#ireland-tourism-opportunity

#ireland-tourism-opportunity

Next month marks the 15th anniversary of that surreal Sunday when James Horan made his first summer statement as Mayo manager. The start of a riotous, roller-coaster decade embracing seven All-Ireland finals, one draw, six defeats and an infinity of 'what ifs'.

"I truly believe travel in your 50s shifts in a meaningful way. It's often a decade of clarity-people are more intentional about how they spend their time, more focused on depth over volume, and increasingly interested in experiences that feel purposeful."

Wales has a beautiful roughness to it. Its beauty is not immediate and hard-won; visitors will have to trek, drive and withstand the rain in order to find it. But it's worth every step of the journey.

Monsignor Horan, decked in his customary black cassock with amaranth red piping, buttons and sash, declares theatrically: 'What do you think is going on? We are building an airport.'

A lot of things come together for the perfect pour, including temperature and the cleanliness of lines. Bottom line? Yes, it's all better in Ireland. However, that's not to say there aren't some outstanding Irish pubs in the U.S., because there are.

Irish desserts are, in one word, resourceful. They have to be; in a nation that grappled for centuries with conflict, famine, and outright war, luxurious ingredients were not accessible to most people. Instead, the Irish turned to local ingredients like sea moss, apples, and an impressive array of dairy products to satisfy their cravings for something sweet.

With the ripple effects of the US-Israeli war on Iran causing the biggest disruption to global travel since the pandemic, staycations are looking like a safer bet for some households.

Irish pubs have roots that go back to 10th-century Viking halls. And although we're talking about going so far back in time that precise dates and details can get a little sketchy, we do know there are a few pubs that opened not too long after that and are still in operation.

The Irish government will give 2,000 artists unrestricted weekly stipends in a program officials described as a "recognition, at government level, of the important role of the arts in Irish society." After a successful three-year pilot, the Irish government made its basic income program for artists permanent. Similar pilots have been launched here in the United States, but they're supported primarily by the nonprofit sector.

There has been a significant increase in wealthy Americans moving to Ireland to escape life under Donald Trump, new figures from the Department of Justice reveal. The number of US citizens granted permission to live here on temporary Stamp O visas has jumped by almost 90pc in only a couple of years. The visas were granted to 387 US citizens last year, nearly double the 204 who were granted Stamp O visas in 2022.

There are cheaper rents to be found in Roscommon, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim and Cavan. But what about day-to-day costs? It's no secret that Dublin is an expensive place to live. In fact, a 2025 report by Tradingpedia found that it's the fifth most expensive capital city in Europe. But what about the other towns across Ireland? Where can you eke out a cheaper way of life, spending less on everything from your morning coffee to your yoga class?

McDonald's locations in the United States tend to be pretty staid and uniform in design, but head abroad and things start to change. While there are a few American McDonald's that don't feature the traditional golden arches aesthetic, in historic international cities, you'll frequently find the burger chain housed in beautiful old stone and masonry buildings - with only a small McDonald's sign offering any hint of what's inside.

Q: I recently took a redundancy package, and I am now job hunting. I've been told that ­LinkedIn is the place where I am most likely to find prospective employers, and have dutifully changed my avatar to "open for work". However, I have a feeling that Ireland is still all about "who you know", and I may do better by working my network of contacts. Is it worth paying for a full LinkedIn subscription, or what is your experience of modern job hunting?

I'm passing through Kilrush on the first bright, blue-skied day after weeks of non-stop rain and it's warm enough to leave the coat in the car and think perhaps there may be a sniff of spring in the air. I hope I'm not being previous. I'm here to check out two places I've been following on Instagram for a while, having never been to this part of west Clare before.

Portrush has gone up a gear with several new hotels, including this from Marine & Lawn

Hop on a plane to Malaga, and you might expect to see passengers in flip-flops and sun hats, ready to spend a week on a lounger with a cocktail to hand. But in recent years, a different kind of traveller has set their sights on the Costa del Sol. Instead of staying by the sea, they head inland, to cycle the mountains of Sierra Nevada.

The temporary route between Dublin and Bridgetown will take off from March 31 and operate to May 31, running three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, it said. Flights will be on an Airbus A321XLR - one of its newest single-aisle aircraft - and fares are currently available from €229 each way. Aer Lingus is to close its Manchester base from March 31, and will cease transatlantic services from the UK airport from that date.