Welcome to the September 2006 issue of our Authentic Ireland newsletter, where we get to wax lyrical about everything that turns us on about this little country of ours.

Ok, what have we got for you this month? We check out the Willie Clancy Summer School in Milltown Malbay, there’s Paddy's Day specials, tips for dealing with Irish weather, restaurant and pub recommendations and more. It goes something like this:

• Travel tales - the Willie Clancy Week
• Paddy's Day Specials – discounted Ireland vacations
• Ireland travel tips - Irish Weather
• Restaurant recommendation
• Pub recommendation
• Authentic Referral program
• Next issue: stuff to look forward to
• Admin: on/off this list, small print, etc
• Sign off, good luck, see you next time

The pubs of Milltown and surrounding villages in County Clare also host continuous impromptu sessions as top musicians from around the country show off their talents to the assembled crowds. Every year trad musicians clear their calendar for the first two weeks of July. This is their chance to catch up with friends, learn tunes and exchange tips and tricks. Because the festival continually attracts the very best musicians, the quality of the sessions, all of which are free, is unmatched by any other festival in Ireland. Many of the pubs are very small so often there will be as many musicians in the pub as spectators. In most cases there is no stage, the musicians simply take over a corner of the pub and do their thing.

The array of instruments on display includes fiddles, accordions, guitars, banjos, flutes, uilleann pipes, tin whistles and bodhrans. And every now and then someone from the crowd will launch into song to give the musicians a much deserved break. It is all very much like a jamming session, musicians take turns leading the group; if you know the tune you join in, if not you watch and learn and wait for one you do know. The thrill of watching and hearing a group of twelve or more musicians all come in together on a tune they know is hard to match.

But the real treat is the music itself. It will get your foot tapping, then stomping, it will seep in to your bones, take over you head and finally envelope your whole body in a warm glow. There is an undeniable uplifting, life affirming spirit to the music. Sure, there are sad, lilting songs about the famine and emigration, leaving one's family, country and love behind. But when the beat picks up and the fiddles and banjos and pipes and accordions dance in unison you know that this music can really only be about one thing: joy. The joy of life, the joy of living.

Every year I come away from the festival promising myself I will learn an instrument. This year was no exception. Maybe next year, I will not be just listening. Because if it feels that good to listen, I can only imagine what it must feel like for those musicians playing such magical music.

Willie Clancy official website: http://www.setdancingnews.net/wcss/wcsst.htm

Yes, we know. St Patrick's Day, March 17th, is more than seven months away. Who plans that far ahead? Well, lots of people unfortunately. Dublin hotels now book out at least six months in advance. Other popular towns like Westport, Killarney, Dingle and Doolin aren't far behind. The beauty of the special packages we have put together is that two nights accommodation, in the town or city of your choice, are guaranteed, while the remaining five nights are fully customizable. You can spend them where ever you like.

1. PADDY'S IN DUBLIN (7 nights):
$750 per person*

▪2 nights, March 16 and 17 guaranteed at the Grafton Capital Hotel in Dublin's city centre
▪ 5 remaining nights bed & breakfast accommodation in locations of your choice
▪all accommodation pre-booked by Authentic Ireland
▪ Compact automatic car rental

* Based on two sharing. Must be booked before September 30, 2006.

2. PADDY'S IN DINGLE (7 nights):
$750 per person*

▪ 2 nights, March 16 and 17 guaranteed at the Dingle Skellig Hotel.
▪ 5 remaining nights bed & breakfast accommodation in locations of your choice
▪ all accommodation pre-booked by Authentic Ireland
▪ Compact automatic car rental

* Based on two sharing. Must be booked before September 30, 2006.

For more information on any of our specials please check out our website here: http://www.authenticireland.com/specials.htm

I think it is fair to say that Irish weather is pretty notorious. It is known for being both weepingly wet and laughingly unpredictable. A devilish combination if ever there was one. But does it deserve this infamous reputation? Probably not, but the Irish do such a good job complaining about it, that everyone is convinced it does. Including, the Irish themselves.

Average annual rainfall in Ireland runs to 30 inches. Quite a lot you may think. But Seattle, Washington gets 36in, New York, 45in (ok, 28in of that is snow) and Miami gets a whopping 60in of rainfall! No snow there. So Ireland isn't that wet after all. In fact, the average Earthly rainfall is 34in, so we are begrudgingly below average. So why does everyone think Ireland is so wet when it is in fact below average? The reason is that most “normal” climates get all or most of their rain out the way in one season, leaving the remainder of the year mostly dry. Not in Ireland. We like to spread it throughout the whole year. We have the warm Atlantic Gulf Stream to thank for that. It keeps our winters mild, our summers cool and makes both equally likely to produce a shower of rain at any time.

