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Rainbow Routes
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Rich in history and heritage
Human inhabitation in Ireland goes back around 9,000 years, so the island is peppered with amazing archeological sites! From semi-nomadic farmers’ stone-field dwellings, such as the Ceide Fields, near Ballycastle, County Mayo, and the 2,500 year-old Celtic enclosures of Tara in Meath and Emain Macha in Armagh; through to the Viking-settlement cities of Dublin, and other towns, the island of Ireland has witnessed many turbulent times over thousands of years. And this heritage is preserved for you to visit in all its splendour.
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Delicious food and drink
As an island, Ireland is blessed with rich green pastures, pristine waterways and glistening oceans and seas, providing the basic ingredients for fine food in abundance. There is a natural love of seafood, of course, with mussels, oysters, crab and lobster firm favourites among locals and visitors alike. Farmers’ markets are popping up all over the country, showcasing contemporary Ireland’s passion for homegrown, organic produce; great restaurants are dishing up excellent fare; plus you’ll find plenty of cookery schools where you can hone your skills to perfection. Also worth seeking out on our rainbow routes are the homes of well-travelled drinks, such as Guinness, wonderful whiskeys, such as Bushmills or Tullamore Dew, and Murphy’s Stout.
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A love of arts and culture
Ireland is rich in arts and culture and the Irish are not afraid to celebrate this fact all year round! With such a colourful history, museums, galleries and theatres are a sheer joy to discover in Ireland, with a huge concentration in the two capitals, Dublin and Belfast. But all over the country, you’ll find smaller-scale establishments giving prying eyes a glimpse into Ireland’s past and an insight into the nation’s theatrical nature. From the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Limerick’s Hunt Museum through to the world-renowned Abbey and Gaeity Theatres of Dublin, experiencing Ireland’s arts and culture heritage is as easy as it is accessible.
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Castles, houses and gardens
Apart from having naturally beautiful landscapes, Ireland is endowed with glorious castles and houses encircled by manicured lawns, bountiful flowers, magical fountains and waterfalls that have been tended to lovingly over the years. Ireland’s stately castles, homes and gardens have the ability to stir the imagination simply by discovering the tales of intrigue and mystery that have unfolded behind the stone walls and even in the sumptuous walled gardens, including acts of treachery, ghostly goings-on and love affairs that have gone awry.
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Making music
In every corner of the island, Ireland’s musical heritage abounds. Whether it’s jazz that tickles your fancy or rocking to the beat of U2 or Snow Patrol, Ireland’s measure on music is at the heart of social life in Ireland. In fact, for such a small island, we have produced an astonishing array of artists, adored both locally and on the international music scene. From small gigs in country pubs to concerts brimming over with tens of thousands of fans, there is always an opportunity to tap your feet to the sound of music wherever you may be in Ireland.
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Love of the language
With no fewer than four Nobel prize winners for literature, Ireland is at the forefront of literary innovation. Literally bursting at the seams with giants of the written word, Ireland has always been proud of its love of the language. From the whims of Joyce’s Ulysses, the one-liners of Oscar Wilde and the colloquial phrases of Roddy Doyle to the tall tales of Seamus Heaney and Brian Friel and the vivid imagination of CS Lewis, the cities, towns and villages of Ireland seem to have been the source of inspiration for these and other writers through the ages. The pub also has a special part to play, with many an author penning their best works in the confines of the local, so check out the literary tours highlighted on your rainbow routes e-brochure…
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Churches, saints and scholars
From church walls to burial sites of our patron Saint Patrick, Ireland’s voyage from pagan rituals to Christianity can be carefully charted through the proliferation of churches, monastic settlements and scholaraly scripts on view across the land. With the arrival of Christianity in the 5th century, gospels began to be recorded as lavishly illuminated manuscripts, such as the Book of Kells, Trinity College Dublin. Outdoors, however, you can also stumble across richly carved high crosses, heavenly round towers and engraved grave slabs, which display the skills and ingenuity of generations of dedicated craftsmen, plus an instinctive need to protect themselves and their beliefs if threatened by adversity through the ages.
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