Tour Ireland's coastlines, castles & more

Ireland - Emerald Isle Adventure

Resources

Weather

Ireland benefits from the Atlantic Ocean's Gulf Current, which keeps the temperatures here moderate year round. The winter is quite rainy, but temperatures rarely fall below freezing, except at higher elevations.

In summertime, Ireland's days are long, with lovely sunlight until after 10 pm in June and July. In Dublin during this season, temperatures usually range from lows in the 50s to highs near 70. The weather is pleasant, and everything is very green. (Well, things are very green in Ireland at any time of year!) Swimming season is generally considered to be July and August.

            Dublin
            Weather averages
            Current forecast

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Reading list
Recommended reading for your Ireland adventure - learn about the history, culture, food, and more.

In Search Of Ancient Ireland - PBS Home Video, DVD. This 3-part video traces the history and legends of ancient Ireland, from the Stone Age, up through the Early Christian times, to life under the Vikings.

Twenty Years A-Growing - Maurice O'Sullivan, 320pp. Classic about growing up on the Blasket Islands. Now abandoned, we visit these islands on the trip, and this gives great insight into life there. * Personal favorite - delightful!

Great Irish Houses and Castles - Jacqueline O'Brien, 264pp.   Beautiful photos of some of Ireland's greatest castles and manors, with landscapes of rolling hills and rivers.

The Best of the Chieftains - The Chieftains, CD. By one of the most famous Irish music groups, this CD showcases the Chieftains' traditional Irish music, with pipes, whistles, and Celtic harp.

The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition) - John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, DVD.  Oscar winner for cinematography & direction, this classic is about an American who moves to Ireland, and falls for a fiery Irish lass.

Fodor's Ireland 2008 - Fodor Guides, 656pp. Comprehensive travel guide to Ireland. Covers different areas of Ireland, as well as hints on Irish culture, and historical information about different cities and towns.

Angela's Ashes: A Memoir - Frank McCourt, 368pp. Memoir about the author's childhood, growing up desperately poor in Ireland. In spite of his difficult life, he mixes in humor, for a wonderful, uplifting story.

Irish Traditional Cooking: Over 300 Recipes from Ireland's Heritage - Darina Allen, 288pp. A wonderful introduction to Irish cooking, with easy to follow recipes, wonderful photos, and interesting tidbits.

What Life Was Like: Among Druids and High Kings : Celtic Ireland AD 400-1200 - Time-Life Books, 144pp. Gives insight into what daily life was like in this period, with superb photographs and illustrations.

Magnum Ireland - Brigitte Lardinois, 256pp. Complex retrospective of six tumultuous decades of Irish history. Each decade features a notable Irish author and many insightful photographs.

Waking Ned Devine - Ian Bannen, DVD. Delightful comedy about 2 elderly friends from an Irish village. They conspire to claim the lottery winnings of a friend, who died from shock after finding he won.

Travels In Wicklow, West Kerry And Connemara - J.M Synge, 223pp. An overlooked masterpiece by one of Ireland's best-loved writers. Captures Irish rural life in the early 1900s, a life that has long since disappeared. Fine illustrations.

How the Irish Saved Civilization (Hinges of History) - Thomas Cahill, 256pp. During Europe's Dark Ages, monks on this "island of saints and scholars," laboriously preserved the West's written treasury.

The Parting Glass : A Toast to the Traditional Pubs of Ireland - Eric Roth, 144pp.   This nostalgic ramble through the most inviting pubs in Ireland captures the timeless feel and flavor of this intrinsic part of Irish life.

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