NORTHERN IRELAND

The Irish are known for many things: for St Patrick’s Day and four-leaf clover; for Guinness and for its almost mythical natural beauty; for the string of deep-blue Lakes of Killarney, for the serene, lovely Connemara Mountains and for the mystic beauty of the limestone desert called The Burren, for the wildly dramatic Giant’s Causeway and the many hues of green in the Glens of Antrim.

Ireland has been called the `Emerald Isle’- and with good reason too. Immortalized in poetry and prose, in painting and in tourist literature too, Ireland with its historic cities and the legendary warmth and hospitality of its people is an attractive destination as more and more visitors find out year after year! Yes, for an island as small as it is, Ireland is well known.

Capital:  Dublin

Best time to visit:

  1. Ireland is favourable for travel almost throughout the year;
  2. Do remember, though, that some places – the lesser known attractions – close down during the winter (October to March), but this is also the period when accommodation is likely to be at its cheapest.
  3.  The tourist season peaks between June and September, when the weather’s at its best.
  4. The climate of Belfast is moderately cool through the year. The warmest months of June, July and August have average maximum temperatures of 18 degrees C and nightfall brings the temperature down to 11 degrees C on average.
  5. The coldest months are December, January and February. Day temperatures go up to only 6 degrees C in January.
  6. Belfast gets rain all 12 months of the year. The lightest rainfall occurs from March to June. If you want be part of the fun and festivities that Ireland is known for, plan your visit around the time of Irish festivals.
  7.  St Patrick”s Day is one such festival and this happens in March.

Minimum days required: 5 Days

Places of Interest:

  1. Belfast –  Odyssey Arena, Waterfront Hall, Belfast Zoo, Belfast Castle, Ten Square, Mount Stewart, Windsor Park
  2. Dublin – Dublin castle, Guinness Storehouse, Phoenix Park, National Concert Hall, Kilmainham Castle, The Iveagh Gardens

Climate:

  1. An island country with a temperate maritime climate, Ireland’s weather is such that the temperature hovers between 40 C and 20 C throughout the year.
  2. Winters are cold (January and February are the coldest months) but not intolerably so, and summer never gets too hot.
  3. There is, however, rain almost throughout the year, which can leave the skies grey for prolonged periods and be pretty depressing.
  4. The sunniest months are May and June, which is about the only time you can expect to see the sun through most of the day.

Currency: Euro

Things to carry:

  1. Everything you’re likely to need – toiletries, medicines, camera film, etc – is readily available in Ireland, so you needn’t pack your bags full of replenishments.
  2. What you must pack, however, keeping the weather in mind, is a good sturdy umbrella or a raincoat; the sky is often overcast, and drippy weather is not unusual at any time of the year. Travellers to Northern Ireland must remember to carry enough warm clothes.
  3.  More often than not you will get wet, so ensure you have a dry and cozy jersey or two to fall back on.

How to get there:

Air

  1. Ireland has four international airports in Dublin, Shannon, Cork and Belfast serving a wide variety of European and Intercontinental routes with scheduled and chartered flights.
  2. Aer lingus is the national airline although low cost airline Ryanair is the largest airline.
  3. The busiest international air route in Europe is the route between London and Dublin.