies. As I know what horse I want to pick, I look for the best price for that horse. Most of the time I pick the wrong horse but its all a bit of fun!

Bookie Stalls at the Curragh

There are several bars scattered across the Curragh so getting a drink is never an issue. If you do get peckish during your visit, there are also many dining areas. These dining options are available to suit everyone's taste and the Curragh offers a wide range of dining and hospitality packages including the Balcony Restaurant, Horseshoe Suite and Champagne Bar. During my visit I got sausage and chips for €5.50 from one of the fast food outlets which filled the gap.

Enjoying a pint and watching the races

  

Parking is free at the Curragh but if you don't have a car you can also travel by Dublin Coach. They provide an additional stop at the Curragh on race days on their N7 service. Check out their website for more details. There is also the option of getting the train to Kildare town via Irish Rail.

Have a great day and please do let us know how you get on. More pictures of the Curragh are below:
 

Racing Action

Parade Ring

The Finishing Post

The Starting Post

Halfway there

Anyones Race

Statue

Directions to the Curragh Racecourse

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A visit to Russborough House, Co. Wicklow Ireland

Russborough House is located 4.5km from Blessington Town in Co. Wicklow and is a great day out for the entire family, whether you are visiting Ireland or have been living here for years! A google maps link is provided at the end of this post.

The best way to get to Russborough is to drive, but if you dont have private transport available, you can get the 65 bus from Dublin City to Blessington and order a taxi.

The front of the house measures 210m and is an example of Palladian architecture, which is a European style of architecture. The house was built between 1741 and 1755 for the 1st Earl of Milltown, Joseph Leeson.

Front View of Russborough House

Today the house comprises of beautiful gardens, set out walks and a tea and coffee room where you can get a sandwhich or piece of cake with your cuppa. There is also the famous Russborough Maze, which costs €2 entry. It took me about 10-15 minutes to find my way out of there! There is no charge for parking, but there is a box for a voluntary donation.

The house was built for the 1st Earl of Milltown in the 1700's but buried in the Gardens is the graves of the 6th Earl of Milltown and his wife.

Graves of the 6th Earl of Milltown and his Wife

Moving on with our walk, we continued around the perimeter until we reached the lakes. There was some great views from this vantage point of Russborough house through the trees.

View of Russborough House from the Lakes

When we reached the lakes we were greeted by two swans, one was a beautiful white colour and the other was her cygnet. There was some decking at the lake view and would be ideal for a picnic.

Swans at the Lake in Russborough

If you have visited the Japanese Gardens in Kildare before you will be familar with the red Japanese style bridge. Russborough also has one of these Japanese style bridges. I did not venture too far over the other side of the bridge. If you do go, let me know if there is anything interesting on the other side!

Japanese Bridge at Russborough

After we finished our walk we headed up to the tea room for a cup of tea and a bite to eat. It was a very enjoyable day and I will be back soon. Guided tours of inside the house are also available and these can be booked with Russborough House.

Google Maps Link to Russborough

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Woodlands Falconry in Rathwood, Co. Carlow

Rathwood in Co. Carlow consists of an extensive garden centre, restaurant and also the Woodlands Fanconry. It was only through the grapevine that I learned about the existence of Rathwood and put it on my bucket list for a visit.

Located approximately 5 km east from Tullow, Rathwood is easily accessible from Dublin using the M9, pretty much all the way. You will probably want to have your GPS to hand to avoid getting lost. A google maps link is provided at the end of this post.

Entry to the Woodlands Falconry was only €6 per person. During our visit it was not very busy which was great. The staff were very friendly and you could see their genuine interest and care for all the birds in the Falconry.

There was also a baby owl which we got to pet. He was hiding on top of a cabinet, looking down at us when we arrived into the Falconry for the first time.

The wife asked the lady could she pet the baby owl. When the owl was called she flew straight down on to the counter and was more than happy to be petted!

Holding the bigger birds for photographs was no issue and the staff were very accomodating. This was my first time in a Falconry and to my surprize there were so many different species of birds. My favourites are the eagle and the owl. The birds were very calm and you could get very close to them and they did not seem to mind!

 

There was also information posters for each of the birds in the Falconry, which gave the average Joe, like myself some insight regarding where the birds originated from etc..

Some more pictures of the various birds in Rathwood are below:

Google Maps Link to Woodlands Falconry in Rathwood

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