Livestream: Ireland's National Ploughing Championships at Tullamore BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Thousands of people are expected to descend on Tullamore today to attend Europe's largest outdoor event, the National Ploughing Championships. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/agri/livestream-irelands-national-ploughing-championships-at-tullamore-37328799.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/incoming/article37328825.ece/f77dd/AUTOCROP/h342/JS4038946Cecil%20Wray%20from%20K.jpg Email Thousands of people are expected to descend on Tullamore today to attend Europe's largest outdoor event, the National Ploughing Championships. Some 300,000 people expected to attend the event which is in its 87th year over the course of the week. Entering the site, traffic is slow exiting the M6 westbound at J5 Tullamore and there are delays on the N52 towards Tullamore itself. Traffic is also busy on approaching the site from Blue Ball on the Birr side, as well as the approach from Clonmich Road. … [Read more...] about Livestream: Ireland’s National Ploughing Championships at Tullamore
Ireland national parks
Special report: Authorities scale new heights in €257m bid to protect Ireland’s national parks
A €257m, 10-year tourism masterplan for our national parks has been a long time coming, writes Caroline O’Doherty.THEIR iconic features have graced countless postcards, tourist brochures, and Instagram accounts, and time in their company makes memories for a lifetime so it seems only right that our national parks should be treated as national treasures.But do they get the appreciation — and protection — they deserve?The six parks — Killarney, Wicklow Mountains, The Burren, Connemara, Glenveagh, and Ballycroy — between them cover around 68,700 hectares of mountains, lakes, woodland, bogs, walking trails, archaeological sites, and historical houses, attracting 3m-4m visitors a year.Accurate counts are hard to obtain because not everyone enters the parks through a visitor centre, where their presence can be registered, and besides, some of the visitor centres only open for part of the year.Suffice to say they are a big draw for overseas tourists, … [Read more...] about Special report: Authorities scale new heights in €257m bid to protect Ireland’s national parks
Special report: Authorities scale new heights in bid to protect Ireland’s national parks
A €257m, 10-year tourism masterplan for our national parks has been a long time coming, writes Caroline O’Doherty.THEIR iconic features have graced countless postcards, tourist brochures, and Instagram accounts, and time in their company makes memories for a lifetime so it seems only right that our national parks should be treated as national treasures.But do they get the appreciation — and protection — they deserve?The six parks — Killarney, Wicklow Mountains, The Burren, Connemara, Glenveagh, and Ballycroy — between them cover around 68,700 hectares of mountains, lakes, woodland, bogs, walking trails, archaeological sites, and historical houses, attracting 3m-4m visitors a year.Accurate counts are hard to obtain because not everyone enters the parks through a visitor centre, where their presence can be registered, and besides, some of the visitor centres only open for part of the year.Suffice to say they are a big draw for overseas tourists, … [Read more...] about Special report: Authorities scale new heights in bid to protect Ireland’s national parks
The Islands of Ireland: Pining for the island in the river
The jetty is a bit shaky and the timbers are rotted in places, but the wooden structure is sound enough to permit visitors to Illaunslea, Kenmare Bay, Co Kerry.A wall of dense foliage meets any alighting seafarer. There seems no way through. There is though. Crouching really low allows the visitor to make out some stone steps and an entrance of sorts to a wide expanse, a small garden perhaps? No, just a very small clearing with a view of a beautiful old house with unusual architecture, Swiss in appearance. Hidden away, among the boughs and the fronds a much-loved house, still dignified.The vines threaten to penetrate the windows. The rose bushes and fuchsia stand back for now. A small tree has taken root in the eaves. Nature has played the waiting game and is having its say. This is the former summer home of the family of writer Peter Somerville Large who lived here in the 1930s.Kenmare River is obviously a bay like Dingle, Kenmare and Bantry but was classified a river by successive … [Read more...] about The Islands of Ireland: Pining for the island in the river
FOOTBALL: Northern Ireland to face Norway in Portadown in World Cup qualifier
Northern Ireland will face another massive challenge when they come up against Norway in Portadown (Shamrock Park 7:45pm) on Tuesday night. Admission is free. Fresh from a 7-0 defeat to European champions Netherlands, Alfie Wylie’s team can expect to be under the cosh again in the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 Qualifying Group Three clash.In the reverse fixture Norway, the number one seeds in the group, wn 4-1.The Dutch created more than 30 chances against Northern Ireland on Friday night in Eindhoven.Netherlands and Republic of Ireland currently lead the group on 10 points apiece, with three wins and a draw each, but Martin Sjögren’s side are still very much in the hunt.While the Dutch boast players who ply their trade with the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Arsenal in their ranks, Norway have a squad of players who largely play their football in Scandinavia, although some of their key players operate in Germany and England.And they should not be … [Read more...] about FOOTBALL: Northern Ireland to face Norway in Portadown in World Cup qualifier