Are you travelling over to London for this year's Olympics? Don't forget that just a hop, skip and jump across the water you'll find plenty happening in Ireland, including the Olympic Torch Relay, festivals and events galore and, of course, the biggest year Northern Ireland has ever seen!

Did you catch the Olympic Torch Relay?

The spirit of the world’s biggest sporting event was officially lit in Northern Ireland on the 3rd of June when the Olympic Torch arrived in Belfast as part of its UK-wide tour. Relay runners carried the flame past thousands of cheering spectators in more than 60 towns and villages, as well as past a number of iconic attractions like the world-famous Giant’s Causeway, the nearby Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, the Fermanagh Lakelands and Derry~Londonderry. The torch also made a whistle-stop tour of Dublin on the 6th June (the only detour permitted outside its epic 8,000-mile journey around the UK) before departing Northern Ireland on 7th June.

NI2012: Your Time, Our Place

2012 will be a very special time to visit Northern Ireland, with a yearlong programme of world-class events, special anniversaries, newly developed visitor attractions and compelling visitor experiences on its jam-packed calendar. The excitement kicked off with the Titanic Belfast Festival in March and April, which included the opening of the amazing Titanic Belfast Visitor Experience. On the 21st of June, the London 2012 Festival will officially begin with the Peace One Day Concert in Derry~Londonderry, and the celebrations continue on 30th June with ‘Land of Giants’, a huge outdoor street theatre and arts event on the Titanic slipway.

Join in the homecoming celebrations of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in Derry~Londonderry at the beginning of July, and later in the month keep your eyes on the iconic Northern coastline for ‘Peace Camp’ – a simultaneous series of living artwork and poetry installations.  The new Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre is due to open its doors on the 2nd of July, with the magnificent ‘FLAGS’ installation of enormous billowing red and yellow flags set to adorn the landscape from August to November. And finally in October the iconic Belfast Festival at Queen’s will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and promises an eclectic line-up of international artists from all areas of the arts.

Galway greats

Ireland’s long-standing affinity with the sea continues in the first week of July when the Volvo Ocean Race – the ‘Everest’ of sailing – finishes in the fabled waters of Galway Bay on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast. Celebrated in story and song throughout the world, Galway is also famous for its Arts Festival, the Galway Oyster Festival and the Galway Races, which annually draws crowds of 200,000. Galway offers a perfect backdrop for sailors, crew members and landlubbers alike – the wildest and remotest of countryside alongside one of Europe’s most vibrant and popular cities.

Dynamic Dublin

Not to be outdone, Dublin is also hosting a series of major events throughout 2012, not least among them the return of the international Tall Ships Races in August, which, in addition to the many maritime themed festivities, involves a fusion of Irish food, fashion, music, literature and heritage. The Youth Sailing World Championships are coming to Ireland for the first time in July, and as European City of Science for 2012, Dublin will also be hosting the Euroscience Open Forum (11-15 July). For American football fans, the city’s superb Aviva Stadium will stage a Notre Dame Vs Navy matchup on 1 September. The Notre Dame-Navy rivalry is the longest continuous rivalry in American college football with the two schools having met every year since 1927.

Go to the Golf

In June the world’s top golfers will return to Ireland for the very popular Irish Open. The tournament returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this year, recognising the recent major-winning achievements of golfers Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, whose success has led many commentators to label Northern Ireland as the golfing capital of the world. Together with the major winning achievements of Padraig Harrington it’s no surprise that there’s a strong welcome around the country for golf’s designation as an Olympic sport for 2016. Ireland’s superb golf courses – including some of the best links courses on the planet – provide the perfect training grounds for the visiting golfer.

Festival Fever

Ireland’s festival season is world-renowned, and 2012 promises to be bigger and better than ever before, with a jam-packed programme of festivals showcasing drama, music, film, visual art, street performance and much more. The excitement kicks off in June with the Cork Midsummer Festival, and continues at the Clonmel Junction Festival in early July. Arts, music, theatre, film, dance and more can be found at Donegal’s Earagail Arts Festival and the Galway Arts Festival, both in July. Meanwhile Kilkenny’s Arts Festival in August promises 10 days of colourful and diverse celebrations.  Dublin’s festival season springs into life in September at the Fringe Festival, followed by the Dublin Theatre Festival in October.