Which brings me to the unpredictable nature of Irish weather. OK, here I must raise my hands in surrender, or at least Irish Weather would if it had a conscience. Everything you have heard is true, no point denying it. Beautiful and sunny in the morning, grey and torrential by the afternoon. It would be great if you could set your watch by it, but you most certainly can not. The reverse could just as easily be the case. But, most likely the reverse in various guises numerous times over before noon will be true. Hence, the favorite phrase of those brave men and women at the Irish Meteorological Office when forecasting the weather: "sunny spells and scattered showers". Spring and autumn are particularly schizophrenic, when hail and thunder may be experienced in the same day as the aforementioned sunny spells.

Many people ask us: "What is the weather like in Ireland in May, or September?" The short, honest answer is we haven't got a clue. Every year is different. Sure, we have seasons, but our seasons are generalizations at best. They are a reasonable indication of temperature and whether schools will be open, but little more. I can't speak for my colleagues, but I usually base my answer to the above question on my memory of that month's weather the previous year, while couching my response in language supplied by our weather lawyer. Take this summer so far. May this year was depressingly wet. It rained almost every day. By the end of the month the entire population of Ireland was on the brink of psychological breakdown. Thankfully, the first two weeks of June were fantastic, but the following two were nondescript - overcast, but dry for the most part. July was up and down, days of rain followed by days of intense heat and sunshine. August started well, but took a turn for the worse this week. What will it be like next week? No one knows.

So what is a sane person to do? The Irish answer is to talk about it. I'm not sure if we actually love talking about the weather, but it certainly makes for an easy conversation opener. Friends who have known each other 50 years will comment on the day's weather before moving to more important topics. But it works just as well for strangers on a train. It is the common burden or joy we all share, depending on the day. You will never offend anyone by commenting on the weather since no one cam claim credit and no one can be blamed.

But what can you do as a visitor to Ireland to prepare for Irish weather? Well, I was sitting under the awning outside a coffee shop one afternoon last week. It had started raining an hour previously. Prior to that it had been sunny and warm for almost four days. It had seemed like sunshine was our right. I noticed, as I sipped my latte, that all the locals were dashing about in tee-shirts, sun dresses and sleeveless blouses getting rather drenched. On the other hand, every tourist I saw was strolling around sporting rainproof jackets, quite unperturbed by the sudden change in the weather. The moral of this story? The answer to this question? Forget the Irish, be like the tourists. Be prepared!

Top Tips:
- bring a rainproof jacket and shoes (and trousers if you intend golfing, hiking or cycling)
- bring layers of clothes that you can put on or take off as the weather dictates.
- watch the weather forecast so you know what to expect the next day. It is on after every news bulletin on tv and is often the funniest thing you will see all day. The forecasts are normally very accurate. Our weathermen and women are probably the best in the world.
- if in doubt, ask a farmer
- never, ever complain about the heat, dryness, humidity or sunshine

Irish Meteorological Service website: http://www.met.ie/

HUNGRY IN KILLARNEY
Jam, 77 High Street, Killarney, open 8am to 5pm, Mon to Sat
Jam is the place to go for an inexpensive lunch or a quick snack, freshly baked bread and cakes or just good coffee. It is a deli, bakery and café all rolled into one. Jam offers a wide variety of home-cooked foods - soups, sandwiches, breads, scones, salads, quiche, lasagne, pies, cakes and desserts. All mouthwateringly tasty. The staff at Jam are very friendly and there’s always a buzz of conversation in the cosy dining area. Best of all is Jam’s obvious commitment to offering good value. Prices are very reasonable indeed. You can also order food to take out. This is a great option if you are planning a day out or a picnic. Jam can also be found in Kenmare on Henry Street.
Expect to pay: 10 euro for lunch.

REFERRAL PROGRAM
It's very simple. If you refer a friend to Authentic Ireland and they book a tour with us, you will be entitled to your choice of:
▪ $30 amazon.com voucher, or
▪ $50 per person off your next vacation booked through Authentic Ireland.

All your friend has to do is mention your name when booking, we'll take care of the rest.

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Well that’s it for this our first issue. We hope you enjoyed it. Any comments, questions or suggestions to: newsletter@authenticireland.com

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All the best & happy travels,

The Newsletter Team
Authentic Ireland Travel
http://www.authenticireland.com/
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